John Robertson (1782 - 1862)

Born 1782 in Errol, Perthshire, Scotland

Husband of Jannet Smith — married 25 Oct 1807 in Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Husband of Isabella Currie — married 29 Apr 1855 in Lanark Village, Ontario

Descendants

Died 15 May 1862 at about age 80 in Lanark County, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile managers: al Reid [send private message] and Les Horn [send private message]

Biography

Born 1782 in Errol, Perthshire, Scotland, John was married to Janet Smith on Oct. 25, 1807 in Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, by Minister William Taylor, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. To be married by him either John or Janet's families must have had some pull.

Bridgeton was an eastern suburb of Glasgow on the River Clyde. The town expanded in the 19th Century to become an industrial suburb with textile, engineering, pottery and carpet manufacturing industries. In the Occupation Notes from his Immigration Citation, John was a weaver from 1799-1803 likely at John Cochran & Co Yarn Warehouse Wilson Street Glasgow. A weaver was a highly skilled profession. (see below)

In 1820 John and his wife Janet with their five children: Robert, Spencer, Anne, John (Scotch Jock) and Thomas (new born) emigrated from Greenock Scotland, as a member of the Bridgeton Canadian Emigration Society, to Quebec City on the ship 'Commerce' which departed June 21st,1820 from Greenock and arrived August 5th, 1820 at Quebec City. On arrival, they either took the steam boat 'Malsham' on Aug 5th or the 'New Swiftsure' on Aug 10th to Montreal. Then by stage and steamboat to Prescott, Brockville and Perth, and finally by ferry, across the Mississippi River (yes, there is one in Ontario) near Lanark Village. There they would have erected a shelter to stay in until they struck out to their homestead on the east half of lot 18, Concession 2, Lanark Twp. near Hopetown. Usually the families stayed in Lanark Village while the men walked the Concession Line with the surveyors until they found their lots. Lots then were 200 acres.

He was reported as being tall for his day - five foot ten inches. Later, they moved to a one and a half story stone house in Lanark Village on Lot 3 Concession 1 Lanark Twp. and was a councillor for the old Bathurst District. John and Janet had a daughter, Jesse, a couple of years after their arrival.

Janet passed away at their house on October 17, 1852 and is buried in Lanark Village cemetery. John was remarried on May 29, 1855 by Rev. H. Lancashire to Isabella Currie, 36 years his junior. They had one son.

On May 15, 1862, John died; his daughter Jesse was living with him at the time. They are buried in Lanark Village Cemetery.

WHAT THE CENSUS TELLS ME

1842 Census: This census was very hard to read because the columns were not marked clearly. But what did seem readable was the produce raised. He had 620 acres, 181 of which were improved. He grew 120 bushels of wheat, 200 of barley, 150 of oats and 2000 of potatoes. He had 25 cattle and 4 horses. He seems to be doing well.

1851 Census: John, 69, and Jannet, 68, are in their Stone house in or outside of Lanark town. They have a boarder, Gerrin Horn, 20 and a servant Elizabeth Matthie 22. Interestingly, grandma Minnie Barr Reid's Manson grandmother was a Margaret Matthie who would have been 12 in 1851. A sister perhaps? I could not find Margaret in this or the earlier census however. It is in this census that John styles himself "esquire" , presumably because he is a Councillor for Bathurst District.

1861 Census : John, 79 and "Mrs J Robertson" 43, (presumably Isabella, nee Currie) are living In Lanark town in his 1 1/2 story stone house. It must have been a big place because in it there are 7 people residing. There are elderly Mr and Mrs K Matheson, 68 and 70, and presumably a nephew or grandson, Robert Matheson, who is 19. There is James Currie who is 21. He is likely a relative of Isabella's, perhaps even her son from a former marriage, but i could find neither of them in previous censuses. All these male adults profess to be yeoman, which is usually a land owning farmer. Both the young men have attended school in the last year. How they can be considered yeoman i do not understand. There is also 18 year old Elizabeth Crawford, a servant. There is no sign of the son John and Isabella bore. He would have been under 6. Likely he has died.

Lanark County History

In 1812, The British Government designated all of Lanark County as a potential landing point for European immigrant settlers. With the establishment of Perth as a military town in 1816, Lanark Township, Dalhousie Township and North Sherbrooke Township were opened for even greater settlement in 1820. From the outset, Lanark Village was designated to be the chief local administrative base for Northern Lanark. Lavant and Darling were also opened for settlement over the following 20 years, in order to accommodate the increasing number of immigrants from the British Isles.

