Robert Thorburn was born March 28, 1836 in Scotland to Robert Thorburn and Alison Grieve. Biographies cite the location as Walkerburn, however a birth record gives the location as Traquier[1]. The two towns are within 4 miles of each other in Peebleshire, Scotland.
The family farmed at Juniperbank in Traquier. In 1841, Robert was the second eldest of five children in the home of Robert and Alison Thorburn.[2] Robert would attend school in Edinburgh. In 1851 he was a student and lodging in the home of George Dickson on 2 Hill Square in the city.[3]
In 1852 Robert was sent to Canada to work for his uncle, Walter Grieve, who was a partner in a trading company with offices in Greenock, Scotland and St John's Newfoundland. His uncle would start his own firm in 1855 and in the early 1860's would make Robert a partner and manager of the Newfoundland operations of Walter Grieve and Company.
On June 27, 1865, Robert Thorburn of St John's married Susanna Milroy of Hamilton in Wentworth County, Canada West. Susanna was originally from St John's.[4] They would have five children.
Robert Thorburn died on April 12, 1906 in St John's, Newfoundland.[5]
Research Notes
Unable to locate any Census or vital records that would help to identify the other three children said to be born to Robert and Susanna.
Sources
↑Birth:
"Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013 Ancestry ca Record 60143 #20585154 (accessed 5 January 2023)
Robert Thorburn born on 28 Mar 1836, son of Robert Thorburn & Alison Grieve, in , Traquair, Peebles, Scotland.
↑1841 Census:
"1841 Scotland Census"
Parish: Traquair; ED: 1; Page: 1; Line: 755; Year: 1841 Ancestry ca Record 1004 #895457 (accessed 5 January 2023)
Robert Thorburn (4) in Juniperbank, Traquair, Peeblesshire. Born in Peeblesshire, Scotland.
↑1851 Census:
"1851 Scotland Census"
Parish: Edinburgh St Cuthberts; ED: 25; Page: 14; Line: 17; Roll: CSSCT1851_182; Year: 1851; Household Schedule Number: 54; Roll: CSSCT1851_182 Ancestry ca Record 1076 #2244853 (accessed 5 January 2023)
Robert Thorburn (15) lodger, At School, in household of George Dickson (37) at 2 Hill Square, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, Midlothian. Born in Traquair, Peebles.
↑Marriage:
"Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1826-1938"
Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; County Marriage Registers, 1858-June 1869; Reel: 6 Ancestry ca Record 7921 #917828 (accessed 5 January 2023)
Robert Thorburn (29) marriage to Sussana Milroy on 27 Jun 1865 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada.
↑Death:
"Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949"
PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES (NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR); Newfoundland, Canada Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry ca Record 61508 #262039 (accessed 5 January 2023)
Robert Thorburn death 12 Apr 1906 (age 70) in St John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
Sir Robert Thorburn; Obituary; The New York Times, 14 Apr 1906 page 11 accessed on Newspapers Clip: 115854342/sir-robert-thorburn
Memorial: Find a Grave (has image) Find A Grave: Memorial #205587181 (accessed 5 January 2023) Memorial page for Robert Thorburn (28 Mar 1836-12 Apr 1906), citing General Protestant Cemetery, St. John's, Avalon Peninsula Census Division, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Maintained by Ian Munn (contributor 49939224).
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