Life History

Other facts

Notes

• [Good Robinson Ritchie Lee et al.FTW]
  
  
  Robert Lee was a soldier (private) in the 100th Regiment of Foot, which became the 99th Regiment of Foot on Feb. 16, 1816, as a result of the British Army's decision to reduce it's ranks. The 95th Regiment was taken out of the line and to keep the numbers running consecutively, the remaining Regiments up to the 105th were each renumbered one step lower. (Source: "For King & Canada" the story of the 100th Regiment of Foot during the war of 1812 by A. Barry Roberts)
  
  His Army discharge papers show him aged 32 at the time of his discharge in 1818, which would make his dob 1785/1786.
  The 1851 census of Ross Twp,. Ontario gives his age as 69, resulting in a dob abt. 1782.
  The 1861 census of Ross Twp., Ontario gives his age as 77, resulting in a dob abt.1784.
  We have recorded the year of his birth as about 1785, in the absence of proof to the contrary.
  
  His army service, which spanned almost 14 years, (Sept. 26, 1804 - July 12, 1818) was unremarkable and his discharge papers only refer to him as a "good soldier". He is listed on the "Chelsea Pensioners" Out-Patients list in September of 1818, which might indicate that he had applied for a pension perhaps as a result of having being wounded during the War of 1812, however if that was the case his wounds must have been slight as he was not awarded any pension.
  
  We have come across several  references to his regiment in histories of the settlement of the Ottawa Valley.
  
  The book "The Carlton Saga" by Harry & Olive Walker states on page 51 "the 99th Regiment of Foot and its dependents (had been) languishing at Lachine in a typhus epidemic". The book states that  Lt. Col. Francis Cockburn, then Quarter-Master General in Canada was able to "spring loose" the entire Regiment & its dependents in order to establish the military settlement at Richmond, some 5 miles WSW of present-day Ottawa,Ontario. The book also refers to a letter from Cockburn to "the Governor's Secretary" dated July 17, 1818 with respect to establishing the Military Settlement at Richmond with the 99th Regiment.
  
  Carol Bennett's book "Valley Irish" says on page 31 " Soldiers of several regiments ultimately received land in that district (referring to the military settlement at Richmond, in Carleton County) but the main group that was involved was the 99th Regiment of Foot which had seen service in both Upper and Lower Canada during the 1812 War."
  
  The most definitive work on this regiment that we have come across, however, is "For King and Canada; the story of the 100th Regiment of Foot during the War of 1812" by A. Barry Roberts which describes in detail the various battles in this war and undoubtedly Robert Lee took part in many of them, although there is no mention of his name.
  
  Why Robert Lee did not settle at Richmond with the rest of the 99th Regiment but ended up some 50 miles farther north in Ross Township is not known. His normal trade or occupation is given as "weaver" on his army discharge papers and perhaps farming did not attract him at the time of his discharge.
  His land grant in Ross Township refers to Orders in Council dated Dec 8, 1824 and Nov 8 1832, several years after the settlement of the Richmond Military settlement.
  
  We find a Robert Lee listed in the 1822 "Return of the Population" in the Township of Goulborn, Nepean near said Richmond Military Settlement, apparently living alone. There is also a "Rob. Lee" aged 39 listed on the Militia Nominal Rolls of 1828/29 for Goulborn who served in the 99th Regiment of Foot. This is likely the same person as there was only one Robert Lee in the 99th Regiment of Foot at the time of his discharge, despite another apparent age discrepancy - this one putting Robert Lee's dob at about 1788/89.
  
  We also know that Robert's son, Robert (Jr.) was born in Nepean, Carleton Cty. Ontario in 1831, so it certainly seems that he lived in the Goulbourn area for a period of time in the 1820's. Perhaps Robert Sr. worked on the Rideau Canal for a few years (it was constructed between 1826 and 1832)  before deciding to take up his land entitlement in 1832???
  
  There is some speculation that he first went to Glengarry County where he met/married his wife Flora McDonald, but this is undocumented & is speculation at this time. We have also seen unproven references that their daughter Mary - who married James McGinn in 1843-   may have been born in Glengarry. (Source: Mary Laura Finnigan (Nee McGinn) P.O. Box 148, Glenelg, MD 21737)
  
  
  Extracts from Robert Lee's Land Petition read as follows:
  
  1."The Petitioner as a discharged soldier from the 99th Regiment was granted under Orders in Council of the 8 December 1824 & 8 of November 1832 for the North Part of Lot No 3 in the first concession West of Muskrat Lake in the Township of Ross for which a description for Patents may (illegible) if it be your Excellency's pleasure"  signed W. Macaulay, Surv Gen. 5 May 1835.
  
  2."I do hereby certify that 100 Acres of the north part of Lot No 3 in the 1st Concession West of Muskrat Lake in the Township of Ross is located upon the Claim of Robert Lee (bearing date 6th Nov 1832) that the said Robert Lee is actually residing on the said Lot for more than 5 years and that he has buildings with upwards of eight acres cleared upon it.
  Bytown 16th April 1838 (signature illegible...John McNaughton??).
  
  The 1851 Agricultural Census for Ross Township shows Robert Lee living on a 100 acre parcel of land at concession 1, lot 4, of which 8 acres have been cleared.  Is lot 4 concession 1 the same as the the North part of Lot 3, concession 1? Certainly, they would have been adjacent at the least.
  More research needs to be done with respect to land records in this connection.
  
  So it would seem from the foregoing that Robert Lee settled in Ross Township about 1832/33  which would make him one of the earliest settlers in the area, although there is no mention of him in any of the early histories that we can find (although he is listed in the Directory of the Province of Ontario, 1857 - shown in the list of businessmen living in Cobden, Ontario with his occupation given as farmer).
  
  The 1861 census is the last census that we find Robert & his wife Flora listed on, giving their ages as 77 and 75 respectively, so they likely died between 1861 & the next census in 1871, although we have found no record of their deaths as yet. Living on the same property were a son George Lee (and George's wife Elizabeth Graham...they were married in 1860). Robert & Flora were living on the North 1/2 of lot 3 concession 1(50 acres)  and George & Elizabeth were living on the South 1/2 of lot 3 concession 1 (50 acres) so it seems that the property was divided some time between the 1851 and 1861 censuses. Also living here were George Lee's sister Sarah and a Robert Lee age 8 (born about 1853??) about whom we have no further information at this time.
  
  No record has been located to date of either Robert Lee or Flora McDonald's death/burial date or place.