Among the first settlers in the township of Drummond were members of the family of John Robertson, who lived at Carie in Carwhin on the north side of the Loch Tay on lands formerly owned by the chief of the Storian branch of the Robertson clan but later absorbed by the Breadalbane branch of the Campbells. The story is handed down that the father of this John was one of 700 Robertsons who joined the army of Prince Charlie in the Rebellion of 1745. At the battle or rather massacre at Culloden he escaped the fate of so many of his classmates his only casualty was having a buckle shot off his shoe.
The eldest son, Hugh, a young many of about 25 years, was a graduate of Stirling Academy where he had shown special mathematical abilities but though he held a good position as bookkeeper and overseer of the Drummond estate at Etalkian, he decided to try his fortune in the new lands.
In April, 1816, he married Christine McDonald and shortly after sailed on the transport vessel The Lady of the Lake, arriving at Quebec on September 7 of the same year. On another boat came his sister Janet and her husband Donald Campbell and in a different boat had arrived a few months earlier his wife’ brother Donald McDonald.
Owing to some differences among the authorities of the time, the survey of lands suitable for settlement in Drummond township had not been completed, much to the annoyance and discomfort of the arriving settlers. The local certificates of Hugh Robertson and Donald McDonald, who settled on adjacent lots on the concession (now Drummond Centre District) were dated 12-9-1816, the same year, but a few months later than the first settlement in Perth and on the Scotch Line. Donald Campbell and his wife Janet took up their land on Concession 6 not far from what is now Armstrong’s Corners.
The question of the “Highland second sight” and the foreshadowing of the future in dreams may be a debatable one but the story is that Hugh was the “seer” of the family and to some degree at least had “the gift”, anyway it is told that before leaving Scotland he had the conviction that he should know the particular lot on which he should settle when he saw it. He had no difficulty in making the selection and never regretted having done so. He remained on the same farm during his lifetime taking an active part in municipal politics and religious life of the new country but never seeking public office beyond accepting a commission as justice of the peace. His youngest son, James W. Robertson, succeeded to the ownership of the farm which on his death was purchased by Henry Ireton.
None of his lineal descendents are now living in Drummond township. His son Donald, who learned the trade of millwright and carpenter, married the daughter of a neighboring farmer, Janet Shaw, located in Perth and built a home on Drummond Street in 1861 which though not now occupied regularly is still kept as the homestead of the family.
The oldest son John, who married miss Rudsdale, died when only 31 years of age, leaving two sons, one of whom, Hugh, was widely and fairly known in the Perth district as bookkeeper for the Meighen mercantile business. The other son, William J., took high honors at Toronto University and taught math at St. Catharines for many years.
ROBERTSON
Hugh Robertson, J.P., 1791 – 1869, his wife Christiana MacDonald, 1789 – 1970. Natives of Breadalbane, Perthshire, Scotland. Also their children
1839 – Mary A. – 1839
1817 – Janet McLaren – 1848
1820 – John – 1851
1832 – Peter – 1854
1824 – Duncan – 1853
1826 – Hugh – 1870
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