COMMON, Yorkshire & Scotland

[Chorlton]

If anyone has information on the COMMON surname, that they can share, I would be grateful.

Currently I am looking at the Yorkshire & Scotland areas for my immediate tree, who consist of:

1817 Walter Common    married to:  Mary Ann Ratcliff
1846 Isabella Common    married to:  John Henderson Craig
1848 Elizabeth Chartress Common   married to:  Thomas Storey Dickson
1852 Arthur Welsh Common    married to:  Alice Maud McClellan
1892 Walter Edward Common   married to:  Minnie Whitley
c1894 Arthur Radcliffe Common    married to:  Dorothy Lamprey
c1896 Muriel Common   married to:  John Hamer
c1900 Madeline Common 
1924 Margaret Common
1928 Jean Common

and (unconfirmed)
17xx Andrew Common   married to:  Agnes Curl, in 1808, Probable parents to Walter Common 1817

[Chorlton]

I am updating this post, in case any one else searches for similar.

I have now been able to confirm my relatives as:

James Common born c1783 in Bewcastle, Cumberland, England. Died after 1858, as he signed his will in June 1858, but before the 1861 census.
His wife Charters ?Henderson?, born 1783 Jedburgh, Roxburgh, Scotland

Children of James and Charters Common
c1807 Richard Common. Castleton, Roxburgh, Scotland
c1810 James Common. Castleton, Roxburgh, Scotland
c1812 Thomas Common. Castleton, Roxburgh, Scotland
c1815 Andrew Common, Scotland
1817 Walter Common 21 Apr 1817, Scotland
c1821 Margaret Common, Scotland
c1823 Janet Common, Scotland

Walter Common born 21 Apr 1817 married Mary Ann Ratcliff, and their children were:
1846 Q3, Isabella Common, Halifax
1848 (26/9/1848) Elizabeth Chartress Common, Halifax
1851 (11/08/1851) Arthur Welsh Common, Halifax

Arthur Welsh Common married Alice Maude McClellan in 1891 and their children were:
1892 Walter Edward Common. Halifax
1894 Arthur Ratcliffe Common. Halifax
1896 Muriel Common. Halifax
1900 Madeline Common. Halifax

James Common 1783 was a farmer with 1500 acres.
Walter Common 1817 was instrumental in the start of the Halifax Equitable Building Society http://www.hbosplc.com/abouthbos/History/Halifax_Tree/Halifax_Equitable.asp

The Andrew Common and Agnes Curle link was wrong, although they did have an Andrew Common themselves in 1815;
their children are shown as:
John Common born 28 Jul 1808, Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland 
Grizell Common christened 22 Nov 1811 Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland
Margaret Common born 24 Oct 1812, Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland
Andrew Common born 16 Jan 1815, Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland
Isobel Common born 08 Mar 1820, Prieston, Bowden, Roxburgh, Scotland

Not sure if there is any link to mine, but maybe, further back.

[kiwi32]

James COMMON (1782 - 1858) is my 6th x great uncle.  His brother Thomas COMMON (1780 - 1859) is my 5 x great grandfather.

James married Charteris HENDERSON and had nine children (order of birth unknown):  Richard, James, Thomas, Elizabeth, Andrew, Janet, Walter, James and Margaret COMMON.  I don't have much more on this family but I have their cousins and ancestry.

James COMMON was born in Bruntshiel, Castleton, Roxburghshire to Richard COMMON and Margaret ARMSTRONG.  He was the second child of 10.

I have written a book on William COWIE and Jane Common HENDERSON (my great great grandparents) which also includes info on the COMMON ancestry.

I would be interested to know more about James COMMON and Charteris HENDERSON's direct line. 

Visit www.geocities.com/rjjedonaldson for more info on the book if interested or to contact me.

[Chorlton]

Hi

It looks like we may share a relation at 1757 Richard Common & 1758 Margaret Armstrong.

My records indicate:
1757 Richard Common & 1758 Margaret Armstrong
Children:
1780 Thomas Common (your 5 x Gt Grandfather)
1782 James Common (My 5 x Gt Grandfather)

I have James Common as born 18th Apr 1782 in Bewcastle, Cumberland
and maybe died 21st April 1858 at Crossdykes, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Does this agree with your info ?

I found the following today on the IGI website:

Birth/Christenings:
1708 Apr 25th Andrew Common Oxnam or Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1730 Agnes Sharp

Marriages:
1749 May 23rd Andrew Common &  Agnes Sharp. Hownam, Roxburghshire, Scotland

Children of Andrew Common & Agnes Sharp:
1750 May 6 CHRISTIAN COMMON (Female) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1751 Dec 22 JAMES COMMON (Male) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1754 Apr 21 JOHN COMMON (Male) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1757 Jan 31 RICHARD COMMON (Male) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1759 Apr 29 JANET COMMON (Female) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland
1761 Jun 16 MARGARET COMMON (Female) -  Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland

[kiwi32]

According to the OPR Castleton, James COMMON was born 18 April 1782 in Bruntshiels, Castleton, Roxburghshire, SCT to Richard COMMON and Margaret ARMSTRONG.  He died at Crossdykes on 21 April 1858 and is buried in Westerkirk Cemetery.

