Robison ~ First Generation

    William ROBISON

Husbandman, see Robison/Mills MC. Of "Burnfoot", Northumberland (ref: William b1850 BC) or "Wooler" (ref: Robison/Mills MC).

The name Robison was quite interchangeable with Robson, Robinson and Robertson, and there are a great many people of these names in the Northumberland area at the time under review. There are many examples in FamilySearch.

One possibility has been found of going back a further generation (ref FamilySearch).

Ralph Robertson OR Robison
married to Ann had:
William Robertson 19 Jul 1786 at Wooler, Wooler, Northumberland, England.
Jane Robertson 14 Sep 1789 at Doddington, Wooler, Northumberland, England.
Eleanor Robertson 3 Jun 1792 at Doddington, Wooler, Northumberland, England. (This is the one that gives Ralph the name Ralph Robertson OR Robison, the others just have Robertson.)

William (above) may be the William for whom the following information is known.

William married Mary SCOTT (?). See Robison/Mills MC where there is a question mark against the name.

The following census record is possibly but not definitely this Mary:

Ref 1841 census. Durham, England. Civil Parish of St Nicholas. Registration district of Durham & Lanchester. Address: Market Place, St Nicholas, Durham.
Together with William (25) & Jane (20) Robison:
Mary Robinson. Age 60. Ind. Born in Durham.

One cannot be absolutely certain about the children listed below, but the name Robison is fairly limited in record numbers, though sometimes in close proximity to(and possibly alternative for) Robertson, Robson and Robinson.

See research by J.D.Grierson on the state of Protestantism in Scotland at the time we are interested (1800-1810). Your choices are:
1. The established Church of Scotland. Presbyterian [P].
2. The Relief Church of Scotland [P]- liberal, evangelical and anti-covenanting. Ultimately (1847) becomes the United Presbyterian, together with 4 and 5 below.
3. The "Auld Lights" of the "Burghers" [P], descendants of the First Secession of 1733 - favoured state connection and covenants. Reunites with the established Church 1839.
4. The "New Lights" of the "Burghers" [P], oppose connection with state, hold voluntary principle, anti-covenanting. In 1820 joins 5 below, becoming the United Secession Church (1820), and then the United Presbyterian (1847). [In 1900 unites with the Free Church (the outcome of the 1843 disruption within the established CoS) as the "United Free" Church which in 1929 rejoins the established CoS.]
5. The "New Lights" of the "Anti-Burghers" [P], hold similar views to 4 above, and eventually merge with them (1820).
6. The "Auld Lights" of the "Anti-Burghers" [P], who favour the state connection and covenants. [In 1852 the majority join the Free Church.]
7. The Reformed Presbyterian Church [P] (The Cameronians, who split, as did 8 below, from the established CoS in 1688). Stood for state church in a covenanted state. [Most join the Free Church in 1876.]
8. The Scottish Episcopal Church.

So, when a Church is listed as Presbyterian, it can mean a lot of things. It also suggests that the Robisons were of Scots stock, most probably from Galloway or Ayrshire, where the name is fairly common.





















1841 census
    Children:  
  1. Andrew ROBISON bap 1812 at Sion Meeting House, formerly Bondgate Meeting House, Alnwick, Northumberland  
  2. William ROBISON born c1815 at Burnfoot or Wooler, Northumberland, England  
  3. Jane ROBISON bap 1820 at Sion Meeting House, formerly Bondgate Meeting House, Alnwick, Northumberland  

Updated 13 Apr 2012