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Topics - ruthhelen

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2
Ireland / Christopher GINN b. abt 1805, Ireland
« on: Tuesday 27 December 16 12:23 GMT (UK)  »
Decided it's time to revisit one of my brick walls  ;D Looking for some help in tracking down my 3x great grandfather, Christopher Ginn.

His daughter, Sophia Ginn is my 2x great grandmother, and while I’ve managed to piece together most of the story of her life after she married my 2x great grandfather, John Muir, her previous life and family are proving somewhat elusive.

She was born between about 1830 and 1833 in America (variously recorded on censuses as New York or Philadelphia) to Christopher Ginn, dyer, b. abt 1805, Ireland. Christopher died in 1859 in Glasgow Poorhouse, aged 56 (no parents noted on the death register). Sophia's mother is unknown, but may be Isabella Paul.

Christopher and Isabella Gynn (sic) have two children baptised in Manchester - Margaret, on 10 Aug 1835 and James Paul, on 5 Feb 1837 (d. 17 May 1837). Isabella Gynn died 2 Feb 1837 in Manchester.

Christopher, Margaret and Sophia appear in the 1841 census in Manchester - Christopher is recorded as being born in Ireland, Margaret in England, Sophia in ‘Foreign Parts'.

Sophia Ginn marries John Muir on 12 Nov 1848, Gorbals, Glasgow. They have eight children between 1849 and 1869 - one of her daughters is named Lilias Paul Muir. Sophia died on 20 May 1886 in Glasgow - only her father’s name appears on her death certificate.

Christopher Ginn is named as a witness to the baptism of Sophia and John Muir’s first son, John, in Glasgow in 1849. Christopher and his remaining daughter, Margaret, appear in the 1851 census in King Street, Glasgow. There’s a possible marriage for Margaret to Thomas Hughes in Glasgow on 21 Sep 1851, but no trace of them afterwards.

So, I have no idea which part of Ireland Christopher was from, when (or if) he married Isabella, when he went to America, or when he came back. I’ve tried in vain to find travel records for Christopher and Sophia between about 1830 and 1835, when they must have travelled back to the UK.

Any pointers on where to start in Ireland greatly appreciated  :)

Ruth

3
Essex / The curious case of Rupert Graham - b. abt. 1834, Chelmsford
« on: Wednesday 04 May 16 16:10 BST (UK)  »
I wonder if anyone else has come across this family, or can shed any light on what happened to them? The only concrete evidence I have of them all together comes from the 1891 census in Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, as follows:

Rupert Graham, head, married, 57, printer & publisher, Essex, Chelmsford
Emma Graham, wife, married, 33, Essex, Cold Norton
Cicely/Cecily Graham, daughter, 10, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Cuthbert Graham, son, 8, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Hilda M Graham, daughter, 5, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Harold V Graham, son, 4, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Leo Graham, son, 3, Middlesex, Sunbury
Percy L Graham, son, 3, Middlesex, Sunbury
Louis Graham, son, 1, Middlesex, Sunbury

With such distinctive names for the children, you’d think it would be relatively easy to track them down, but it seems not  ::)

I have found birth records for the three youngest boys, born in Middlesex - Percy Leo S Graham and Leo Vincent S Graham were twins, Leo died in 1892, aged 3, the death was registered in Tendring, Essex. The youngest son, Louis Wilfred S Graham, surfaces again in Tendring in 1907, where he marries Violet Castleton Johnson. He died in Chelmsford in 1958.

I believe Emma Graham could be Emma Devenish, born in April 1858 to Thomas Devenish and Lydia Sach, but I can find no trace of a marriage between her and Rupert Graham, nor can I find her after 1891 (or in 1881 either, when she is presumably already married).

And that is pretty much the sum of what I have  ;D No trace at all of the other children, nor of father Rupert Graham, either before or after 1891. The only other possibility is the death of a Rupert Graham of the right age in Cambridge in 1899.

