The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History - Part 66
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Part 66

=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 princ.i.p.al 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 Francois 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 The commission granted to the latter in 1540 was revoked, and Cartier sailed as Roberval's lieutenant.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, _Princ.i.p.all Navigations_; Harrisse, _Notes sur la Nouvelle France_; Dawson, _The St. Lawrence Basin_; Dionne, _Jean-Francois 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, Rene.= =E= His seigniory of Portneuf made a barony, 181.

=Robineau de Portneuf, Pierre.= Son of Rene 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.

=Robinson, Major.= =T= Makes survey for Intercolonial, 53.

=Robinson, Colonel Beverley= (1723-1792). Born in Thornbury, England.

Entered the army; took part as a major, under Wolfe, in the attack on Quebec, 1759. Opposed the measures that led to the separation of the American colonies from the motherland, but joined the Loyalists when independence was declared; raised the Loyal American Regiment, of which he was colonel, and on several occasions conducted matters on behalf of the Loyalists. At the end of the war came to New Brunswick, and was a member of the first Council of that colony. =Index=: =Hd= Of Royal Regiment of New York, his negotiations with Ethan Allen of Vermont, 201-203. =Dr= Commanded Loyal Americans, 202. =W= Commands Loyal American Regiment, 3. =Bib.=: _Cyc. Am. Biog._

=Robinson, Frederick John.= _See_ Ripon.

=Robinson, F. P.= =W= Auditor of king's casual revenue, 34; resigns, 72.

=Robinson, John.= =WM= His impression of Wolfe's conversation on night before battle, 179.

=Robinson, Sir John Beverley= (1791-1863). Educated at Dr. Strachan's school, Kingston; studied law and became acting attorney-general in 1812, before he had been called to the bar. Played a distinguished part as a volunteer during the War of 1812. One of the leading members of the so-called Family Compact; represented York in the a.s.sembly, 1821, and for several years thereafter; appointed chief-justice of Upper Canada, 1829, and the following year nominated Speaker of the Executive Council; upon the union of the provinces in 1841, retired from political life, but retained his office as chief-justice; in 1850 created a baronet of the United Kingdom. =Index=: =Sy= Opposes union of the provinces, 211; goes to England in hope of defeating measure, 230. =BL= His character, 12; pupil of Dr. Baldwin, 24; becomes chief-justice, 31; opposes union of the Canadas, 61; his pamphlet, 62. =B= His part in movement towards Confederation, 129. =E= Receives baronetcy, 105. =R= Member of Board of Education, 58; his connection with university scheme, 153. =Bk= As acting attorney-general gives opinion on Michigan question, 260; letter of, describing battle of Queenston Heights, 298, 299, 302, 305, 306.

=Mc= Prosecutes Gourlay, 92; reports on union of provinces, 105; denies existence of ministry, 274. =Bib.=: _Canada and the Canada Bill_. For biog., _see_ Robinson, _Life of Sir John Beverley Robinson, Bart._; Morgan, _Cel. Can._; Dent, _Can. Por._; Read, _Lives of the Judges_; Edgar, _Ten Years of Upper Canada_.

=Robinson, John Beverley= (1820-1896). Second son of Sir John Beverley Robinson; born in Toronto. Educated at Upper Canada College; appointed aide-de-camp to Sir Francis Bond Head; saw active service during the Rebellion of 1837. Studied law, and called to the bar of Upper Canada, 1844. Served as alderman in Toronto for six years; elected mayor, 1857.

Elected to the a.s.sembly for one of the divisions of Toronto, 1858; president of the Council in the Macdonald-Cartier administration, 1862.

Elected to the House of Commons for Algoma, 1872, and for Toronto West, 1878. Lieutenant-governor of Ontario, 1880-1887. =Bib.=: Read, _The Lieutenant-Governors of Upper Canada_; Dent, _Can. Por._; Rose, _Cyc.

Can. Biog._

=Robinson, W. B.= =BL= Brother of Sir J. B. Robinson, appointed inspector-general, 1844, 247; elected in elections of 1844, 252.

=Roblin, Rodmond Palen= (1853- ). Born in Sophiasburg, Ontario. Educated at Albert College, Belleville. Removed to Manitoba and settled at Carman, 1880. Elected to the Manitoba a.s.sembly for Dufferin, 1888; premier, 1900; also holds offices of minister of agriculture and railway commissioner. =Bib.=: _Canadian Who's Who_.

