I have been researching my greatx2 grandfather, James McGregor (McGrigor)... my brickwall(s) are that I have been unsuccessful in finding his birth and his mother's name. Also as James seems to have been an "organised" man (he trains at least 4 apprentices) I had assumed he would have a headstone in a cemetery, but can't find that either.
His death details only show his father as John McGregor, Blacksmith (Master) (deceased) ... no mention of his mother.
All of my research has been through SP (I live in Australia)
... any help, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated
His details are as follows ...
1841 Census shows
Jas McGrigor aged 35, Occ: Tailor, Parish: Gartly
Jane McGrigor aged 25,
Alex McGrigor aged 8,
John McGrigor aged 6,
Jas McGrigor aged 5,
Jane McGrigor aged 3,
William McGrigor aged 5 months
1851 Census shows
James McGrigor aged 47, married, Master Tailor employs 2 men, at Drumbulg, Gartly
Jane McGrigor aged 40, married, wife
Alexander McGrigor aged 18, unmarried, son, Tailor (apprentice)
Jane McGrigor aged 13, unmarried, daughter, employed at home
William McGrigor aged 10, son, scholar
George McGrigor aged 7, son, scholar
Francis McGrigor aged 4, son
Summary
As John and James McGrigor, (they would be aged 16 and 15) are not showing on the census I assume they are either deceased or working away from home
1861 Census shows
James McGregor aged 58, widower, Master Tailor employs 2 men, at Drumbulg, Gartly and was born in Glass
Jane McGregor aged 25, unmarried, daughter
William McGregor aged 20, unmarried, son, Tailor (Journeyman)
Peter McGregor aged 11, son, scholar
Ann McGregor aged 8, daughter, scholar
Elizabeth Clyne aged 39, unmarried, domestic servant, born in Glass
John Smith aged 14, servant, Tailor (apprentice), born in Huntly
Jane Robertson aged 84, mother-in-law, widow, born in Insch
Summary
So, Jane (the mother) has died sometime between 1853 (Ann’s birth) and 1858 (she is shown as deceased on George’s death record). George McGregor died on the 3rd May 1858 aged 14 years. Francis McGregor is away from home working on the “Cantloch” property (148 acres) of George Henderson at Auchindoir. Francis McGregor is 14 years old. However, Jane Robertson needed to be researched as the mother-in-laws surname should have been Adam. A search on SP revealed that her maiden surname was Robertson and that she was the widow of Alexander Adam and that her parents were George and Ann Robertson (m.s. of Ann Robertson was McDonald). Jane Robertson died on the 11th November 1864. Note – on Jane Robertson’s ‘death certificate’ James McGregor signs his surname as McGrigor (there is a very definite dot above the i in McGrigor)
1871 Census shows
James McGregor aged 67, widower, Master Tailor employs 2 men, and farms 9 acres arable, at Drumbulg, Gartly and was born in Glass
Alexander McGregor aged 14, Grandson, Tailor (apprentice), born in Banff
Ann Proctor aged 19, unmarried, domestic servant, born in Marnoch
Duncan Grant aged 18, unmarried, Tailor (Journeyman)
1881 Census shows
James McGregor aged 78, widower, Master Tailor, farms 8.5 acres arable, at Drumbulg Farmhouse, Gartly, and was born in Glass
Ann Proctor aged 29, unmarried, domestic servant, born in Marnoch
1891 Census shows
James McGregor aged 89, widower, Crofter, at Drumbulg Farmhouse, Gartly, and was born in Glass
Ann Proctor aged 38, unmarried, domestic servant, born in Marnoch
he dies on 24 Jan 1892