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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: aodh on Saturday 18 February 17 14:42 GMT (UK)
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Is anyone familiar with this family? Looking to connect with anyone who might be able to confirm my suspicions about John parentage. John was a collier. John was identified as of "Miller Hill" in 1826 when son Richard was born and of "Adamsrow" in 1829 when son John was born.
A search of O.P.R. Marriages birth records from 1770 - 1790 in Midlothian, reveal three births for a John Somerville. A similar search for "John Sommerville" had no returns. The following record for John Somerville, born June 11, 1773, son of THOMAS SOMERVILLE/MARGARET GILCHRIST (FR573) of Newton, Midlothian, GROS: 696/00 0020 0184 is the most likely candidate.
Thomas was schoolmaster in Newton. He was born Nov 23 1743 at Inveresk, Midlothian and married Dec 7 1770 to Margaret Gilchrist (born Dec 28 1749 at Newton, Midlothian) Margaret was the daughter of Rev. David Gilchrist (1721-1770) and Elizabeth Moffet (1729-1751) whose father was Rev. Thomas Moffet.
Thanks for your help.
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Just because there is only one likely candidate in the Registers of Baptisms does not mean that he is the right one. Not everyone's baptism record has survived.
John Sommerville and Janet Penman seem to have had at least five recorded children
James, baptised 7 June 1823 in Newton
Isobel, baptised 8 May 1825 in Newton
Richard, baptised 17 December 1826 in Newton
John Penman, baptised 18 April 1829 in Newton
Martha, baptised 21 December 1830 in Inveresk
The 1841 census lists them in Inveresk: John, 64; Janet, 46; James, 18; Isabella, 16; Richard, 14; Martha, 10; Janet, 5.
Looks as if John and Janet may have died before the 1851 census because there is a household in Cockpen, Midlothian consisting of James Somervill, 27, coal miner; Janet, wife, 28; daughters Elizabeth, 3 and Margaret, 11 months, and sister Martha, 21.
There's no evidence that John Sommerville and Janet Penman had a son Thomas or a daughter Margaret, as you would expect if John's parents were Thomas and Margaret.
If John's age in 1841 is accurate, he would have been born in 1776/1777; the schoolmaster's son would have been 67 on the date of the 1841 census.
How likely is it that the son of a schoolmaster and grandson and great-grandson of ministers would have become a coal miner?
PS Was John actually 'of' Miller Hill and 'of' Adamsrow, or was he 'in' Miller Hill and Adamsrow respectively?
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Thanks Forfarian - I have asked myself the same questions hence that post to see if anyone else could help. Admittedly, I am lax when using "of" as I thought its importance was only concerning the aristocracy and their land holdings. I should have said that John lived at Miller Hill and Adams Row.
As you suggest his four eldest children were baptized in Newton and John and Janet were married there as well, in 1822. Janet was from Duddingston, Midlothian where she was baptized in 1795. I'm thinking there is a good probability that John was from Newton.
Slainte
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Hi there :)
Why do you think that Janet Penman was from Duddingston and born in 1795? Without verification, she could well be this Janet born in Cockpen in 1796 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTP3-25J
I thought the name of father Richard from this entry might fit well with naming pattern for the children you have. Lots of other births/christenings for this couple, mostly in Cockpen.
One of the other daughters for this couple, Catherine, is showing on the 1851 census as living in Newton Grange and married to a collier.
Monica
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You may be correct MonicaL. I was steered that way by a Penman researcher several years ago. I don't have good understanding of the terrain over there to know which communities are near each other. From your comment I'm guessing Duddingston is removed from Newton while Cockpen is closer? Your option with father Richard explains how the name shows up in repeatedly in several generations of the family. We'll probably never know. :-\
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Have you viewed any of the christening entries for the children of John and Janet? Sometimes the sponsors' names on the registers can give clues to possible family.
Monica
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Been trying to find the link to Scottish parishes by county which is well located on www.scotlandsfamily.com Looks like the site is down or worse, gone :-\
Alternative map of parishes in Midlothian to help you get your bearings https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.geni.com/p13/5b/3b/4a/d3/5344483b33403876/parishes_mid_lothian_original.jpg
Monica
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Down
http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/scotlandsfamily.com
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Thanks for the link to the map! That should help me get my bearings (I'm from Nova Scotia, Canada)
I have looked at most of the baptismal records - the daughter Martha is the only one with witnesses listed: James Blythe and Alex Hislop.
The other item of note is that Martha Hislop, wife of John Penman, was a resident of Adamsrow when she died Sep 7 1832.
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The other item of note is that Martha Hislop, wife of John Penman, was a resident of Adamsrow when she died Sep 7 1832.
I'd be very surprised, in that case, if John Penman and Martha Hislop were not the parents of Janet Penman.
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I did find that interesting mapping tool which looks from historic maps right up to present day aerial images which are all georectified.
http://www.scottish-places.info/counties/countymaps12.html
Also found an interesting site on the Adams Family of Adamsrow.
http://www.adams-of-adamsrow.com/
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Ray, thanks for the note on Scotlands Family site. Hopefully will come back up soon.
Monica :)
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Is anyone familiar with this family? Looking to connect with anyone who might be able to confirm my suspicions about John parentage. John was a collier. John was identified as of "Miller Hill" in 1826 when son Richard was born and of "Adamsrow" in 1829 when son John was born.
A search of O.P.R. Marriages birth records from 1770 - 1790 in Midlothian, reveal three births for a John Somerville. A similar search for "John Sommerville" had no returns. The following record for John Somerville, born June 11, 1773, son of THOMAS SOMERVILLE/MARGARET GILCHRIST (FR573) of Newton, Midlothian, GROS: 696/00 0020 0184 is the most likely candidate.
Thomas was schoolmaster in Newton. He was born Nov 23 1743 at Inveresk, Midlothian and married Dec 7 1770 to Margaret Gilchrist (born Dec 28 1749 at Newton, Midlothian) Margaret was the daughter of Rev. David Gilchrist (1721-1770) and Elizabeth Moffet (1729-1751) whose father was Rev. Thomas Moffet.
Thanks for your help.
I am stuck at the same point with a John Somerville.
I am looking at the same family trying to trace the parents of a John Somervillewho married a Janet Christie 08 Aug 1786. In the parish marriage registery John Somerville which William Gilchrist (maybe this is a brother,might help). You may find Somerville, Sommerville and Somervill useful searches. I find many more Johns Somervilles, two in Newton!!!
Please update if you find anthing else.
Happy to share any findings.
Regards,
Neil