=Rochemonteix, Camille.= A member of the Society of Jesus. =Index=: =F= On the _Jesuit Relations_, 30. =Bib.=; _Les Jesuites et le Nouvelle France au XVII^e Siecle_.

=Rockingham, Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquis of= (1730-1782). Born in Yorkshire, England. Educated at Westminster School and St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1746 served as a volunteer against the Jacobites.

In 1765 premier of a coalition ministry opposed to royal grants and general warrants; from 1768 to 1781 leader of the opposition in the House of Lords, during which time supported the proposals to grant independence to the American colonies. In 1782 again became prime minister. Throughout his political career upheld the contentions of the American colonists, and opposed to royal encroachments. =Index=: =Dr= Forms Cabinet, 192. =Bib.=: _Dict. Nat. Biog._

=Rocky Mountain Fur Company.= Founded at St. Louis, in 1822, by William H. Ashley. The field of its operations was the Upper Missouri country.

After an adventurous career of twelve years, in which Ashley, Andrew Henry, M. G. Sublette, and other well-known western American traders took a leading part, the company was disbanded at the annual rendezvous in Green River Valley, in the summer of 1834. =Index=: =D= Made famous by the enterprise of the trader Ashley, 134; re-establishes commercial communication between United States and Oregon, 134. =Bib.=: Chittenden, _History of the American Fur Trade_.

=Rocky Mountain Portage.= Leads across an elbow of the Peace River, in the mountains, about long. 122, to avoid a series of dangerous rapids.

First used by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, on his expedition to the Pacific. The North West Company had a trading post here for many years; and one was afterwards maintained by the Hudson's Bay Company, but has long since been abandoned. =Index=: =D= Simon Fraser's first post built in 1805, 97. =Bib.=: Burpee, _Search for the Western Sea_.

=Rocky Mountains.= Commence in New Mexico, and extend north to the Arctic coast, west of the Mackenzie River. The highest known peaks in the Canadian Rockies are Mount Brown (16,000 feet) and Mount Hooker (15,690 feet). The general alt.i.tude of the range varies from 10,000 to 14,000 feet. The following are the princ.i.p.al pa.s.ses in Canada: Boundary, 6030 feet above the sea; Kootenay, 5960 feet; Crow's Nest, 4845 feet; Kananaski, 5985 feet; Vermillion, 4947 feet; Kicking Horse, 5420 feet; Howse, 6347 feet; Athabaska, 7300 feet; Yellowhead, 3760 feet; Peace, 2000 feet. =Index=: =WM= Discovered by La Verendrye, 19. =D= Crossed by Mackenzie, 54; by David Thompson, 58; by Simon Fraser, 59; by Lewis and Clarke, 67. =Bib.=: White, _Atlas of Canada_; Lovell, _Gazetteer of Canada_.

=Rodier, edouard.= =C= As an orator, 7; influence on Cartier, 7.

=Rodney, George Brydges, Baron= (1718-1792). Born in Walton-upon-Thames, England. Educated at Harrow School. Entered the navy; promoted lieutenant, 1739, and captain, 1742. In 1748 appointed governor and commander-in-chief of the station of Newfoundland; in 1759 rear-admiral; in 1761 commander-in-chief of Barbados and the Windward Islands, and captured St. Pierre, Grenada, and St. Lucia; vice-admiral, 1762; made a baronet, 1764; master of Greenwich Hospital, 1765; admiral, 1779. On Jan. 16, 1780, won the battle of St. Vincent. =Index=: =Hd= His victory over French and Spanish fleets, 189. =Dr= His great victory in West Indies, 195. =Bib.=: _Dict. Nat. Biog._

=Roebuck, John Arthur= (1801-1879). Born in Madras, India. Brought to Canada at an early age, and educated here. Went to England in 1824 to study law, and called to the bar in 1831. In 1832-1837 member of Parliament for the city of Bath, and in 1835 agent in England for the House of a.s.sembly of Lower Canada. Again member for Bath, 1841-1847, and in 1849-1868 member for Sheffield. In 1855 moved in the House of Commons for a committee of inquiry into the conduct of the Crimean War, and on the resignation of Lord Aberdeen's government, elected chairman of the Sebastopol Committee appointed by Palmerston. In 1856 appointed chairman of the Administrative Reform a.s.sociation. In 1874 re-elected member for Sheffield, which he represented until his death. =Index=: =BL= Correspondence with Papineau and Mackenzie, 229; speech on affairs in Canada, 231, 233; defends Rebellion Losses Bill, 325, 327. =B= Attacks Metcalfe's policy, 23. =W= On responsible government, 110.

