Alexander/Mcleish

[AMBLY]

Search for Death Index
(SP - the use of wildcard * in a search is invaluable)

MARGARET
Death - Perform Free Search:    
Name: Marg* AL*EX*R
Other Surname: FIN* (this field is principally for using the maiden name of married women as a finding aid)
Between 1881 and 1891
Born 1811 +/- 5 years.
All Counties, All Districts

1 result.
Narrow it down by adjusting the above paremeters and performing a search on each new adjustment.

so getting to that  1 result with these fuller details, which I think will be her:
Margaret ALEXANDER , other surname FINDLAY
Died 1881 age 69, Birth Year according to age at death is 1812
County: Perthshire
District : Coupar Angus (despite the Census saying they were in Coupar Angus, Angus - it seems they were officially in Perthshire.
PETER
Death - Perform Free Search:
Name: Peter AL*EX*R
Between 1901 and 1921
Born 1820 +/- 5 years
County: Perthshire
All Districts

1 result.
Narrow it down by adjusting the above paremeters and performing a search on each new adjustment.

so getting to that  1 result with these fuller details:
Name: Peter ALEXANDER
Died 1909 age 82, Birth year according to age at death is 1827
County Perthsire
District: Coupar Angus

The age Peter is about 7 years out based on the average Census - this is not unusual in a death record, and doubly so if the deceased was in an institution. On balance, I think this will be him - but not as certain as I am for Margaret!
My trepidation is, if he died in the Almshouse, that they were informants of his death and knew nothing about his parents 

On the other hand for comaprison, to further stregnthen the 1909 death above as being he, there is not one in Angus that seems possible:
PETER
Death - Perform Free Search:
Name: Peter AL*EX*R
Between 1901 and 1921
Born 1820 +/- 5 years
County:Angus
All Districts
0 results.

Cheers
AMBLY

[sarahlb1981]

Phew, it's complicated stuff. I'm glad you've cleared that up fpr me, I was started to drive myself bonkers. When it said on the census that Peter was an 'inmate' of Almshouse I thought I'd cracked the puzzle. My mum said that g. grandad stopped his search because of something terrible, possibly a murder. (The Alexander's have a reputation for being over dramatic though!) I shall add those dates to my ever growing tree and then hit the sack as we say, its now 1 am.

Next I'm going to look at Maggie Alexander (daughter of Susan Mcleish and David Alexander) and James Laird. My gg aunt wrote some notes next to their childrens names. They had 9 possibly 10 children. She wrote down that Sissie was an invalid (very pc) and ended up living with Maggie's Sister, Susan who was a spinter and that George did well and went to Canada.

Thanks for that tip by the way on SP I will try that in the morning. I do hope I get better at this, I seem to spend hours doing searches and not coming up with many results!! Maybe I shouldn't try and run before I can walk.
Thanks again! 

[Forfarian]

In 1851, at Address Coutie, in Bendochy, Perthshire
Head: Peter ALEXANDER  30, b Nunclavin?? , Perthshire in abt 1821
Wife Margaret FINLAY 40, b Coupar Angus in abt 1811

The census was always taken in spring, usually early April. So someone whose age is given as 30, if the age is is correct, would have been born between early April of 1820 and the end of March 1821. As there are nine months of 1820 and only three months of 1821 in that period, the person is more likely to have been born in 1820 than in 1821.

Nunclavin and the various other versions of Peter's birthplace will be Kinclaven. The largest village in the parish of Kinclaven is Stanley, if you are looking for it on a map.

[sarahlb1981]

Thanks, that makes sense.

I have a question not regarding the Alexanders. My grandmother  has asked me to do some research on her parents. I did asked in the Lancashire forum, and the lady that helped was very helpful, and said I could get their parents from the marridge certificate...anyway, I didn't fancy paying £10 so i did some research on the cencus and this is what I know.

Its mainly my grandmother's mother Sarah Barker, born 1896 (in Flintshire or liverpool) I'm interested in. On the 1901 cencus I have found the family living in Toxteth Liverpool, the lead was a sister called sidnea (unusual name) and I know that they lived in Flintshire in Wales for a while which all corresponds nicely to my grandmothers knowledge of the family. Also Sarah Barker married Charles Morton in Toxteth parish. The thing is Sarah isn't living with the family, she must be somewhere else. My grandma mentioned that Sarah lived in Scotland for a while when she was a child. For the life of me I can't find her. I was hoping that maybe you might know why. Is it possible that she may have been missed off the cencus?

Sarah Barker, Born 1896, parents Robert J Barker and Mary A
Sister Sidnea Barker

Thanks, Sarah

[robinmcl]

  Blimey - the wonders of Google.  I'm also doing some research into the McLeish family - Susan McLeish born 1842 at Kettins - daughter of William McLeish (born 1811) and Susan McNaughton (born 1806)  is the sister of Alexander McLeish born 1846 (also a mole catcher I'm afraid) - my great grandfather.

[Forfarian]

County: Perthshire
District : Coupar Angus (despite the Census saying they were in Coupar Angus, Angus - it seems they were officially in Perthshire.

Just a wee bit of clarification. Most of the parish of Coupar Angus is in the County of Perth aka Perthshire, but some of it is in the County of Angus aka Forfarshire. The census results usually state which county each part of a parish was in, but the registrations don't necessarily. So your result above is not inconsistent.

[robinmcl]

Ahhh - that helps me too - I've been looking at old maps of Scotland to get an idea of places etc.

Sarah if you want a bit more background into the McLeish line I can add what I have so far:-

Susan McLeish was one of five children of William McLeish (born abt 1811) and Susan McNaughton (born abt 1803). 

The children were:

Jane  born 1838
William born 1839
Susan born 1842
Agnes born 1843
Alexander born 1846

The 1851 Census has them all living at Elmsley Cottage, Kettins in the County of Angus. 

According to the  1861 and 1871 Censuses William was working away from home at Rathittet Mansion House in Kilmany, Fife - as a molecatcher - I lose track of him after this and don't know when he died.

His wife Susan stayed at Elmsley cottage with 2 of the children - Susan (aged 19) and Alexander (aged 14)  for the 1861 Census but I cannot find her in the 1871 Census - so presume she died in the interim and by that stage the youngest of the children had left home and married.


The following is from a family tree my aunt compiled before she died (I don't know where she got her information) -

William's parents apparently were John McLeish (born 1765 in Little Dunkeld, Perthshire) and Agnes Gill (don't have a birth date)
and his siblings were:-

James born 1795; and
Isabel born 1802



John McLeish's parents were William McLeish and Jean Steel who were married on 8 January 1764 in Little Dunkheld.

Apparently there was a brother Alexander born 1769 but I don't know if there were more siblings.


This is as far back as I can go along this line, unfortunately.


If anyone can help me fill in the gaps  it'd be wonderful.

[Forfarian]

According to the  1861 and 1871 Censuses William was working away from home at Rathittet Mansion House in Kilmany, Fife

If you are ever looking for it again, it's Rathillet not Rathittet.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NO3520
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NO3620

[Forfarian]

Sorry, double posted.