William Robb

[VelkyAl]

I have been doing a fair amount of digging into the parents of my great grandmother, Joan Robb Ogston (1873-1953).

Just today I discovered a couple of corrections to her birth record, which establish her father as being one William Robb.

From what I can put surmise William Robb had at least one tryst with Elizabeth Ogston in 1872, in New Pitsligo as that is where Joan was born.

By 1874 he had moved on to Strichen, as that is the first record of a correction. The second correction is from 1876 at which point he is living in Crimond.

As far as I am aware, Elizabeth and William never married.

Any thoughts on how to pin down William's parents/family, and learn more about him?

[GR2]

Do you know William Robb's occupation? If he was a farm worker that would account for his moving about from parish to parish. The "tryst" might not have taken place in New Pitsligo, as Elizabeth may have gone home to have the child. Even at this late date, there may be an entry in the minutes of the kirk session giving details about William. Looking in the 1871 census for William Robbs in the area might help narrow it down. FreeCEN shows several possibilities.

[VelkyAl]

Do you know William Robb's occupation? If he was a farm worker that would account for his moving about from parish to parish. The "tryst" might not have taken place in New Pitsligo, as Elizabeth may have gone home to have the child. Even at this late date, there may be an entry in the minutes of the kirk session giving details about William. Looking in the 1871 census for William Robbs in the area might help narrow it down. FreeCEN shows several possibilities.

Thanks for the pointers.

He is listed as a "labourer".

[GR2]

Looking on FreeCEN for unmarried William Robbs in the area in 1871, born 1820 - 1856, comes up with:

William Robb, 17, mill worker (wool spinner), living with father (a labourer) in Strichen

William Robb, 27, farm servant, working for his father at Bluebog, Rathen

William Robb, 28, labourer, boarding in Fraserburgh

All of whom may be totally innocent.

[VelkyAl]

Looking on FreeCEN for unmarried William Robbs in the area in 1871, born 1820 - 1856, comes up with:

William Robb, 17, mill worker (wool spinner), living with father (a labourer) in Strichen

William Robb, 27, farm servant, working for his father at Bluebog, Rathen

William Robb, 28, labourer, boarding in Fraserburgh

All of whom may be totally innocent.

Assuming here of course that said William Robb was unmarried...

[Forfarian]

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=825881.0

[Stanza]

Looking on FreeCEN for unmarried William Robbs in the area in 1871, born 1820 - 1856, comes up with:

William Robb, 17, mill worker (wool spinner), living with father (a labourer) in Strichen

William Robb, 27, farm servant, working for his father at Bluebog, Rathen

William Robb, 28, labourer, boarding in Fraserburgh

All of whom may be totally innocent.

I note that at the time of Joan Robb Ogston's birth in 1873, her mother Elizabeth was about 31 - one of the older William Robb's therefore seems more likely to be the father - although to be fair the "William Robb, Labourer, in Strichen" does point to the young man - or MORE PROBABLY, his father William Robb, aged about 40 at the time of Joan's birth and recorded two years earlier as a labourer in Strichen. [** See note at end of this message.]

The William Robb living at Bluebog, Rathen in 1871 was my Great-Grandfather - my grandfather John Simpson being born illegitimately in 1868 to Isabella Simpson in Rathen.

The same Wiliam Robb was also the father of William Kelman, born illegitimately in 1865 to Mary Kelman in Doulie, Fraserburgh.

Both the above paternity cases were determined by Sheriff Court proceedings in 1868. (The RCE's are associated with the birth records on ScotlandsPeople.)

There is also Annie Kelman, born illegitimately to Mary Kelman in May 1876. Her death registration shows William Robb to be her father - quite possible, as in 1881 Mary was working as a domestic servant at Bluebog, Rathen, while William was still living there. (The caveat is that Mary already had at least three illegitimate children; young William in 1865 to William Robb, and two others to two other men!)

Despite their tangled lives, William later married Mary Kelman (in 1885) but she died in 1893. Perhaps unsurprisingly, William remarried six months later!

If any of that tallies with the Wiiliam Robb you are looking for, send me a PM and we can discuss it further, as I've traced his ancestry back a few generations.

EDITED
[**The older William Robb living and working as a labourer in Strichen was born in Rathen, probably in 1832 to James Robb & Grace (Grizzell) Johnston. It's possible that James Robb was born in 1780 to Thomas Robb & Mary Bissett, but I have no definite proof - it fits with the OPR but it's not conclusive. It's also probable there is a family connection to "my" Robb family from Rathen, but I haven't yet found the link.]