John McGachen b. 1787 Cheltenham?

[patrexjax]

Hello Liz, Thank you for the added information about Cheltenham and clarifying what a "day boy" was. And, yes, I am beginning to think that there is a West Derby connection..perhaps some of the McGachens that were around Selby, YKS migrated that way. Seems quite probable. Thank you again for your invaluable help and happy holidays to you.  Pat

[patrexjax]

Hello Liz, Just an update....remember you found the two oldest McGachen boys in 1841 living in Troon cottage in Ayr, Scotland surrounded by an Auld family? Well....here's the connection!    A Euphemia Mc Gachen married a David AULD on 1 Jan. 1803 in Ayr, Ayr, Scotland. So, I am assuming that Euphemia could possibly be a sister to our John. Problem is - I can't find a Euphemia McGachen in the IGI being born anywhere in Scotland.....  AND, I have found the elusive Frederick Stewart McGachen in the 1880 CANADIAN census...that is, his widow and two children living in Ontario for you see, Frederick himself died 18 October 1880 in Ontario, Canada. So, it seems fairly certain that members of that family were visited by their rellies.  I noticed that on the Canadian census they show religion and all of Frederick's family were Catholic.  So I am assuming that his marriage and the baptisms of his two children (one in Scotland and one in Ontario) will have been in the Catholic Church. I don't know where to begin to look to find those registers, but I feel good that I have found him...  Guess that's it for this time, but I thought you would be interested since you have invested so much time and energy for me in this quest.     Pat

[Liz in France]

Hi Pat,

The 1851 and 1861 census gives Euphemia's birthplace as Ayr in 1783 and David's as Greenock, 1783.  He died sometime between the 2 censuses and there were many children, if you are interested.  She was a house proprietor, which is why there so many unrelated people in the house. I had imagined Dunoon Cottage would have been quite small and dinky but obviously not.  I would definitely start my search for baptisms of John and his sister Euphemia in Ayr.  There are probably a lot more siblings too.

I am not sure where you would find Catholic records but I have seen a couple of RC churches on the IGI as I have looked at them too when I  haven't been able to find a baptism in other Parish records.  Perhaps it is a question you can put to the forum.

You have come on in leaps and bounds with your family and I am quite envious as mine have had so many brick walls,  but I am getting better at demolition with help from sites like this one.  Yours is such a well documented family with references in high places.

Will leave you to it but do let me know how you get on.

Best wishes for a very happy Christmas and let's hope 2009 will not be as bad as all the pessimists are expecting it to be.

 
That should do it.
Elizabeth

[patrexjax]

Hello Liz, Thanks again for the additional information on Euphemia and David...IGI lists them as having some 12 children!    Pat

[Brendon]

Pat - I have read with much interest the various messages about the McGachen family. I am a relative of John Drummond McG and his 2nd daughter, Sophia Euphemia Auld McG, and have quite a lot of information about that side of the family, including the family bibles of the parents of Sophia and Mary Dobson (they were sisters) and of John and Sophia McG. Both give names and dates of birth of the children. There were 7 Dobson children but Sophia and Mary were the only ones to survive into adulthood. John and Sophia McG also had 7 children, but 3 boys died young - Francis Nicholas Styleman, Stewart John Drummond and Duncan George Matthias. The other 4 children, Frederick William Dobson, Henrietta Mary Armine, Archibald Hew and Sophia Euphemia Auld, all married and have living relatives (although, as far as I know, none still have the McGachen surname).
Please tell me if you want more information. I don't think I have anything to add to what you already know about John McG and Ann Dew. I believe that their son Frederic Stewart McG emigrated to Canada so there is probably quite a lot to add to that side of the story.
Best wishes,   Patrick.
PS I am new to RootsChat and so just hope you get this message!

[patrexjax]

Hello Patrick and a warm welcome to Rootschat!!    I am rather distantly related to this family but was helping out a cousin or two... I am going to forward your message to one in Philadelphia, PA and the other cousin is not on line who lives in England.....As soon as you make 3 posts, you will be able to use the Personal Mesasaging system of Rootschat.  That is the way to discuss living persons on Rootshat.  Again, welcome and watch for a personal message...it will pop up on your computer.     Pat

[Plumpudding]

My grandfather's sister Maude Mary Nicholson married Howard Archibald McGachen in York in 1893. Howard was b 1869 Rochester, Kent, the son of Lt Col Archibald Henry Harmsworth McGachen and his wife Mary Dobson. Archibald was the son of John McGachen and Ann Dew. I have briefly researched the family  and found the same names as you - I have 5 sons of John and Ann........
Archibald was an army paymaster and therefore moved around - Cheltenham, Bristol, Colchester Essex, Lee Kent...... and I think had 5 children, one of whom was born in CANADA. His son Howard seems to have been the black sheep of the family - he moved to London from York and worked as a bus driver then later a postman before ending up as a prisoner in Wakefield in 1911 (census). He then emigrated to Canada in August 1911, but his wife and children did not follow until October 1913. It seems they didn't like Canada and set off back home in May 1914, leaving Howard behind but regretably Maude and her children drowned in the Empress of Ireland tragedy in the St Lawrence River. I have details from the local Scarborough newspapers, as the family were located in Scarborough where Maude's mother was living, prior to emigrating. Please contact me if you want any more details. I am still trying to find out what happened to Howard, though I know he served in WW1. (Canadian, I think).

[patrexjax]

Hello and a belated warm welcome to Rootschat!    I am replying to your message immediately so that I don't "lose" you!  I will check my other computer for pertinent information AND I know of at least two rellies you have -- one near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the other in the North East of England. Both of them are much more closely related to you.  Nevertheless, we have made considerable strides in the McGachen family and would dearly love to trade additional information.   I WILL be in touch quite soon!  Most sincerely, Pat

[Plumpudding]

Is anyone out there related to Howard Archibald McGachen b 1869 Rochester Kent to Archibald Henry Harmsworth McGachen and Mary Dobson? Does anyone know about his life in Canada from 1911 on, or anything about his wife and daughters?? Did he survive the 1914-18 war and what did he do after that?
Chris