The only other piece of information I’ve managed to glean about the elusive Rupert Graham is from random newspaper adverts across the regional press in the late 1880s, where he is advertising various publications for sale - the address is given as Holloway House, Sunbury, Middlesex - the address he appears at in the 1891 census. As a slightly curious twist, he’s also quoted as a testimonial in an advert for some ‘cure’ for rheumatism, where he signs as Rupert Graham, Graham & Son Publishers - same address as before…  ???

Google has so far failed to provide any further information about Rupert and his publishing empire - Holloway House doesn’t appear to exist any longer, although the pub next door in the 1891 census - The Britannia - is still in French Street, Sunbury, now called The Jockey…  :D

I fear I may be forced to get the 1899 death cert for the Rupert Graham who died in Cambridge in 1899, if only to rule him in or out...

Ruth

4
Aberdeenshire / Methlick MIs: Black/Simpson
« on: Saturday 05 December 15 14:59 GMT (UK)  »
I wonder if someone could confirm the details on the following stone in Methlick kirkyard for me:

Stone 161: Jean Simpson - 9 Jan 1834, Alexander Black - Mar 1925, Jean Black, Margaret Black, Isabel Black.

I'm particularly interested in whether the Mar 1925 date is correct for Alexander Black - and if there are any ages - I have an Alexander Black who married a Jean/Jane Simpson in Methlick in 1788, so an 1825 death date for him would make more sense. The three girls also match three of my Alexander Black's daughters.

These Blacks are proving somewhat elusive...  :o

Ruth

5
Renfrewshire / Waddell/Orr b. circa 1785, Paisley
« on: Thursday 24 September 15 16:58 BST (UK)  »
I've reached a dead end with this line of my family, so wondering if any RootsChatters can shed any light.

William Waddell and Agnes Orr are my 3x great grandparents. They were both born in Paisley (according to the 1851 census) and married on 28 Sept 1806 in Glasgow (Barony). William was a hand loom weaver.

I have two possible OPRs for Agnes in Paisley: the first, 1 Mar 1787, to Robert Orr and Ann Parkhill; and the second, 19 Sep 1788, to John Orr and Agnes Anderson. Wondering if anyone has come across these two families, so I can rule one (or both!) of them out?
 
Can’t find any William Waddells baptised in Renfrewshire at all for the decade 1780-1790, although there are several suitable Waddell families with children baptised in Paisley around the right time. My hunch is favouring John Waddell and Janet Dick, who have five children baptised between 1781 and 1790 - with a convenient gap between 1784 and 1788 - but it’s really only wishful thinking  ::)

Some additional background on the family:

They had seven children born between 1808 and 1829 that I've found so far: John (abt. 1808); daughter (initial M) (abt. 1819); William - my 2x great grandfather, a blacksmith (abt. 1821); Marion (abt. 1823); Robert (1825); Alexander (1827); and James (1829). I suspect there are others in the gap between 1808 and 1819, but I haven't found them yet. All the children were born in Glasgow - I have baptism records for the last three boys, and the witnesses are either John, Robert or Alexander Waddell - presumably brothers/cousins of William.

The family is in Drygate Street, Glasgow in 1841 and 1851, and Agnes appears as a lodger in an unrelated household in 1861, along with (possibly) a grandchild, William Waddell. Agnes Waddell died in Glasgow City Poorhouse on 26 May 1863, aged 78, a widow - no parents names given, only the surname Orr. William Waddell must have died before 1855, as I can't find an SRI for him.

Not sure where to go next - any pointers, as ever, gratefully received  ;D

Ruth

6
Aberdeenshire / John William McCarter/McArthur - soldier at Fort George, 1785
« on: Saturday 11 April 15 15:27 BST (UK)  »
Hi all

I'm back to trying to tie up some loose ends on the McArthur side of my family  :)

Most of my McArthurs hail from Old Deer and New Deer, but I've come across a line from Fraserburgh and am trying to work out if they may be related to my McArthurs:

John William McCarter/McArthur (soldier at Fort George) married Margaret Kelman (from Fingask) on 13 Jan 1785 in Fraserburgh. They had one son that I know of:

