RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: aomething on Sunday 18 January 15 15:03 GMT (UK)
-
Good Morning,
I'm trying to determine where my Robertson's originated from. I'm helping a friend to search for his Robertson family in Inverness, and we think there might be a connection with my Robertson family in Orkney. I'm trying to determine how my Robertson's came to Orkney and if there is a connection to the Robertson's of Inverness.
The furthest back for my family is George Robertson (b. about 1701 in Orphir) and his wife Jean Gray (b. about 1700 in Orphir).
For my friend I've been able to get back to John Robertson (no dates - born North Uist, Invernesshire) and his wife, Catherine Macqullis. I don't know if that is the correct spelling or not.
Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Jenn (Robertson) Linn
-
I don't know if that is the correct spelling or not.
Sorry I can't help with your Robertsons, but please don't get hung up on spelling. Until the 20th century spelling simply did not matter. Names were spelled any way that the person writing them down felt like spelling them at the time, and it's not unusual to find the same individual's name spelled in more than one way in a single document.
-
Hi Jenn,
It is more probable than not that George descends from one James Robertson, who supposedly arrived in Orphir in 1630 from Downie Hill, Strathardle, in Perthshire. You can read about that Robertson family here: https://archive.org/stream/stemmatarobertso00robe#page/26/mode/2up. I conclude that your Robertson family (George and Jean) is connected to this Robertson family because dna tests show matching in the descendants of both lines. I do not know, however, exactly where the two lines tie together.
Paul Robertson
-
Have a look at the "Cursiter" website. http://www.cursiter.com/
Skoosh.
-
Thank you for the link for the Robertson's. This is awesome! I will be reading through it to try and determine my connection. I've looked at the Curister website, but it only goes back to 2nd great grandparents. I've been able to search back to my 8th Great Grandparents, George Robertson and Jean Gray. I'm hoping I can find who George's father is and keep going!
Thank you again!
Jenn
I will share this with my friend. He will be amused to see that there may be a connection!
-
Hi Jenn,
You and I are stuck at the same place as we try to make the connection back. Could I ask, do you descend down through the side of the Robertsons that went to the island of Walls, via George and Jean's son Thomas (married to Euphan Taylor)? I am facing two road blocks - the one we talk about here, and also where my ancestor, Alexander, fits into this line at a later time, and I am trying to understand the tree to address that second block too.
Paul
-
Hi Jenn,
You and I are stuck at the same place as we try to make the connection back. Could I ask, do you descend down through the side of the Robertsons that went to the island of Walls, via George and Jean's son Thomas (married to Euphan Taylor)? I am facing two road blocks - the one we talk about here, and also where my ancestor, Alexander, fits into this line at a later time, and I am trying to understand the tree to address that second block too.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Yes, I do descend from George and Jean's son Thomas, married to Euphan Taylor.
My line is:
George Robertson and Jean Gray
Thomas Robertson and Euphan Taylor
Edward Robertson and Margaret Sutherland
James Robertson and Elizabeth Bremner Cromarty
James Cromarty Robertson and Jean Sutherland
James Robertson and Mary Ann Davidson (my great grandparents)
Maybe between the two of us, we'll be able to figure this mystery out! I have been able to go back to George and Jean with documents (difficult to read, but was able to figure out they are Thomas Robertson's parents.
Wish I could go back further!!
Jenn
-
For my friend I've been able to get back to John Robertson (no dates - born North Uist, Invernesshire) and his wife, Catherine Macqullis.
Hi Jenn,
Can you tell me with a quesstimate when John & Catherine were born please & was Catherine from N Uist ???
I am trying to work out what the surname should be as I have a feeling MacQuillis may be a variant of something else ???
Annie
ADDED.........I forgot to say I think it may be MacCuish or MacQuarrie or MacKiggan???
Just looking at possibilities with what I have.
-
Aha! I hadn't paid attention to that! I had James Robertson under Edward Robertson's second marriage, to Christina Groat, and hadn't paid attention that James mother is listed as Margaret Sutherland in the statutory death records. I'll put James in the right place! (I have lots on the Edward/Christina descendants, but had nothing on the Edward/Margaret Sutherland side.)
When you say the document for Thomas and Euphan's parents being George and Jean, do you refer to the baptism? That's what I used too, but I wasn't sure at first. But I was more persuaded when I got the rest of Thomas and Euphan's kids, and saw that the first girl was Jean, and the first boy was George, following Scottish naming patterns. Is that how you got there too?
-
Yes, Paul, that is the exact same way that I was convinced too! Yes, I used the baptism to confirm the information. I had always had James Robertson, listed under Edward Robertson/Christina Groat, until I found his death information. It was then that I figured out James was from Edward and Margaret. I have so many Sutherland's in my line too! My grandfather's middle name was Sutherland!
So, it does look like we descend from the same line. From James Robertson/Elizabeth Cromarty, whom do you descend from? Or are you from one of his half siblings (from father's 2nd marriage?)
Jenn
-
For my friend I've been able to get back to John Robertson (no dates - born North Uist, Invernesshire) and his wife, Catherine Macqullis.
