Robert Luallen Oliver (1851 - 1942)

Born 9 Jul 1851 in Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 1942 at about age 90 in Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Robert Luallen Oliver is born in Scotland on July 9, 1851 [7]. He immigrates to Canada in 1873 and takes up farming in Vaughan Township. Vaughan lies on the northwest side of the modern city of Toronto. On December 15, 1876, Robert marries Agnes Wakefield in Toronto [1] [2]. In the 1881 census records, Robert and Agnes are living on their farm in Vaughan and their first child has arrived [3]. Robert and Agnes will have a total of five children:

• May (Mary) Edith Oliver 1877-1932 + (1903) Albert Nelson Duncan 1879-1959

• William Alexander Oliver 1880-1950 + (1926) Kathleen Lindfield 1908-1978

• John Paterson Oliver 1886-1902

• Hannah Jane Ettie Oliver 1888-1888

• James Luallen Oliver 1889-1889

Robert and Agnes move to Bosanquet Township in Lambton County sometime after their second child is born. Bosanquet no longer exists having been incorporated into a new municipality of Lambton Shores in the 1990s. Bosanquet hugged the shores of Lake Huron, northeast of Sarnia, Ontario.

The farm Agnes and Robert move to in Bosanquet backs onto the Auxsable River and is just to the north of the village of Arkona. This is about 12-13 kilometres south of Thedford [6].

Robert and Agnes are found in the 1891 census, in Bosanquet with three children: the 13-year-old Edith, 11-year old William and 5-year old John [4]. They have one farm labourer living with them. The 1901 census shows the family on the farm with three children [5]. The family is still on the farm in the 1911 census and there now is only one child, William, left at home [6]. In addition, the family has a 13-year-old nephew living with them – the census record shows Robert Wakefield immigrating from the United States to Canada in 1909, so presumably his parents, James Wakefield and Lydia Brandt had left Ontario and moved south. There is also a 22-year-old niece, Jenny Oliver, living with the family. Jennie was born in Scotland and came to Canada in 1910. The 1921 census record shows Robert and Agnes on their farm and only one son, William, is left with them [7]. William, who is 40, will take over the farm after his parents are gone.

Agnes dies in 1926. Robert dies in 1942 and they are buried together in Pinehill United Cemetery which is near Thedford [8]. Their son, William and his wife are buried with them.

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Sources

[1] The 1968 Paterson family tree by Marjorie Paterson: shows Robert Oliver as the spouse of Agnes Wakefield. It shows shows three children: (1) William + Kathleen Lindfield; (2) Edith + Albert Duncan; and (3) John.

[2] "Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMJ9-DCM : 8 March 2021), Robert Oliver and Agnes Wakefield, 15 Dec 1876; citing registration , Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,863,651. Agnes Wakefield (20) married Robert Oliver (22) in Toronto, on 15 December 1876. Robert was born in Scotland and was residing in Vaughan Township at the time of the wedding. His parents are William and Isabella Oliver. He is a farmer. Agnes is residing in Vaughan and her parents are John and Hannah Jane Wakefield.

[3] 1881 census, Ontario, 136 West York, Vaughan, pg 25, family #117: Robert Oliver (26), born in Scotland, farmer; Agnes (23); May (3). Robert and May are labelled “Scotch,” and Agnes is labelled “English.” The family’s religion is Presbyterian.

[4] 1891 census, Ontario, Lambton East, 81, Bosanquet, family 214: Robert Oliver (36), born in Scotland, farmer; Agnes (31), father born in Eng, mother born Ont; Edith (13); William (11); John (5); + one farm servant. The family is Presbyterian

[5] 1901 census, Ontario, 78, Lambton, Bosanquet, pg 7, household #66, Robert Oliver (49), born July 9, 1851, farmer; Agnes (44), born Oct 11, 1856; May E (23), born May 18 1877; William A (20), born Apr 24 1880; John P (14) born Aug 18, 1886, in school. Robert immigrated to Canada in 1873. The whole family is “Scotch” and “Presb” (Presbyterian).

[6] 1911census, Ontario, Lambton East, 2, Bosanquet, pg 5, household #51: Robert Oliver (60), born July 1851; Agnes (53), born Oct 1858; William (31), born April 1880; Jennie Oliver (22), niece, born Jan 1888; Robert Wakefield (13), nephew, born Dec 1897. Jennie was born in Scotland and came to Canada in 1910; Robert Wakefield was born in “W.S.A.” (sic) and came to Canada in 1909. Agnes and Robert Wakefield are labelled “English” and the rest of the household is labelled “Scotch.” Robert is a farmer; William is a labourer, making $300/yr.

[7] 1921 census, Ontario, Lambton E, Bosanquet, pg 4, family #39: Robert Oliver (67), born in Scotland, came to Canada in 1873, farmer; Agnes (63); William (40), farmer. There is one servant in the house. The family’s religion is Presbyterian.

[8] Pinehill United Cemetery, Bosanquet Township, Lampton County, Ontario, headstone: “Agnes wife of Robert Oliver died Jan 17, 1926, aged 69 years. Robert Oliver 1843-1942, William A. Oliver 1880-1950, Catherine Lindfield 1908-1978” [the birth date for Robert, 1843, is not a transcription error as the numerals are clearly visible in the photograph of the headstone. Since there are two census records showing his birth date as July 1851, the assumption here is that the stone carver made a mistake. Catherine Lindfield was the wife of William A. Oliver.]

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Fred Nix for creating Oliver-2804 on 10 Nov 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Fred and others.