Many fellow researchers believe that Richard COMMON's parents are Andrew COMMON and Agnes SHARP.  They have no proof except that they just happened to find a Richard COMMON born about the correct time period.  Of course many births/baptisms were not recorded or certain church records hadn't begun.

I believe Richard's father is Thomas COMMON of Cleughead as they are buried next to each other in the Castleton Churchyard and a sister mentioned in his will is buried there also.

Hope that helps.

[Chorlton]

I've been puzzling over the parents of Richard Common 1757, but then I found some info on the IGI site under their Batch Number: C117912.

I am not 100% sure on where this batch info originates, but it "appears" to be a listing of 1,616 Hownam, Roxburgh, Scotland christenings between 1690(ish) and early 1800's.
It includes 12 with the Common surname, of which 6 are shown to be children of Andrew Common and Agnes Sharp. These are shown in my earlier post and show Richard with the 31 Jan 1757 date.

I find I get easily confused with these names and dates these days, but really do want to clarify who is who.

It was only recently, after seeing a copy of the 1858 will of James Common, that I saw the relationship to my Walter Common 1817 in Halifax.

However I am even confused by this, as some say that James was born in Bruntshiels, Castleton,  but the 1841 & 1851 Census records that I have seen, both show him as born in Bewcastle, Cumbria, England.
I also have some info that says that Margaret Armstrong died Oct 7th 1824 at Stonegarthsidehall, Bewcastle, Cumbria.
This seems to almost confirm a link.

HOWEVER, after just re-reading the will, as I wanted to check on your mention of Richards sister being in his will, I noticed two things that make me wonder if this is the same will.
1: No mention of a sister, that I can see.
2: James signed the will on 11th June 1858.  Two months AFTER he appears to have died.

A section, on page 178, of the "The 1858 Will of James Common (Dumfries Sheriff Court SC15/41/11) that I have, states:  "Richard Common my eldest son, and each of my other children Thomas Common, Andrew Common of Darlington, Walter Common of Halifax, Margaret Common (wife of George Bowman) and Janet Common"
Is this the same will that you have seen ?

I am now wondering if there are two very similar James Commons.
 

[kiwi32]

The will I mentioned was of Richard COMMON not his son James.  In Richard's will he mentions his sister.

Margaret died in Cumbria as that is where her daughter and son-in-law were living.  She must have went and lived with them.

Re. the 1841/51 census of James COMMON, it is certainly not the first time I have come across incorrect birth info in census records.  His death cert states he is the son of Richard COMMON and Margaret ARMSTRONG and the OPR records state his birth or baptism as Castleton, Roxburgh.  He may have been born in Cumbria and baptised in Castleton.  His older brother Thomas was born in Castleton though and the rest of his siblings, so it doesn't appear the family lived in Cumbria unless Margaret went there specially for the birth.

Richard COMMON's headstone states he died in 1827 aged 78 years which makes his birth approx 1749 not 1757 as others suggest.  Also as I said earlier the surrounding headstones are of other family members which is why I am sure he is not the son of Andrew COMMON and Agnes SHARP.

[Chorlton]

Thanks for that.  As you can see I am getting easily confused

I've just looked at IGI again and found:
Richard Common 
Birth:  About 1749   Of Craig, Dumfries, Scotland
Marriage:  About 1800 to:  Margaret Armstrong at Craig, Dumfries
Death:  8 APR 1827   Craig, Dumfries, Scotland
 
At a guess i'd say that the marriage date may be wrong, as Richard & Margaret had 8 children before 1800 !

I'll sort out the children of James and Charters Common for you later, but briefly:

1807 Richard Common  Born Scotland Marriage: 1850 Mar 12 to Isabella Beattie c1817 at Hutton And Corrie, Dumfries, Scotland
1810 James Common Born Castleton, Roxburghshire, Scotland
1812 Thomas Common Born Castleton, Roxburghshire, Scotland
1815 Andrew Common  Born Scotland 1845 Q2 Andrew Common and Ann Kipling at Darlington 24/51
1817 Walter Common  Born Scotland Marriage: 1843 Q2 to Mary Ann RATCLIFFE at Huddersfield
1821 Margaret Common  Born Crossdykes, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Married George Bowman of Langholm, Dumfriesshire
1823 Janet Common  Born Crossdykes, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

[toni*]

I
Arthur Welsh Common married Alice Maude McClellan in 1891 and their children were:
1892 Walter Edward Common. Halifax
1894 Arthur Ratcliffe Common. Halifax
1896 Muriel Common. Halifax
1900 Madeline Common. Halifax

not a connection myself but:~



Muriel Common m. Lawrence Wolfenden Q2 1918 Halifax 9a 799