John McArthur, born abt 1785, Fraserburgh; died 26 Dec 1859, Fraserburgh. He married Elizabeth Adie (b. 26 May 1785, Fraserburgh; d. between 1851 and 1859). They appear in the 1841 and 1851 censuses in Fraserburgh, firstly in Phingask Milltown, and then at Goose Well. John is a weaver. They had four children that I know of:
  • John McArthur, born abt 1816, Fraserburgh; m. Anne Leslie, 12 June 1842, Lonmay. They had one son that I'm aware of, John McArthur, baptised 30 Jul 1843, Rathen. John senior appears as a labourer in Fraserburgh in the 1841 census, although he is identified as a blacksmith on his son's death record. I have nothing for John or Anne after 1843, but John junior married Elspet Rennie abt 1880. They lived in Longside and had six children that I know of. John junior died in 1927.
  • Isabel McArthur, born abt 1821, Fraserburgh; m. John Christie (b. abt 1817, New Deer, to John Christie and Margaret Fowlie) on 29 Nov 1846, Fraserburgh. They had four children before Isabel died on 7 Oct 1855.
  • James McArthur, born abt 1826, Fraserburgh; nothing more for James, except that he registered his father's death in 1859.
  • Alexander McArthur, born abt 1831, Fraserburgh; again, nothing for him, other than he appears with his parents in the 1841 census, aged 10.
I guess I'm most interested in working out where John William McCarter/McArthur was from and whether he could be related to my McArthurs. I expect it's too much to hope that any records of the regiments that were stationed at Fort George at that time still exist (assuming there were any in the first place...)?

Ruth

7
Aberdeenshire / MIs Fetterangus - Mitchel
« on: Sunday 22 February 15 12:21 GMT (UK)  »
I wonder if someone would be able to look up the inscription for stone 264 in the kirkyard at Fetterangus for me? It appears to be a number of generations of a family of Mitchel(l)s headed up by one William Mitchel and his wife, Mary Bruce. I think I've worked out the relationships between some of the later Mitchels, but I'm interested in where Mary Lawrance fits in.

My 4x great grandfather, John Mitchel(l), married a Mary Lawrance/Lawrence/Lowrence/Laurence, and I'm trying to work out whether this may be them - although the dates don't quite square with what I think I already know about them... There are a lot of Mitchells around Old Deer, so it's possible that this may be a different branch...

Many thanks.

Ruth

8
Aberdeenshire / Ann Slessor - more Old Deer Slessors...
« on: Sunday 01 February 15 21:43 GMT (UK)  »
Since this Slessor thread popped back to the top the other day, I've been trying in vain to see if I can get my 4x g grandmother, Ann Slessor, to fit into the bewildering array of Slessors around Old Deer. Here's what I have so far - if anyone can shed any light, it would be gratefully received:

Ann Slessor (variously, Ann Slessor, Anne Slacer, Anne Slassir) married John McArthur (baptised 25 Sep 1768, New Deer, the son of John McArthur of Tukshill(?) and Jean Anderson) on 22 Jun 1797, Old Deer. They lived at Guilkhorn(?) and had two sons that I'm aware of:

1. George McArthur (baptised: 9 Jun 1802, New Deer), farmer at Keppleston, New Deer, married Christian Knox (b. abt 1807 New Deer, to James Knox and Janet Ronald; d. 13 Nov 1880, New Deer), 27 Mar 1827, New Deer; died 14 Oct 1870, New Deer. They had five children.

2. Robert McArthur (b. 24 Jun 1806, New Deer), tailor at Little Annochie, Old Deer, married Susan Baxter (b. abt 1812 Monquhitter, to John Baxter and Jane Rennie; d. 11 Jan 1877, at Little Annochie, Old Deer), 11 Jul 1839, New Deer; died 28 Jul 1857, Little Annochie, Old Deer. They had two sons that I know of.

