Robert Callier Family

Robert Callier, alternately spelled Caller, Calor, or Callor, was born about 1728 in England. Although Owen in his Dictionary of Alabama Biography gives Robert's name erroneously as James, he does say that he was serving as a shoemaker's apprentice when impressed by British officers and brought to the colonies. Upon the ship's landing in Norfolk, Robert escaped into the interior, married Jemima, nee unknown, and later moved to what would become Warren County, North Carolina. He did not move, but land boundaries did, from Granville, to Bute, to Warren counties. Robert married Mourning Evans in 1798. He died in 1805.

The first records of Robert appear in 1749 when he bought land on both sides of Cabbin Branch in what was then Granville County, North Carolina. By 1762 he had accumulated over 2,000 acres and numerous slaves. In 1750 on the Collet map, there is Coler's Ordinary, a tavern and inn on Smith's Creek. The license was renewed many times, and his sons also ran the property in later years. He also had a grist mill and served as a juror and overseer of roads in his area. In 1767 a new road was opened "from the courthouse to Mr. Caller's" and a "church road near Caller's" is mentioned. Again a spelling variation, but it is definitely Robert Callier's property. He was neighbor to the families of Jones, Paschal, Eaton, Hawkins, Twitty, Wood, Duke, and many others. He served in Col. William Eaton's militia regiment under Capt. Richard Coleman in 1754 and often acted as a surveyor for his neighbor's lands.

He and Jemima had at least six sons: Robert, Jr., Charles, William, John, James, and Thomas. Robert, Jr., born about 1749 died in 1781 in Warren County. In 1772 he witnessed the sale of a part of a tract originally granted to William Duke by Lord Granville. In 1774 he was appointed con-stable of Hawkins District, and in 1775, was a member of the Committee of Safety. He also served as a grand juror and road overseer. Family lore says he died as a prisoner of war of the British. His brother Charles died the same year. He first appeared in records in 1774 as a witness of a deed from John Hawkins to Robert Caller, and in 1778 to a bill of sale of slaves from his brother Robert to his father. In his will in 1781, Charles gave the 600 acres "known as Caller's Ordinary" back to his father Robert, Sr. Son William was born about 1754, married Sally Hawkins, daughter of John and Mary Hawkins in 1775 in Warren County, and died in 1784. They had one son named Charles. Son Thomas Callier, born in 1769, married Nancy Mayfield in Warren. This family removed to Greene County and Talbot counties in Georgia where Thomas died in 1851 with many descendants. Sons John and James Callier/Caller eventually migrated to the Tombigbee region of the Mississippi Territory where they became leading citizens and politicians.

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