Robert Wagstaff

   Cause of his death was Complications From Wounds Sustained in Various Battles.

  Research Information:

Images of Robert's Military Record & Associated Archival information - Courtesy of Brian Rollason - September 2011.

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Robert was with the "4th Company 3rd Battalion of the 95th Rifles, right wing"." Also he received his wound in the neck on January 8th,1815 during the major attack, Battle of New Orleans. This information has been taken from The National Archives Paylist and Casualty list for the 3rd Battalion 95th Rifles.


Extra Information on Robert Wagstaff - Courtesy of Brian Rollason & Alison Jabi:


According to his military record, Robert Wagstaff was a Bricklayer standing 5 feet 6 inches tall. He had sandy hair, grey eyes and fair skin.

Robert was admitted to the Royal Hospital at Chelsea as a Pensioner and discharged on the 13th day of May 1817, from the Rifle Brigade, then commanded by Sir David Davidson. He served as a Soldier for a period of six years and five months per Elizabeth's Land Grant Petition letter (4 yrs, 10 mths per his military record) and was discharged as a result of a gunshot wound in the neck received at the Battle of New Orleans. He had a pension of sixpence per day.

Robert arrived in Canada in May 1837 and took up residency in Toronto in December of that same year. He would later fight in the Rebellion at York in December 1837. It appears as though his wife Elizabeth did not join him until after the birth of their 6th child Matilda. Robert was induced to come to Canada on the assurance of receiving a Grant of the Waste Lands of the Crown but on applying he was informed that new regulations had been adopted which excluded him from obtaining a Grant. Upon inspection of the actual land grant petition as made by Robert in 1840; it appears that the waste lands (200 acres) that was alotted for Robert had in fact been given to, and settled by, William Wager back in 1818.

At his death he left his wife Elizabeth with five children, two of which were under the age of three. She was left in a most dire state with virtually no income to support her children. Elizabeth petitioned the Crown for a Grant of land in December 1843. Her appeal for assistance was declined. A little less than a year after Robert's death, Elizabeth married Robert Reid on July 29, 1844 in St. James Cathedral in Toronto along with his young children, Matilda and William who had both pre-deceased Robert. Neither Robert, Matilda or William have a grave marker and the exact location of their final resting place is not known.

  Medical Information:

Robert's original wound (neck) was sustained on January 8, 1815 in the battle of New Orleans.

Robert married Ann Whiston on 12 Jul 1819 in Gamlingay, Cambridge, England. (Ann Whiston was born about 1804 and died in Nov 1824.)

Robert next married Elizabeth Quince about 1825 in Gamlingay, Cambridge, England. (Elizabeth Quince was born in 1805 in Kent, England, died on 16 May 1873 in East York, Toronto, Ontario and was buried in Taylor Family Cemetery, Don Mills Church, East York, Ontario.)