Hi David,
As luck would have it, I am just looking at your bunch right now (I've been working at them for the last day, taking time out only for sleep, because I seem to be having success and don't want to shut down my computer in case I lose some of my internet history) - and thought I would post a lookup request in here....and there you are!
Here's the connection -
Your John (1777) is brother to my Andrew (1778) (Peter's father)
Your James was still in Belston on the 1851 census. He and Margaret had another baby girl shortly after the census, old 'Jock O'Belston' died around the same time, and James with Margaret, the new baby, and the 4 little girls from his previous marriage all went to Canada, settling in Vespra. Before 1839, Andrew's son Peter emigrated to Canada, settling in New Lowell, where he became, amongst other things, the town postmaster. Your James built a mill for him - and you have probably heard the story, tried to screw him on the price. James didn't understand Cdn currency, but Margaret did. He went back to Peter, with his "Irish" up, got his money, and was SO mad, changed his name to PATTON, so no one would know he was related to Peter. Sorry about that. LOL.
Now, I am going to go out on a limb here....
Based on Scottish naming traditions of the time, I am going to guess that John and Andrew's father was either James (most likely) or William, and that their mother was Janet.
By the time you reply to this, I hope to have it sussed out.
I have been creeping through the dark corners of the IGI's and will shortly be posting a list of the Auchtergaven Patons births amd marriages. There are huge gaps in the births and marriages and no deaths. The LDS site is hard to navigate right now. They are switching formats and seem to have shut some parts down before the new one has caught up. So I can't tell if the gap is the fault of LDS or if there is actually missing info. I found out this morning that the Auchtergaven parish church wasan't built until 1813, so I have hope that there are more records somewhere.
BTW - We are related to the Johnstons (Minesing, I think). I know you have come across them on the genforum board. You are closer to them than I, as James who came to Canada is your common ancestor.
I am in BC, where it is finally summer.
potentially useful piece of info - on the 1841 census John and James were not in Belston, and I can't find them. That's the lookup request I am going to post. I know this because I found Belston, conveniently misspelled as Bellstown. Some other James Paton (age 57) was there with some family I don't yet recognize.
What else would you like to know? I might be able to help.
Cheers!
Holly
