|
CLYDE AND HAZEL ROBERTSON
Nobody had fairer or more supportive
parents than we did. Or harder-working. Until Dad's death, their entire
life was lived in St. Lawrence County, never having gotten far from
their roots. In later life, as Mom's health deteriorated, she was
able to spend her Winters in either Florida or Arizona.
Our father, Clyde
Leroy Robertson, was born on June 20, 1889 in the village of Heuvelton,
the fourth of six children born to George and Susan Etta Sharpstene
Robertson. His father died suddenly when he was only twelve years
old, and at fourteen, it became necessary for him to quit school to
take care of his mother and the home. His formal schooling may have
ended at an early age, but his education never stopped. He had a natural
knack for learning, and was one of the most intelligent persons that
you'd ever meet. We were always amused by some of his expressions,
and even today, sometimes are reminded and have to smile. Example:
on differences of opinion, he used to say, "Well, the reason they
make green paint is because not everybody likes red." Between us all,
I guess we have a treasury of his sayings.
Our mother, Hazel Gertrude Kelly, was born on
April 17, 1891, at DeGrasse, the oldest of two children born to Frank
and Margaret McDonald Kelly. (Sometimes, they spelled it Kelley)
She grew up in Russell. Before her marriage, she was a teacher at
some of the area's one-room schoolhouses. Teachers' degrees were not
necessarily needed in those days, often they just chose an exceptionally
bright student, gave her some hands-on training, and a teacher's certificate
and sent her out to teach the smaller children. It's too bad
color photography hadn't yet been invented in those days, because
she had thick, naturally curly, fiery red hair. For some reason, she
skipped her own children and passed that red hair on to three of her
grandchildren instead.
During their early married years, they lived in Heuvelton and Richville,
where dad worked as a plumber, and later moved to Newton Falls in
1926 when he got a job at the paper mill in the machine shop. At that
time, Newton Falls was a young, thriving community with much to offer
young families. By then, six children had been born to them, one of
whom had died a few years earlier. Mom was an accomplished pianist,
and was immediately hired to play the piano during the silent movies
before the "talkies" came along. For you younger folks, that
was in the days of Laurel and Hardy, I'm sure you must have seen or
heard about them. Movies were held twice a week in the community hall
in the old general store building, and we lucky Robertson children
were allowed to get in free, saving the whole 10 cents that it cost.
The twins joined the family in 1933, about the time Eloise, the oldest
child was ready to leave home. Dad worked as a millwright at the paper
mill for 31 years. He also served many years as Justice of the Peace
and Town Board member, Town of Clifton, until his death.
On August 11, 1957, at the age of 68, dad suffered a stroke and died
suddenly after changing a tire in Watertown. It is interesting that
he had hardly a gray hair.
After his death, Mom continued to live in Newton Falls, then moved
to Star Lake, and making her final move to Arizona in 1978. After
years of failing health and eyesight, she passed away on March 25,
1984, just three weeks short of her 93rd birthday, in Tucson,
Arizona. Mom and Dad are buried in Maple Grove Cemetery just outside
Richville, New York. Others buried in their plot are
Grandma and Grandpa Kelly,
and our aforementioned sister, June. This beautiful little girl was
not quite two when on July 3, 1923, she died from poisoning just a
few hours after eating a fragment of some fireworks that she found
on the sidewalk. The loss of June was a heartbreak that they never
got over.
Dad and Mom's entire life was based on the principles of honesty,
truth, hard work, and thrift, and they successfully passed those expectations
on to all their children. Four of their eight children are still
living; Clare, Jane, and twins, Jeanne and Janice. Deceased
are: June in 1923 at age 23 months, Donald in 1978 at age 62, Ward
in 1987 at age 71, and Eloise in 1992 at age 78. We know they
were proud of their family, and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren
were all very special to them. It would be a genuine tribute
to them if each grandchild would share their own special memories
of Grandma and Grandpa Robertson. I wish you all could have known
them as we did, but let us all be thankful for the legacy that
they left behind.
GEORGE AND ETTA SHARPSTENE ROBERTSON
We do not have any specific records but to the best of our knowledge,
George Robertson was born in Canada in 1854 or 1855 and died at his
home in Heuvelton in 1901. Susan Etta Sharpstene was born in
St. Lawrence County, birthplace unknown, and died in 1919. They
lived in Arnprior, Ontario until 1883, when they moved to the U.S.
and settled in Heuvelton. Their family included six children; Verona
(always called Verna), Claudia, and Fred, who were born in Canada,
Clyde, and twins Roy and Victor who died at birth, were born in the
U.S. George was a carriage maker, and according to records found in
the county historian's office, had filed intentions for naturalization,
but died before it was finalized. They are buried in the cemetery
at Heuvelton, New York. Also buried in their family plot are their
daughter, Verna, her husband, Carl Ward, and an infant son.
FRANK AND MARGARET MCDONALD KELLY
Frank Kelly was born and grew up in Ogdensburg, New York, in 1867,
and died in 1947. As a child, he was adopted by a Reed family. He
was a blacksmith by trade. We have many memories of times in his blacksmith
shop in Russell, watching him fire up the anvils till the shoes were
red hot literally, hammer them into shape, and nail them to the horses'
hooves. Margaret McDonald was born in 1871 to Arthur and Orcelia
Payne McDonald. Around 1890, they operated a hotel in DeGrasse,
but most of their married life was spent in Russell. Two children
were born to them, Hazel (our mother) and William, and both were redheads.
Uncle Bill served in World War 1, died in 1938, married but left no
children. Both grandparents are buried in the Robertson family plot
at Maple Grove Cemetery at Richville.
|
