John Harvey Robertson was born August 12, 1829 in Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, son of John Robertson and Janet Harvey Robertson. His father died ca. 1832 and his mother remarried in 1836 to James Sims. The family emigrated to Canada shortly after, settling near Hawkesville, Wellesley Township, now in the Region of Waterloo. He married Ann Hawk and moved to Kelvin, Windham Township, Norfolk County. He died there on October 5, 1912.