Robert McCreath was born near Paisley, Renfrewshire on 15 February 1837. He emigrated to America with his brother, James, and sister, Marion. With his siblings he first settled in Kewanee, Illinois.
Robert was a Civil War Veteran; a Private in D. Company, 17th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Roll shows that he enlisted at Peoria, Illinois on 25 May 1861. He was living at Glava, Henry County, Illinois. He served for three years. He is described as 5 feet six and a half inches tall, light complexion, sandy hair and blue eyes.
Robert married Taletha Hamilton. Taletha was born in Illinois.
By 1880, Robert and Taletha had moved to Jasper, Carroll, Iowa. In the Federal Census of that year, the family is listed as
Robert McCreath age 43
Talitha McCreath age 37
Gladys McCreath age 13
James P McCreath age 5
• Gladys McCreath born about 1867. Gladys McCreath married Charles Knight in 1889. They had a daughter: Hazel Knight born february 1891, Illinois. In 1901 the family was resident at Kewanne , Illinois.
• James Preston McCreath born 20 March 1875, Carroll County, Iowa
• A third child, Maggie McCreath, was born 27 June 1881 at Glidden Iowa.
Talitha died on 13 November 1883 at Glidden, Carroll County, Iowa . After her mother’s death, Maggie was sent to live with her sister Gladys at Kewanee. The 1900 Census lists:
Charles Knight age 37, head
Gladys Knight age 33, wife
Hazel Knight age 9, daughter
Maggie McCreath age 18, sister-in-law
On 14 November 1885, Robert McCreath married Esther M Black at Guernsey, Ohio. (Ohio County Marriages, 1774-1993). No known issue.
In 1910 Robert (age 73) and Esther (age 70) owned a farm at Beat 2, Clay Mississippi.
Robert died on 22 August 1922 at Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois. He was buried at Glidden, Iowa. (Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947)