Cruickshank and Masson - 2 mysteries

[Forfarian]

Ah, thank you, flst. I thought the duplicate thread rang a bell somewhere. Nice to have it all pulled together.

[lakeview]

Found this on 1871 census:

MASSON, Ellen   Daughter      F   11   1870    Scholar born Findhorn, Morayshire, living in Kinloss, Moray, father Alexander, fisherman and mother, Isabella.  Still with them in 1891 census.

1881 Census:  MASSON, Ellen   Daughter      F   7   1874    Scholar
born Fetteresso, Kincardineshire, living with Mother Isabella, widow in Fetteresso

Also:  in Aberdeen St. Nicholas - MASSON, Helen   Daughter   Unmarried   F   7   1874    Scholar
born Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, living with mother Ann, widow, mangle worker.

Also found a Helen Masson emigrating to Montreal Canada in 1911 with a Stewart Masson, who was not her husband (?her brother) on the Hesperian. 

Don't know if that is any help, or simply a wild goose chase.  Good Luck!\

Jean

[Countryquine]

Found this on 1871 census:

MASSON, Ellen   Daughter      F   11   1870    Scholar born Findhorn, Morayshire, living in Kinloss, Moray, father Alexander, fisherman and mother, Isabella.  Still with them in 1891 census.

1881 Census:  MASSON, Ellen   Daughter      F   7   1874    Scholar
born Fetteresso, Kincardineshire, living with Mother Isabella, widow in Fetteresso

Also:  in Aberdeen St. Nicholas - MASSON, Helen   Daughter   Unmarried   F   7   1874    Scholar
born Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, living with mother Ann, widow, mangle worker.

Also found a Helen Masson emigrating to Montreal Canada in 1911 with a Stewart Masson, who was not her husband (?her brother) on the Hesperian. 

Don't know if that is any help, or simply a wild goose chase.  Good Luck!\

Hi - thanks for this extra info.   I had always thought I had found my Helen in the 1881 census, but these are different details - so perhaps I have gone off on the wrong trail.   I will have to revisit, as this might well be my Helen.   Do you have any other details on the Helen Masson going off on the Hesperian?   

Thanks again

[vabbott]

I have hit a brickwall in my family history research and wondered if by chance anyone out there had any suggestions, or even any information.

Looking for info on my great, great Grandfather, said to be Alexander Cruickshank, farm labourer.   My great grandfather (Adam Cruickshank) was born to Barbara Shearer in Forgue in 1855.  No mention is made of the father on the birth certificate, but later my greatgrandfather, who was registered as Adam Shearer, was listed on the Census of 1861 with the name Cruickshank, and he also gives Alexander Cruickshank, farm servant, deceased as the name of his father for his marriage certificate.  Given that he was born in 1855, and we believe his father to have been killed in a farm accident, I would have hoped to have been able to track down the death certificate of his father.   I have searched in various places for clues - graveyard m.i.s, civil registration, contacted National Archives to ask about Kirk Session records etc but nothing I can pin down.

There is then a mystery in the next generation.  My great grandfather married Helen Masson in Aberdeen in 1895, and I have tracked down their marriage certificate.   My grandfather was born in 1895 a few months later.   The family story goes that my great grandmother ran off and left my grandfather as a baby, and she died some time later.   My great grandfather refused to go to her funeral.   I am surmising that she died in Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire but so far have not found her death registration, despite searching for every version of her name, both married and single, that I can think of.

So, if anyone has any information on Cruickshanks in Forgue/surrounding area around 1850-60, or Massons (Helen's father was a seaman) in Aberdeen around 1890/1915, I would be interested to hear, also if anyone has any further suggestions for research.

Hi there
Hoping to add a bit more mystery to your family.  My gg grandfather was William Mackie born in Forgue in 1765. He married Jean Cruickshank born Gartly 1770 Could she be part of your family?
Ronnie

[lakeview]

Found a family tree on FamilySearch with regards to Helen.  This is the link:

https://familysearch.org/search/tree/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Aalexander~%20%2Bsurname%3Amasson~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3Ajames~%20%2Bfather_surname%3Amasson~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3Amargaret~%20%2Bmother_surname%3Acable~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3Aann~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3Awilliamson~&collection_id=(2%203)

She is the sixth child, but no Stewart in the bunch.  I also found an entry for a Helen W Masson giving birth in Canada in 1904, a son Frederick Palmer Ide whose father was Wm Ide, but I can't find them on the 1906 Canadian census so they may have emigrated to the US or elsewhere.  Not sure if it is the same Helen however, but the middle initial and timeframe would work. 