=Bib.=: _Dict. Nat. Biog._

=Rogers, Sir F.= _See_ Blachford.

=Rogers, Robert= (1727-1800). Born at Dunbarton, New Hampshire. In the War of 1755-1760 with the French, commanded Rogers's Rangers and distinguished himself in several engagements. Sent by Amherst in 1759 to destroy the Indian village of St. Francis near the St. Lawrence River.

In 1760 took possession of Detroit and other western posts ceded by the French after the fall of Quebec. In 1765 George III appointed him governor of Mackinaw, Mich.; subsequently accused of intriguing with the Spaniards and tried by court-martial in Montreal, but released. Became colonel in the British army in North America, and commanded the Queen's Rangers. In 1777 went to England. Proscribed by the provincial Congress of New Hampshire, 1778. =Bib.=: Works: _Concise Account of North America_, 1765; _Journals during the Late War_, 1765. For biog., _see_ _Dict. Nat. Biog._

=Rohault, de.= =F= Establishes college for boys at Quebec, 28.

=Rolette, Lieutenant.= =Bk= Captures schooner _Cayahoga_ with stores and baggage of General Hull, 218, 243; in command of brig _Detroit_ captured by Americans, 292.

=Rollet, Marie.= =Ch= Wife of Louis Hebert, 112, 146.

=Rolph, John= (1792-1870). Born in Thornbury, England. Emigrated to Canada. Practised as a physician in Toronto, and in 1837 took part in the Rebellion. Connected with Mackenzie in the attempt to capture Toronto. After the collapse of the movement fled to the United States, where he practised for some years. Pardoned and returned to Canada, 1843; settled in Toronto. Joined with Lesslie, Perry, and others in forming the Clear Grit party; founded a medical school in Toronto; commissioner of crown lands in the Hincks-Morin ministry, 1851; resigned from the government, 1854, and joined the opposition; retired from public life, 1857. =Index=: =Mc= Defends Judge Willis, 133; moves address, 151; brings Gurnett to bar, 152; appointed executive councillor, 294; resigns, 294; prepares answer to Governor Head, 298; exposes opposition to Mackenzie's pet.i.tion, 311; prevented from speaking in the House, 319; speech ridiculing Governor Head's exculpation by House, 323; pens "Declaration of Independence," 330; does not sign, 331; to be "sole executive" of Rebellion movement, 350; changes day of rising, 361; meets Mackenzie, 362; accompanies flag of truce, 368; advises Lount to advance, 371; second flag of truce, 371; leaves for the United States, 375; on Navy Island, 413; declines treasurership, 416; amnestied, 474. =BL= Fight for reform, 13; appointed to Executive Council by Head, 38-39; joint organizer of Rebellion of 1837, with Mackenzie, 43; changes date of rising, 43; sent by Head to the rebels, 44; tells Lount to pay no attention to Head's message, 44-45; his exile and return, a leader of the new Radicalism, 340-341. =E= One of the leaders of the movement that ended in the Rebellion of 1837, 110; a conspicuous member of the Clear Grit party, 110; invited by Hincks to a seat in Cabinet, 1851, 112; becomes commissioner of crown lands, 113; president of Executive Council, 1863, 126; votes against his colleagues, 136. =B= A leader of the Clear Grits, 39; plays a leading part in movement for reform before the Rebellion, 39. =R= Member for Middles.e.x in Upper Canada a.s.sembly, 65-66. =Bib.=: Dent, _Upper Canadian Rebellion_ and _Last Forty Years; Dict. Nat. Biog._ _See also_ Rebellion of 1837, Upper Canada.

=Roman Catholic Church=. The first authentic landmark in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada is the arrival of several Jesuit missionaries in Acadia in 1611. The Recollets first came to Quebec in 1615, and the Jesuits in 1625. In 1657 the Sulpicians arrived in Montreal, and the following year Canada was made a Vicariate Apostolic.

