Robert HABKIRK was the son of William HABKIRK and Jannet SCOTT
Robert was born 7 April 1826 and christened as Robert HOBKIRK ON 14 May 1826 at Eckford, Roxburghshire, Scotland.
One family history has Robert marrying a Belle JOHNSTON, but no further information.
From the 1861 Census we know Robert(born 1826 in Scotland) is married to Jane(born 1831 in Scotland) and they live in a brick house in Huron, Canada West. Children in the house, all born in Upper Canada, are Esabella, born 1850, Jennett born 1852, Jennie born 1855, William born 1858 and Grace born 1860. Robert is a Carpenter by trade, age 35 and his wife Jennie is age 30 and the family is Presbyterian.
From the 1871 Census we find Robert, age 45 born in Scotland,
Jennie age 40 born in Scotland. Others in the family are Isabella, 20,
Jennet 18, Jannie 15, Grace 11, Robert 5, and Margaret 3.
From the 1881 Canadian census we know Robert was married to Jane. Following
is their family household as of 1881,
at Wingham, Huron North, Ontario, all listed as Presbyterian:
Robert HABKIRK, age 55, born in Scotland 7 April 1826, a carpenter
Jane G. HABKIRK, age 50, born in Scotland 9 February 1831(per 1901 census)
Jennet HABKIRK, age 28, born in Ontario
Jenney HABKIRK, age 28, born in Ontario (age should probably be 25)
William HABKIRK, age 23, born 10 February 1858 in Ontario, Canada
Grace HABKIRK, age 21, born in Ontario, a Dress Maker (Grace HABKIRK marriage record)
Robert HABKIRK, age 15, born in Ontario
Margaret HABKIRK, age 12, born in Ontario 22 April 1868(per 1901 census)
Ellen HABKIRK, age 10, born in Ontario 16 April 1871(per 1901 census)
Annie HABKIRK, age 8, born in Ontario
Mary HABKIRK, age 7, born in Ontario 16 January 1874(per 1901 census)
Ida HABKIRK, age 1, born in Ontario 25 October 1879(per 1901 census)
From the 1891 Census we find Robert HABKIRK, age 60(he lost 5 years), Jennie HABKIRK is age 60, James Murray, age 27 born in Scotland, a Coachman by trade, Jennie (Habkirk) MURRAY is 26, Nellie HABKIRK is 20, Annie HABKIRK is 18, John MURRAY is 5, Robert MURRAY is 3, and William MURRAY is 11 months old.
From the above we learn that daughter Jennie has married and now
has 3 children and they are all living together in Robert and Jennie
HABKIRK's residence.
From the 1901 Census we find Robert HABKIRK, age 74, a Carpenter,
born in Scotland on 7 April 1826 and married in 1854. His wife Jean is
also born, in Scotland, on 9 February 1831, and married in 1854.
Daughter Margaret HABKIRK, born 22 April 1868, a factory worker, worked
12 months and earned $250, daughter Helen, born 16 April 1871, daughter
Mary HABKIRK born 15 January 1874, a Seamstress factory worker, worked
12 months and earned $200, daughter Ida, born 25 October 1879, a Clerk.
From the 1901 census
we learn for certain that this Robert HABKIRK is the son of William
HOBKIRK and Jannet SCOTT because Robert HABKIRK lists his birth date as
7 April 1826, they same date as that from the birth record in
Scotland!!. We also learn that he and his wife have been married for 54
years, so the fact that an early marriage record had him marrying to a
Belle Johnstone was not a different wife, just a name variation,
because we now know his wife's name was Jane Johnston from Grace's
marriage record above..
Thanks to Patricia Stehnach who foumd a marriage of Robert Hobkirk and Belle
Johnstone on 8 March 1850.
Finally, the last child, Ida, is listed as age 1 on the 1881 census. This would mean that Jane would have been 49 at birth, so is Ida possibly a daughter of Jennet or Jenney? We don't know.
Jane passed away in 1901 and Robert passed away in 1910.
This page last updated on 28 March 2018
