Robert Hendry Boyle was baptised on
3 September 1795, according to the old parochial register of births and baptisms
of the Parish of Campsie, County of Stirling, Scotland. His parents were
recorded as "William Boyle, Fevar Eastertown of Balgreihend, and his spouse
Catherine Hendry". Based upon Robert Hendry Boyle's recorded age of 88 as
at the date of his death in Australia on 13 July 1881, his birth year would have
been 1792 or 1793.
Robert Hendry Boyle and married Janet Miller, daughter of William Miller and
Janet (or Mary) Burns, in Canada (source: Janet Miller's death certificate) on 4
March 1825 (source: entry in Robert Hendry Boyle's family bible).
The children of the marriage are recorded (in the family bible) as being:
Katharene, born 25 Sept 1826
Mary, born 20 Dec 1828
William, born 11 Feb 1831
John Hendry, born 7 (month illegible) 1834
Robert Hendry, born 21 Dec 1835
David Miller, born 31 Dec 1837
James, born 16 April 1840
Mungo Alexander, born 14 Oct 1842
Mungo Alexander Boyle's marriage certificate (he was married in Australia on 18
November 1869) specifically gives his birthplace as (town or place): Lanark
(county or shire): Lanark (country): Canada West, and in the absence of any
contrary evidence I am assuming that all the other children were also born in
Lanark Twp.
I was advised that in the 1991 publication by Carol Bennett, "The Lanark
Society Settlers", contains numerous relevant references, including the
fact that "Janet (Jessie) Miller, who was 12 years old when she came to
Canada, married Robert Boyle of lot 6, con 2, Lanark Twp.", and that the
1851 census showed their family as follows:
Catherine, 28
Mary, 26
William, 24
John, 18
Robert, 15
(David and James are missing for some reason)
Mungo, 10
John Mason Miller, 3 (possibly a fostered child, from Janet Miller's side of the
family)
An article written by a Mr. C. M. Forbes and published in the Perth Courier 15
Dec 1905 through 9 February 1906 (and transcribed for the LCGS website by
Charles Dobie) records that a Robert Boyle (presumably the elder) was one of the
founding members of the management committee of the Lanark Agricultural Society
when it was formed in 1850.
The whole family (with the exception of William) appear to have taken ship from
London for Brisbane, Australia, on the 'Golden City' on 23 Oct 1865, arriving in
Australia on 5 Feb 1866. They took up agricultural land near Ipswich,
Queensland, Australia, where they built a small cottage called 'Kelvin Grove'
(harking back no doubt to the Kelvin River of Robert Hendry Boyle's Glasgow
origins). Most of the cottage still stands, although nearly derelict - since a
fire in the last year or so.
Mungo Alexander Boyle was remembered in an article published in a local
Australian newspaper in 1931 as having an injured foot "through having
chopped it while falling scrub in Canada". The same article indicates that
the sisters Kate (Katharene/Catherine) and May (Mary) married in Australia. The
shipping records relating to the 'Golden City' seem to indicate that the
brothers John, Robert and David brought wives with them from Canada (Margaret
(maiden name unknown), Elizabeth (maiden name unknown) and Nancy Agnes Jameson
respectively).
The brother William's movements are more mysterious. Family recollections
variously suggest that he had been sent out to Australia in advance of the rest
of the family to acquire suitable land but absconded with the family funds, or
that he remained in Canada or perhaps moved to the United States.
Any further information about this family in Canada would be greatly
appreciated. Willing to exchange information. Thank You.