52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #35 John Robinson

This is my thirty-fifth posting for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge

This week's focus is John Robinson, my great-great grandfather. I wrote, during this challenge, about his daughter, Elizabeth Fields Robinson who married James Love. I was always told by John's grand-daughter, Margaret, that Elizabeth had been born in Muddy York around 1859. Recently, I received an email from the wife of John's descendants, saying that in their research, they found the Robinson's in Yorkshire. I am still not sure if Elizabeth was born before they came to Canada. Census records says she was born in Ontario.

John was born about 1828 in Yorkshire, England. The 1901 census gives a date of birth of 3 March 1828. A search in Familysearch.org gives a John Robinson, son of Joseph and Ann Robinson being baptized 12 March 1827 in Sowerby by Thirsk, Yorkshire, England. In 1851, as shown in the census for Northallerton, Yorkshire, England, John and his wife Jane had one child, Joseph, who  was two years old. John was 24 and Jane 23. John was working as a rail labourer. It gives his place of birth as Sowerby, Yorkshire. They are living with James Spense, a rail labourer and his wife Phebe. John and Jane are listed as brother-in-law and sister-in-law of the head of the household, James. 

John's death registration gives his place of birth as Sourby, England. Seventy-nine year old John died of dropsy. His son-in-law, James Love was the informant.

To date, I have not located John and family in 1861 in either England or Ontario. 

In 1871, the family lived in Collingwood Township, Grey County, Ontario. John was a farmer. He could neither read or write. The children's ages ranged from 17 to 5. The eldest, William, had been born in England. The next child was Elizabeth, aged 11, born in Ontario. The family information had said that they had lived in Collingwood on the mountain to differentiate it from the village of Collingwood in Simcoe, County.

Between 1871 and 1881, the family moved to Manitoulin Island. By 1881 some of the children have left home. Robert, Isabella and Eliza Ann are still living at home. Living nearby is Joseph and family.

By 1901, John and Jane were living alone. Four years later, John died 5 June 1905 in Carnarvon Township, Mantioulin Island, Ontario. It indicates that he was married. The choice for marital status was single or married. M is circled.

Here is a photo of John and Jane in their later years.

I believe this is John when he was younger.

Sources
1851 Census of England, Yorkshire, Northallerton, ed 16, household schedule 7, piece 2377, folio 318, page 2, entry of John Robinson family in the household of James Spense; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 7 September 2014).

1871 Census of Canada, Ontario, Grey North (district 37), Collingwood (sub-district d), division 2, p 44, family 140, household of John Robinson, microfilm C-9953, Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa.

1881 Census of Canada, Ontario, Algoma (district 182), Carnarvon (sub-district F), p 21 family 104, household of John Robinson; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 9 September 2014), citing microfilm C-13281, Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa.

1901 Census of Canada, Ontario, Algoma (district 44), Carnarvon (sub-district H 3), division 2, p. 6, family 46, John Robinson household; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 11 February 2014), citing microfilm T-6458, Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa.

John Robinson Ontario death registration #04988 (5 June 1905); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 9 September 2014), citing microfilm MS 935, Reel 119, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.


© 2014 Janet Iles