Hi Jenn,
Can you tell me with a quesstimate when John & Catherine were born please & was Catherine from N Uist ???
I am trying to work out what the surname should be as I have a feeling MacQuillis may be a variant of something else ???
Annie
ADDED.........I forgot to say I think it may be MacCuish or MacQuarrie or MacKiggan???
Just looking at possibilities with what I have.
Annie - All I have is approximate date of 1787 for John Robertson in N. Uist. I have no dates or locations for Catherine. AND, I have her name as either MacInnes or Macquilles. I'll attach the death record of their son, Archibald Robertson. (This is my friends line). It's difficult to read the last name. Let me know what you may have figured out.
Jenn
-
Annie - All I have is approximate date of 1787 for John Robertson in N. Uist. I have no dates or locations for Catherine. AND, I have her name as either MacInnes or Macquilles. I'll attach the death record of their son, Archibald Robertson. (This is my friends line). It's difficult to read the last name. Let me know what you may have figured out.
Jenn
Hi Jenn,
The name is Catherine MacQueen ;D
So you have North Uist roots like myself :P........Maybe you have S/Uist relatives too?
Annie
-
Jenn,
Do you have any info. at all for N/Uist as I could have a look to see what I have in my wee archive ;D
Annie
-
Annie-
Glad you figured it out! It would have taken me forever, and I was going to be stuck on this line! This is my friend's line. I'm trying to trace his Robertson line and mine back to a common ancestor.
Figure if you are a Robertson from Scotland you must be related! I was a Robertson by birth, my friend also, but he was born in Inverness, where as I am born and raised in Massachusetts, USA.
Jenn
-
What kind of information?
-
I could look for Robertsons on census or even possibly any births or marriages.
I did a quick search in my N/Uist folder & the name has come up so I would be pretty certain they would all be related although you must not take my word on that as it would need to be proven.
I'm not a Robertson. I descend from MacAulays but not enough records to go back the way.
My wall is my 2 x g g/mother Jane MacAulay b c1779 - 1805 b N/Uist who's father was Allan (according to her death cert) & mother Mary MacEachen so nothing more to be had apart from sticking a circa date on their birth years ;D
My 2 x g g/mother married a S/Uist man so the rest from there were born & raised on S/Uist.
Annie
ADDED......I also have N/Uist MacQueens in my tree (married into mine) so not direct line although I know someone who is a direct descendant of that line & top of the tree is MacQueen & MacVicar who were from Genitote & Cladach (Balshare)
-
There is someone on here who does look-ups for N/Uist & if I can find her/him (can't remember the name), I will let you know ;)
Annie
-
Hi Paul,
If you can give me a run down on what you have for Archibald's son Donald, yr of birth, children names/dates & what census records you have found them on before I pull up my N/Uist info. to save checking what you already have.
The names for Donald's children & any siblings may help to clarify a connection with anything I can find ???
Annie
-
Hi Jenn,
I wrote a response, but for some reason it didn't seem to post. (Or maybe I've now done it twice!)
I don't know from what part of this line that I descend. My furthest back is Alexander Robertson, born circa 1772, in Scotland, but I am unsure where. He was in the Royal Navy, and there are musters indicating different places ("Leith," "Glasgow," and a third just says "Scotland.")
I am searching among these Orkney Robertsons because y-dna testing places Alexander precisely among this line of Robertsons. I am nearly an exact match with three different men that descend from three different sons of Thomas/Euphan (namely, George, Thomas, and Edward), one of them from that second marriage of Edward/Christina Groat, and am also a dna match (not quite as close, but again nearly exact) with another man who descends from further back in these Orkney Robertsons, namely, James Robertson, who came to Orphir in 1630 from Perthshire, establishing this line of Robertsons in Orkney. He is no doubt also the ancestor of the Thomas/Euphan - George/Jean Gray line.
So, from this work, we know that my Alexander fits among these Robertsons, and that Thomas/Euphan the also descends from the 1630 James line. I have run out a pretty big tree descending from James 1630 down, but haven't yet figured out how George/Jean fit in, nor how my Alexander does. Though I know that they do fit together.
Does this make sense?! A challenge to explain without the trees available as a prop!
The help I need is filling in the Thomas/Euphan line down, and the Jame 1630 line as well, and identifying other currently living male Robertsons who might be willing to test to help fit these line together.
There is a dna page of the Orkney Robertsons available, and that I can forward to you if you are interested!
Paul
-
Hi Jenn,
I wrote a response, but for some reason it didn't seem to post. (Or maybe I've now done it twice!)
I don't know from what part of this line that I descend. My furthest back is Alexander Robertson, born circa 1772, in Scotland, but I am unsure where. He was in the Royal Navy, and there are musters indicating different places ("Leith," "Glasgow," and a third just says "Scotland.")
I am searching among these Orkney Robertsons because y-dna testing places Alexander precisely among this line of Robertsons. I am nearly an exact match with three different men that descend from three different sons of Thomas/Euphan (namely, George, Thomas, and Edward), one of them from that second marriage of Edward/Christina Groat, and am also a dna match (not quite as close, but again nearly exact) with another man who descends from further back in these Orkney Robertsons, namely, James Robertson, who came to Orphir in 1630 from Perthshire, establishing this line of Robertsons in Orkney. He is no doubt also the ancestor of the Thomas/Euphan - George/Jean Gray line.
