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| Records of the Bay of Quinte A very interesting petition "Petitions of Sundry Persons Inhabitants of the Midland District in behalf of Henry Robins convicted of stealing a sum of Money and Sentenced to be hanged - Kingston Assizes 1816 - committed to Banishment" [14213a] Three identically worded copies of a petition were made and one each was circulated in Prince Edward County, Hastings County and the Town of Kingston. A surprising 444 persons signed the three petitions. The signatures are in columns and are transcribed in the column and order as written. Signatures can be a challenge to transcribe. Let me know if you think I have misread some and I will double check. © Randy Saylor, transcribed Nov 2011. Use these links to jump up and down to examine each list of names. 1. Who is Henry Robins? 2. The petition 3. Prince Edward County inhabitants, recorded as "Hallowell" 4. "Inhabitants of the County of Hastings" 5. "Inhabitants of the Town of Kingston and its vicinity" 6. More on Henry Robins Source: Civil Secretary's Correspondence, Upper Canada Sundries, 1766-1841, RG5 A1, LAC, film also at AO, Vol 30, C-4548, pp. 14210-14213a |
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| 1. Who is Henry Robins? Henry Robins, a 22 year old, husband of Abigail Gilbert who was the daughter of Abel Gilbert, was sentenced to hang and this petition for mercy was signed by a large part of the community. Some of his family is identified in the Hastings petition. The words "The person he stole the money from" are written further down on the Kingston petition, below the signature of Margaret Simpson, suggesting he stole the money from her. Her signature is different from the signature of the other Margaret Simpson who was the proprietor of Simpson's Hotel in Belleville who signed on the Hastings list. It appears from the "committed to banishment" that Henry was given mercy and banished from Upper Canada. This is confirmed in the Pioneer Life in the Bay of Quinte where it is recorded that "Abigail Gilbert m. Mr Robins, settled United States" [373]. I have a web page on the Gilbert family and a family Bible shows Abigail was born 1795. This Bible also records "James Robins, their Grandson was Born on the Eighteenth day of Nov, Anno Domini 1816". There is more on Henry at the end of this web page. |
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2. The petition That your petitioners Truly appreciating the mild government and humane laws under which they live and having at all times had
experience of your Excellency’s tenderness humanity wisdom liberality in the
administration of the government of Upper Canada are induced humbly to implore Your
Excellency’s Mercy towards an unfortunate youth of the name of Henry Robins of
the tender age of 22 years who stands convicted at the last assizes for the
Midland District of a capital felony and is now under sentence of death. Your petitioners well
knowing your Excellency's clemency and tender heart it becomes unnecessary for
them to paint the distress of an aged father beyond the years of 70 who has
ever maintained the character of an honest man and from his faithful adherence
to his venerable and beloved Sovereign in the American War brought on himself
many sufferings and misery. Your petitioners beg leave do represent that
this unfortunate young man has a sister and brothers with numerous Cousins and
relatives whose feelings they are unable to describe on this occasion to you. But if the wife might add her prayer for forgiveness for her
wretched husband it is offered on her bended knee in the most fervent manner to
your Excellency at his awful moment, her only hope as well as that of his
father and friends and your petitioners is that your Excellency might be
pleased in your wisdom to remit the disgraceful sentence of death on condition
that the unfortunate youth banishes himself from the province forever and not
leave on his family and friends the ignominious stain that one of them was
publicly executed for a crime whose enormity by the law is death. Your petitioners ever impressed with a sense of mercy for the unfortunate so congenial to the soul of us all while others are in distress. Quality naturally emanating from your Excellency and who is known to possess it in so eminent a degree may on this occasion extend it to a deluded youth and to his unhappy father, wife and friends and that the prayer of your petitioners may have the desired effect and that the purest of all gifts, Mercy, may in this instance be granted to this wretched youth and that he who sheweth mercy like the dew which falls from the heavens may be doubly blessed, blessing him that giveth, and him that receiveth Is the fervent prayer of your petitioners who as in duty will ever pray |
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| 3. Prince Edward County inhabitants, recorded as "Hallowell" |
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| "Hallowell to [be] left with Eyre" is written on the reserse side.
Thomas Eyre's signature is at the bottom of the middle column. |
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| 4. "Inhabitants of the County of Hastings" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note
the early spelling of Bellville without the extra "e". Also note the
absence of Capt John W Meyers and his sons as signees of this petition.
In 1816 Capt Meyers and James and Simon McNabb were rivals in changing
the name from Meyers Creek to Bellville. Perhaps that tension is
reflected in this petition. See Belleville, A Popular History by Gerry Boyce, Dundurn Press, 2008, 39 for an account of the name change story. See also the 1816 petition initiated by James McNab accusing John Meyers of "disloyal conduct." |
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| 5. "Inhabitants of the Town of Kingston and its vicinity" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6. More on Henry Robins |
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| Mark
Davenport, a long time Gilbert researcher, wrote that Henry Robins was
the son of James Robbins and Jane O'Neil and "after his scrape" moved
down to Cape Vincent. Mark also found this piece on the web written in
1890 about the family. James
Robbins was a native of England, whence he emigrated to Kingston,
Canada, where he died aged 90 years. He married Jane O'Neil and their
children were Henry, Jane and Redford. Henry Robbins, born in Kingston,
Ont. was one of the early settler of Cape Vincent, and here died in
1867 aged 76 years. He married Abigail, daughter of Abel and Dencey
(Hagerman) Gilbert, of Belleville, Canada, and their children were
Gilbert, Sarah, Margaret, Dencey and John. The latter was born in Cape
Vincent, where he married Sarahette, daughter of James and Elizabeth
(Mattis) Shepard, by whom he has three children, viz.: Jennie, Harry
J., and Frederick. He now occupies a farm on road 70, where he has
resided for 12 years. Gilbert, son of Henry, was born in this town and
died here in 1880 aged 56 years. He married Catherine E., daughter of
James and Margaret (Argersinger) Shepard, of Cape Vincent, and they had
five children, viz.: Charles R., Caleb G., Maggie A., Addie A., and
Nellie E. John Robbins married Sarah E. Shepard, and their children are
Harry, Jennie, and Fred, and he now resides on the homestead farm. Source: Child's Gazetteer of Jefferson County, Town of Cape Vincent (Hamilton Child's "Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y.", published in 1890) In 1816, Cape Vincent was about the closest location one could live in the States and have quick access to visitors from Canada. It was a busy place to cross the St Lawrence from the US to Kingston. Today one can take a ferry from Kingston to Wolfe Island and drive across the island and then take a short ferry hop over to Cape Vincent, NY. It is a charming excursion and one that covers a trail well worn by the early settlers. Guylaine Petrin brought to my attention an edited transcription of a journal relating to the Cape Vincent area and rich in stories of the time. It is titled The Bedford Journal 1810 - 1844, John Wiley Bedford, edited by Phyllus Putnam, pub. Lyme Heritage Center, Cahumont, NY, 1998. Back to top |