John Robertson

ID#1311, (circa 1845 - 6 April 1880)
ChartsHENDERSON
     
     John Robertson was born cir. 1845 possibly in ?Bridge of Earn, PER, SCT, the place being assumed from his dth notice: "late of Bridge of Earn". Definitely Perth (dtr Elizabeth's birth cert).1,2,3,4
     John Robertson married Mary Henderson, daughter of James Henderson and Amelia Millar, on 27 Jan 1871 at the Res. of James Henderson, Arum St, Oamaru, OTG, NZ, (Folio #858) I transcribed the intention to marry entry as 24 Jan 1871 but the actual cert. has 27th. There was 'no relative in colony' to give consent for minor even though the marriage was held at Mary's brother's house. John given as 26, in NZ 5 mths, Mary 19 in country 2 yrs. The actual cert. shows the witnesses as Alexdr Blyth, shepherd, Waimate and Mary Thomson, Kakaunui, and the Minister was the Rev Alexander B Todd (of Maxton, who also officiated at the marriages of a number of other Henderson relations. The Presbyterian archives confirm the 27th date).5,6,1,7
     John Robertson died on 6 Apr 1880 at Oamaru, OTG, NZ, leaving behind his wife with an unborn child; (Folio #9068). He died after falling from horse after it bolted. His death notice reads: On the 6th April, at Oamaru, through a fall from his horse. John Robertson of Mount Pleasant, Oamaru, and late of Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, Scotland, aged 35. Scotch papers please copy"
     Obit: "..one of the most popular and most respected settlers of this district and lessee of the Mt Pleasant Farm, about a mile south of Oamaru ... proceeding home at about ten o'clock, having called at Dr Garland's for some medicine for one of his little girls.. his mare rushed along Tees St at such a rate as to attract general attention... bolted.. maintained his seat until he came near Mr McLaren's in Sth Oamaru, where the road takes a turn so sharp as renedered it impossible for the mare to travel round it... severe concussion of the brain...showed some slightly favorable symptoms from two to seven o'clock this morning... leaves a wife and, we believe, six children to mourn the loss of a good husband and father... It is deemed unnecessary to hold an inquest."8,9,3 His estate was probated on 7 May 1880 at Dunedin, OTG, NZ; being indexed as John Robertson, Dairyman, Mt Pleasant, will filed Dn, held Dn Arch (probate ref # OU62).10
     John Robertson has also been shown (incorrectly) in records as James Robertson in the privately published history of the family of James and Amelia Henderson. Subsequent research has shown Mary's first husband to be John instead.11
     John Robertson immigrated to NZ arriving cir. 1870; (no entries in the assisted immigration index at the Nat. Archives for this period for John Robertson, earliest was 1874, but the index reportedly starts in 1871, even though I think I did note at least on 1870 entry in passing).1,12 Cir. 1871 John Robertson was a farmer5 with a milk run.11,5,11

Family

Mary Henderson (excluded)
Children
  • John Robertson (excluded)
  • Amelia Robertson (excluded)
  • James Robertson13 (excluded)
  • Margaret Robertson (excluded)
  • Mary Jane Robertson (excluded)
  • Janet Robertson (excluded)
  • Elizabeth Grace Robertson4 (excluded)
Last Edited1 Sep 2007

Citations

  1. Intention to Marry, Mary HENDERSON (1310) and John ROBERTSON (1311) of 24 Jan 1871 BDM 20/16 p 540/242 Transcribed L McIntosh, c. 1991 (provided occupation, immigration year and derived year for birth date).
  2. Janine Morris (13264), "EM/LTR ROBERTSON, Mary ex Janine M, Chch," e-mail to L McIntosh (1), Rcvd May 1995 (Place given as Perth, SCT only).
  3. Newspaper clippings, P/copy of both the death notice, and obituary from The Oamaru Mail, Wed Apr 7th 1880, rcvd Aug 2003 from Shirley W, In'gill (a ROBERTSON researcher, but a different Oamaru family).
  4. Registrar General, BDM: Registrar General, Lower Hutt, NZ, Birth 1880 Elizabeth Grace ROBERTSON, inspection copy dated May 1994 rcvd from NZSG cert. collection, Jul 2005.
  5. Certificate, Mary HENDERSON (1310) and John ROBERTSON (1311) marriage of 27 Jan 1871 Inspection p/copy 858/1871 Dated Feb 1995.
  6. Registrations at Knox College , Marriage.
  7. Presbyterian Archives, NZ, online at http://www.archives.presbyterian.org.nz/, Marr. 1871 John ROBERTSON & Mary HENDERSON, from St Pauls Parish, Oamaru Marriages 1869 to 1920, extracted Aug 2007.
  8. NZ births deaths marriages index, ROBERTSON deaths 1880.
  9. N'PAPER: Oamaru Mail, p339 index (erroneously states 1st April but dth notice actually published 7th).
  10. Assorted indexes, NZSG Index, Probate index, extracted c 2000.
  11. Isabella Chittock nee Howden, James Henderson and his family, P7 "Mary came with her sister Elizabeth and married James Robertson. They made their home at Mount Pleasant, Oamaru. He was a farmer and also had a milk run. He, also, died at an early age."
  12. Various names, various ships Ships passenger index: assisted immigration, Searched Jan 2006.
  13. Janine Morris (13264), "EM/LTR ROBERTSON, Mary ex Janine M, Chch," e-mail to L McIntosh (1), May 1995.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.
 
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