John McRoberts
ID # 3036, (1805-1845)
| Father | Unknown McRoberts |
| Birth | John McRoberts was born in 1805 at Ireland. |
| Marriage | He married Elizabeth Porter. |
| Marriage | He married Unknown (--?--). |
| Death | He died on 9 September 1845. |
| Burial | He was buried at St. George Cemetery. |
| Note | There is substantial information to be found for the McRoberts family of Hamilton, Beverly Township, and St. George. Most of that found to this point, however, poses more questions than it answers. First see See Vol. 11, Obituaries from the Christian Guardian, 1891-1895, Donald A. McKenzie, Global Heritage Press, 2011. Page 273. This shows an obituary from the Christian Guardian for Elizabeth McRoberts, nee Porter. Something of this is shown under the notes for Elizabeth Porter, but there is more. This also tells that for most of the year she would live in Toronto with her step-son Alexander McRoberts. With this information, we must believe that John McRoberts, who died in 1845 and is buried in St. George, was previously married. Alex and his wife, Ruth Sager, are buried with Elizabeth and her son, John Bryce McRoberts. We know from the obituary that she died when she was visiting near St. George with her daughter Sarah, who was the wife of Richard Green Lawrason. A death registration for Elizabeth has not been found, but the transcription of her gravestone in St. George Cemetery is clear enough about the date. Information for Alexander McRoberts, found thus far, locates him in the vicinity of the village of Troy in Beverly Township in Wentworth County in the 1850s and '60s. There as well, at Troy, was probably a brother (of John's), Bryce McRoberts. Bryce died June 1st, 1860, per a transcription of Troy Cemetery (Troy is only a few miles from St. George.) Buried with Bryce is Ruth Elisabeth McRoberts, age 7, who died May 3, 1863. A daughter? Some land notes: Beverly Twp., Wentworth Co. Alex McRoberts, C3 - lots 6 and 18 onland.ca, Hamilton-Wentworth Beverly Book 1, pages 176-345, img 4 C3-L6 John Coleman et ux to Bryce McRoberts pt 10-3/4 acres in the SE 1/4 B & S 14 Oct 1851 Bryce McRoberts to Alexander McRoberts 10-3/4 acres, apparently same as above, but this is a mortgage to be held by Alexander for 200 pounds. Bryce later sold this piece of property to Alexander in 1858. As noted above, a Troy Cemetery transcription indicates that Bryce McRoberts died on June 1st, 1860, at age 52. (Bryce's daughter, Ruth Elisabeth McRoberts, age 7, died May 3, 1863, and is buried with him.) Alexander McRoberts apparently sold his interest in this property to John R. Neff, the next postmaster, in May of 1867. Cornell's History of the Pioneers of Beverly tells that Alexander McRoberts was the nephew of Bryce McRoberts. The name 'Bryce' in Cornell's book, gets rendered as Brice. A note here: Lot 6 on the 3rd concession of Beverly, for a time the whole 200 acres, was purchased and owned by John Coleman Sr. John died in 1844 and the property passed to his son, John Coleman Jr. John and his wife, Sabrina Caroline Smith, at some point went to Harrisburg (at the south end of Dumfries Township and not so far away from Troy) and kept an inn. Abstract index information indicates that they sold off lot 6 rather piecemeal. As noted, Alexander McRoberts held an interest, but so also did a James Bryce. There is one transaction wherein Alexander McRoberts sells a small portion of the lot to James Bryce. While of no direct help to a family researcher, considering that there was a Bryce McRoberts, uncle of Alexander's, and a John Bryce McRoberts, probably a nephew, it seems likely that James Bryce was at some level of the extended family somehow related. James Bryce died in 1878 and is buried in Section 1 of Mountview Cemetery in Cambridge/Galt. Again, per Onland.ca: Beverly Book 1, pages 176-345, img 52 C3-L18 Andrew Camp et ux to Alexander McRoberts pt 4-7/8 acres Alexander McRoberts to Alexander Camp pt 4-7/8 acres Andrew Camp et ux to Alexander McRoberts s1/2 100 acres deed 23 Aug 1858 Alexander McRoberts et ux to Andrew Camp s1/2 100 acres Andrew Camp to Alexander