One fact is certain about Robert Caldwell – in the few records he left, he reported his birthplace as Ireland.

However, for several reasons, I believe he was of Scots-Irish, rather than native Irish heritage. First, Ireland is a predominantly Catholic country and always has been, with the exception of today’s Northern Ireland. Next, Robert Caldwell and his extended family have repeatedly reported their religion as Presbyterian, Baptist and even Covenanter. Not a single family member has said they were Catholic. Lastly, Caldwell is a typical Scottish/Scots Irish surname.

In which Irish county was Robert Caldwell born? I have found no mention, at least no mention with a source, of his birthplace. One online tree says he was from County Donegal. However, I believe someone latched onto that because Robert’s son-in-law, Robert Elkin, has a gravestone that includes his birthplace as County Donegal.

As Robert was born c1790, finding evidence of his birth is difficult. Irish records are organized by local parish. While County Donegal can’t be ruled out as Robert’s birthplace, it is too soon to try to make the jump across the pond.

More work needs to be done with Robert’s FAN club in Queens County. Perhaps more clues can be gleaned there. So, who were the members of Robert’s FAN club?

The first person who needs to be considered is James Caldwell, who with Robert petitioned for land in Queens County in 1828 and was granted land with him in 1829.

James left little in terms of a paper trail. The first mention of him in Canada is in the 1828 land petition. He is surely related to Robert, probably his brother, as they were the only two named in those petitions.

However, James died before 18 July 1853 when his three children – Samuel, Athalanah (daughter) and Elizabeth sold Lot 2 in Waterborough to Samuel Jenkins. [Queens County Deed Book R:485] No record of his wife’s name has been found.

Samuel was born c1821 and died 5 May 1890, Scotchtown, Queens, New Brunswick, Canada. He married Margaret Wood and left a will. However, he didn’t name his “daughters” and only named one son, Charles Stephens, but made mention of Charles’ “brothers.” Athalanah apparently never married. She was probably born c1823 and died on 17 September 1872, also in Scotchtown. Elizabeth was born c1826 and died on 17 March 1876, also in Scotchtown. She married James Easton Olmstead, who survived her, along with five living children and one deceased.

Literally nothing has been learned from James Caldwell in terms of Robert Caldwell’s Irish birthplace.

Likewise for Robert’s and Sarah’s children. Records pertaining to them indicate Irish origins and parents born in Ireland, but with no county identified.

As for Robert’s neighbors and those who married into his family, we find the surnames McLean, Barton, Jenkins, Milroy, Phillips, Langley, Granville, Branscombe and Reid, none of whom have any Irish origins noted in extant records.

That leaves only Robert Elkin and his brother, George Elkin, whose birthplaces are noted as County Donegal, Ireland.

Therefore, the only conclusion to which I can come, for now anyway, is that Robert Caldwell and Sarah Porter were almost certainly Scots Irish with origins in one of the six counties of today’s Northern Ireland or County Donegal, which today is part of the Republic of Ireland, but is landlocked from the Republic with the exception of a small border with County Letrim. The majority of its borders are with Counties Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry in Northern Ireland. In the 1790s, no distinction would have been made because the Republic of Ireland did not yet exist.

Next, we’ll look at what I’ve been able to document about the lives of Robert’s and Sarah’s children, beginning with eldest son, Joseph Caldwell.