Kerr/Paterson of Ayrshire to Australia

[loobylooayr]

Thanks Monica 
What does your expert eye make of this info?
Jill is asking how to confirm and I'm not sure how to direct her. Looking at the original OPR marriage entry on Scotland's People might help...then again it might disclose nothing. Same goes for the birth entry for baby Archibald??
I'm reasonably sure the Paterson family in Glasgow are Jane Paterson's parent's James Paterson and Margaret Murdoch with some of Jane's siblings and it certainly looks like Jane/Jean is in service in Rhu. But how does Jill confirm these are the same folk that head to Australia. I don't think she can be 100% sure.....
Looby

[MonicaL]

Not sure about the expert bit  more obsessive 

I don't think there is anything that can give 100% certainty really is there. With all these events as know before the start of official registration (from 1855), we can only make best guesses.

I think though with the great details from the death certs in Australia for John and Jean, with the exception of the name for John Kerr's father, everything mentioned here (specially with your finds Looby) certainly point to the families being discussed.

As you suggest Looby, Jill, maybe looking at some of the Old Parish Register entries might (or not, sadly) throw up some further clues. OPR entries, if you are lucky to find them, very often are no more that one lines on the registers with little info of value. However, just occasionally, you can find something that help with links.

Monica

[loobylooayr]

Not sure about the expert bit  more obsessive 

It's a common complaint

[loobylooayr]

Hi Jill,

I've reread the info posted so far and have spotted a discrepancy. Charles Kerr (brother of John) looks to have ages 20 years between 1841-51. It looks like maybe the 1851 is mistranscribed and he should have been 18 as his birth is recorded as 1833- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYM1-G4W
Charles and Robert Kerr are twins  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYM1-Z5J
The family also had a sister called Grace https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYM1-N5J but I've not been able to find her on 1841 census, maybe she had died
Grace Cumming on the 1841 looks as if she was indeed a grandchild of Archibald and Agnes - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY9W-5D6.  Mary Kerr was the oldest daughter of the couple.

I would reckon with the forenames and middle names used by the family in Australia, this family and the family of Paterson's who came from Ochiltree ( not far from Cumnock ) are the best candidates for your couple John and Jane Kerr's families. I know you have box maker as the occupation of Jane's father James and on the 1851 Census he's a hand loom weaver but it's very possible he had been a box maker. The area of Mauchline/Cumnock was well known for making boxes at this period, as you may already know. Just in case you don't here's a link to Mauchline Ware - http://www.mauchlinevillage.co.uk/ware.html.
James Paterson could have been one of many employed in this occupation but perhaps moved his family to Glasgow and changed jobs to try and better himself and his family's prospects .
I still can't find the Paterson Family on 1841 Census apart from Barbara and Andrew who as you know from your other thread are with their grandparents in Ochiltree.

Lastly Charles Kerr born 1833, John's brother may have emigrated too. To the USA. There is a Charles Karr resident in New Jersey, born 1833 Scotland with a wife and two children on the 1970 US Census. He's also on the 1880 as Charles Kerr  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MN8C-J14
with the occupation of Carpenter and a first born son Robert (after his twin??) . Of course it could be another Charles Kerr.....

Looby

[Boab3]

I don't have any info re the Kerr's but I can pass on some re the Patersons.

1841 Census - Cowgate, Mauchline
Jas Paterson b1790 Scotland - silk HLW
Janet Paterson (this is an error - should be Margaret) b 1796 Ayrshire
Andrew b1831 Ayrshire
Isabella b1833 Ayrshire
Catherin b1835 Ayrshire
Margaret b1837 Ayrshire
Sarah b1840 Ayrshire
Margaret b1829 Ayrshire

They then moved to Calton Glasgow 1851 and 1861 Censuses.

James had various occupations - mill employee, box maker and then HLW.

Margaret (Jane's mother) was the daughter of Andrew Murdoch mason b abt 1762 d2/11/1841 Ochiltree Mill and Elizabeth Baird b abt 1761. They were married 5/6/1784. Margaret Murdoch (Paterson) was born 17/12/1795 Ochiltree and died 22/11/1858 of peritonitis at 23 Stevenson Street, Glasgow Calton.

Hope this helps a little bit. 

Boab3