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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Windsor87 on Tuesday 24 November 09 13:37 GMT (UK)
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Hello,
I'm hoping that some kind rootschatters could do me a favour as I know nothing about Canadian resources.
This has absolutely nothing to do with my family tree, and instead has to do with my uni work. I am currently preparing a short presentation on voyage diaries. The author of the diary I'm looking at is one Charles Robertson.
He and his family left Monymusk, Aberdeenshire, for Canada on 14th April 1846. The article I am reading shows that in the course of the voyage his morther gave birth to a premature child. The schild died and was buried at sea. Not long afterwards the mother, Ann Robertson, died due to dysentry.
The surviving members of the family arrived in Quebec on the 20th May 1846 where they were met by relatives. By July they had settled on a farm near Montreal. That is the last we know about them other than the fact that the father, Alexander Robertson, died the following year.
Charles was 13 at the time he wrote the diary meaning that he was born in about 1833.
I would be interested to know what became of Charles. I know it is probably a long shot, but if anyone can find out, Rootschatters can. ;)
I will be grateful for any advice.
regards
Windsor87
PS. This would not be considered cheating.
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Hi Windsor,
If you go to the Library and Archives Canada site, you can search the 1881 and 1891 census for free http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/search-recherche/anc.php?Language=eng
Also, the 1851, 1901 and 1911 Canada census are free to search at www.automatedgenealogy.com
Karen
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Ah excellent. Thank you for the links. I'm hoping he did well for himself. I think the story needs a positive twist to stop the class from cutting their wrists. It was bad enough this week! ;D
So hopefully he didn't die a pauper or anything depressing like that.
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Does the diary give any other details on his family like the names of any brothers or sisters (if he had any besides the baby who died at sea) or the names of the relatives they met?
Jacquie
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There is a Charles of right age Ste-Scholastique, Deux-Montagnes, Quebec in 1881...It is near Montreal
His next door neighbour is a William who was also born Scotland, so could be a sibling...Both have wives named Mary.
Both are occupation Marchand (merchant/ vendor/ dealer) How to prove this is your man, though...I take it no siblings were named? Need to find a marriage with parent's named. With the accent, sometimes misspellings of surnames as well... Did not find on any available online databases...
Here is a list of some Quebec resources:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,266234.0.html
we posted together, Jacquie...you saw the same fellows I presume...
I don't see him there in 1891...but Wm. still in Deux Montagnes, occupation bourgeois?? I thought that was an adjective...middle class.. not an actual occupation? hmmm ...apparently it can mean business person....but that's rather general. Maybe I misread it.
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Thanks for your replies.
Alexander and Ann Robertson emigrated with 6 children. I know that Charles was the eldest of the children but the rest are not named in the passage.
I would look them up on Scotlandspeople, but for the second day in a row I can't seem to access their website from uni computers. I shall try again when I get home though.
I too thought that the Deux Montagnes Charles of 1881 could be him - but I have very little proof as of yet.
(Edit: 1 Dec 09 - Accidentally named the mother as Mary Ann, when it was simply Ann)
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This is the closest I could find to an Alexander Robertson marrying a Mary (although not quite Mary) in the Montreal area.
Nom époux :Robertson
Prénom époux :Charles
Nom épouse :Anderson
Prénom épouse :May
Année :1863
Église :Lachine saint-andrew's Presbyterian Church
Confession :Presbytérien
Pagination 2
Source Centre d'archives de Montréal, CE601,S124
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I have finally had access to Scotlandspeople.
This must be the family I'm looking for:
Alexander Roberston married Anne Watt 31 May 1835 at Monymusk, Aberdeenshire.
Children of Alexander and Ann born in Kemnay (3 miles away from Monymusk):
Charles Robertson - b. 11 Mar 1833
William Robertson - b. 21 Apr 1836
Ann Robertson - b. 22 Aug 1837
Margaret Robertson - b. 27 Jul 1839
Nathaniel Robertson - b. 23 Feb 1841
Alexander Robertson - b. 11 Aug 1842
John Robertson - b. 8 Oct 1843
So there was a son called William.
