Robert Fairbairn1,2

(circa 1828 - 18 August 1887)
FatherRobert Fairbairn (say 1789 - aft. 1851); neighbouring entries in 1851 census, Robt Snr known to have a son Robert BUT marriage index transcript for Robert Jnr does have his parents as "J & M". I've not found any better candidates3,4
MotherKate Scott (say 1786 - cir. 1828)
Relationship1st cousin 4 times removed of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     Robert Fairbairn was born on 26 Mar 1826 SCT.5,6
     Robert Fairbairn was born cir. 1828 SCT.1,2,6
     Robert Fairbairn married Clarinda Haynes on 28 Jun 1864 Richmond, Lennox & Addington Co., ONT, CAN, index shows Robert as 35 b CAN, s/o J & M FAIRBAIRN and Clarinda as 30 d/o Thomas & Jane HAM, both b CAN and resid. Richmond.4
     Robert Fairbairn died on 18 Aug 1887 Fair Valley, Mara, ONT, CAN; obit in The Canadian Post, Lindsay, reads: Sad & Fatal Accident- On Thursday afternoon, August 18th Mr Robert Fairbairn received a blow on the breast and abdomen from a sucking coat [sic] [colt?] in the barn ... He lingered in great pain till Friday noon when he died. Deceased leaves four orphans, three girls grown up and a little boy about eleven years old. The wife and mother died about four years ago. Rev R Mallet BA spoke feelingly of the deceased's patience and his many and long afflictions. (not obvious in dth index.)2,7
     If you think I've connected the Robert who married Kate Scott up to my FAIRBAIRN family on flimsy evidence and have a weak tolerance of unproven genealogical connections you'd better stop reading this now.
We know that Robert and Kate (Scott) had a son Robert and he is highly likely to be the one enumerated on the line above him in the 1851 census at Richmond.
Of the several Roberts born Scotland, of an age with this 1851 one, this one, married to Clarinda Haynes, is the only one to come close to being him. BUT, the marr. index shows his parents as "J & M" and I cannot find a dth cert. to correlate to the obituary, nor find any suitable J & M candidates to (dis)prove the index (wonder what the actual entry shows, I'm hoping it's a mistranscription?).
However, he is documented as being from Richmond when he purchased the land at Mara, and he did give one of his daughters a middle name of Minto, which surely indicates some connection to the family of William Bell Grieve and Elizabeth Fairbairn, and his only known son was a Robert, even if assumed mother Kate missed out on being commemorated in the daughters' names.8

Robert's entry in Scottish Emigration to Canada pre-Confederation reads: FAIRBAIRN: Robert b ca 1786. To ONT ca 1828; stld nr Selby, Lennox & Addington Co ch incl: William, James, Robert, Elizabeth, Jane, Alison qv OGF15,115 (where qv refers to Alison marrying David FITCHETT);
Additional info has Elizabeth marrying William GRIEVE in ONT, emigrating c 1828 as well, and separate information for the chap I believe is son William has him emigrating 1826 (1901 census), and his obit says at age 10, with parents (which implies 1827 given age at death, but as other info gives him an 1820 birthdate, he may have been younger) Additionally, information in William's obit says that his family firstly went to Bytown (Quebec), which just happens to be where William and David Fairbairn were from the early 1810s, William being a proven relation via the Fairbairn surname dna project
Subsequent info was that Kate died at sea crossing the Atlantic.3,9,10,11

Migration

     Robert Fairbairn immigrated in 1828 to nr Selby, Lennox & Addington Co., ONT, CAN, with Robert Fairbairn and Kate Scott; entry reads: FAIRBAIRN: Robert b ca 1786. To ONT ca 1828; stld nr Selby, Lennox & Addington Co ch incl: William, James, Robert, Elizabeth, Jane, Alison qv OGF15,115 (where qv refers to Alison marrying David FITCHETT);
Additional info has Elizabeth marrying William GRIEVE in ONT, emigrating c 1828 as well, and separate information for the chap I believe is son William has him emigrating 1826 (1901 census), and his obit says at age 10, with parents (which implies 1827 given age at death, but as other info gives him an 1820 birthdate, he may have been younger) Additionally, information in William's obit says that his family firstly went to Bytown (Quebec), which just happens to be where William and David Fairbairn were from the early 1810s, William being a proven relation via the Fairbairn surname dna project
I've subsequently found that Kate died at sea crossing the Atlantic.3,9,11,10

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Robert Fairbairn appeared on the census of 1851 on the 6th, 7th, 8th Concession, Richmond Twp, Lennox Co., ONT, CAN, in the household of Robert Fairbairn (it looks as if all the Fairbairns listed are all living in the Grieve's tavern, along with some other labourers, Elizabeth Grieve being nee Fairbairn, and Robert Snr's dtr.)1,11
     Robert Fairbairn appeared on the census of 1871 Mara, Ontario Nth, ONT, CAN, with Clarinda Haynes, enumerated as FAIRBURN: Robert 45 farmer R Presb b SCT Scotch; Clarenda 37 b ONT W Meth, German; (both marr); Assumed children: Sarah 6, Minta 4, Margaret 1 (b Feb crossed out) all b ONT W Meth German.12
     Robert Fairburn was shown as the head of the household in the census of 1881 Mara, Ontario Nth, ONT, with Clarinda enumerated as FAIRBURN: Robert 55 b SCT farmer Presby; Clarinda 48 German b ONT, Methodist; assumed children: Sarah E 16, Clarinda M 14, Margaret A 10, Robert S 5 all b ONT, Methodist.13

