|
Euphemia Richardson (1796-1864) was born in Roxburgh, Scotland. She married James
Thomson (Abt. 1794 -1817) and they had two children, Euphemia (abt 1815 ) and James (abt
1817) in Scotland. The emigrated to Lanark cty, Upper Canada in about 1817. Shortly after
they arrived, James Thomson died. Euphemia was left with the problem of raising two
children in an undeveloped land where life was hard under the best of circumstances.
At about the same time, Adam Robson came to Lanark from Roxburgh with his children who
were young adults at the time. Three years after the death of her husband, Euphemia
Thomson met and married Adam’s second son John (1797 - 1879). Fourteen more children
were born, three of whom died as infants.
Many of Euphemia Richardson’s children and grandchildren achieved remarkable
things in their lifetime. I am descended from daughter Euphemia who married Alexander
Cameron. (See Cameron page.) Three sons, John Robson, Ebenezer Robson and David Robson
became prominent pioneers in British Columbia. (See below.)
Information about this family is available in the British Columbia archives where
diaries by George Robson and Ebenezer Robson are held. Also in the archives is an essay on
the lives of John, Ebenezer and David written by a descendant, Charles George Robson, in
1938. Information on John Robson may be found in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol
XII, 1891-1900, University of Toronto Press, which is available in most libraries.
John Robson (1824 - 1892)
John Robson was born in Lanark county, Upper Canada, the second son of
John Robson and Euphemia Richardson (Thomson). When he was still quite young, they moved
to Sarnia, Ontario. As a young man, John had a variety of jobs. He worked in newspapers,
and operated drapery businesses in London, Ontario and Bayfield Ontario. While in Bayfield
he met and married Susan Longworth of Goderich, Ontario. Susan's father was an
official with the Canada Company who manage to attain a life of wealth and influence in
spite of his involvement in a bigamy scandal.
In 1859, lured by the prospect of gold and the presence of his brother
Ebenezer who was a Methodist missionary, John decided to head west to British
Columbia. After a brief stint panning for gold near Hill's Bar on the lower Fraser, he
went back to New Westminster and began to clear a homestead. Soon he was offered the
editorship of the new paper, the 'British Columbian'. At this time, he began involvement
in the politics of the colony, and soon was elected to the New Westminster city council.
After a series of political ups and downs, John Robson was elected to the
legislature of the new province of British Columbia in 1871 representing the constituency
of Nanaimo. In 1879, John left politics briefly, but by 1883 he was back and was chosen as
a minister in the Smithe Government. Upon the death of Premier Smithe in 1887, he
continued in the Davie Cabinet, and after Davie's death in 1889, John Robson became
premier.
In the spring of 1892, Robson's government was sponsoring a scheme to
bring as immigrants Scottish crofters made destitute by the enclosure movement in the
Highlands. He left for England to discuss the question with the British government. Just
as the negotiations were being completed, John had what appeared to be a trivial accident.
While closing the door of his carriage, he caught his finger. Blood poisoning
developed in the injured finger, and within days he was dead.
Ebenezer Robson (1835-1911)
 Ebenezer Robson was the sixth surviving son of John Robson and Euphemia
Richardson Thomson. Although raised in a very religious Presbyterian household, Ebenezer
was influenced by a travelling Methodist preacher who came to the Robson lumber mill when
Ebenezer was still in his teens. In 1856 he entered Victoria College where he remained for
one year, and then received his first charge in Brockville. In 1858 he was an assistant at
St. James Church in Montreal, and early in 1859 he and three other Methodist missionaries
sailed by way of Panama to British Columbia.
Soon, Ebenezer began preaching the gospel among the miners along the
Fraser, and opened a school for Indian children. After a move to Nanaimo he began the
construction of a church there, followed by another school for Indian children. This was
followed by a charge in New Westminster where he built another church, this time with the
help of brother John.
Robson's greatest work in B. C. was done in the field of education. He was
one of a committee of four appointed by the Methodist church to establish Columbian
College. At his death in 1911, he was recognised as a great religious pioneer who
contributed to the formative period of British Columbia Methodism.
David Robson (1840-1907)
David Robson was the youngest surviving son of John Robson and Euphemia
Richardson Thomson. In 1859 he followed his two older brothers from Sarnia to British
Columbia, and also followed brother John into the newspaper business. In 1866, he returned
to Ontario, entered Victoria College where he received his bachelor's degree in Arts in
1870. After graduation he went to Collingwood, Ontario where he established the
'Bulletin', a newspaper which he edited and published for eleven years. In 1881 Robson
sold his interests in Collingwood and returned to New Westminster where he became a
partner in the 'British Columbian' with his brother John. In 1882 when John was elected to
the legislature, David took over the entire management of the newspaper.
In 1885, the 'British Columbian' was sold, and David Robson became city
clerk of New Westminster. He later became assistant Commissioner of Lands and Works for
the New Westminster district, remaining in this position until his death in 1907.
Descendants of Euphemia Richardson Thomson
1 [3] Euphemia Richardson
1796 - 1864
.. +James Thompson
Abt. 1794 -
1817
................. 2 Euphemia Thompson
Abt. 1815 - Unknown
..................... +Alexander Cameron
Abt. 1812 - Unknown
..................................... 3 Nancy
Cameron
..................................... 3
Alexander Cameron 1843 - Unknown
..................................... 3 [2] John
Robson Cameron 1845 - 1907
......................................... +Sarah
McCallum 1843 - 1870
......................................................... 4
Archibald Duncan Cameron 1867 - 1944
.............................................................
