RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: stuartroxy on Saturday 16 October 10 21:41 BST (UK)
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Adam Shirran was born in 1853 in the north east of Scotland; the son of Alexander Shirran and Jessie Tawse. He appears to disappear.
My cousin has details of an Adam Shirran, son of Alexander Shirran and Jessie Tasse (sic), married a Donnie Pruitt in Hamilton, Ohio in 1902.
There is evidence of an Adam Shirran on the New York passenger lists. Is there anyone able to confirm whether or not that Adam might be 'mine'?
Thanks in advance
stuartroxy
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An Adam Shirran also appears in the 1890 -91 Cincinnati Directory.
This would appear to make sense - or for 2 + 2 + 38!
stuartroxy
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New York Passenger List
Adam Shirran. Born about 1853 Scotland. Aged 19 years. Occupation Baker
Port of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland to New York
Ship Name: India.
Arrival Date: 24 Jun 1872
Also travelling Alex Shirran Aged 30 years Baker and Jno Shirran 26 years Weaver.
Adam C Shirran - 1900 Cincinnati Ward 16, Hamilton, Ohio was born February 1857 Scotland
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This would be the marriage your cousin refers to
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0a3c/
Regards
Sandra
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1900 Census Cincinnati Ward 16, Hamilton, Ohio
Martha G Donnelly 65
Ida Donnelly 43
Grace Donnelly 33
Adam C Scherran 43 Feb 1857 Scotland. Immigrated 1870 Single. Boarder. NA Occupation Carpenter.
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This would be the marriage your cousin refers to
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0a3c/
Regards
Sandra
Yes. If it's him it means he was lying about his age - perhaps he didn't want to admit to his bride, or her parents, how much older than her he was - but I'm pretty sure it's him. He claimed to have been born in Scotland in 1861 but there's no Adam Shirran (or variant spelling) showing as born in Scotland at that time, and no Jessie Tasse at all ever. So I think this has to be the Adam Shirran who was born in 1852 or 1853.
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Actually, thinking about it, he might not have been lying. He came from farming stock near Turriff and will certainly have spoken Doric - a semi-detached language related to English and to Lowland Scots about as closely as Dutch to German, in which, for example, the "wh" sound becomes "f" and "How are you?" becomes "Fit like?" Even after years in the US, he probably had an accent so impenetrable that the registrar was just guessing at what he'd said.
Thank you for finding this - especially the ship recordf which proved that Adam Shirran born c. 1853 did go to the US.
Btw, what would Jno be? John, Jonathan, Junior?
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Jno is usually an abbreviation for John.
The 1880 census has a John Sheirain (image looks more like Shirrain) in Cincinnati who looks to be the right age for the Jno Shirran on the passenger list. Did your guy have brothers or cousins named John & Alex?
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I haven't managed to sort them all out yet - it's a sprawling family and I haven't been able to afford to track them all. Adam was my great grandfather's brother and he was the oldest child in his family, so there were no older brothers, but his father was Alexander and his grandfather was John and they are recurring names in the family, so it's virtually certain he will have had cousins called Alex(ander) and John, yes.
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Adam appears to be in Cincinnati in 1880 also. The Family Search Labs site has his surname transcribed as Shinan, but it looks like Shirran on the image.
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What does it give for his age in 1880?
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He was listed as age 25. You can see the transcription here: http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=home
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OK, I see it. It seems it must be the same guy but he got progressively younger. From 1853 until 1872 he was born in 1853. In 1880 he was born in 1855. In 1900 he was born in 1857 and in 1902 he was born in 1861!