John Robertson (1853)

Born 24 Dec 1853 in Duthil with Rothiemurchus, Inverness-shire, Scotland [uncertain]

Husband of Isabella (Clazy) Clezy — married 12 Oct 1879 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

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Biography

John, son of Angus Robertson & Betty Fraser, was born on 24 December 1853 in Duthil With Rothiemurchus, Inverness, Scotland.^[1]

In the 1861 census John (age 7), Scholar, was the son of Angus Robertson at Labourer's House, Duthil, Moray.^[2]

He became a railway porter. He had a relationship with Isabella Clezy, widow of Harry Skinner, as a result of which their child was born in 1877 at Scone, Perthshire. John Robertson was present at the birth and acknowledged paternity.

The couple subsequently married, in 1879 at Edinburgh. The marriage certificate showed Isabella's age as 36, when she was really 43. John Robertson's age appears to say 37 but the handwriting is awful. Based on his 1853 birth record he was really only 25... if it was the same person! There were many John Robertsons.

The 1881 UK census showed the husband and wife with their various children lived at Burntisland, Fifeshire:

John Robertson (28), Isabella Robertson (38), Isabella Robertson (3), Henry Skinner (18), Thomas Skinner (14). This census said John Robertson was a "railway gatekeeper" while Harry Skinner was a "railway labourer" and Thomas Skinner was a "railway stone boy". ^[3]

In the 1891 census John (age 39), Railway Gateman, was the head of household on Black's Close - High St, Burntisland, Fife.^[4]

Research Notes

Census records showed wildly differing dates of birth. John Robertson's parents were named in some records as Angus Robertson and Betty Fraser but that hasn't been verified.

Details of John Robertson's death have not been found. There were so many men named John Robertson - without middle names - that it becomes very difficult to identify this particular one.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, Ancestry Record 60143 #24396104 (accessed 25 December 2022), John Robertson born on 24 Dec 1853, son of Angus Robertson & Betty Fraser, in Duthil With Rothiemurchus, Inverness, Scotland; citing Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah FamilySearch, 2013.
2. ↑ 1861 Census: "1861 Scotland Census," database, Ancestry Record 1080 #2069573 (accessed 25 December 2022), John Robertson (7) son, Scholar, in household of Angus Robertson (45) at Labourer's House in Duthil registration district. Born in Duthil, Elginshire; citing Parish Duthil, ED 2, Page 3, Line 8, Roll CSSCT1861_18, Registration Number 132/1, Household schedule number 10, Roll CSSCT1861_18.
3. ↑ 1881 Census: "1881 Scotland Census," database, Ancestry Record 1119 #480271 (accessed 25 December 2022), John Robertson (28), Railway Gate Keeper, head of household at 7 Lamnerlaws Low Terrace in Burntisland registration district. Born in Inverness; citing Parish Burntisland, ED 3, Page 32, Line 7, Roll cssct1881_114, Registration Number 411, Household schedule number 166.
4. ↑ 1891 Census: "1891 Scotland Census," database, Ancestry Record 1108 #1342230 (accessed 25 December 2022), John Robertson (39), Railway Gateman, head of household on Black's Close - High St in Burntisland registration district. Born in Aviemore, Inverness-shire -; citing Parish Burntisland, ED 2, Page 5, Line 3, Roll CSSCT1891_125, Registration Number 411, Household schedule number 22, Roll CSSCT1891_125.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Rick Heiser for starting this profile.

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