The earliest settlers were unemployed Scots who left the overpopulated areas of Glasgow and Lanarkshire, following the Napoleonic war. In 1820, approximately 400 families arrived in Lanark Village, bringing with them skills in cotton weaving, carpentry, blacksmithing and shoemaking. A similar influx of Irish settlers arrived during the 1830's and 1840's. However, the growth of the area was somewhat impeded by the muddy, rocky terrain and steep slopes, which prevented easy travel. As a result, many settlers opted to reside in Perth, unwilling to make the dangerous trek to Northern Lanark.

Of the settlers who did arrive in the Village, all males over 21 years of age were granted 100 acres divided up using the traditional grid system - a grid which is still evident in the current land use pattern and property boundaries. Although the intention of the original settlers were to farm each parcel of land, it soon became apparent that the only lands that could be cultivated were those located in floodplains, along rivers or adjacent to lakes. Consequently, most settlers opted to perform timber-related activities instead. Early industrial activity typically included grist mills, flour mills, pork-packing and tanning establishments - soon followed by the introduction of maple syrup operations, lumbering, saw mills, furniture activities and fishing.

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John Reid, genealogist, on John Robertson's title of Esquire:

I was curious about John’s title on correspondence – using the term Esquire. Usually reserved for people as a professional courtesy title of respect gaining the social position of gentleman. John’s father and siblings were well educated and I assume John was also. They were accountants, military officers, clergy and the two nephews and niece’s husband were merchants, ship and Insurance brokers and Commission agents for goods heading to Canada – working in England and the States At the time (between 1815-1820) there was considerable social unrest in Britain resulting from years of economic recession after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. John possibly moved to the Glasgow area to find work, as, at that time, the economic situation in Scotland worsened for many workers, and societies sprung up across the country which espoused radical ideas for fundamental change. Based in Central Scotland, artisan workers (such as weavers, shoemakers, blacksmiths), initiated a series of strikes and social unrest during the first week of April 1820. This pushed for government reform, in response to the economic depression. The Rising was quickly, and violently, quashed, and the subsequent trials took place in Scotland from July to August 1820. John and his family departed Scotland in June of 1820 – coincidence? John did not farm long and headed to the village of Lanark where he became councilor, tried to pursue representing the family in England as a commission agent for goods imported from England to Canada, and looks like he was an accountant for Boyd Alexander Caldwell – the lumber baron. John was more educated than first thought – not just a weaver.

THE PROFESSION OF WEAVER :

In Scotland during the early 1800s, the job of a weaver was an integral part of the textile industry, which was one of the most significant industries in the country at the time. Weavers were skilled craftsmen responsible for producing cloth by interlacing threads on a loom to create fabric.

Here's an overview of what the job of a weaver in Scotland in the early 1800s would entail:

Skill and Training: Weaving was a highly skilled profession that required years of apprenticeship to master. Typically, young boys would be apprenticed to experienced weavers to learn the craft from a young age. The apprenticeship could last several years before they became skilled enough to work independently.

Operation of Looms: Weavers operated various types of looms, including handlooms and later, powered looms. Handloom weaving was the predominant method during the early 1800s, where the weaver manually operated the loom to interlace the threads. This process required precision, speed, and dexterity.

Preparation of Materials: Before weaving could commence, the weaver had to prepare the materials. This involved tasks such as winding bobbins with the appropriate thread, setting up the warp (lengthwise threads) on the loom, and ensuring all equipment was in working order.

Weaving Process: Once the loom was set up, the weaver would begin the weaving process. This involved passing the weft (horizontal threads) through the warp using a shuttle or other devices, creating the fabric's pattern and structure. The weaver had to maintain even tension and correct any errors that arose during the process to ensure the fabric's quality.

Quality Control: Weavers were responsible for ensuring the quality of the fabric they produced. This included inspecting the cloth for defects, fixing any errors or broken threads, and ensuring that the finished product met the desired specifications in terms of texture, pattern, and density.

Working Conditions: The working conditions for weavers during this period could be challenging. Many worked long hours, often in cramped and poorly ventilated spaces. Handloom weaving was physically demanding work, requiring repetitive motions that could lead to fatigue and injury over time.

Economic and Social Context: Weaving was a vital source of income for many families in Scotland during the early 1800s. However, the industry underwent significant changes during this period, with the introduction of mechanized weaving technologies leading to the displacement of many handloom weavers. This period also saw the rise of factories and the factory system, which transformed the way textiles were produced.

Overall, the job of a weaver in Scotland in the early 1800s was a skilled and demanding profession that played a central role in the country's textile industry and economy.

Sources

• tribal pages reid/condie
• canada census 1842, 1851, 1861

Further research into John Robertson’s background through letters handed down from his granddaughter, Jessie Reid

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Les Horn for creating Robertson-4457 on 22 Dec 13.