The Robertson - Croll family connection

John Robertson married Isabella Burns Croll on 25 November 1852 in Geelong (Vic BDM 23773). This page outlines the Croll family origins in Scotland, to the extent that it can be confirmed or assumed (as shown).

From 1705 - John Croll and Jean Machan of Dundee (assumed)

John Croll married Jean Machan (possibly the daughter of David Machan and Bessie Knight, baptised on 22 June 1684 in Dundee (Ref 282 30/31)) and they had the following children:

From 1730 - Crolls of Glamis (assumed)

According to one Croll family chart, the earliest Croll known was James Croll or Crole (probably born around 1710) who married (unknown) and had the following children registered in Glamis (as recorded in Scotland's People). Could this be the James Croll, born in 1707, above?

From 1736 - Davie family of Glamis (assumed)

Given information passed down through the family it seems possible that the Agnes Davie who married Andrew Croll in Dundee in 1769 (see below) was the daughter of Alexander Davie (also David), also from Glamis. Alexander had three children:

From 1757 - William and Jean Hutcheson - Blairgowrie (assumed)

William Hutcheson married Jean Whitson in Blairgowrie on 30 December 1757 (Ref 335 10/411) and they had the following children, all registered in Blairgowrie:

From 1764 - James Croll and Jean Campbell, Killin and Fowlis Easter

Andrew Croll was the father of William Croll who migrated to Australia (see below). Given his stated age of 66 in the 1841 census, Andrew may be the son of James Croll and Jean Campbell who may have married at Killin. No marriage record has been found for James Croll and Jean Campbell, but if they married at Killin, some of these records are known to have been lost.

James and Jean Croll (nee Campbell) had the following children, indicating that the family moved from Killin (where Robertsons were also living) to Fowlis Easter closer to Dundee.

From 1764 - Andrew Croll and Agnes Davie - Dundee

One suggested father of William Croll who married Isabel Burns (see below) is an Andrew Croll baptised in Dundee in 1780, the son of Andrew Croll and Agnes Davie. Andrew Croll (believed bap 19 February 1735, Glamis (Ref 289 20/44, father James Croll) - ) married Agnes Davie (believed 1741, Glamis, possibly the Agnes David, daughter of Alexander David, baptised 5 January 1741 in Glamis (Ref 289 20/60) - ?) on 22 June 1769 in Dundee (Ref 282 120/165) after contracting to marry on 2 June 1769.

Scotland's People records two children born to two people with the same name from 1764, but at this point it seems very unlikely, given that Agnes would have been around 13 or 14 and unmarried.

From 1769, Andrew and Agnes Croll had the following children:

In addition to the above, the following child was born to an Anne/Croll Agnes Davie.

From 1767 - James and Ann Barclay - Newburgh (assumed connection)

James Barclay and Ann Henderson married and had the following children in Newburgh:

From 1785 - Other Crolls in Dundee

George Croll

One family history relates that George Croll (born abt 1785) was the earliest known Croll connected with the Robertson family. George's parents are not known but he may be the George Croll born to a George Croll and Margaret Robertson in Perth and baptised there on 30 January 1780 (Ref 387 70/92).

By 1810, George Croll was listed as a weaver and was a member of the Dundee Militia. He married Elspet Smith (25 Dec 1789 - 1861) on 5 February 1810 in Dundee Scotland (Ref 282 140/117). Elspet was the daughter of William Smith and Elspet Dick.

George and Elspet Croll had the following children, all born/baptised in Dundee:

This family cannot yet be positively identified in the 1841 census.

Arthur Croll/Croal

According to this wikitree site, Arthur Croll (born about 1787) and Elizabeth Davy married in June 1815 in Fordoun and had six children:

This family is recorded as 'Croal' in the 1841 census at Marykirk, Kinkardine (Ref 265/2/1): Arthur Croal (aged 54), Elizabeth Croal (aged 52), Margret Croal (aged 25), William Croal (aged 21), James Croal (aged 19), David Croal (aged 14). There is no Arthur Croal or Croll in the 1851 census.

David Croal (aged 24) and Isabella Croal [sic](aged 24) appear in the 1851 census at St Cuthbert's, Midlothian (Ref 685/2 125/12). A William Croal, aged 29 (the closest in age to David's brother) is recorded at Edinburgh, Midlothian (Ref 685/1 154/3).

David Croll/Croal and his wife Isabella (nee Wood) migrated to Australia in 1854 and lived mostly in Warrnambool, Victoria. His brother Charles Croll migrated a year later via Moreton Bay with his wife Janet (nee Henderson) in 1855; they lived mostly in Stawell, Victoria.

The relationship between George Croll, Arthur Croll/Croal (above) and Andrew Croll (below) who lived and had children in Dundee around the same time, and were both weavers, is not yet known.