If my source is corect, one of the children must have died before they set sail. They are all still living in 1841:
1841
Charles Robertson, 25, Farmer
Ann Watt or R, 25
Charles, 8
William, 5
Ann, 3
Margaret, 1
Nataniel, 3m
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You might also want to look at this John also occ. "Marchand" in 1881, St-Hermas, Deux-Montagnes...( wife R. Annie?)
If we could find them in 1901 when the dates of immigration were used on census it would help give a small clue...
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e327/e008164956.jpg
ah, we posted together...yes, this may be the right family then...good start. (hmmm...a lesson to get your information together first next time) J.J.
I figured there'd be an Alexander ...these last children were awfully young when the parents died... They either had to have been taken in by family or put into orphanages...
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ah, we posted together...yes, this may be the right family then...good start. (hmmm...a lesson to get your information together first next time) J.J.
I figured there'd be an Alexander ...these last children were awfully young when the parents died... They either had to have been taken in by family or put into orphanages...
Sorry about the muddled order of the information - I couldn't get on the SP yesterday.
Here is a bit more. We know that the Robertson's had family in Quebec waiting for them - so the youngest may have been sent to live with them. Unfortunately we don't know who these relatives were.
Thanks for your help.
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O.k. here's a start...
Name: Alexander Robertson, b. 1843 Scotland died Dec 3 1916, age 73 years 3 months, Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario
http://search.labs.familysearch.org
here he is in 1901 with wife Sarah M. and his six children...http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=97897&highlight=5
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Here's Margaret from a gravestone, a teacher's wife...one child...
an actual date of death for Alexander....
In memory of Alexander Robertson sometime farmer Craigearn d. near Montreal Canada 12 may 1847 aged 35; his wife Anne Watt d. on her voyage to Canada 3 May 1846 aged 35; Margaret Ellen Mackie their grandchild b. 2 Nov 1877 – d. Oldtown Schoolhouse, Kennethmont 18 Aug 1884; their son-in-law William Mackie teacher d. Kennethmont 4 Apr 1891 aged 61; his wife Margaret Robertson d. Huntly 17 Oct 1918 aged 79.
http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/localities.britisles.scotland.abd.general/6993/mb.ashx?pnt=1
I'll leave you to it now that you have the right family...as it's not your genealogy. If you do find any information for that researcher, though, do answer that thread...& link back to this one
;D now get to work ...and write some fabulous stuff about this family who went through so much when they first arrived here....J.J.
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Thanks very much for your help.
It is very much appreciated! :)
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The death of Alexander Robertson is in the Drouin Collection but on a different day. The entry says:
Montréal (Presbyterian Saint Andrew)
Alexander Robertson, late of Scotland and of Lo??? Point C E. farmer aged thirty five years died on the eleventh and was buried on the thirteenth day of May One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Seven in the presence of us the undersigned
Alex ? D D ? (presumably the minister)
John Robertson
John Drummond
Jacquie
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I may have found some of the family together in Montreal on the 1861 census.
Wm Robertson, pattern maker, born Aberdeen, Scotland, religion Church of Scotland, 24, male, single
Margt Robertson, milliner, born Aberdeen, Scotland, religion Church of Scotland, 21, female, single
Nat. Robertson, millwright, born Aberdeen, Scotland, religion Church of Scotland, 19, male, single
Alex Robertson, clerk, born Aberdeen, Scotland, religion Church of Scotland, 17, male, single
John Robertson, clerk, born Aberdeen, Scotland, religion Church of Scotland, 16, male, single
George Clarke, carriage maker, born in Canada, religion Church of England, 23, male, single, not member of family
I can't find Charles or his sister Ann on the 1861 census nor can I find any of them on the 1871 census.
Jacquie
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Might be just a red herring, 1852 census Que... This couple is too young to have a daughter Margaret's age...Wondering if he's a brother to Alexander?... but Not shown as born Scotland Not sure what CB F means... I suppose it could be County Born? or Cape Breton...in which case I"m way off base
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census52/SplitView.jsp?id=41352
Hmmm. he seems to fit the posting I linked you to....so he could well be! From the IGI
NATHANAEL ROBERTSON Christened April 21 1826 / Auchterless, Aberdeen, Scotland
Parents...WILLIAM ROBERTSON & JANE DONALD
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Nathaniel seems to be in Ottawa in 1881 / Wellington Ward, Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881CN_543040&HOUSEHOLD_SUB=1&frompage=99
( sibling to Chas... Alexander lived in Ottawa, Ont. next Province to Que.)
