Among the Irish Protestants of Colonial America (aka the Scotch-Irish) there was a rigorous naming convention for children that disappeared quickly after the colonies won their Independence. The first-born son was named after the father’s father, and the second son was named after the mother’s father. Similarly the first-born daughter was named after the mother’s mother, and the second daughter was named after the father’s mother.

The Patriarch of the Tinnin families of Lancaster Co. PA and Orange Co. NC had four sons, John, James, Carnes and Robert; and one known daughter, Jane (not Mary, as many suppose). Of the four sons, James Tinnin had no children, and Carnes left but one surviving son, Revolutionary War Private Robert Tinnin, born 1764 in Orange Co., more than 10 years after Carnes migrated from Lancaster Co. to the upper Eno River area of what would become Orange Co. NC when the county was formed in 1752. It seems likely, therefore, that Robert was not the first born of Carness sons, but he is the only one who left records in early Court records, militia service records, deeds, tax lists or petitions leading up to the Revolution. So that leaves the daughter plus John and Robert Tinnins children to indicate who the male Patriarch was.

Robert Tinnins first-born son was Revolutionary War soldier James Tinnen, born 23 May 1758 in Mecklenburg Co. NC, per his Revolutionary War Pension Application. The surviving sons of John Tinnin were James, Hugh and Alexander. James was born 24 Aug 1744 per his Bible, and that would have been in Lancaster Co. PA. Hugh (Colonel in the Orange Co. Militia during the Revolution) was also born in Lancaster Co., about 1748, and Alexander was born about 1758 in Orange County.

Thus from available evidence from the Patriarchs Tinnin grandsons, the Patriarchs name was James. The Tinnin wife of Alexander Mebane bore 6 sons who reached maturity. The oldest four were born in PA. There is no argument that the oldest was William Mebane, which was the name of Alexanders father. There is general agreement but no absolute proof that the second son was James Mebane. This too supports the premise that the Tinnin Patriarchs name was James. John Mebane was Alexanders next to youngest son, and was born about 1757, several years after Alexander settled in what became Orange Co. He was the first High Sheriff of Orange Co. when the county was formed in 1752.

The only real argument against James being the name of the Patriarch is that no James Tinnin (or similar spelling) is found in colonial records. The Tinnin siblings seem to suddenly appear about 1746 in early Church records of Derry Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Could it be that the Patriarch died in the Old Country? Perhaps they came with a stepfather, or perhaps as young adults. Speculation seems fruitless.