Author Topic: how can i find where someone is buried  (Read 15472 times)

Offline Cauther Lassie

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #9 on: Saturday 06 November 10 12:54 GMT (UK) »
Hello Ziggy,

I'm really sorry, but there is no headstone for that Section C Lair 30, I do have the burial record there appears to be several Purdie's, Robert and his wife Mary, as well as John & Euphemia Cunningham.  I'll have a look and see what I can find later today when the chores are done!!

cheers ... Meg

Graham, Dundas, Tweedie, Somerville, Robb, Watson, Gillespie, Main, Stenhouse, Gilmour, Sneddon, McPheat, all Cauther Families.

Offline ziggy2

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #10 on: Sunday 07 November 10 10:53 GMT (UK) »
Hi Meg,
Thank you for the look up. Is Robert & his wife Mary a Purdie or Cunningham?
Are they buried with John?  I have searched John forever trying to find his birth and parents. according to Johns marriage certificate Johns Parents are Robert Cunningham & Esther Smith. On his death certificate it says parents are John Cunningham & Elizabeth Kay Or Ray. If his parents are Robert and Mary this  might help. Still wish I could  find his birth date and place of birth.
                                                          Ziggy2

Offline Cauther Lassie

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #11 on: Sunday 07 November 10 11:35 GMT (UK) »
Hello Ziggy,

John Cunningham and Jane Heggie (born Ceres, Fife) were married 21st Dec 1866 in Whitburn, West Lothian, Euphemia was born 15th Dec 1867, John 17th Jan 1870, Peter born 6th April 1872 and Robert born 19th Feb 1874.     John died 26th September 1876 of Spine Disease, recorded as a Pauper aged 31, he was buried in Whitburn Cemetery Section C Lair 30 on 29th Sept 1876.  The burial was Private, which means someone paid for the lair and his burial, normally a Pauper would have been interred in a Common grave.

Jane Heggie remarried James Forsyth (Born St Ninians, Stirlingshire) and had a further two children before 1881,  Mary B Forsyth born abt 1879, and Joanna H Forsyth abt 1880, both of these children were born in Shotts, Lanarkshire.   The 1881 census has the family living in Messrs R Addie & Sons Houses (Miners Rows) in Shotts.   Euphemia died 10th Aug 1883, aged 15 of Typhoid Fever, she was living in West Benhar (Harthill), she was buried on the 11th in Section C Lair 30, her stepfather signed her death certificate.

The Lair information shows that Mary Meek, wife of James Purdie, a miner of Benhar died 28th July 1877 of Cholera aged 40, Susan Breeton Purdie died 15th Jan 1883 of Cancer aged 45, she was living at Woodend, Armadale.   Robert Cook is also (according to the Burial Records) interred in this lair, he died 26th Jan 1957, aged 67, he was living at 37 North Street, Armadale.

The Purdie family owned the lair at Section C Lair 29, and there are 7 Purdie names recorded as being buried there as well as three Combe's making 10 in total, too many for one Lair - the Purdie family in Lair 29, were the family of Mary Meek Purdie recorded in C30.  There is a headstone erected on C29, but he only names on it are the Combe family.  I've attached a photo so you can see this is the only headstone in that area.  Well I tried to attach a photo but apparently the file is too big, I've attached a photo of Section C instead, which is a circle and a lovely part of the cemetery.

Hope this helps in some way ...  Cheers ... Meg

Graham, Dundas, Tweedie, Somerville, Robb, Watson, Gillespie, Main, Stenhouse, Gilmour, Sneddon, McPheat, all Cauther Families.

Offline Cauther Lassie

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #12 on: Sunday 07 November 10 12:42 GMT (UK) »
Hello Again Ziggy,

According to the 1871 census, John was born in Lanarkshire (Unknown), there were 6 births of a John Cunningham between 1844 & 1846, though none of them to either of the parents you mentioned.    I checked the 1851 Lanarkshire census and couldn't find a John with either father Robert or John.   Three of the John's within the right age group are not with parents.   I found the same in the 1861 census, couldn't match John with any parents, again seemed to be on his own or lodging.

I've managed to reduce the size of the photograph of Section C Lair 29 so am attaching it here.

Sorry I couldn't help, but sounds as though John was a Foundling or orphaned, very young, in which case you may never find his birth details.   Though under Scottish naming conventions the eldest son was normally named after the Father's Father, and John & Jane's eldest son is Peter.

