Robertson, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, 1830's on

[Boomeranger]

Can anyone cast any light on what appears to be a few anomalies within my “records” of my Robertson family in Blairgowrie, circa 1830’s-1890’s.

Alexander Robertson (b. 30 Oct. 1813, son of Robert Robertson, 1783-1850) married Jane Thomson (b. 24 Dec. 1812) in Blairgowrie on 28 May 1837.

Their ten children, all born in Blairgowrie are:

Elizabeth b. 1838 (d. 1923)
Robert b. 5 May 1840 (d. 1914)
David Alexander Thomson b. 12 Feb. 1842 (d. 1844)
John Thomas b. 1844 (d. ?)
Unnamed girl b. 13 Feb. 1846 (d. 22 Feb. 1846)
Margaret b. 5 Sept. 1847 (d. 1937)
*William b. 5 May 1849 (d. 1865)
*Alexander b. 11 June 1849 (d. 1900)
Jane b. 1851(d. 1891)
Henry Isaac b. 27 Feb. 1855 (d. 1866)

Obviously there’s an error with the dates for William and Alexander?

I visited the cemetery at Hill St Church (closed) in Blairgowrie last September, and the Memorial stone there reads as follows below. I am guessing it was erected by a family member after 1891, possibly by son Robert, who was a Town Clerk and of some note, apparently? Daughter Jane’s death may have been added after the stone was finished, as to me it reads a bit out of sequence, but maybe that was a convention at the time, I don’t know.

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF
JANE THOMPSON WIFE OF
ALEXANDER ROBERTSON
WRITER IN BLAIRGOWRIE
BORN AT LINTRATHEN 24 DECEMBER 1812
DIED AT EDINBURGH 22 MARCH 1884
AND ALSO OF THEIR CHILDREN
DAVID ALEXANDER THOMSON,
BORN 12 FEBRUARY 1842, DIED 29 JANUARY 1844
THEIR SECOND DAUGHTER
BORN 13 FEBRUARY 1846 AND DIED 22. FEBRUARY 1846
HENRY ISAAC, BORN 27. FEBRUARY 1855
DIED 2. JANUARY 1866
----------------------
ALEXANDER ROBERTSON,
DIED AT EDINBURGH, ON 12TH NOVEMBER 1889
AGED 76 YEARS.
------------------------
JANE
YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, DIED AT EDINBURGH
17TH APRIL 1891, AGED 40 YEARS.

The website for A & R Robertson & Black, the law firm established by Robert’s father and grandfather refers to him as the ‘third born son’, but if my dates are correct, he’s the first born.
Can anyone explain this please? And also, any suggestions how I can find the parents of the 'patriarch', Robert Robertson 1783-1850?

[andycand]

Hi

Alexander and William look to be twins, according to Familysearch.org both were born 5th May 1849 and christened 11th June 1849. A check of the OPR should confirm this

Andy

[Boomeranger]

Thanks for that Andy, I will pursue it further, I hadn't considered one date for birth and later one for Christening. Makes sense!

[ecksdochter]

Hello Boomeranger,
     Headstone would have been erected by Alexander Robertson in memory of his wife Jane Thompson when she died 1884. Names of children who pre-deceased her would have been added at that time.
     Family would have had Alexander's name added to headstone when he died 1889.
     Again, family would have had Janes's name added when she died 1891.
               Regards,     Dod.

[Boomeranger]

Thanks for that. I presume if it's a 'Memorial' stone for all those mentioned on it, then none of them are actually buried there? Is/was that a custom at the time? Is it possible there are other grave sites in other cemeteries for some of them? Is there a central record that I can source that would tell where they might be buried. I assume the ones who had moved to and died in Edinburgh may be somewhere in that city. Thanks anyway.

[flst]

Usually people assume the opposite! Just because a name is mentioned in a MI (memorial inscription), does not mean they're definately buried there (though they probably are).The lair would've been purchased for the family & can contain several bodies. It is the Scottish custom to have an inscription on a headstone. However, if the family were not well off they may not have been able to afford a headstone. The poor of the parish would have been buried in a common area without a marker. I do not know who holds the burial records for that particular cemetery. The local authority may have them.
flst

[Boomeranger]

Thanks for the response flst
I notice you have a variety of names under your posting, I assume they are various branches you are following? The 'patriarch' I mentioned, Robert Robertson, married Elizabeth Anderson (1787-18 Jan 1821) on 27th Nov. 1808 in Blairgowrie. Maybe a link there? I have tentatively put in her parents as James Anderson and J Chapman, but I can't remember which site I got that info from, so it may be dubious and just a guess on my part. Cheers!

[flst]

Sorry, no connection with your Anderson. It's a very common surname   Most of the families I'm researching are from East Aberdeenshire. Please do not assume parentage of your ancestor.It pays to check the original source of information rather than getting it secondhand.
flst

[Boomeranger]

Thanks for the well-deserved reprimand, I fully understand 'guesswork' on the part of an amateur must really set your teeth on edge! But, I don't know where to look for missing info. I'm in Australia, so primary documents, if such things exist will be in Bonnie Scotland, and as you say, Anderson and Robertson are very very common surnames, and all of my forebears seem to have had a lack of imagination for the first 3 or 4 sons, giving them the same names generation after generation. Patriarch Robert had a son Robert who had a son Robert who also had a son Robert. Several of the first set of brothers all named their sons after their father and then their brothers, and on and on it goes, as I am sure you know very well. Thanks anyway for your advice and efforts..