McVane

[Alex and Jan]

We are unable to find out what happened to this family and hope someone may be able to help us.

Elisabeth SPROAT married James McVane in 1854 and they had 5 sons.
James 1855, Charles 1856, Thomas 1859 d 1859, Thomas 1860 d 1861, Samuel 1862, then father James d 1862.
We have Elizabeth in 1861 with 3 sons at Back Road, Wigtown.

First born James came to Australia, mother Elisabeth remarried and had 2 girls, second husband died and she came out here with the 2 girls after 1900.

We cannot find her second marriage, what happened to the other 2 boys, who were the girls born second marriage. Can anybody locate them for us.

Alex and Jan

[Gadget]

Hello Alex and Jan

Was Elisabeth known as Sproat or McVane when she came to Australia? What surname did the girls use?

The only marriage 1862-1900 of an Eli* Sproat that I can find in Wigtownshire is

1881 to William R McGregor in Old Luce/Glenluce

which seems a little late 

Have you checked the emigrant ships lists?

Regards

Gadget

[Alex and Jan]

We were told she married a Morgan but there are no Elisabeth Morgan's dying out here.
We don't know what the girls names were
(we have been asked by a friend to trace this lady)

We have only found what we put in our first posting, sorry.
Alex and Jan

[Gadget]

Have you got the 1861 census reference that you referred to?  I'm having problems locating her. Is she down as McVane or Sproat?

Gadget

[Alex and Jan]

It was transcribed as McBane - Elisabeth 28, James 6, Charles 4, Thomas 9 mo
901/00 004/00 011 (is that what you meant?)
Alex and Jan

[Gadget]

I did have a look at McBane - i'll go check again. Thanks 

[Gadget]

The two eldest children where born Haddington, East Lothian. I've located both of their birth certificates there - 1855 and 1856. The one for James will give lots of information because it was an 1855 one.

Do you have any information on when son James went to Australia? Elisabeth might have moved from Wigtown and could be anywhere with the children in 1871 

[Gadget]

If Elisabeth was b. circa 1833, then she would have had to have remarried by circa 1883 to have had more children. I can't find a suitable marriage for her in the area- although there are some in Cumbria - but not to a Morgan. I've use Sproat and Sprott as well as her married name.

Unfortunately the ships lists that I use need a surname - and we don't know what it would be 

The 1871 isn't coming up with anything that might be her at the moment - searching without a surname, or the two younger children 

I think I'd go back to your friend and ask for anymore info they might have. for example, where did the information come from, what part of Australia did settle in.

Regards

Gadget

[Alex and Jan]

We think we found the same as you, we put all on our first posting,
It is only family stories that she gave us which do not seem to match up with what we have been able to find.
We found an item saying Mrs McVane arrived nov 1884 on Konoowarra but not sure where that came from.
Alex and Jan