James R. Robb-General Labourer
166 Dufferin Street
Stratford, ON
1877

Alexander Grant owned many lots, valued at $6000.00 along Dufferin Street in Stratford in 1874.

Alexander was an attorney and a partner at McCulbach & Grant and also Mayor of Stratford for one term in 1879-1880. He sold side by side lots, 214 to Jacob Kayer and lot 213 to William Vandelip(Vandulip) around 1876 as listed in the Evans County Directory of Stratford. Both houses were built at the same time.

William owned the ¼ acre property and house for only a year before selling it to James Corcoran. He added onto the house or maybe finished the construction of the house as the value increased in the assessment records under his ownership. James Corcoran was an importer and grocer, who owned a successful business at 54 Ontario Street and resided at 169 Douglas Street.

By, 1881, the house had been sold to James R. Robb. James, a general contractor, lived in the house with his wife, Isabella (Smith) and their three children John Hugh, born August 4, 1867, Mary Jane “Minnie”, born November 25, 1878, and twins Francis Henry and George, born June 27, 1880. Francis died in 1881. James and Isabella were both born in 1841 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

The information in the 1891 Census showed the family had increased with Isabella “Belle” on April 24, 1883, Mabel Catherine on June 8, 1885. By the time the 1886 Census was taken, they were living at 69 Louise Street and had two more children, James Leonard, born September 16, 1893, and Blanche, born May 4, 1898.

Isabella died January of 1922 and James on September 8, 1929. Both are buried in the Avondale Cemetery in Stratford along with their sons John and James.