So, from this work, we know that my Alexander fits among these Robertsons, and that Thomas/Euphan the also descends from the 1630 James line. I have run out a pretty big tree descending from James 1630 down, but haven't yet figured out how George/Jean fit in, nor how my Alexander does. Though I know that they do fit together.
Does this make sense?! A challenge to explain without the trees available as a prop!
The help I need is filling in the Thomas/Euphan line down, and the Jame 1630 line as well, and identifying other currently living male Robertsons who might be willing to test to help fit these line together.
There is a dna page of the Orkney Robertsons available, and that I can forward to you if you are interested!
Paul
I would be very interested in the DNA page! It sounds like you have all of Edward/Christina children. I'll post my line, which is James (from Edward's first marriage)
George Robertson (1701-?
Jean Gray 1700-?
Thomas Robertson 1738-?
Euphan Taylor 1738-?
Edward Robertson 1791-1855
Margaret Sutherland 1780-1855
James Robertson 1814-1881
Elizabeth Bremner Cromarty 1813-?
James Cromarty Robertson 1841-1928
Jean Sutherland 1841 -?
James Robertson 1868-1905
Mary Ann Davidson 1868-1909
John Sutherland Robertson 1895-1975 (My grandfather)
Barbara Ann Johnston 1899-2008
I hope this helps!
Jenn
-
Annie-
My friend's line from N. Uist:
John Robertson 1787-?
Catherine MacQueen ?-?
Archibald Robertson 1807-1881
Euphemia MacLean 1801-1885
Duncan Robertson 1832-1918
Annie Matheson 1838-1921
Hugh U. Robertson 1873-?
Catherine Laing ?-?
That is all I have for now.
Jenn
-
My friend's line from N. Uist:
John Robertson 1787-?
Catherine MacQueen ?-?
Archibald Robertson 1807-1881
Euphemia MacLean 1801-1885
Duncan Robertson 1832-1918
Annie Matheson 1838-1921
Hugh U. Robertson 1873-?
Catherine Laing ?-?
1841 - Baleshare (Names which are the same from your list in blue)
Archibald Robertson 55 Crofter (c1786) - Possible brother of John 1787
Catherine 50 (c1791)
Duncan 20 (c1821)
Neil 20
Ann 15
Catherine 15
Malcolm 12
Catherine 10
Janet 6
Donald MacLean 70 Crofter (c1771)
Margaret MacLean 65
Archibald Robertson 36 (c1805)
Euphemia 32 (c1809)
Catherine 12
Donald 10
Duncan 8
John 4
Marion 2
Donald Robertson 30 Crofter (c1811) Possible brother of Archibald 1807
Marion 35
Euphemia 7
Donald 3
Mary 6m
Christian MacLeod 14
1841 Illeray
Neil Robertson 50 Crofter (c1791) Possible brother of John 1787
Catherine 43
Ewen 23 (A variant of Hugh)
Anne 15
John 15
Catherine 13
Donald 11
Ann 10
Flory 7 (Flora)
Catherine MacKinnon 20
John MacKinnon 2w
Annie
-
Annie-
Do you by any chance know who John Robertson (1787) and the possible brothers, who their parents are? If I can get past that, It would definately open up some doors!
Jenn
-
Annie-
Do you by any chance know who John Robertson (1787) and the possible brothers, who their parents are? If I can get past that, It would definately open up some doors!
Jenn
The simple answer is no.
If John died pre 1855 you would be hard pushed to get that info. as records don't go back far enough unfortunately.
Do you know where he died & when as the only way to get his parents would be his death cert.
Annie
-
Annie-
Thank you. I'll have to start searching!
-
I can tell you that Robertson is not a familiar name to N/Uist & looking at the census there are some living on N/Uist who came from Skye.
All the names I gave you as possible brothers for Archibald, husband of Euphemia from the 1841 are down on 1851 as born N/Uist but whether John came from elsewhere is the question & he's not on the 1841 so I'm presuming he died pre 1841 but I can't say for sure ???
I have sent an email to someone with a great knowledge & info. on N/Uist (who lives in Canada) with your query so will see if he has anything further to add :-\
Annie
-
1851 Baleshare
Archibald & Euphemia now have an addition, son Roderick 7
-
I have an Orkney Robertson in my tree.
William Robertson "of Firth" married Jean Smith in Deerness in 1889. I descend from one of their daughters, so no direct y-dna link is possible, and I do not know of any male-line descendants.
William is 66 on the 1821 Deerness census, so would have been born about 1755.
There is a Wm born 1755 in Firth&Stenness to Wm Robertson and Margaret Leith.
Do these names/dates suggest a link to your Orphir Robertsons?
-
I've seen the names William Robertson and Margaret Leith, but not sure if they connect with my line, or if its a friend's line. We know we descend from two brothers. Just not which ones.
Jenn