Sunday, December 10, 2006

Great Grandparents Robinson

Great Grandparents Robinson

This partially, and only partially, restored photo shows my great grandparents, Israel and Elizabeth Robinson (nee Drew) and their son, George. The picture was taken at Cashion's Glen, near Cornwall, Ontario. Elizabeth was the daughter of my great great grandmother whose picture I showed in a previous post just a few days past.

Israel was a farmer and cobbler who seems to have be a rather hardy individual because a photo album note says that, when he was in his seventies, he walked thirty-five miles to visit his brother in Glen Robertson. I don't know if that was one way or both. He may have been the brother or other relative of the John Beverley Robinson who was the first attorney general of Upper Canada. The same relationship might also exist between him and Peter Robinson for whom the city of Peterborough, Ontario is named. Apparently, Peter led a group of immigrants from Ireland to settle in that area.

My grandmother, Charlotte or Lottie, spent some time back at Cashion's Glen caring for her father, my great grandfather Israel, after he fell and broke his hip. My mother and uncle spent some time there too as children, but I think they were all back in Montreal when he died.

I believe that Great Grandmother Elizabeth was the one who visited from one family member to the next to end her days. I'm sure that she couldn't keep the farm up. I remember my mother telling of either having to give up or share her bed with the old lady; I forget which. The boy, George, died when he was thirteen. My grandmother had two sisters, Bertha and Mamie. I knew Bertha's daughters and their children, but I never met Mamie who ended up in California. However, I am indebted to her for sending me the first novel that I ever read, The Bobbsey Twins at The Seashore. My memory tells me that I started it one day in the summer when I was seven and was quite surprised and proud that I finished it. After that, I read many other Bobbsey Twins books before moving on to The Hardy Boys and others.

This is the branch of the family that has longer roots in Canada than all of the rest, on both his and her side, I believe. Several years ago, I went to Glen Roberston and found some grave stones of some Robinsons but not of these people. Now I know that they lived in another settlement, and I think that they were buried on the farm anyway: at least my great grandfather and his son, George, were.

I'm so glad that my mother put these albums and notes together for us. It's neat to learn some of the stories and to think that I and my offsrping carry some genetic material from these folk.

13 comments:

Ginnie said...

The look on George's face makes me wonder what he was thinking! What a fascinating picture, AC.

Paul said...

AC, do you keep an archive copy of your blog? You are leaving your descendants a fantastic treasure. They will see photos of you and know you through your writing -- a wonderful treasure.

Anonymous said...

It's nice to know about the people responsible for our journey and we always find some little part of ourselves in their makeup. The gene pool runs very deep.

Gina said...

Oh, I am a little sad looking at George and knowing that he did not make it to adulthood.

Learning about our families can be totatlly facsinating!

Norma said...

It's great that you can save and retell the old stories. I do that in my family and have slowly been adding them to my blog. Don't know who will pick up that task after me, but there needs to be someone in each generation. I use Family Tree Maker, and it can really become addictive as you track down just one more 3rd cousin twice removed.

If you've got a minute, I have some questions about how you were taught English.Check here.

Anonymous said...

This is so very fascinating. I wish I knew more of my own ancestry.

Your mention of the Bobbsey Twins and Hardy Boys took me back to when I too was first discovering a good read.

Anonymous said...

It really is a good idea to keep a written record, as you are doing. I wish I had written down some of the stories my mom used to tell about her ancestors. She had some very interesting relatives. I remember her talking about a great, great, great cousin named Dominic Everartus Bagartus who went down with a ship trying to come to the new world, long, long ago. I have looked the name up on the internet, but despite trying as many spelling alternatives as I could devise, I've had no luck getting any information on him.

mreddie said...

Precious memories and photos - it is good to learn about and treasure your roots. ec

Kila said...

Very interesting. Researching ancestory certainly is addicting!

Cathy said...

Why is this so fascinating to me? And why am I fighting tears? Must be a solstice thing - the tears anyway. But I look into those faces and have so many questions.

luna pie said...

EEEesh! I find old pictures so creepy. I love them, but there's something about the gaze (esp. in great granny's) that is just so haunting....

Anonymous said...

I love old pictures.

I have piles of them - from my husband's family mostly.

My boys (men now, actually) show some interest, but my daughter will be renting a dumpster and will shovel all my beloved treasures into it before my body is even cold.

Thanks for sharing your family.

I really feel badly about George.
He looks like he loved life!

karla said...

What a great gift from your mother to keep all those notes and albums for you. Here I thought you were dabbing into Geneology.