Robert was born at sea enroute to America.

Family names and dates taken from the Ephriam Orr Bible, records kept by Henrietta Orr Shipman, and from the family tree prepared by Miss Hattie Orr in 1924.

Robert Orr was born October 10, 1749 at sea on his parent's voyage from Ireland to Pennsylvania. His parents, John Orr and wife Rachel ____, settled initially in Lancaster County, PA before migrating to Old Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina about 1752. On January 17, 1772, Robert Orr married Ann Hogshead (b. February 12, 1749, d. February 12, 1841), daughter of Walter Hogshead who devised his will in Mecklenburg Co., NC on Sept. 15, 1766. Robert Orr performed military service in the militia during the Revolutionary War, at which time he and his family were residing in Lincoln and old Tryon County. As early as 1795, Orr and his family had migrated westward, and were living in Old Buncombe County. Orr began acquiring substantial land holdings on Crab Tree Creek in present day Henderson Coutny, North Carolina and on Little River in present day Transylvania County, North Carolina. Robert Orr died October 8, 1808 and is buried together with his wife in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, North Carolina.