McRoberts s1/2 100 acres Alexander McRoberts to William Nisbet s1/2 100 acres $4300.00 B&S 12 March 1862 (B & S means Bargain & Sale.) Library & Archives Canada has it that Alexander McRoberts was the first postmaster at Troy, becoming such in May of 1852. Sutherland's Hamilton and Wentworth Directory of 1867, however, has it that Bryce McRoberts was the first postmaster, becoming such in 1851. Looking over the directory, it seems likely that a representative came around and talked to locals so that they might subscribe to the directory and have their names added in. It seems likely that he spoke to Alex McRoberts and so that information that Bryce McRoberts was the first postmaster is probably correct, notwithstanding that he isn't shown as such in the post office archives. If a postal historian should come up with a postmark for Troy in 1851, that would go some distance in confirming the Sutherland directory as being correct. The obituary for Elizabeth Porter McRoberts tells that when she came to Canada she spent her earlier years in Hamilton. Hamilton was the district seat of the Gore District and the surviving district marriage register has a couple of items of interest: James McRoberts of Barton and Sarah Allan of Ancaster m. 12 Nov 1844 by Rev Gale, perhaps in Hamilton or Barton Twp., wit. John McRoberts and Peter Reid. Also James Goodley and Mary Maher, both of Hamilton, m. 4 Aug 1845. Rev Douse, W.M. witnesses John Ware, Richard Robinson and Bryce McRoberts. This latter record may or may not record the marriage of a McRoberts connection, but it just isn't reasonable that the witness, Bryce McRoberts, isn't the same fellow that's buried in Troy Cemetery. Finally, there were McRoberts' land transactions in Ancaster Township. The clue to this is to be found in Vol. 1 of Ancaster's Heritage. The actual records are to be found via the Onland.ca website. Ancaster Bk 261 C3-L27 Margaret Pepper (widow of Andrew Pepper) sold to James and Alexander McRoberts S-1/2 100 acres of C3-L27 B & S $2200 on 6 June 1865, regd 12 June 1865, #362 The next transaction involving a McRoberts is confusing. Alexander isn't mentioned. Agnes Brown to James McRoberts s-1/2 100 B & S $50 23 June 1866 #89. Considering the small amount involved, 50 dollars, this may have revovled around a quit claim, though it shows as a B & S James William McRoberts sells this property to Allen A. Hilly on 12 June 1872 for 4500 dollars. The above says little about John McRoberts, he who died in 1845 and is buried in St. George Cemetery, but it should offer some clues to future family researchers. A couple of things do stand out. 1) Considering that Alexander McRoberts was said to be the step-son of Elizabeth Porter McRoberts, then we must believe that John McRoberts was married twice. And 2) Cornell's History of Beverly has it that Alexander McRoberts was the nephew of Brice (Bryce) McRoberts, so it is reasonable to believe that Bryce McRoberts, who died in 1860 and is buried in Troy Cemetery, is the brother of John McRoberts, who died in 1845 and is buried in St. George Cemetery. One more thought, and it's cautionary. Alexander McRoberts married Ruth Elizabeth Sager. She lived to 1919 and her death registration does not provide her parentage. There were Sagers aplenty in Beverly Township where Alex and Bryce were situated at least for a time, but the property purchased in Ancaster, per the Surtees 1859 map, shows Sagers as neighbours to the township lot that they purchased. Here, however, we are rescued by volume 12 of Donald A. McKenzie's work, Obituaries from the Christian Guardian, 1896-1900, Global Heritage Press, page 316. This tells that Ruth was the daughter of Malachi Sager. We may safely say that Ruth was the daughter of Malachi Sager and his wife Sarah Dean. They are buried in Troy Cemetery. Malachi died at age 95 in 1892 and Sarah died at age 76 in 1881. |
Children of John McRoberts and Elizabeth Porter |
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Child of John McRoberts and Unknown (--?--) |
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| Last Edited | 20 Aug 2019 |