Robert Gillespie Easton's descendants in Utah have passed down family records claiming that he was born 29 July 1792 in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Unfortunately, no Scottish record has been found to verify this. Robert's age was listed as 45 in the 1841 Scotland census at Bothwell Holytown in Lanarkshire, which would make his birth year 1796. He was a coal miner and his birthplace was listed as Lanarkshire. However, in early U.K. censuses, ages were usually rounded off to the nearest five years, so weren't necessarily exact. Robert's eldest son was named Alexander, which would indicate that Alexander was his father's name as well. Scottish christening records do show a Robert Easton, son of Alexander Easton and Elizabeth Broun, but he was christened 22 July 1792 at Riccarton, Ayrshire, Scotland (not in Lanarkshire). This might be the correct Robert Easton, if the 29 July 1792 birthdate, plus his birthplace, have been passed down incorrectly. Another Robert Easton, son of Robert Easton and Ann Gillespie, was born 10 March 1796 at New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland. This might be the correct Robert Easton, if his birthdate was passed down incorrectly and if his age was correct in the 1841 census. Or perhaps neither of these was the correct Robert Easton.

Robert Gillespie Easton married Elizabeth Laird, October 8, 1814; Robert was born in New Monkland on July 29, 1792. Elizabeth and Robert had 11 children: John, May 27, 1819; Robert, July 27, 1822, Barbara, March 12, 1826; George, January 4, 1829; Mathew Stevenson, March 12, 1831; Elizabeth, September 30, 1833; Jane, February 8, 1834; James, July 24, 1823; Margaret, September 20, 1834. All of their children were born in either Old or New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Robert died on February 8, 1849, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland. I believe that Elizabeth died in the Cedar City settlement about 1860

On March 2, 1850, Elizabeth Laird Easton and her children Matthew (19) and twins Margaret and Jane (15) boarded the Hartley in Liverpool and arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 2, 1850.