Robert MacInnis

Male Abt 1746 - Bef 1813  (~ 66 years)


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  • Name Robert MacInnis 
    Born Abt 1746  Blair Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Emigration 1772  "Alexander" from Tobermory, Scotland to PEI Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    farmer 
    Occupation Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mason (Gaelic "clachair") 
    _UID 5835B657F56C2D4584A049A1E004D2F223C6 
    Died Bef 1813  Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1046  Victoria Boutilier's Genealogy Pages
    Last Modified 25 May 2010 

    Family Mary MacEachern,   b. Abt 1755, Kinloch Moidart, Inverness, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1827, Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 73 years) 
    Married Abt 1773  Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Donald MacInnis,   b. 1774, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1827  (Age > 54 years)
     2. Alexander MacInnis,   b. 1777, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Robert MacInnis,   b. 1782,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. Margaret MacInnis,   b. 1784, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Jan 1868, Long Point, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years)
     5. Isabel MacInnis,   b. 1786, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Mar 1877, Cape Mabou, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 91 years)
     6. Mary MacInnis,   b. Abt 1787, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1871, Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 85 years)
     7. Cecily MacInnis,   b. 1788, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     8. Jane MacInnis,   b. Abt 1793, Prince Edward Island, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Between 1881 and 1891, Little Mabou, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 88 years)
     9. Elizabeth MacInnis,   b. Abt 1796, Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1872, [Judique Intervale, ] Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 77 years)
     10. Catherine MacInnis,   b. 1796,   d. Yes, date unknown
     11. Mary MacInnis,   b. 1798,   d. Yes, date unknown
     12. Charles MacInnis,   b. 1800,   d. Yes, date unknown
     13. Ann MacInnis,   b. 1802, Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Nov 1875, Judique, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
    Last Modified 23 May 2017 
    Family ID F365  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Sometimes referred to as "Robert Innes." "History of Inverness County" contains the assertion that Robert McInnis was originally named Robert Innes, and later changed his name to McInnis, thereby depriving his descendants of their fair share of a vast "Innes" estate in Scotland. However, "Innes" is a perfectly fine Gaelic surname in its own right, and there is no plausible reason for Robert to have changed it to "McInnes."

      "About the year 1800 Robert MacInnes came, with his family, to Judique, where he settled down permanently. For a considerable period of years, just before coming to Judique, Mr. MacInnes had lived and worked at his trade, (that of a stone mason) in Prince Edward Island. We think he came to yonder Island in 1772, in the ship Alexander, with a large body of Highlanders brought out hither by Captain John MacDonald, Lord of Glenaladale. He was married to Mary MacEachern, sister to Aeneas MacEachern who afterwards became a Catholic Bishop, with jurisdiction over Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, and Nova Scotia. Two sisters and a brother of Mrs. MacInnes also settled in Judique. They were Mrs Allan Ban MacDonnell, Mrs. Michael MacDonald, and Ewan MacEachern elsewhere referred to. The family of Robert MacInnes by his wife Mary MacEachern consisted of three sons and nine daughters, namely: Alexander, Donald, Robert, Margaret, Mary, Cecily, Isabel, Elizabeth, Jane, Catherine, Mary and Ann." HOIC p. 233 (Robert the son is aka "Charles"?)

      Apparently most of the family was born in PEI, including Donald, Alexander, Margaret, Isabel, Mary, and Jane, with daughters Elizabeth and Ann born in Judique.

      Presumably the "Robert McKinnis" who was among the Savage Harbour residents (& others) who signed the petition to PEI Lt. Gov. Fanning that was published in the 10 March 1792 issue of the "Royal Gazette"

      A large group of people applied for land at Judique at the same time.
      Cape Breton land petition year 1789
      McEacharn, Hugh and 26 others.
      Memorialists wish to settle with their families contiguous to the River Judique. Sydney, June 27, 1789. Michael McDonald, John McKinnon, Donald McDonald, Angus McKinnon, John McAskel, Hugh McAchran, John McGinnis, Allen McDonald, Angus Campbell, ***Robert McEnnis***, Allen McKinnon, Ranald McDonald, Robert McIntosh, Hugh Gillis, Donald McDonald, Donald McDonald, John McDonald, Angus McDonald, James McIntire, Rotheric McDonald, John McClellan, Widow McAchran, Charles McDonald, Angus McDonald, Donald McGrath, Martin McGilvrey.
      Cape Breton no.: 2c NSARM microfilm: 15788

      In March of 1796, licenses of occupation were granted to seven men; Daniel Gillis (CB Co. deed bk B197; 536 acres NW of lands occupied by Allan McDonnell), John Graham (CB Co. deed bk B200; 500 acres SW of lands assigned to Hugh Gillis), Michael McDonnell [McDonald] (CB Co. deed bk B202; 420 acres NW of lands occupied by Robert McKinnis), Robert McKinnis (summarized below), Hugh McEacharn (CB Co. deed bk B196; 580 acres NW of lands occupied by Michael McDonald), Allan McDonnell (CB Co. deed bk B196; 440 acres NW of lands assigned to Hugh Gillis), and Hugh Gillis (CB Co. deed bk B199, summarized below)


