Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of John Watt

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of John Watt

Generation No. 2

2. JOHN² WATT (JOHN¹).

Child of JOHN WATT is:

MIRIAM³ WATT.

Notes for MIRIAM WATT:
Miriam had corresponded with Anna Robinson Bozzo and Mary Robinson Casale.

3. ELIZABETH² WATT (JOHN¹) was born October 30, 1880 in Belfast, Ireland, and died August 26, 1945 in New York, NY. She married JOHNSTON ROBINSON August 29, 1905 in Belfast, Ireland, son of JOHNSTON ROBINSON and MARY HARPER.

Notes for ELIZABETH WATT:
Facts recorded from correspondence from Phyllis Reckel to Mary Kleindienst 3/26/98

Anna Robinson Bozzo, remembers that Elizabeth was born in Scotland. Margaret Robinson Healy had the same recollection. They claim to be British, not Irish, even though they were both born in Belfast.
This fact is currently being researched. Elizabeth was not been found in the Ireland Birth Index for 1880, but both her naturalization papers, and Johnston's state that she was born in Belfast.

Elizabeth and the children travelled second class from Ireland. Johnston was paid well working on the estate, and would not have the family in steerage. Anna Robinson Bozzo recalls that they had their own cabin and the food, although bland, was served in a dining room.

Elizabeth worked for the Leitner family, in their home, when she and the children lived in Beverly Farms. Her daughters, Anna Robinson Bozzo and Mary Robinson Casale remember that she was paid very well, especially during weekend parties, and that she always brought home wonderful food, left over from the affairs. Anna also recalled that the leftovers were nicely boxed, like a gift. Both daughters recall that the Leitner's treated and paid Elizabeth well (a fact Elizabeth did not always share with Johnston).

More About ELIZABETH WATT:
Fact 1: May 20, 1922, Arrived at Ellis Island aboard the SS Columbia
Fact 2: August 04, 1932, Citizenship - City of New York Supreme Court Cert #3615274
Fact 3: August 29, 1905, Address given as 4 Leeds St, Belfast on marriage record

Notes for JOHNSTON ROBINSON:
Johnston was born at 28 Little Mary St, Belfast. He served in the British Army and fought in the Boer War in Johannesburg and Capetown, South Africa, beginning in 1897. He later fought in WWI, in the trenches in France. The war seemed to have a lasting effect on him. He would wake in the night, and always referred to the war as "a slaughter".

More About JOHNSTON ROBINSON:
Fact 1: June 24, 1926, Citizenship - Certificate # 2320084 Volume 282 #76566
Fact 2: May 29, 1920, Arrived at Ellis Island aboard the St Paul
Fact 3: May 1913, Occupation listed as "laborer" on son Johnston's birth record
Fact 4: January 1921, Occupation listed as "groom" on DOI - address NYC
Fact 5: January 26, 1926, Occupation listed as "color mixer" on Petition for Naturalization - address NYC
Fact 6: March 29, 1932, Occupation listed as "doorman" on Affidavit for Elizabeth's PFN
Fact 7: August 29, 1905, Address Listed as 12 Colchester St, Belfast on marriage record
Fact 8: February 24, 1879, Born at 28 Little Mary St, Belfast

Marriage Notes for ELIZABETH WATT and JOHNSTON ROBINSON:
In 1913 the family lived at 7 Aughrim St, Belfast. This address is in the Sandy Row area, which went through a major historical renovation in the 1970's.

-Information provided by Eelco Westerhuis, current Belfast resident

When Johnston and Elizabeth came to New York from Ireland, they lived in NYC for a while, then moved to Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, where Johnston was in charge of the horses on a rich man's estate. When that man died, they moved back to the city and Johnston was a groomsman for a horse owner on Long Island. They later opened a candy store in the Bronx, adjacent to their apartment.

-Information provided by Phyllis Reckel in a letter to Mary Kleindienst dated 2/18/1998

Children of ELIZABETH WATT and JOHNSTON ROBINSON are:

ELIZABETH(LILLY)³ ROBINSON, b. Bef. 1908.

Notes for ELIZABETH(LILLY) ROBINSON:
Elizabeth was approximately six years old when she died. Cause unknown

ii.