+Elizabeth Smyth 1870 - 1944
............................................................................
5 Robert John (Roy) Cameron
1892 - 1974
................................................................................
+Laura Ptolmey Unknown -
Unknown
............................................................................
5 Urla Ishbel (Belle) Cameron
1897 - 1974
............................................................................
5 John Robson (2) Cameron
1908 -
................................................................................
+(Westy) Doris Annie Louise Weston
1913 - 1984
......................................................... 4
(Minnie) Mary Euphemia Cameron 1869 - 1930
.............................................................
+William Dawson 1860 - 1920
............................................................................
5 (Ella) Sarah Elinor Dawson
1894 - 1969
................................................................................
+(Lanse) Lanson Zuefelt 1890
- 1958
............................................................................
5 (Fergie) Ishbel Ferguson Dawson
1896 - 1954
................................................................................
+John David Holman 1892 -
1944
............................................................................
5 (Jack) John Cameron Dawson
1898 - 1980
................................................................................
+Goldie Naomi Sturdevant 1910
- 1995
............................................................................
5 [1] (Ruth) Marguerite Ruth Dawson
1900 - 1988
................................................................................
+Robert D. Campbell Unknown -
Unknown
............................................................................
*1st Husband of [1] (Ruth) Marguerite Ruth
Dawson:
................................................................................
+Gordon Graham Gray 1900 -
1970
............................................................................
5 (Sandy) William Alexander Dawson
1906 - 1979
................................................................................
+Laura Gertrude Bailey 1909 -
1997
............................................................................
5 Mary Jean Dawson 1910 -
1990
..................................... *2nd Wife
of [2] John Robson Cameron:
.........................................
+Rebecca McIvor
......................................................... 4
Anna Cameron
......................................................... 4
May Cameron
......................................................... 4
(Pheme) Euphemia Cameron
.............................................................
+Robert McDougall
......................................................... 4
Mary Cameron
......................................................... 4
Ishbel Cameron
......................................................... 4
Rankin Cameron
......................................................... 4
John Cameron
......................................................... 4
Gordon Cameron
......................................................... 4
Alice Cameron
..................................... 3 Euphemia
Cameron 1846 -
..................................... 3 Donald
Cameron 1848 -
..................................... 3 Anna
McDonald Cameron 1850 -
................. 2 James Thompson
Abt. 1817 - Unknown
*2nd Husband of [3] Euphemia Richardson:
.. +John Robson 1797 - 1879
................. 2 Adam Robson
1822 - 1842
................. 2 John Robson
1824 - 1892
..................... +Susan Longworth
Unknown - 1918
..................................... 3 Lieut.
Frederick William Robson 1867 - 1891
..................................... 3 Francis
Ellen (Fannie) Robson Unknown - 1944
.........................................
+Joseph Hunter Unknown - Unknown
......................................................... 4
Francis Kathleen Hunter 1884 - 1902
......................................................... 4
John Lawson Hunter Unknown - 1948
......................................................... 4
Dr. Joseph Douglas Hunter Unknown - 1970
..................................... 3 John
Longworth Robson 1856 - 1875
................. 2 William Robson
1831 - Unknown
..................... +Eunice E. Watson
Unknown - Unknown
..................................... 3 Julia
Eva Robson
......................................... +Henry
John McGivern
......................................................... 4
May McGivern
......................................................... 4
William McGivern
......................................................... 4
Harry McGivern
..................................... 3 Charles
Anson Robson
......................................... +Sarah
Bowles
......................................................... 4
Eunice Robson
.............................................................
+Unknown Love
......................................................... 4
Maude Amy Robson
.............................................................
+Unknown Gunthorpe
......................................................... 4
Minnie May Robson
......................................................... 4
Grace Charlotte Robson
..................................... 3 Helen
Gertrude Robson
................. 2 Janet Robson
1833 - Unknown
..................... +Oliver B. Caldwell
Abt. 1828 - Unknown
................. 2 Ebenezer Robson
1835 - 1911
..................... +Ellen (Nellie) Mary Hall
1834 - 1923
..................................... 3 Minnie
Robson Unknown -
......................................... +C. R.
Monk Unknown - Unknown
..................................... 3 Ernest
Sherwood Robson 1872 - 1956
.........................................
+Unknown
......................................................... 4
Ewart Robson
......................................................... 4
Sherwood Robson
................. 2 Isabella Robson
1836 - Unknown
..................... +Thomas Davies Pearson
Unknown - Unknown
..................................... 3 Female
Pearson Unknown -
..................................... 3 Thomas
Pearson Unknown - 1947
.........................................
+Eleanor Major Unknown - Unknown
......................................................... 4
Geoffrey Pearson
......................................................... 4
Roy Pearson
......................................................... 4
Leslie Pearson
................. 2 George Robson
1838 - 1870
..................... +Unknown
..................................... 3 Jessie
Robson
................. 2 David Robson
1840 - 1907
..................... +Emma Ida Henry
Unknown - Unknown
..................................... 3 Gertrude
Estella (?) Robson
.........................................
+Norman Williams
..................................... 3 C. E.
Robson
..................................... 3 Stanley
Robson
................. 2 Mary Robson
Unknown - Unknown
..................... +James Major
Unknown - Unknown
................. 2 Robert Robson
Unknown - Unknown
..................... +Sara Ann Middleton
Unknown - Unknown
................. 2 Thomas Robson
Unknown - Unknown
..................... +Francis Greenfields
 Home
|
Thomson
& Robson