Roberts, Captain. Bk Commands on Island of St. Joseph, 202, 210; instructed by Brock to capture Michilimackinac, 205; contrary order from Prévost, 210; acts on Brock's order and captures fort, 210, 211, 227.
Robertson. T Anti-Confederate candidate in St. John County, 109.
Robertson, Colin. MS Brings Selkirk settlers back to Red River, 165, 177; captures Fort Gibraltar, 178; takes Duncan Cameron to York Factory, 178; tried at Montreal, 198; his character, 220. See also Red River Colony. Bib.: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Laut, Conquest of the Great North-West.
Robertson, James (1839-1902). Born in Scotland. Removed to Canada and educated at the University of Toronto, Union Theological Seminary, New York, and Princeton University. Ordained to the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, 1869; settled at Winnipeg as pastor of Knox Church, 1874. Appointed superintendent of western missions of the Presbyterian Church, 1881. Bib.: Morgan, Can. Men; Gordon, Life of James Robertson.
Robertson, Thomas Jaffray. R First principal of Toronto Normal School, 173; his methods and influence, 173-174; inspector of schools, 253.
Robertson, William. S Appointed member of Legislative Council, but did not come to Canada, 79.
Roberval, Jean François de la Roque, Sieur de. A gentleman of Picardy, born about the year 1500. By a commission dated Jan. 15, 1541, Francis I gave him the command of the expedition planned by Jacques Cartier, and made him his viceroy and lieutenant-general in the new lands discovered by Cartier. The commission granted to the latter in 1540 was revoked, and Cartier sailed as Roberval's lieutenant. Cartier left St. Malo in May, 1541, and Roberval did not follow until April, 1542. His ships entered the harbour of St. John's, Newfoundland, June 8, and there he met Cartier on his way home. Sailing on into the gulf, and up the St. Lawrence, he reached Charlesbourg Royal, where Cartier had wintered, and set his men to work erecting forts and other buildings. Here he wintered; explored the river in the spring; and sailed back to France with his colonists in the autumn of 1543. Despite the failure of his colonizing venture, commissioned by the king in 1544 to rebuild the fortifications of Senlis; and in 1548 made controller of all mines in France. Lost sight of about the year 1560. One story has it that he was murdered in the streets of Paris; and another that he died at sea; but both lack confirmation. There is reason to believe that he died in 1560, or early in 1561. Index: Ch Ravages of scurvy in his expedition, 23. Bib.: Hakluyt, Principall Navigations; Harrisse, Notes sur la Nouvelle France; Dawson, The St. Lawrence Basin; Dionne, Jean-François de la Roche, Seigneur de Roberval (R. S. C., 1899).
Robie, Simon Bradstreet. H Member of Executive Council, Nova Scotia, 1838, 56-57.
Robineau de Becancour, Réné. E His seigniory of Portneuf made a barony, 181.
Robineau de Portneuf, Pierre. Son of Réné Robineau, Baron de Becancour, a lieutenant in the regiment of Robineau de Menneval, 1690. Served in Acadia, 1691. Index: Ch Director of Company of New France, 170.