Maybe some day you'll break down the brick wall.    In answer to your question ref Mary and Robert in the same lair, there doesn't seem to be any relationship between them or John.  Mary Meek was the wife of James Purdie and to young to be John's mother, her children are in Lair 29.

all the best ...  Meg
Graham, Dundas, Tweedie, Somerville, Robb, Watson, Gillespie, Main, Stenhouse, Gilmour, Sneddon, McPheat, all Cauther Families.


Offline ziggy2

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #13 on: Monday 08 November 10 13:04 GMT (UK) »
Meg,
Thanks so much for the wonderful pictures! Even though John does not have a head stone, this is close a enough. Really appreciate all you did.  Not going to give up. I am going to try and find the Whiburn Parish church records where he got married to see what they have. Not sure on the marriage certificate how his mothers maiden name is spelled. Could be Smith,Smitte or Smithe. Maybe I am spelling her me wrong.
Thanks again for all your hard work!!!!
                                                                    Ziggy2
                                                                     

Offline Rockford

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #14 on: Monday 08 November 10 16:46 GMT (UK) »
Hi Ziggy2

The Parish Church in Whitburn is just up the hill from the cemetery that Meg has give you photos of.

The Parish Records should be available for the periods they exist on the ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk pay-per-view site.

If you want more information on Whitburn Parish Church, have a look at this thread:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,359919.msg3457790.html#msg3457790

It's regarding Catholic burial places in West Lothian, but I have posted details of the Whitburn Church website and about 7 posts into the discussion, I've added a photograph of the church taken from inside the old churchyard.

Best wishes


Rockford
BURNSIDE [Londonderry, Lothians and Pennsylvania]
THORBURN [Lanarkshire], VAIR [Melrose]
SWEENEY [Donegal/Lanarkshire]
GILCHRIST [Lanarkshire, Peebles, Lothians], SMITH [Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Lothians]
GREGORY [Bucks, Wales], BENNETT [Somerset, Wales]
LETHERBY/HOWLETT/PHIPPS [Somerset]
HUNTER [New Monkland, Fife], GWYNNE [New Monkland, Stirling, Midlothian]
LOGIE/DUNLOP/THOMSON/YOUNG [West Lothian]

Offline Cauther Lassie

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #15 on: Monday 08 November 10 18:37 GMT (UK) »
Hello Ziggy,

You're welcome, just sorry I couldn't have gotten more information for you. 

I hope that you manage to find something and knock down your brick wall.

cheers ...  Meg
Graham, Dundas, Tweedie, Somerville, Robb, Watson, Gillespie, Main, Stenhouse, Gilmour, Sneddon, McPheat, all Cauther Families.

Offline ziggy2

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #16 on: Monday 08 November 10 20:01 GMT (UK) »
Hi Rockford,
Thanks for the info. I am confused now, because I found two whitburn Parish churches and  I am unsure which one is the church I need. On my Gr-Gr-grandfathers marriage certificate it says at Eastern Whitburn,Parish of Whitburn, according to the Church of Scotland.  One Church is called Whiburn Parish Church and the other is called Whitburn South Parish Church. I'm not looking for a catholic church. Also do you know the sight I can find for Whitburn South Parish cemetery to see who is buried there.       
Thanks so much for your help.
                                                        ziggy2

Offline Cauther Lassie

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Re: how can i find where someone is buried
« Reply #17 on: Monday 08 November 10 22:00 GMT (UK) »
Hello Ziggy,

The original cemetery at Whitburn is at Whitburn South Parish Church, there is only one Cunningham grave, that of a Janet Cunningham wife of William Black, and her son Alex died in 1833, so before your John's time.

They weren't married in Church but at East Whitburn, probably where one of them lived, and were married according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland, the Minister was Graham Mitchell, Minister of Whitburn (South Church).  Couples in those days mainly married at home, and not in the church.  Church records would only have a record of the proclamation of the Banns, which would be the couple names, and residences, and wouldn't have details of parents.    John's parents as per his MC were Robert Cunningham and Esther Smith - neither of them are noted as deceased, so presumably still alive in 1867.    Interestingly enough a witness at the wedding was John Forsyth, maybe related to the James Forsyth that Jane married after John's death.

I've searched the 1861 census for Esther Cunningham and there were no matches, the only Esther's were far too young to be John's mother. there are no Esther Cunningham's in the Lanarkshire & Midlothian 1851 Census, there is one on the 1851 West Lothian Census and she is aged 18, so too young.

John's DC was notified by a neighbour Thomas Niven, his parents are noted as John Cunningham, deceased and Jane Hay. I can't find a marriage or children under these names.

Good for you in not giving up!!

cheers ...  Meg
Graham, Dundas, Tweedie, Somerville, Robb, Watson, Gillespie, Main, Stenhouse, Gilmour, Sneddon, McPheat, all Cauther Families.