Tarbert / Torbett Family

     I’m a direct descendent of the Torbett family. Robert Torbett came to this country although thru Ireland, he was really born in Renfrew Scotland outside Glasgow in 1698. They came into Delaware and migrated to the Mason-Dixon area of Md./Pa in 1727. Their farm was over 312 acres of Mt. Pleasant, Pa. in York County.

     My great grand father found that our name was Tarbert originally in 1582 and henceforth the Tarberts were reborn in Delta Pa. area. I was born in 1940 the next town beside Delta (Whiteford Maryland). There are so many similarities to me its uncanny.

     The city on the River Shannon is Tarbert not Torbert. In Scotland, the Torbett/Tarbert are from the village of Tarbert in western Highlands (Argylls). We are from the Clan MacAlisters of Tarbert. I’ve researched the family name for many years. It’s my belief that we are Macalister originally but took a separate name because of the large amount of common names like Roberts, Johns or James...For instants, Robert of Tarbert, or John of Tarbert, hence the name Robert Tarbert or John Tarbert came about. I can’t find any Tarberts before the 16th century. The religious wars were going on at the time. John Knox’s Presbyterian Church was formed at that time. The word "Tarbert" is a Gaelic word-meaning isthmus or waterway. I’ve been to Scotland many times but no Tarberts/Torbetts live there. It should be noted that the families of Macalister and Torbert came to Md./Pa. at the same time to the Delta Pa./Whiteford, Md. area.

     I’ve just recently passed my observations along to Don Torbett of Denison TX. His connection to my family is thru the brother of Robert Torbett named Hugh Torbett. Around the turn of the 1700.

     I thoroughly enjoyed the commentary on the "Dr. Torbett Scrapbook" and felt a link to those mentioned. The Torbett were simple people made up mostly of farmers, miners, and fishermen. Their struggles were to preserve the integrity of the family as a whole. I’m proud to be one...

     Respectfully,

     Malcolm Edwin Tarbert
     Emporia, Virginia.