1801 - Charles Hutchison marries Ann Barclay - Dundee

Charles Hutchison and Ann Barclay registered their banns on 4 July 1801 in Longforgan, just west of Dundee (Ref 377 30/278) and married on 23 July 1801 (Ref 450 10/379) in Newburgh, about 20 kms south west, south of the River Tay. Their banns record states that Charles Hutchison was a mason in the Parish of Longforgan, while Ann was from the Newburgh Parish. They had the following children, all registered in Dundee (suggesting they moved there):

From 1807 - Andrew Croll marries Isabel Burns in Dundee

Andrew Croll was a Dundee weaver. As noted above, based on the age in 1841 and the names of children, he is more likely to be the son of James Croll and Jean Campbell, and baptised at Fowlis Easter (not far from Dundee) on 9 June 1775 (Ref 356 10/134), rather than other options already listed above.

Isabel/Isabella Burns was born around 1779, based on her death record in 1836 stating that she was 57. It is not possible to identify her parents yet, she may be either:

Andrew Croll (born 1775) married Isabel Burns (abt 1779 - 30 December 1836, Dundee (Ref 282 270/79, 'wife of Andrew Croll, weaver, aged 57')), in Dundee, 'both of the same parish', on 21 January 1807 after registering their contract to marry on 2 January 1807 (Ref 282 140/58).

Andrew Croll and Isabel Burns marriage in Dundee in 1807 (Ref 282 140/58)

They had the following children:

William Croll's birth and baptism register in 1811 (Ref 282 90/500)

Andrew Croll's birth and baptism register in 1814 (Ref 282 100/84)

From 1810 - Samuel Baird and Helen Kean of Dalrymple

Janet Baird was the daughter of Samuel Baird and Helen Kean. She married Robert Brown (see below) and they migrated to Australia where the family would eventually connect with the Croll and Robertson families.

Samuel Baird and Helen Kean married on 28 August 1810 in Dalrymple, Scotland (Ref 588/20/89). They had the following children:

From 1825 - James Brown and Margaret Campbell of Ochiltree

It is not known when and where James Brown married Margaret Campbell. They may be the James Brown who Margaret Campbell who married on 11 March 1827 in Galston (Ref 593/40/365). The register notes 'James Brown and Margaret Campbell both at Greenholm in this Parish'.

James and Margaret appear to have lived at Ochiltree and had the following children:

1832 - William Croll marries Jean Hutcheson

William Croll (1811 - 1861) married Jean (later Jane) Hutcheson (bap 8 September 1811, Dundee (Ref 282 90/500) - 8 January 1858, Geelong, Australia) on 14 December 1832 in Dundee, Scotland (Ref 282 220/97). Jean was the daughter of Charles Hutchinson and Ann Barclay as noted above. They had the following children:

1836/38 - Death of Isabel/Isabella Croll (nee Burns)

Isabel/Isabella Burns, stated to be the wife of Andrew Croll, a weaver, died of asthma on 30 December 1836 in Dundee (Ref 282 270/79). She was 57 (born abt 1779).

1841 census - Andrew Croll, William and Jean Croll in Dundee

William and Jean Croll were recorded at Blackness Road in Dundee/Angus in the 1841 census (Ref 282 42/19), by the look of it living with William's father, Andrew Croll:

William Croll and family in the 1841 census in Dundee, note that Jean is shown with her maiden name (Ref 282 42/19).

Andrew Croll senior does not appear to be listed in the 1851 census.

1841 - Croll family migrates to Australia

The William Croll (bap 8 September 1811, Dundee) and wife Jane (nee Hutcheson) and their young family travelled to Victoria, Australia, as assisted passengers on board the William Nicholl which left Leith, Scotland, on 4 September 1841, arriving in Melbourne on 9 February 1842. Jean was listed as Jane on the shipping list.

To read the rest of this story, click this link.

According to a family document, the family settled in Spencer Street Melbourne where their children William and Ann were born (see below).

William and Jane/Jean Croll had more children, listed below. Note that the last two children listed below (information about which came from family records) are not obviously recorded in the Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages registers:

1847 - Janet Baird marries Robert Brown

Janet Baird (bap 28 March 1828) married Robert Brown from Ochiltree in Dalrymple on 14 December 1847 (Ref 588/30/165). They had two children:

1854 - Robert and Janet Brown migrate to Australia

At some point the family decided to migrate to Australia. Robert and Janet Brown are likely the two people with those names and one or possibly two children in the group of 12 Browns (including three Janet Browns aged 26, 26 and 29) who arrived in Victoria, Australia in October 1854 on board the Black Eagle. Three children were recorded: Douglas Brown (aged 4, son of Robert and Janet baptised in 1849), Matthew Brown (infant) and another unnamed infant Brown who may be their child Margaret Brown.

Click this link for the continuation of their story in Australia and their links with the Croll family.

Page created 11 August 2020, last updated 19 August 2020. Copyright © 2021 Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)