message exchange (Jan 2010) ... BEGIN From: Ann Pilon [pann4arva@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 5:52 PM I am searching for information on the Robins/Robbins family of Oxford County Ontario. I am specifically interested in a Levi b. 1832 (Ontario I think) and his son Wilbur. Do you have any information on this family? I do not know where exactly Levi was born and his wife Melinda Purdy was born in the U. S. (again no location). I was told by a member on another group that there was some info about Canadian Robins/Robbins on this site. Thanks for any info. From: Murray Aspden [maspden@telusplanet.net] Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 6:34 PM There are a small group of us who are interested in the Rob(b)ins in Ontario. Yes I am aware of Robins in Oxford County. With so many families in my own family history having ties with Oxford County, I would always pause when Rob(b)ins surname would pop up. Alas none are related to me. Other researchers like Val King of our group may recognize the names you mention. While Levi and Wilbur do not show up in her own family history's database, Val has accumulated files on as many Rob(b)ins as possible. She has been and is in touch with other researchers who are interested in these surnames. The reality in Ontario is that there are many families with the surnames but are not related. Or we are still working on possible connections. If you do a search in our group's postings for Ontario, you will recognize the challenges we face. Val's Robins are most likely related to mine but we have not found definitive proof for those in Norfolk County. Both her and mine Robins/Robbins lines seem to live on the same Windham Tp., Norfolk Co., property. My Great Aunt married a Robins. Is he from Val's family? We do not know. One of his ancestors was born there. What complicates matters is that more than one family lived in two farm homes on that same property even in my earlier years. Let us hope some recognize the names and can help. I have another researcher outside of our group that may have a connection. Need to check that for you. Anyways, we do welcome anyone with interest in Canada. And a Happy New Years to you all. If you are complaining about cold weather, try to imagine what we faced here in St. Albert, Alberta, on the night of Dec. 13, 2009. It hit -46°C. When we came out of our church after a wonderful Christmas Concert, we discovered the front tire on the driver's side was deflated from the bitter cold. We were the coldest spot in North America and only Siberia was colder at -49°C. If you translate these into F°'s it is still too cold. We have never experienced it so cold in our lives. Now that thought should keep you cooler in Arizona next summer. Eh! Sarah. Cheers. Murray Bruce Aspden From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 1:52 PM Ann, just a smattering to get you started. I have a death registration for James Robins, July 26, 1895, married, Baptist, age 74, Farmer, County Welland, Ont. The death was registered by his son Levi Robins in August, 1895. You may already have this, and I will continue to search. The census records might shine some light on the family. The only problem with this being your Levi is that James was apparently born in 1821. If your Levi was born in 1832, we have the wrong man. Please let me know. From: Shirley Hawley [robins.shirley@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 3:20 PM Hello Val,  I wonder if you have found my family?  I have a James Robbins of that age born in Pa.  His brother Edward born 1836 in NY.  I have not been able to find the family other than in Wisconsin.  I appreciate your in put.  Shirley From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 4:24 PM Ann: According to the 1881 census, your Levi was Irish (probably not our line - but we never know). The census shows that he may have been born 1827 (the age given is 54) His children are still with him in the 1891 census, also living with this family is Alfred Purdy. widowed. Still checking. From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 4:39 PM More about Levi: The1901 census shows Wilber married to Nellie born Sept, 1880. The 1911 census isn't so sure of Nellie's birth date or year, so they have inserted question marks. Wilber and Nellie now have kids. Etta Jane b. 1902, Nellie May b. 1904, Chas. Levi b. 1906, and Elizabeth b. 1908. Also living with them is Levi Sr. , Melinda and Edward, plus Purdy senior and two other Purdy's. Has this information been of any help to you? From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 5:04 PM Ann: Two more little details. Wilber married Nellie Brimblecomb. Levi died in 1912. From: Shirley Hawley [robins.shirley@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 5:24 PM An added note:  In the Wi. census James and Edward Robbins were living with a Mason and Abigail Grover, a later census Abigail was living with Edward.  I think this was their Mother, who had remarried, as she put Peter Robbins as their father on a permit to marry for a sister Caroline Robbins in 1853.  Thank you for looking Val.  Shirley From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 7:18 PM Shirley: I don't have a record of any of these people. I have mainly concentrated on the Robins families in ontario, Canada From: Ann Pilon [pann4arva@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 8:03 PM Sorry not to get back to you sooner. Works gets in the way of my hobby. I have found Levi Robins ancestry to be Irish (1881), German (1901) and Scottish (1911 census)on different census. This will make finding any further back difficult I'm sure. I don't believe the James Robins in Welland County is in my line. There is another Levi Robins but I don't think mine. James is Baptist and all info I find about my Levi is that he was Methodist. Thank you for all the information that you sent to me. I really appreciate it. From: val king [vjean75@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 8:08 PM Sorry I wasn't much help. It seems you already have all the information that I found today. Ancestry.ca might be your best bet for accurate information. From: Sara Hoffman [july37@cox.net] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 8:26 PM Val, I have to disagree from my experience with Ancestry that it is anyone's best bet for accurate information. Does Ancestry offer Canadian researchers a lot more accurate information & sources than what is available for our families here in the states where there are very few & mostly no sources provided? From: Ann Pilon [pann4arva@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 8:35 PM You did indeed help. I didn't know that there were Purdy's living with the family too. Until recently I didn't even know the name was connected. From: Shirley Hawley [robins.shirley@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 10:07 AM Val, thank you, this is very kind of you.  James was born 12-13-1830 in Pa., according to his death certificate, parents are blank.  Edward was born in 1836-1876  according to his tombstone.  The 1860 census of Waupun township, Wi.  Grover M.W. was 70 and a farmer, Grover Abigail was 57 wife, Robbins Edward 24 labor, Robbins Vestalina 20 wife.Robbins Margaret 1 born Wi., RobbinsJames 29 farmer , RobbinsOrvilla 22 wife and RobbinsJames 4 born in Wi.  The rest are listed as born in NY> In the July 1870 census of the town of Fox Lake, Wi. Dodge country, we have Edward 34 farmer born NY, wife Vestalina 30, Marietta 11, John 10 mos. and Grove Abigail 68. The Dodge county records burned.  They were in Wi. by 1853, according to their sisters marriage certificate.  Shirley From: Shirley Hawley [robins.shirley@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 12:38 PM Val, thank you for your response, but I am looking for the ancestors of these people, we are the decendants.  It seems they were born in Pa. and NY. and then disappeared until they came to Wi.  I would like to find the Father of Edward and James Robbins, who I think was Peter Robbins.  I wondered if they moved from Pa. and NY to Canada for a while because I can't seem to find them in the US.  I don't even know where in Pa. or NY they were born perhaps on the border of both states?  I have been looking for over thirty years.  My grandfather John Edward Robbins died at the age of 34 and his father, Edward, at age 40, so I never knew them and didn't get the genealogy bug until after my grandmother Robbins died.  Always a dead end it seems.  Thanks again.  Shirley END