[vabbott]

Hi its me again ,  Should have added that my family had moved to Culsalmond in Insch which as the crow flies is not far from Forgue and I have the Kirkyard booklet which shows dozens of Cruickshanks (though no Adam) There is a Reverend WilliaMasson and a William George Masson who seems to have died in s. Africa in 1918 and a Elizabeth Shearer d 1849 aged 42
Any help?
Ronnie

[Countryquine]

Thanks VAbbott and Lakeview for new postings.   Not sure about Forgue/Culsalmond new info - but you never know where a link might appear - there are certainly a great many Cruickshanks and Shearers in the area, and they are a bit difficult to sort out!   Canada link sounds interesting so will investigate this one.

Many thanks again for taking the time to assist.   

[Forfarian]

There is a Reverend WilliaMasson

What information do you have about this Reverend William Masson?

I have a Reverend William Masson with a Cruickshank connection. He was born in Rothes on 2 August 1831, son of John Masson and Elspet Sutor. Elspet's mother was Isabella Cruickshank, daughter of Robert Cruickshank and (I think) Janet Rainnie.

William Masson was educated at St Andrews University. He was tutor to the Skinner family at Drumin, then schoolmaster at Birnie. He then went to Ontario where he was minister of St John's, Hamilton and later Russeltown Flats and St Andrew's, Galt. On his return to Scotland and became minister of Duffus. He died in Aberdeen in 1909.

His wife was Anne Cruden Anderson (1830-1908), daughter of James Anderson and Anne Clark. They had one daughter, Edith Anne Masson (1861-1946) who died unmarried in Aberdeen. They are buried in Allenvale Cemetery in Aberdeen.

[vabbott]

There is a Reverend WilliaMasson

What information do you have about this Reverend William Masson?

I have a Reverend William Masson with a Cruickshank connection. He was born in Rothes on 2 August 1831, son of John Masson and Elspet Sutor. Elspet's mother was Isabella Cruickshank, daughter of Robert Cruickshank and (I think) Janet Rainnie.

William Masson was educated at St Andrews University. He was tutor to the Skinner family at Drumin, then schoolmaster at Birnie. He then went to Ontario where he was minister of St John's, Hamilton and later Russeltown Flats and St Andrew's, Galt. On his return to Scotland and became minister of Duffus. He died in Aberdeen in 1909.

His wife was Anne Cruden Anderson (1830-1908), daughter of James Anderson and Anne Clark. They had one daughter, Edith Anne Masson (1861-1946) who died unmarried in Aberdeen. They are buried in Allenvale Cemetery in Aberdeen.

Good morning,
Only info I have is from the Kirkland records for Culsalmond which says that grave 47 is in remembrance  of Eliza Jane Yeats wife of William Masson minister of Culsalmond she died 9th may 1911 aged 65. Rev William Masson died Aberdeen 20th December 1923 aged 87 Their youngest daughter Ethel Margaret wife of Reverend Robert Locke minister of Aberdalgie Perth died 26th Feb 1920 aged 39 (R.H.S) then it gets confusing Also includes Duncan John Mearns d Lahore India 3rd sept 1890 aged 21 ans is buried there Evan Malcolm Ross d Aberdeen 1 Sept 1892 aged 17 2nd and 3rd sons of Reverend William Masson. (L.H.S) In loving memory of his eldest son William Macdonald d Lahore 19Mariane Isobel d 23rd August 1947 aged 7509 aged 40 and his daughter

Plot 102  says Erected by Agnes Wilson in loving memory of and lists her family members but then goes on to say Above Agnes Wilson d Johannesburg 20th January 1921 aged 71 Their Son William George Masson d South Africa 11th October 1918 Their daughter Agnes wife of John Mitchell  Aberdeen died 17th June 1941 aged 79 Agnes Isobel D of Agnes and John di 19th July 1945
FYI the graves either side Plot 101 and 103 are both Anderson plots
Hope this is some connection to your Reverend
Ronnie