Emigrated from Scotland to County Down, Ireland early in his life.

He came to America in 1752. In the spring of 1754 he located on a tract of land in the Tuscarora Valley, then in Cumberland County, Province of Pennsylvania. In June 1756, owing to the Indian incursions upon the Juniata, Mr. Hoge fled with his little family to Carlisle, returning only in the fall of that year. On two other occasions did this early pioneer seek safety in the then principal place of refuge west of the Susquehanna.

Age at death given as 80 in

Robert Hoge is said to have been related to Jonathan Hoge and the other Hoges from Hogetown, near Carlisle. Dr. Egle says in Notes & Queries, first series, 1899, page 215, "The Virginia & Penn. Families of Hoge are related. Mr. R. A. Brock of Richmond Va. can furnish data." The Frank Allaben Genealogical Company of 37 West Thirty-ninth St., New York, has made a search on the Hoge Family and I understand has considerable material.

Egles' History of Dauphin Co., Pa. p. 16, gives a list of Scotch Irish signing a petition to Governor of New England Colony for permission to settle there. Being refused they came to Pennsylvania and settled chiefly around Donegal. Robert and James Hogg were signers.

Robert Hogg was appointed Overseer of Poor, Milford Township, March 26, 1770 by Court at Carlisle before Jonathan Hoge, Esq. Reappointed March 25, 1771. See Quarter Sessions book 3-4, p. 82 and 127.

On March 25, 1775 Robert Hogg was appointed Constable for Milford Township. See Quarter Sessions Book 3-4.


The name of this old pioneer was spelled Hogg in former days. He came from East Pennsborough, in Cumberland County, where numbers of the family spell their name Hoge. Jonathan Hoge was long active and useful in the early days of this state.

Robert Hogg, claimed by some writers to be one of the first settlers (of Spruce Hill Township, Juniata Co., PA),had a large tract of three hundred and ninety-three acres warrantedApril 11, 1763.
Hogg was driven off his land at the time of the taking of Bigham’s fort.

Cousin Hoogie’s bio:
Robert Hoge was probably born about 1717 in the southern part of Scotland. His parentage is unknown but it is assumed it was Scotch. To the Scotch-Irish, Hoge or Hogg refers to a lamb a year old, and not to a member of the pig family as some might think. When still quite young he emigrated to County Down, Province of Ulster, in northern Ireland, just across the North Channel of the Irish Sea from southern Scotland, as many others did at that time. It was there he met and married, about 1749, a young lady called Letitia but whose surname is unknown. A son, William, was born to them in 1751. During the summer of 1752, he and his family emigrated to America, their intentions being to settle in New England as Robert Hoge and a James Hoge were among signers of a petition of Scotch-Irish immigrants requesting authority to settle there. However they found that the request had been disapproved by the Governor, so they continued on, finally landing at Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania. In May 1753 their daughter Sarah was born and during that year their son William died. In 1754 they left Philadelphia and removed to East Pennsboro, near Carlisle, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was probably from here that Robert Hoge explored the Tuscarora Valley, as the History of the Huntingdon Presbytery states that "Robert Hoge and two other men were the first white men to cross the mountains into Tuscarora Valley." He evidently liked what he saw as he laid claim to a tract of land and removed his family there shortly thereafter. The tract of land consisted of 393 acres of very desirable land in Milford Township in Cumberland County, which became Juniata County when Cumberland County was divided in 1831.

In the spring of 1756 Indian raids became more numerous and severe, and in June of that year, the Indians attacked and captured nearby Fort Bingham, killing many of the settlers and forcing the others to flee, most of whom sought safety at Carlisle, which was the principle place of refuge west of the Susquehanna River. Robert Hoge and his family managed to escape the massacre and get to Carlisle safely. One story relates that shortly before the Indians attacked the fort he and his daughter Mary were taking some goods across the mountain on a cow and were seen by the Indians who let them pass because they did not wish to alarm the fort. They returned to their homestead later that fall, but on two other occasions they were forced to flee to Carlisle because of the raids. On 11 April 1763 the 393 acres of land were warranted to him and it is interesting to note that in the margin of a copy of the warrant is written "The land for which this warrant is granted having been settled upwards of eight years ago, Interest and Quit Rent is to commence from lst of March 1755."

He was appointed "Overseer of the Poor" for Milford Township on 26 March 1770 by the Court at Carlisle, and again on 25 March 1?71. On 25 March 1775 he was appointed Constable of Milford Township. On 7 June 178b he sold the benefits of his original land grant to his son in law, John McKee, who warranted 150 acres of it for his own use. The following deed is recorded at the Court House in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, "Robert & Letitia Hoge of Milford to their daughter Jean Robinson and Alexander, her husband, 50 acres adjoining William Graham and McCullough's heirs, 1793." He signed it but Letitia did so with her mark. He was appointed one of the appraisers of the estate of James Chambers of Milford Township, whose will was probated 2 May 1?95. He died on his plantation 25 January 1798 leaving a will witnessed by William Patton and William Graham, which was dated 29 December 1797, and in it he mentions; -wife Letitia, son James, daughter Sarah and her children Robert, George and Jane Graham, granddaughters Letitia and Ann McCullough, daughters Jane Robinson, Martha McKee, Mary McKee, grandsons Robert Hoge, James Irvin Hoge, executors wife Letitia and William Patton.

He must have been quite feeble when he made his will as he signed it with an “X”. His widow Letitia died 8 March 1812, probably at the home of her daughter Mary, wife of John McKee who had taken over a large part of the original estate. Both Robert and Letitia were buried on the premises in what became known as "McKee's Graveyard."

Although there is no proof of relationship, in notes, on the Hoge Family at the Pennsylvania State Library in Harrisburg$ belief is expressed that Robert Hoge was related., to Jonathan Hoge of Carlisle, and other Hoges in nearby Hogestown.

Addendum:
In the second paragraph of the preceding page (2) is made of John Hoge and his daughter Mary being seen by the Indians in the spring of 1756 as they were taking goods across the mountains on a cow. This could not have been his daughter Mary as she was not born until 1762.