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Robert was born 10 Aug 1855 in Prince Edward Island to Moses Dyment and Maria Ellen Bryant, according to the PEI Baptismal Index, and baptized in O'Leary on 9 December 1855. He appears in the 1861 New Brunswick census as their eldest son, and in the 1881 census was living in Lot 13, P.E.I with his family, giving his occupation as farmer. In the 1880 Meacham's Atlas, Moses' farm was on the Western Road in Lot 13. From the PEI Marriage Bond Index, Robert was married in 1885, to Margaret Jane Murray, who was born 5 Oct 1865, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The bond was taken out by Robert Dyment, Lot 13, and James Murray, Lot 15, and was dated 19 November 1885. They may have been married by the Rev. E. C. Turner.

Groom's Name Robert Dyment
Groom's Residence Lot 13
Groom's Status Bachelor
Bride's Name Margaret Jane Murray
Bride's Residence Lot 13
Bride's Status Spinster
Source RG19/s3/ss5: Marriage bonds, 1885

Robert and Margaret can be found in the 1891 census in Lot 13, next to the farm of Margaret's brother Alexander Murray, who was providing a home to his widowed mother. Robert and Margaret have three children: Charles E. (4), Howard (2) and Arthur (1). They were living in a wooden house, one and a half stories, with two rooms. The census record also includes the entire eleven-member Ramsay family, but this seems to be an error by the census taker. In 1892, Robert Dyment purchased 50 acres in Lot 13 from Lawrence Yeo.

There is only one entry for Robert as a father in the PEI Baptismal Index, and that is for an Alex M. Dyment, born 1887 and baptized in Bideford. However, it becomes clearer when looking at the original church record that two Dyment brothers had children baptized on the same day and the fathers' names were reversed. This should be the entry for their son Charles E. Dyment; Alex was the son of his brother John.

In the 1900 US census, Margaret reported that she had had 8 children, all living.

The family emigrated in 1892, first to Maine and then Massachusetts, and finally New Hampshire. In 1900, the family was living in Lancaster Town, Worcester, Massachusetts, with Charles E (13), Howard (11), Jabez (10), Catherine B (9), Robert (6), Margaret (4), Willis S. (2), Ray (1). Margaret and Robert had been married fourteen years. The older children had been born in PEI; Robert Jr. in Maine; and the rest in Massachusetts. The family moved to New Hampshire in 1905, and in 1910 Robert and Margaret could be found in Concord in the census of that year. Charles and Catherine were no longer at home, and the family now included Albert (9 ), Elizabeth (7), and Hazel (2). Robert had found work as a labourer, mainly for railroad companies.

The family was profiled, with a photograph, in the Boston Daily Globe (July 21 1907) in an article entitled CONCORD'S ANTIRACE SUICIDE FAMILY. It seems President Roosevelt had made a comment about how the white race had to increase its birth rate, and the article outlined how this family was doing its part. The article has some racist overtones, but here is most of it:

"The assembled progeny of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dyment of 106 South Street, Concord NH make up a blissful antirace suicide family after President Roosevelt's own heart. Ten handsome healthy and popular children have blessed their union. There are seven boys and three girls . All are bright and strong, both physically and mentally, and are highly esteemed by their many friends. Mr. and Mrs. Dyment are both firm believers in the great value of an education and to those of their children who are old enough they have accorded every possible educational advantage. The children's names and ages are as follows: Charles E, the eldest is 20 years of age; Howard J. is 18, Jabez W. is ...Catherine 16, Robert 14; Margaret J. 11, Willis, 9; Ray A. 7; Albert Y, 6; Elizabeth A. 5.

Mr. Dyment is 51 years of age. he is an expert bridge builder and is employed by the Boston & Maine railroad. He was born in Prince Edward Island...He himself is the eldest of a family of 11 children, all of whom are now living. Mrs. Dyment has been accorded considerable fame locally because of her beauty. She is 41 years of age. She was born in Nova Scotia, and was the daughter of Alexander and Susan (Logan) Murray. She was herself the seventh of 10 children, and her eldest sister has reared 11 children, of whom nine are living.

The first years of Mr. and Mrs. Dyment's wedded life were spent in district 13, Prince Edward Island. Here four of their 10 children first saw the light of day... For business reasons they removed from the province to Stillwater, Me, where one of the children was born. From there they journeyed to South Lancaster, Mass, at which place...The remaining five of the half score children came into the world. The family has resided in Concord for the past three years." Boston Daily Globe - Jul 21, 1907

Although the photograph isn't the best qualify in the reproduction of the original article, you can definitely see the resemblance between Robert Dyment and his brother Humphrey. Ten years after the article, Robert had died and Margaret remarried. Daughter Catherine and sons Robert and Ray died young - Robert in an accident, and Ray in a mining disaster. Catherine had died of pneumonia, possibly associated with the Spanish flu.

Robert died in New Hampshire in 1916.

 

 

Name: Robert Dyment
Death Date (Original): 29 Mar 1916
Death Place: Concord, , New Hampshire
Father: Moses Dyment
Mother: Mariah Bryant

Source Citation: "New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FSFL-PCM : accessed 04 Aug 2012), Robert Dyment, 29 Mar 1916.