The Jesuit missionaries explored the most distant parts of the continent, in labouring among the Indians. Laval, the first vicar-apostolic of New France, arrived in Quebec in 1659. In 1674 Quebec was made a diocese, and Laval became the first bishop. After 1818 Canada was divided into the dioceses of Nova Scotia, Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and the North-West. In 1841 the chapter of Montreal was established, and in 1874 the diocese of Quebec was subdivided into eight dioceses. The first cardinal of Canada was Archbishop Taschereau. =Index=: =Sy= Its members excluded from certain civil privileges, 63. =Dr= Att.i.tude of British government towards, 21, 57, 58; full privileges conceded to, by Quebec Act, 64. =S= Free exercise of religion guaranteed by Const.i.tutional Act, 12. =WM= Important part played by Roman Catholicism in Quebec, 16. =Bk= Faithful to British rule, 47. =B= Relations with George Brown, x, 44-46; 48-49, 61, 121-128; position and political sympathies in Upper Canada, 125.

=Bib.=: O'Leary, _Roman Catholic Church in Quebec_; Harris, _Roman Catholic Church in Ontario_; Cameron, _Catholic Church in Maritime Provinces_ in _Canada: An Ency._, vol. 2.

=Rooseboom, Johannes=. =F= Of Albany, carries goods to Lake Indians, 201.

=Roquemaure=. =WM= Montcalm's early childhood spent at, 3.

=Roquemont, Claude de, Sieur de Brison=. =Ch= a.s.sists in forming Company of New France, 168; comes out in command of ships, 172; encounters English vessels under David Kirke in the St. Lawrence, 173; his conduct criticized, 175.

=Rose, Sir John= (1820-1888). Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Educated there. In 1836 emigrated to Canada, and served during the Rebellion of 1837. Studied law; called to the bar, 1842, and practised in Montreal for several years. A member of the Legislative a.s.sembly, 1857-1861; solicitor-general for Lower Canada, 1857-1858; and commissioner of public works, 1859-1861. Appointed a commissioner for the settlement of claims under the Oregon Treaty, 1864. Minister of finance in first Dominion government. In 1870 sent by the British government on a mission to the United States, which led to the treaty of Washington. Made K.C.M.G., 1870; created a baronet, 1872; privy councillor, 1886; G.C.M.G., 1878. =Index=: =C= Goes to England with Cartier and Galt, in connection with Confederation, 57; Montreal banquet to, 92. =H= Sir John Macdonald asks Joseph Howe to discuss financial terms of Nova Scotia with, 215; confers with Howe and A. W. McLellan at Portland, 223. =E= Signs Annexation Manifesto, 81. =Md= Succeeds Galt as finance minister, 136; resigns a year later, 136; letter to, from Macdonald, on Riel, 160-161; also on Washington Treaty, 184-185. =T= Goes to England with Cartier and Galt, 63; succeeds Galt as minister of finance, 130. =Bib.=: _Dict. Nat. Biog._; Morgan, _Cel. Can._; Dent, _Can. Por._ and _Last Forty Years_.

=Rosebery, Archibald Philip Primrose, Earl of= (1847- ). Born in London.

Educated at Eton and Oxford. In 1881-1883 under-secretary for the home office; in 1885 lord privy seal; and later chief commissioner of works; secretary for foreign affairs in Gladstone's administration, 1886 and 1892-1894. Became prime minister, 1894, on the retirement of Gladstone.

=Index=: =Md= Secretary of state for foreign affairs, 332; his speech at unveiling of bust of Macdonald in St. Paul's Cathedral, 332-333. =Bib.=: _Who's Who_.

=Rosee, Jean.= =Ch= Director of Company of New France, 170; agent of Company of New France, 244.

=Ross, Major.= =Hd= Of the 34th Regiment, devastates large section of country, 157; retakes Oswego, 157. =S= Leads Queen's Rangers in battle of Monmouth, 29.

=Ross, Alexander.= Joined Astor's Pacific Fur Company in 1810, having probably been previously engaged as a clerk in the service of the North West Company. Sailed in the _Tonquin_ to the mouth of the Columbia, where Astoria was built in 1811. Left Pacific Fur Company and joined North West Company, 1814; stationed at Fort George (Astoria) and Fort Okanagan, 1811-1816; transferred to Kamloops, 1816. Wrote two valuable narratives of the fur trade on the Columbia. Joined Hudson's Bay Company, on the union of the Hudson's Bay and North West Companies in 1821. Returned east, and settled in Red River Colony; sheriff and member of the Council of a.s.siniboia, 1835. =Index=: =MS= On the sequel to Seven Oaks affair, 185. =Bib.=: _Red River Settlement_; _Adventures on the Columbia_; _Fur Hunters of the Far West_.

=Ross, Charles.= =D= In charge of Fort Camosun (Victoria), 1843, 180; his death, 1844, 181.