DAVIDSON, Jane/Jean and FULLERTON Alexander m. 1837 Old Machar*** Completed

[jennywren001]

Hi Everyone,

DAVIDSON, Jane/Jean and FULLERTON Alexander marry in 1837 Old Machar.  From Jean's death cert in 1891 I took her parents to be Isabella Marr and Alexander Davidson (blacksmith). As I was going to stop at six generations back (I think I can safely say that idea has been abandonned!) I had not followed through on her parents until this week. 

A search at  Familysearch shows a marriage between an Isabel Marr and a George Davidson in 1809 in Ellon. Also showing, two births (actually christenings) for a Jean in 1814 and an Alexander in 1811 both at Tyrie.

I know mistakes are made on death certificates (especially with 'my Davidsons' it appears) and as the informant's father is called Alexander I can see how the mistake might even of happened.  On the 41 census Jane is down as age 30 so a 1814 birth is a bit out but occasionally I've had ages rounded up rather than down. Plus on the 51 she is showing age 35.

What is really bothering me is the fact her place of birth is always given as Old Machar.  To add to my frustration I can find on Freecen a George (blacksmith) and Isabel Davidson on the 41 and him on the 51 living in Old Machar.  On the 51 he is down as born Ellon. So, alive potential parents

On Jane and Alexander's marriage certificate he is listed as living at Grandholm Works and she is down as at Cotton.  I don't know if this is Cotton Street in Aberdeen or a cotton mill? None of Jan and Alexander's children are called George

Feel like I'm missing a bit of the jigsaw here...
Jen

[GR2]

Cotton is nothing to do with cotton. It is a small group of cottages - cottage + town (in the sense of a small group of buildings, as in  ferm-toun = farm-town). It is a very common place-name, usually described further e.g. Cottoun of Balgownie.

[jennywren001]

Thanks GR2,
Familiar with fermtoun but had never heard of cottoun.  Thought I'd better go back and reread about Old Machar in the statistical accounts and check out the old parish map. Grim reading about the poor and not one of the more detailed reports but useful for me.  First thing I see are the list of Ministers for the parish and there in the list is Rev Robert Forbes (he married the couple) - Woodside.  So it looks like they got married at Woodside - this is good as George and Isabel are in Woodside on the 41 census living at Tanfield, Bairnshall Lane (he's still there in 51).  The other thing I learned was the huge grow in the population of Old Machar from under 10K in 1800 to almost 30K in the 1840s.

OK to the old map and plenty of 'Cottons' -  Lodge, Croft, Lower and Houses.  Almost equidistant from each is Tanfield and Barnshall - I take this to be the Bairnshall on the census. So, if Jane is living in one of these 'Cottons' in 1837 she is less than a quarter mile from where George and Isabel are in 1841.

My logic was if Jane thought she was born in Old Macher she must have lived there from a very early age.  I had hoped to place George in Old Machar long before 1841 but can't find him in any directories. He and Isabella have two children with them in 41 - George age 2 and Mary age 12. Unfortunately, can't easily see a birth for Mary...will have another look once I've planted my parsnips at last a day without rain!
Jen

[flst]

Have you looked at the actual baptism record for Jane/Jean? She may have been born in Old Machar but christened at Tyrie. Another thing to check is the baptism records for any of Jane & Alexander's children.Names & addresses of sponsors were often mentioned, and in some instances they are grandfathers
flst

[jennywren001]

Hi Flst,
I've not looked at the baptism record for Jane - this is on my SP list.  New SP strategy, make list of everything I want before buying credits

Also, their son William's baptism is on the list as on one census (and nowhere else so far) it looks like he has the middle initials A.G. Their daughter named Isabella Scorgie Fullerton appears to be named after Alexander's sister-in-law. Since yesterday, now know Alexander's mother was a Milne not a Mill (as on death cert) - easy mistake to make when you say both names out loud.

Thanks
Jen

[jennywren001]

Now have Jane/Jean's birth record from SP but no help there - the two witnesses are an Alexander Baird and Alexander Brown but they mean nothing to me  

Can't find a birth for William but did find one for Jane Fullerton born 1840 - and this one was much more fruitful - witnesses George Davidson and Alexander Fullerton. So I think I can safely say I've got the couple and both sets of grandparents in Old Machar.

Thanks

[flst]

Regarding the names of the witnesses at Jane's baptism - I decided to look for the least common name (Alexander Baird) in freecen. There was one, born around 1783, living in Buchanhaven. He could be a possibility. I then found him in the 1851 census, his place of birth was Tyrie. I then checked Ancestry & found a family tree which gave his wife's (Barbara) maiden name. She was a Davidson, born circa 1796 in Peterhead. Is this a coincidence, or not? Next step is to try & identify who Barbara was
flst

[jennywren001]

Hi Flst,
Since finding the grandparents listed on Jane's certificate (b.1840 ) it's all gone a bit ballistic! With fingers crossed downloaded the birth cert of John -  first born of Alexander Fullerton and Margaret Milne - witnesses George Milne and John Fullerton 
Another name - 'Hervey' appears as a middle name in the youngest three offspring of Alexander and Margaret the older four appear to have no middle names. I need to sit down and get my ducks in a row:)
On freecen - Jane's father George Davidson is still alive on the 51 census age 67 - born Ellon - he's down as 'infirm'. Possible birth for him on Familysearch - but no mother listed.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XB79-8P8

Also, He could be the George Davidson who dies in Old Machar 1857 age 71 mother's name Simpson - but I've run out of credits at SP and not going to feed my bad habit again today!

Question - on the Davidson/Marr marriage certificate the majority of the men on the page have N.P. after their names - I've never come across this before. 

Jen

[Forfarian]

Hi Jen

How does this George Davidson relate to Agnes, daughter of John Davidson and Jean Wyllie as in http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=684025 ?

Could you post a part of the page with NP against the men?