(died 7 Nov. 1885, aged 65), businessman, of the founding family of Dalkeith. (Squire William Robertson) Parents: John Robertson (d. 29 May 1857 aged 86) and his wife Janet McKay (d. 27 Oct. 1858, aged 90). John Robertson stated on 16 March 1832 (Township Papers) that about 10 years before he had erected a sawmill on Lot 7 in the 7th Concession, Lochiel Township. Water from his dam overflowed into the adjacent Lot 8, and to prevent another settler, allegedly an army deserter, from obtaining the lot and using the location to destroy Robertson’s dam, Robertson applied for Lot 8 himself. Robertson held that his desire to obtain the whole of Lot 8 was being frustrated by Col. Alexander Fraser of Fraserfield, because Robertson had voted “against him, in his Election.” Robertson did not in fact get the North 1/2, but by 8 March 1839, he had completed the payments for the S 1/2 of Lot 8, and this half lot (which contains part of the present village of Dalkeith) was patented to Robertson on 30 April 1839. At the time of the 1851 census, John Robertson was a merchant and he and his family, including William, were living on lot 7 in the 7th Concession of Lochiel Township.

     The Alexandria correspondent of the Cornwall Freeholder who in 1885 reported the death of “Squire Robertson of Dalkeith,” that is, William Robertson, the subject of the present entry, wrote that “For nearly fifty years the deceased had carried on a successful business at Dalkeith, better known as ‘Robertson’s Mills’ in the Township of Lochiel.” The writer noted that Willliam Robertson’s sawmill and gristmill at Dalkeith had burned not many months ago, but that he quickly had the sawmill back in operation. (Cornwall Freeholder 13 Nov. 1885 ) The post office at Dalkeith was opened in 1867, and it was perhaps at that time that the name Dalkeith was established. The name comes from Dalkeith in Scotland. Lovell’s Canadian Dominion Directory for 1871 identifies Robertson as a JP and postmaster, besides noting his businesses, and describes Dalkeith as formerly called Robertson’s Mills. He died intestate. (Surrogate Court files)

     Dalkeith had no rail line till after William Robertson’s time, since it was not until 1892 that the 21-mile line linking Hawkesbury, Dalkeith, and Glen Robertson was opened. The Robertson mill was just to the north of the village. The Robertsons had a store at that location, and later built another store a little to the south. Early in the 20th century, the store building was converted into a Roman Catholic chapel. The Robertson family’s large brick house still survives in Dalkeith. The Robertsons gave land for the building of a public school in Dalkeith. William Robertson was a Presbyterian. He is buried at the West Church cemetery, Kirk Hill. He was married to Catherine the daughter of the Rev. Daniel Clark (William’s brother John may have been married to her sister).

     It is not known whether the Robertsons of Dalkeith were related to the Robertsons of Glen Robertson (see Donald Robertson). In any case, Robertsons were involved in the rise of the two villages of Dalkeith and Glen Robertson, 7 miles apart in Lochiel Township and connected today by a major road.

John Robertson: sawmill, patent, land claims: Archives of Ontario-TP (7 & 8: 7 Lochiel), & Domesday Book for 8:7 Lochiel * Campbell (1990), 679-681 (largely, 1851 census) * MacGillivray & Ross 108, 155, 333-335 * Robertson gravestone, Kirk Hill * Villeneuve 262 * typescript notes on Dalkeith in present author’s possession, probably by C. Campbell Fraser * robbers blow safe in store of Mrs Robertson, Dalkeith, but get little, Glengarrian 20 May 1887