All the other info

     In 1863 Robert Fairbairn was connected with West 1/2 lot 10, Conc. 12, Mara, Ontario, ONT, CAN, the patent apparently describing Robert as of Richmond, He later also purchased Sth 1/2 Lot 11 Con 12.14
     Robert outlived his wife Clarinda Haynes who died on 10 Jun 1885.15

Family

Clarinda Haynes (cir. 1834 - Jun 1885)
Children
  • Sarah Elizabeth Fairbairn13,6 (Apr 1865 - Oct 1934)
  • Clarinda Minto Fairbairn16 (Jun 1867 - Mar 1930)
  • Margaret Ann Fairbairn13,17 (Jul 1870 - Oct 1928)
  • Robert S Fairbairn18 (Jul 1875 - Mar 1912)
ChartsFAIRBAIRN
John & Bessie (FFLINT) FAIRBAIRN
Last Edited13 Dec 2016

Citations

  1. Census image, Canada, via Ancestry.com, 1851 Richmond, Lennox Co, ONT, hsehold of Robt FAIRBAIRN, extracted Jun 2008.
  2. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Marr. 28 Jun 1864 Robert FAIRBAIRN & Clarinda HAM, FHL Film 1030060 Lennox & Addington Co, ONT, extracted Jul 2008.
  3. F-5 FAIRBAIRN, "EM FAIRBAIRN/SINTON Yetholm ex Scott F," e-mail to L Henderson (1), Robert FAIRBAIRN, 1828, Scottish Emigration to Canada pre-Confederation, rcvd Jul 2008.
  4. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Marr. 28 Jun 1864 Robert FAIRBAIRN & Clarinda HAM, FHL Film 1030060 Lennox & Addington Co, ONT, extracted Jul 2008, (marr. index transcript shows Robert as son of J & M FAIRBAIRN, I've not seen the original, but am beginning to doubt it).
  5. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Birth 26 Mar 1826 Robert FAIRBURN, Scotland, from HAINES family tree of "ptnj21005, Central Sq, NY, extracted Aug 2009.
  6. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Dth 14 Oct 1934 Sarah GILLESPIE d/o Robert FAIRBURN & Clarinda HANES, roll VRDCAN1933_102653, born Fair Valley, ONT, extracted Jul 2008.
  7. Betsy SCHMITT, "Corres. re FAIRBAIRN/SAFELY between Betsy S & LornaHen," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, Dth 18 Aug 1887 Robert FAIRBAIRN, Fair Valley, Mara, from obit 26 Aug 1887 in The Canadian Post, Lindsay, extract in "They Came to Mara" p289, rcvd Jul 2008.
  8. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Jul 2008.
  9. GenForum online at http://www.genforum.genealogy.com/my/, Family of William GRIEVE and Elizabeth (Bessie) FAIRBAIRN, Richmond, ONT, posted Aug 2000 by Bonnie HURSH (email no longer current), extracted Jul 2008.
  10. Rootsweb Msge Board online at http://boards.rootsweb.com, Dth (c. 1828) Kate FAIRBAIRN nee SCOTT, at sea (Atlantic), from GRIEVE board posting, Aug 2000 by Bonnie HURSH, extracted Jul 2008.
  11. Lorna Henderson, "FAIRBAIRN Analysis", Jul 2008.
  12. Census image, Canada, via Ancestry.com, 1871 Mara, Ontario North, Ontario; Roll: C-9977; Family No: 82, hsehold of Robert & Clarenda (sic) FAIRBURN (sic), extracted Aug 2009.
  13. Online search: assorted surnames, International Genealogical Index (IGI), 1881 Census Mara, Ontario Nth, ONT FHL Film 1375881 NA Film C-13245 Dist 133 Sub Dist G Div 2 Pg 28 Hsehold 116, hsehold of Robert & Clarinda FAIRBURN, extracted Jul 2008.
  14. Betsy SCHMITT, "Corres. re FAIRBAIRN/SAFELY between Betsy S & LornaHen," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, 1863 Robert FAIRBAIRN of Richmond Twp, patented West 1/2 lot 10, concession 12, also Sth 1/2, Lot 11, from "They Came to Mara" p289, rcvd Jul 2008.
  15. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Dth 10 Jun 1885 Clarinda FAIRBURN, Mara, ONT, roll MS935_44, extracted Jul 2008.
  16. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Marr. 26 Jan 1898 Minto FAIRBURN & Robert SMITH, Mara Ontario, Roll MS932_96, extracted Jul 2008.
  17. Www FAIRBAIRN searches and miscellaneous correspondence by LornaHen (1) Birth 17 Jul 1870 / bap. 5 Oct 1870 Margaret Ann d/o Robert and C FAIRBAIRN, Mara, Ontario Co, ONT, Vol 3 pg 504, from Methodist Baptisms, found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wjmartin/…, extracted Jul 2008.
  18. Online search: assorted surnames, International Genealogical Index (IGI), 1881 Census Mara, Ontarion Nth, ONT FHL Film 1375881 NA Film C-13245 Dist 133 Sub Dist G Div 2 Pg 28 Hsehold 116, hsehold of Robert & Clarinda FAIRBURN, extracted Jul 2008.

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.