Family Tree
My first cousin's husband and family have prepared a book on the family tree on my father's side: basically on the descendants of my paternal (Robertson) grandparents.
This was a lot of work, they've done a great job, and I'm really pleased to have a copy. I hope nothing I say is taken as a mark of ingratitude.
I'm just amused by the attempt to connect us to some aristocratic, land-owning Highlands Scots. Hmmm...if this was us, how did we end up living in southern Alberta during the Depression?
The original male Robertson in our line in Canada was David Robertson, who was born and raised in Scotland and then served in the British army. He was posted in the American colonies, fought on the losing side in the Revolutionary War, and then received land in what is now Ontario. (I can hear some readers of this blog saying "Ah hah!")
The land-owning Robertsons in Scotland are also known by th Gaelic name Clan Donnachaidh, or "children of Duncan." One particular Robert in this clan was given lands by the King of Scotland in 1452. From then on the official clan was known as the Robertsons of Struan. There are also two offshoots, with land, who can trace their descent to the main group.
Ah, but read on. The official story "does not entirely explain the very large number of Robertsons in the Dundee and Peth areas. Probably, apart from the well connected, there were dozens of persons in the area who adopted the name because it was their father's given name, a common practice of the times." And of course, some families were hoping to benefit from some confusion as to whether they were among the "real" Robertsons.
The real kicker: "What connection the family of John Glasgow Robertson and Bessie Chalmers [my grandparents]have to Robertson of Struan is not known at this time. All that is known is that David Robertson, from whom John G. descends, was probably born in Scotland around 1746."
Why does this make me think we are probably descended from the nameless tenant farmers/itinerant labourers/cattle thieves, rather than from the landed barons?
My son saw the map of Scotland, with the Robertson lands well marked, and found this extremely cool.
|
