Isaac G. Robinson (1814-1893)- Photo Resemblance Question

[Robinson1857]

Okay. I know this is a silly question , but please humor me. By looking at the photo of my 3rd great-grandfather (below), could you take a guess as to where my Robinsons may have emigrated from? I suppose I am wondering if he looks Scottish. DNA and records point to Scotland, but nothing concrete has turned up.

[SarahND]

In 1880 he says that he and his parents were all born in New York… so you have a least a couple of generations where other nationalities could creep in, assuming that one could actually tell a Scot from his ears

According to the Findagrave entry (which one hopes has been researched properly) his mother Susan Greenman’s family appears to go back to early Rhode Island and who knows where before that… so he is probably a mix of early New England Puritan DNA, like my father’s family. In fact, lowering the threshold on GEDmatch, you and I have 78cM in segments over 3cM in common… although only 1 is over 5cM. All that early New England “noise” could have done anything to the facial features of old Isaac, and probably did He does bear an uncanny resemblance to my gg grandfather Hervey Leonard, but it is probably the fashion in beards and clothing!

I assume you have scoured the Fulton historical newspaper site for clues?

Best wishes,
Sarah

[Robinson1857]

I don't put much stock in the reporting of my Robinson ancestors. According to them, Isaac was born in New York, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Woodstock, NY, Dutchess County, NY, and Scotland. There is probably a grain of truth in each, but I am not locking in on any of them.

My Find-A-Grave entry is flawless! I have been very meticulous with my Robinson line. The New England lot (Greenman, Gardner, Clarke, etc.), however, is a bit sketchy with all of the horribly conflicting genealogies out there.

My father's Y-DNA results seem to point to Scotland, so I am starting to nose around there. If the Rensselaer Glass Factory legend is true, Scotland is a likely origin for Daniel. The superintendent of that factory apparently went to Dumbarton to recruit glass blowers in 1806. They were smuggled back to America since it was a penal offense to break a glass blowers contract back then. That may also explain the lack of evidence for Daniel's presence prior to the 1810 US Federal Census.

The Fulton History site has been an invaluable resource that I have picked clean.

Thanks for the feedback, Sarah!

In 1880 he says that he and his parents were all born in New York… so you have a least a couple of generations where other nationalities could creep in, assuming that one could actually tell a Scot from his ears

According to the Findagrave entry (which one hopes has been researched properly) his mother Susan Greenman’s family appears to go back to early Rhode Island and who knows where before that… so he is probably a mix of early New England Puritan DNA, like my father’s family. In fact, lowering the threshold on GEDmatch, you and I have 78cM in segments over 3cM in common… although only 1 is over 5cM. All that early New England “noise” could have done anything to the facial features of old Isaac, and probably did He does bear an uncanny resemblance to my gg grandfather Hervey Leonard, but it is probably the fashion in beards and clothing!

I assume you have scoured the Fulton historical newspaper site for clues?

Best wishes,
Sarah

[SarahND]

Aha! So it's your very own Findagrave memorial? Well then, I guess we can believe it!
It sounds like you have a fascinating puzzle to work out-- never a dull moment in genealogy!



Sarah