      Cape Breton land petition year 1796
      McEacharn, Hugh and 26 others.
      Copy of memorial presented June 27th 1789, made January 15th, 1796. Another memorial from the same group, dated February 29th, 1796, stating that although Mr. Nugent, Acting Surveyor of Lands, had gone to the Island of St. John and taken 72 from them for his survey, he had quit the government and had not located their land for them. They pray the Hon. David Matthews to see that justice is done. Cape Breton no.: 11a
      NSARM microfilm: 15788

      Cape Breton Land Petition year 1796
      Gillis, Hugh
      Licence of Occupation given to D. Matthews and certified by John Payne, Deputy Surveyor General for the Kinds Woods: 400 acres of land at Great Judique, beginning on the beach at St. George's Bay. Three receipts are attached. From Hugh McEacharn, Savage Harbour, 5 for Gillis's share of the expenses of a vessel to Sydney "to memorialise for land at Judique", 1789. From J. Proctor, Scotch Fort, 2/6/3 for survey, 1791. From John McInnes, Sawmill, Island of St. John 5 for cutting wood on land at Grand Judique, 1795.
      Cape Breton no.: 12
      NSARM microfilm: 15788
      (Cape Breton County Deed Books FHL Film #808,746 - bk B p. 199 Hugh Gillis received license of occupation for abt. 480 acres at Great Judique on Bay St. George, on NW corner boundary of John Graham. Deed Book B p. 492-Hugh Gillis is granted this land (470 acres on E shore of Bay St. George at Judique) (dated 23 Oct 1806, registered 24 May 1807)

      Cape Breton County Deed Books FHL Film # 808,746
      bk B p. 201
      registered 4 March 1796
      dated 1 March 1796
      licence of occupation to Robert McKinnis
      land at Grand Judique, on Bay Saint George...beginning at the Beach of the Said Bay being the N. West Corner of lands assigned to Daniel Gillis thence running by the magnet South Eighty Degrees East one hundred Twenty Eight Chains North Ten Degrees East Fourty Chains thence North Eighty Degrees West One hundred and Ten Chains to the shore side of the aforesaid and thence following the several courses of said shore to the place of beginning...containing by Estimation four Hundred and Seventy Six Acres"

      Cape Breton land petition year 1804
      McKinnon, W.
      Letter of W. McKinnon To Despard re petition of settlers at Judique in 1789. On the back of letter he is authorized to grant the lands if they provide their identity. (See 2c.)
      Cape Breton no.: 158a
      NSARM microfilm: 15789

      see http://collections.ic.gc.ca/celtic/casket.htm
      also "A Cape Breton Connection to the Alexander" by Allan J. Gillis at www.islandregister.com/judique.html ("Glenaladale settlers" of Prince Edward Island who moved to Judique)

      There is a memorial stone that would appear to be dedicated to Robert MacInnes at St. Andrew's Cemetery, Judique
      "MACINNIS, Robert (MACINNES)
      In Memory of....who departed this life Sept 1810 64 years"
      where did the date come from?

      Persons by the name of McInnes in Judique on Roll of Captain Hugh Skinner's Company Second Rgt. Cape Breton Militia recorded around 1813
      (numbers indicate #of women, boys, girls, total including head)
      John McInnes 78 Scotland Judic Farmer 450 no title 1 0 1 3
      Donald McInnes 33 Scotland Judic Farmer 200 c. lease 1 2 1 5
      Alexander MacInnes 26 Scotland Judic Farmer 200 c. lease 0 0 0 1
      Widow J. McInnes 50 Scotland Judic Farmer 250 c. lease 0 1 3 5
      Widow McInnes Scotland Judic Farmer 250 no title 1 2 2 6 (possibly Mary (McEachern) McInnis]
      Widow N. McInnes Scotland Judic Farmer 1 2 2 6
      Donald McInnes 37 P.E.I. Judic Farmer 250 no title 1 2 3 7 (possibly Donald, son of Robert)
      Alexander McInnes 35 P.E.I. Judic Farmer 1 2 2 6 (possibly Alexander, son of Robert)


      Cape Breton land petition year 1804
      Cameron, John and others.
      Petition to Despard: Petitioners are inhabitants of Great Judique. In the early settlement they set apart a lot for a clergyman, made a burying ground, and built a chapel. They ask that the land be confirmed for the purposes set forth. John Cameron, Donald McInnes, Edward Hayes, Niel McDougald, Angus McInnes, Donald Gillis, Charles McInnes, Donald McIsaac, Dennis Murphy, John Chisholm, Wiliam Chisholm, Donald McInnes, Robert McInnes, John Gillis, Alexander Gillis, Donald McDonald, Malcom Gillis, Donald McDonald, John McNeal, Allan McDonald, Alexander Chisholm, Hugh McLean, John McInnes, Alexander McInnes, Duncan Gillis, Thomas McDonald, John Graham, Dougald McDonald, John McDonald.

      Cape Breton land petition year 1808
      McDonald, Alexander (Rev.)
      Petition to Nepean: Petitioner, in behalf of the Roman Catholics of Judique, prays for 200 acres of land in Judique for the use of a Catholic minister. Note: complied with.
      Cape Breton no.: 399
      NSARM microfilm: 15789