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Topic: Thomson Family (Read 919 times)
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Prairie
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 52
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I am trying to find information on my Thomson family. My great great grandfather Alexander Fraser Thomson was born in New Deer in 1841. His parents were William Thomson and Jane Duncan. I was told that he had died in Scotland but cannot find when or where he died. His occupation was a constable. He was in the Kirkpatrick Durham area at one time. Just beginning my search in Scotland and any helpful suggestions where to search would be appreciated. I believe his family lived in the Aberdeen area.
Thank you.
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Grothenwell
RootsChat Senior
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Posts: 273
Love Endures Delay
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I tried "freecen" for the family in 1851, and the nearest I got was;
SCT1851/168 Old Machar -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 17
Old Machar Folio: 144 Page: 36 Schedule: 186
Upper Denburn Horne's House
THOMSON William Head M 42 Mason's Lab Aberdeenshire Aberdeen
THOMSON Janet Wife M F 40 Kincardineshire - Dunnottar
THOMSON Alexander Son - M 11 Aberdeenshire - Aberdeen
There were no births in New Deer matching Alexander.
However, I don't think it is them as an "IGI" search has 3 daughters born to William and Jean;
Mary 1846, Christian 1848 & Isobel 1850.
Hope this helps a little.
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« Last Edit: Saturday 22 September 07 18:12 BST (UK) by Copyright-Editor »
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Aberdeenshire; Brechin, Robb, Clark, Hardie, Johnston, Watt, Elmslie, Milne, Harper, Adam, Edmond, Laing, Gibson, Aedie, Jameson, Tosche, Measonne, Anderson, Moir, Nicol, Burnet, Donaldson, Guthrie, Argo & Doverty.
Booth, Watson, Grothenwell, Ewen, Mackie, Simpson, Taylor, Davidson, Willox, Chalmers & Gordon
Still, Fraser, Robertson & Lumsden
Banffshire; Cruickshank, West
Caithness; Sutherland
Herefordshire & Worcester & Monmouthshire; Wagstaff, Jones &
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Prairie
RootsChat Extra
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Posts: 52
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thank you for checking for me. One of the problems I have been having with this family is that they all have common names. Alexander Fraser Thomson is the only unique Alexander because his middle name was often mentioned but not always.
His father, William, was born in Rathen and his parents were Peter and Susan Gordon Thomson. I found on the IGI yesterday they had 3 other children all born in Rathen. It is a mystery as to what happened to Alexander. I truly would like to find him or his family.
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hume24
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 864
Dunbar Instrumental Band, c. 1910
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Hi Prairie,
I have found your family in 1851. 
Residence: Small House On Mains Of Affleck, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
William Thompson, m, head, 42, agricultural labourer, Rathen, Aberdeenshire
Jane ", f, wife, 40, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
James Watson, m, son-in-law, 22, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Alexr F Thompson, m, son, 10, scholar, Strichen, Aberdeenshire
Peter ", m, son, 7, scholar, Strichen, Aberdeenshire
Mary ", f, dau., 5, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Christian ", f, dau., 3, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Jean Watson, f, great-grandchild, 3, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Isabella Thompson, f, dau., 3 months, -, New Deer, Aberdeenshire
I can only find a possible for father William in 1861 and 1871. Jane must have died between '51 and '61, as she's not on the next censuses with him. And unfortunately, no sign of Alexander either. 
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Prairie
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Posts: 52
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Yeah! This is has to be my family. Jane did die according to Alexander F.'s marriage bann in 1866 in Edinburgh. Father listed as William, mother Jane deceased.
Alexander's grandmother Susan Gordon Thomson was born in Strichen, too. No wonder I couldn't find a record for Alexander in New Deer.
It appears he must have had older siblings with a brother-in-law, James Watson, living in the household. Wonder who and where his sister was? Do you think, Jean Watson, was a grandchild not a great grandchild?
Finding information always leads to more questions. (Smiles)
Thank you so much. I am so pleased that you found this information for me! (Still Smiling.)
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hume24
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 864
Dunbar Instrumental Band, c. 1910
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Hi again,
Alexander's birth is listed in New Deer. He was born on the 2nd July 1841 and christened on the 23rd of July 1841. His siblings are Charles Ogg (c. 10th Sep 1853, Rathen), Christian (b. 5th Oct 1848, New Deer), Mary (b. 11th May 1846, New Deer) and Isobel (b. 8th Nov 1850, New Deer).
