The Marrs surname in North America appears to have originated with William Erskine Marrs, a Scotsman born around 1690 to 1700 who travelled to the new world around the year 1720. Passed on to generations is the story that William Erskine (pronounced air-skins) was the son of 'Bobbing' John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. Jean Leeper has done extensive research on the Marrs history.
At the home of the 6th Earls of Mar at Alloa Tower, records indicate the the Earl had two children. Thomas was the oldest child, Francis the younger daughter. There is no mention of a younger son. So there seems to be a mystery of the origins of William. Perhaps a nephew of the Earls? The lands forfeited by the exile of the Earl was purchased from the Crown by his brother Lord Grange who held the estate in the trust for Thomas. Perhaps Lord Grange had a son named William. Many records to the Erskine line were destroyed in a fire at Alloa in 1800. (The Erskine Coat of Arms appears on the left)
There are a number of documented cases of William Erskine Marrs in North America. And undocumented.
Genealogical History of Washington D.C. #3007 (p14, "Marrs" by Mabel Marrs) "William Erskine Marr of Scotland (youngest son of one of the Earls of Mar) came to the Colonies, sailing from the Port of Bristol, England to escape punishment. Spelled the name Marrs. While in Scotland, he lived in the Royal Castle of Balmoral, located in the Mar District of Scotland."
History Book in 1883 by Beers, Sidney, Ohio Marrs & Allied Families, published 1965, Four sisters in Texas, Louis E. Marrs, Sidney Ohio, Aug. 6, 1930 (From Book 1, Betty Jean [Albertson] Marrs, 12/1/1975) "Traditions says he married an Indian Maiden by the name of Munday in PA. Records say he had 3 sons born in PA, Samuel, Henry Munday, and Barnabus. The year 1720, a William Erskine Marr, Nobleman of Scotland leaving a vast estate in Scotland which none of rights belong to his American descendants, emigrated to America in order to avoid being put to death of severe torture as a religious Heretic. The dominate religionist had passed his sentence, which was that he be tied to the tail of a wild colt and it be turned loose in the streets of Edinburgh. To avoid this fearful fate he fled his country and left friends and property behind. Originally the name was spelled Marr, but to avoid detection added an S since which time it has been written Marrs. Upon his arrival in the land of religious freedom, he located near the town of Little York, PA. He previously lived in the Royal Castle of Balmoral in the Mar District of Scotland."
K. Ray Marrs, grandson of Greenup "Doc" Marrs "To start William Erskine was the youngest son of the Earl of Mar. Our information is that the leading religionist of the area had sentenced to death by being dragged, tied to a wild pony's tail, through the streets of Edinburgh. He bribed a prison guard with a gold coin he had hidden in his shoe and was taken to Bristol Harbor in England where he hired on as a deck hand. When he arrived in America he jumped ship, added an "s" to his name and settled in Little York Penn. in 1720."
If indeed William IS the son of the Earl of Mar, the circumstances may be close to this:
In 1715, when the Earl of Mar declared war on England and lost, his sons were also banished from the political situation of the times.
So Where did the Earl (and family?) go?
History records that John exiled himself to France, after the failed Jacobite Rising in 1715. Communicating to this family and friends, proposing glass works and grand canals, largely financed from his forfeited estates. He also designed upgrades to Stirling Castle during his exile. By 1739, the majority of the forfeited estates was returned to his son, Thomas, with the aid of John's brother, Lord Grange. In 1750, his daughter, Lady Frances, established the Alloa Glass Works and ran it personally until 1767.
There suggests a curious connection during this research that the Earl, earning the nickname "Bobbing John", switched sides again and landed some secret land grants in the new world. Perhaps the deal was to forfeit his lands in return for land in the new world, promising never to return. The alternative was not so good. Landing in Kittery Maine somewhere between 1715 and 1720, he privatly raised a family. His son, William, later was one of the original settlers of Georgetown, Maine. There is a town near Georgetown called Marrtown, on the Back River. There is also an island named Marr Island.
If this is the same William who's son, Samual, ended up in Chanceford(???). It's a stretch---
Another Theory
Young William was 15 when his father fled to France(?)
When William was ~20, he left the British Isles through Bristol by ship to the colonies.
If William did leave in 1720, I would guess that the ship came to port in Philadelphia. Between 1720 and 1740, William moved out to what is now the southeast area of York Country, Pennsylvania, in an area near Chanceford. It is assumed he was in York because Samual his oldest son was born in York County in 1740. It also appears he married someone with the last name MUNDAY since this is the middle name of the second son.
One possibility that he was near Chanceford is that in 1760, his oldest son, Samual (age 20), married Francina Bradshaw who was also from Chanceford. In these times, it was common for the young sons married their neighbor's daughters.
Additional information on this subject can be sent to Anthony Marrs Surnames List of Names
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