Assuming that Robert McArthur's death record is accurate, his father John McArthur was dead by 1857, but Ann Slessor was still alive. Both are noted as deceased by the time George McArthur died in 1870. I've tried in vain to track down a birth or death for Ann Slessor - not helped, I suspect, by the immense variation in the spelling of Slessor (and the use of the 'long s' in the old parish records) - the transcriptions of some of the census records on A******y for Slessor are hilarious - I've spent most of the day submitting corrections  ;D

Anyway, I've assumed - perhaps incorrectly - that Ann Slessor was from Old Deer - she was certainly resident there by the time of her marriage to John McArthur (who was from New Deer), but I can't fit her into any of the Old Deer Slessors. I also haven't been able to find a death record for John McArthur - but there are a LOT of John McArthurs around, and I have a feeling he died before 1855.

Any illumination gratefully received  :P

Ruth

9
Hi all

This is my first post on RootsChat – and it's a bit of a conundrum. If anyone else has any of these families in their tree, and can shed any light, it would be gratefully received  ;D

I have two branches of Robertsons, which I'm sure must be related, but I can't find the link.

The first branch is:

1. Ann Robertson (abt 1812, Strichen) married William Mitchell, farmer (1 Aug 1798, Ellon), on 28 Nov 1833, Old Deer. They had eight children (that I know of), including my great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Paterson Mitchell (19 Nov 1845, Old Deer), who married Robert McArthur (3 Jan 1843, Old Deer). Ann died aged 50 on 5 Apr 1862 – her parents are noted on her death certificate as John Robertson (farmer) and Ann Morison.

2. Christian Robertson (abt 1818, Strichen), Ann's sister, married John Henderson (abt 1817, St Fergus) on 12 Nov 1842. They had six children. Christian died 28 Aug 1872 – on her death certificate, her parents are noted as George Robertson (no occupation recorded) and Ann Morrison.

I have all records for Ann and Christian, except their birth records – which I can't find a trace of. I'm fairly sure they were sisters, as Christian appears in the 1841 census in Old Deer living with Ann and her husband and children (although relationships weren't recorded in the 1841 census, so it's a bit of an educated guess). Also, Ann's son, William Mitchell married Christian's daughter, Maggie Henderson – the fact that they are cousins is recorded on the marriage certificate (18 Jan 1873, Old Deer).

I can't find any other siblings though – and it seems likely there were some. I thought I had the family – there is a John Robertson and Ann Morison who married 21 Feb 1807 in Huntly. They had eight children, all baptised in Huntly, including a daughter, Ann (1808), but no Christian – and Huntly is nowhere near Strichen, which is recorded in all the census records as the birthplace for both Ann and Christian.

The web gets even more tangled with the second branch of Robertsons:

1. James Robertson (18 Aug 1837, Old Deer) fathered an illegitimate daughter (Ann Mitchell or Robertson, 24 Dec 1859) with Janet/Jessie Mitchell (25 Apr 1841). Jessie was the sister of Elizabeth Paterson Mitchell and daughter of Ann Robertson (above). Jessie went on to marry Alexander Morrison (blacksmith) and had a further nine children.

2. James Robertson's parents were John Robertson, farmer (abt 1806, Ellon) and Elizabeth Paterson (abt 1805, Cluny or Monymusk). They lived at Mains of Annochie. Elizabeth Paterson died 16 Dec 1872 of meningitis – her death certificate is witnessed by my great, great grandfather, Robert McArthur (the husband of Elizabeth Paterson Mitchell), who was a neighbour of the Robertsons, living at Annochie.

My first thought was that John Robertson (1806, Ellon) must be the brother of Ann and Christian Robertson – why else would Ann have called one of her daughters Elizabeth Paterson Mitchell, after John's wife, Elizabeth Paterson? Calling one of your children after the spouse of one of your siblings seems to have been quite a common practice – I have several examples elsewhere in my family tree. But John's death certificate (3 Dec 1879) records his parents as Arthur Robertson (miller) and Christian Bannerman. So perhaps they were cousins, and it was Arthur Robertson (John's father) and John/George Robertson (Ann and Christian's father) who were brothers? Unfortunately, I'm struggling find any evidence of this, as we're back in the 1700s, where records were sketchier.

There's also a whole Morison/Morrison thing going on with this lot too, but that just complicates matters further  :D

If anyone's still with me after that lot – then well done – I've just read it all back, and it seems even more complicated than it at first appeared  ???

Ruth

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