Jean is listed as a great-grandchild on Ancestry but only as a grandchild on FreeCen. I can't find a birth/christening for her, but there is a submitted entry on the IGI for a James Watson to Elizabeth Thomson on 25th June 1841. Trouble is, James is listed as unmarried on FreeCen's 1851 census!! I think you'll need to check the original image for these ones. 
hume24
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Prairie
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Posts: 52
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Did I misunderstand the 1851 census that you sent? Didn't it say he was born in Strichen? Oh, these records at times. I find ages, and places of births always changing. It sure keeps you guessing all the time which is correct. Every little bit of information is helpful even if it is off from one record to the next. They are all clues as to where to search next.
Thank you.
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kenjo
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http://www.whalesrevenge.com:80/
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Hi There,
I have found your family in the 1871census.
Living at Penpont.........
Michael Brady 56 Head, Hawker, Ireland.
Mary Brady 55 Wife, Torthorwald? Dumfries.
Henrietta Thomson 28 Step daughter.....Penpont
William Thomson 7 Step daughters son, penpont.
Alexander Thomson 5 " Kirkpatrick Durham, Kirkcudbright
James Thomson 3 " Penpont
Henrietta Thomson 5 Mo " "daughter Kirkpatrick Durham, Kirkcudbright
_______________
You will have buy the census from scotlandspeople to see if Henrietta is a widow or married.
she is probably still married and Alex is away with work....
Her son William was born 16/4/1864 to Henrietta McLean....
before she married.
_____________
Mary Brady died in Penpont 1874 aged 58yrs...she was also known as Martin......
Michael Brady died 1876 in Penpoint aged 55yrs..
_____________
On the marriage cert of Henrietta McLean and Alex F Thomson........did it say her mother was Mary.. maiden surname...Martin ?
_____________
1851 Census
This is Henriett McLean as a little girl with her mother Mary A......they live in Penpont.
Henrietta McLean 6
Isabel McLean 14
Margaret McLean 12
Marion McLean 9
Mary A McLean 38
William McLean 2 ................................................There is a little query regarding Margaret and mary a
the daughters....but I can assure you this is Henriettas family
___________________
1841 Census Dumfries Dumfries
Name Age
Isabella McLean 5
Margt McLean 30 ..........(this should be Mary )
Margt McLean 11
Mary Ann McLean 2
William McLean 40
__________________________
Isabel was born in England....margaret and mary Ann born in Dunfries.
father was William....
----------------
Do you have any ifo about the next descendant closer to you...
their marriage cert....will enlighten us all.....as where this family ended up..
hope you can tell us more...
JO
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« Last Edit: Wednesday 05 September 07 16:10 BST (UK) by kenjo »
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Prairie
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Oh, my! Yes, this is them. Thank you so much. You all are so amazing!
Henrietta's mother was Mary MARTIN, and her father was William MCLEAN. He died in 1849.
This census answers so many questions. I never knew where William fit in. Alexander Fraser's son, Alexander's obit, stated that he was a second son. I always thought that it had to be a mistake and William was born in Illinois since Alexander Fraser and Henrietta didn't marry until 1866. Alexander was born in Kirkpatrick Durham, James in Penpont and Henrietta in Kirkpatrick Durham.
Alexander Fraser's occupation was listed as a constable on the marriage banns, plus on two of the births, and a general dealer on another. So he could have been away working or as someone else mentioned today he may have immigrated to America first. Henrietta says in a U.S. census that she immigrated in 1871. Although a couple of her children said it was between 1872-1874. Don't know which is correct because I haven't been unable to find them on any passenger lists. What port would people normally leave from Scotland to go to America in the 1870's?
The family immigrated to Kane County, Illinois. I lose Alexander about 1878. They missed being in any census as a THOMSON family. A distant relative said that Henrietta was homesick for Scotland so Alexander Fraser went back to obtain employment and a home for them. He was boarding at a Mrs. McCormick's. Where in Scotland, I don't know? He wrote to Henrietta and told her that he was ill. Next, Henrietta received a letter from Mrs. McCormick stating that Alexander had died. I haven't been able to see these letters but was told that they do exist.