MARGARET ROBINSON, b. September 02, 1908, Belfast, Ireland ¹; d. October 12, 1996¹; m. MICHAEL HEALY.

Notes for MARGARET ROBINSON:
Margaret lived in the Bronx most of her life, near her parents. Only later did she move to Nanuet, NY, to be closer to her daughter, Margarite

More About MARGARET ROBINSON:
Fact 1: June 24, 1926, Citizenship - Certificate # 2320084 City of New York Supreme Court
Fact 2: May 20, 1922, Arrived at Ellis Island aboard the SS Columbia

iii.

ANNA ROBINSON, b. November 15, 1910, Belfast, Ireland; m. PHILIP BOZZO, August 17, 1932.

Notes for ANNA ROBINSON:
Anna worked in defense making P47 airplanes during WWII (she was a Rosie, the Riveter).

More About ANNA ROBINSON:
Fact 1: June 24, 1926, Citizenship - Certificate # 2320084 City of New York Supreme Court
Fact 2: May 20, 1922, Arrived at Ellis Island aboard the SS Columbia

Marriage Notes for ANNA ROBINSON and PHILIP BOZZO:
Phil and Anna had a shoe repair shop in Manhattan, but lived mostly in Brooklyn, They sold the NY store and opened one in New Jersey when Phyllis and Rudy settled there. They lived in an apartment in the back of the store until Phil passed away, then Anna moved in with her daughter.

iv.

JOHNSTON (ROBBIE) ROBINSON, b. January 17, 1913, Belfast, Ireland; d. November 09, 1974, Killeen, Texas; m. ANASTASIA MARY (ANNE) O'NEIL, June 06, 1942, New York, NY.

Notes for JOHNSTON (ROBBIE) ROBINSON:
Johnston became "Robbie" while in the service. Although he had no middle name, he had taken the name Joseph for his confirmation in the Catholic church. The Army then assigned the middle initial "J" to his records. He also was assigned the suffix "Jr.", since his father was also named Johnston, even though he was not a "junior" and Johnston was a family name for several generations back (without any suffixes).

More About JOHNSTON (ROBBIE) ROBINSON:
Fact 1: June 24, 1926, Citizenship - Certificate # 2320084 City of New York Supreme Court
Fact 2: January 17, 1913, Birth recorded at Cathedral Church of St Anne, Belfast
Fact 3: 1920, Arrived at Ellis Island
Fact 4: May 09, 1913, Entry in the Register of Baptisms, Parish of Belfast, County of Antrim
Fact 5: December 24, 1944, Roman Catholic Baptism, Maui Hawaii, Military Ordinate Baptismal Records
Fact 6: February 17, 1958, Confirmation at St. Joseph Church, Killeen TX
Fact 7: January 17, 1913, Born at 7 Aughrim St, Belfast

Marriage Notes for JOHNSTON ROBINSON and ANASTASIA O'NEIL:
Anne had been engaged to a "blonde Italian" for about 3-4 years when she met Johnston. Three weeks later, they decided to get married.

JOHN ROBINSON, b. 1915, Belfast, Ireland; d. Unknown, Belfast, Ireland.

Notes for JOHN ROBINSON:
John was approximately nine months old when he died. Cause unknown. Anna Robinson Bozzo recalls her mother was very distraught leaving Ireland, because John was buried there.

More About JOHN ROBINSON:
Fact 1: Died in early childhood

vi.

MARY E. ROBINSON, b. December 28, 1916, Belfast, Ireland; m. CHARLES CASALE.

Notes for MARY E. ROBINSON:
Mary was detained for 10 months on Ellis Island, because she had a "wen" on the top of her head (nothing more than a small scab). She said her father gave her mother a very hard time about it, and the family was almost returned to Ireland upon arrival because of it. Elizabeth would later say she wished they would have been sent back.

Mary said she was probably the only immigrant who hated the sight of the Statue of Liberty, because it was the only thing she could see out the window from her bed.

More About MARY E. ROBINSON:
Fact 1: June 24, 1926, Citizenship - Certificate # 2320084 City of New York Supreme Court
Fact 2: May 20, 1922, Arrived at Ellis Island aboard the SS Columbia

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]