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added: Yippee, three houses over from him Charles' brother Alexander...He's a merchant!
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881CN_543043&frompage=99
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Nathaniel in 1901 says date of immigration 1845 - b. April 14th 1826
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=97898&highlight=41
Here is Charles' sibling Alexander, in 1871... and I think the Niel may also be Nathaniel, as he's a merchant.
Now is that your John, as a teacher? ( No wait, I found him as a merchant in 1881 Quebec, didn't I?)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07jx/
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So here are prospects to be aunts & uncles, although some say mother Jean Donald (interchangeable with Jane)
IGI extracted with submissions in blue:
Father Alexander - Christened April 16th 1812 Tullynessle And Forbes And Kearn, Aberdeen
John b. March 10 1814
Jane - June 11, 1816
unamed male- b. April -Christened May 8th 1818 Auchindoir And Kearn, Aberdeen
Elspet - April 12th, 1818
Mary - b. May 28th - Christened June 2nd , 1822 " "
William - Born & Christened March 22nd , 1824 " "
Nathanael - Christened April 21 st , 1826 Auchterless, Aberdeen,
Margaret - b. March 9th, 1828 Christened March 11, 1828 " "
James - b. July 20th, 1830 Monymusk
Robert - b. July 20th 1832 Monymusk
still I could only find some of them as maybes in 1852 with no children in household that might be the orphaned children.
A Robert Robertson whose parents were Wm & Jane married an Isabella ( Mathesore?) probably Matheson in Ontario...Not sure if that helps anything other than another uncle may have been in Ontario ( there is also this one who came over in 1846 as well, a coincidence, I suppose http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=33953&highlight=46)
Under the same Parish files as Alexander's wedding there is
a Mary Robertson married a JAMES MCKERRON in 1845
a Janet married a ROBERT REID in 1833
a John married a MARGARET THOMSON in 1836
For those wondering, I asked, & there are no extra marks for the searching out of information, but only for the written work, so that's why I am back helping...Plus Windsor87 is going to answer that thread with a link to this one, so that the tie in can be shown.
Besides, he lives in Fraserburgh...my grandfather was born there...need I say more?? I might just give him a shovel one day to help me dig up some roots or branches...
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Thanks again for helping in the search.
I can assure you all that that none of this information will have any bearing on my mark. We each have two compulsory presentations to introduce the weeks class. Besides, I will be sure to give due credit.
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Presentation was today.
I have made it clear that I was given help with the Robertson family.
I will reply to that other thread when I get home (currently at uni).
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I have tried three times to reply to Roy's post on thr Ancestry forum - but it doesn't seem to be working. I keep being told 'an error has occured'.
I'll try again tomorrow...
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No problem, I have left a message with a link to here... Hope all is well with your studies...Did you get a good mark?
;) J.J.
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The studies are going ok. It is getting near to the end of term, so the deadlines are coming in fast.
Unfortunately I don't know what my mark is for that aspect. That single presentation was worth about 5% of the final mark.
I am currently writing up the essay for that course - worth 90%. It is a comparative essay looking at the famine emigration of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands in the 1840/50s. (For those concerned, the Robertson's will not feature in this essay and so my mark will not benefit from this research).
Thanks again for your help in researching the Robertson family. It helped bring an emigration story a bit further than it otherwise would have. Your contribution may even feature in the diaspora literature one day - particularly the interesting case of Margaret returning. :)
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Hello,
I appreciate that some time has passed since this family discussion took place but I am most interested to hear how the Robertsons fared in Canada. William Robertson and Jean Donald were my great great grand parents..
Could you advise me where Alexander Robertson b 1843 fits in the tree. His wife was Sarah.
Any thing you can share would be most appreciated.
Many thanks
Susan