Henrietta goes on and remarries in 1882. She ends up in North Dakota in 1883 and died there in 1912.
The only information I have on the MCLEAN family is from the census record of 1851. But I often wondered if there were relatives, MCLEAN or THOMSON's, in the Kane County area since that is where they immigrated. Or MARTIN's as Henrietta's second husband's wife's maiden name was MARTIN. They had immigrated from England. Her second husband, William MOCK, was quite a bit older than Henrietta.
I haven't been able to find a death record for Alexander Fraser and I have wondered, "Did he really go back to Scotland?" You have to look at all possibilities even if it isn't good news.
My, what a pleasant surprise that you found this information on the family. Thank you again. It means "so much" as I am sure you know.
Prairie
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kenjo
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Hi There,
I had fun.....tracing your line............
Now because of your confusion about when Henrietta came out....I see you may not have this birth..
Mary Thomson.. 02 MAY 1873 Tradeston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland ..Alexander Fraser Thomson and Henrietta Mclean..as parents..
so she came out after this birth...
JO
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Prairie
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Another child!?! I didn't have a clue about Mary. There is no mention of her in her brother Alexander's obit. I wonder what happened to her? This is such a total surprise.
Well, then they definitely didn't go to the U.S. in 1871 like Henrietta said in the 1900 or 1910 census.
My grandfather always said his father was born in Glasgow and I found that not to be true. So I then started thinking maybe Glasgow was the last place they lived and the children just assumed they were born there.
Alexander had been a policeman and I sent an email to the police archives in Glasgow but no one responded. It would have been nice if they responded to just say they couldn't give me any information.
I am getting quite a geography lesson on Scotland with all these family members suddenly becoming known. I'm a little in shock, too. Just when you think you have a family pretty much figured out another surprise or clue to search.
Amazing.
Prairie
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kenjo
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Hi,
I have been looking at the possible deaths of any Alex* Thom*son between 1877 and 1882...he being born within 5 yrs of 1841...and there are a possible 20..
If he has told the truth about his age then there were about 4 real possibles.
I found 3 weren't yours..
but there is one...maybe. Alexander Thompson
he died 6/4/1878 aged 36yrs....(correct)........Carter...(hummm)....
father William..
He was married......(no name)
usual residence 124 Main St, Gorbals, Glasgow..
He died of TB.....in an infirmary...they were the informant.
Little Mary may have died at birth.
JO
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Prairie
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Yes, this could possibly be him. He was born July 2, 1841 so in June he would still be 36 years old. His father was William.
I was told that the letter said he had died in an infirmary. I took that as just another name for a hospital. But most generally people went to infirmaries when they had TB here. I don't know about Scotland. Wouldn't this be great if this is him? I mean I am truly sorry that he died of TB but that it would be great to have finally found out what happened to him. I was beginning to think that he may have abandoned Henrietta and their children. Now I feel badly thinking this.
There may not have been any mentioning of his wife's name because she was in America and maybe they didn't know it. This Mrs. McCormick would have known since she was the one who supposedly wrote Henrietta and told her that he had died. I wonder if his last known address was her address? He was suppose to have been boarding at her home.
It sounds like the pieces are starting to fall into place.
What was the Carter?
I was thinking that Mary must have died as a child since there hasn't been any reference to her. I believe Henrietta did state in the one census that she was the mother of nine children, eight living so this may account for Mary.
Prairie
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kenjo
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Hi Prairie,
A carter was..working in any capacty with a cart and presumably a horse.
I think it is him too....and you see....the staff at the infirmary would have given the info....as they new it... and at different places...wives names were or weren't given but still things do seem possible that this is him..
One thing you must remember is that there were a lot of other possibles thathad their ages out by a year or more....but the other close possibles weren't yours....
Jo
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Prairie
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thank you for the information. I looked up the place Gorbals
and it appears that it was a tenament area, rundown, and slum-like in the 1800's. I wish I had a way to track down this Mrs. McCormick. It may prove that this is my Alexander if this was her address. I wish I knew what her first name was.
The person that told me about the letter says another family member has the letter. She no longer responds to my emails and I have no idea how to contact the person who has the letter. It might have provided clues, dates or a first name for Mrs. McCormick.
My great grandfather married a second time and it is this second family that has the letter but doesn't seem to want to share any information. I have never met any of them.
Good work, Jo, Thank you again.
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