WATSON/SHEWAN - Peterhead

[Forfarian]

There doesn't seem to be a marriage of John Shewan to Mary Jane Bent in the England and Wales marriage index. Pity, because if there had been it would have told you the names and occupations of their fathers.

The 1901 census lists John Shewan, born April 18, 1847 in Scotland, immigrated to Canada 1860, with wife Mary J and four children aged 8 to 23, all born in Ontario.

The IGI lists one John Shewan, born in Scotland on 18 April 1848. I have found it not unusual that birth dates in the Canadian census are a year out. This John Shewan was the son of Alexander Shewan and Eliza Chalmers, and he was baptised in New Deer on 26 April 1848. I think this is the one you should be looking at.

There's a family in Old Deer in the 1851 Census consisting of Helen Chalmers, widow, 67; Christian Chalmers, sister, 60; Eliza Chalmers, daughter, 31; granddaughter Ann Keith, 9; grandson John Shewan, 4; and granddaughter Elspet Shewan, 2. You can view a transcription at https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl.

In 1861 Helen, Christian, Eliza and Ann were all still in Old Deer, Christian now described as sister-in-law rather than sister.

I have not found Elspet's baptism or the marriage of Alexander Shewan to Eliza Chalmers.

You can view John's baptism record at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. This may tell you that he was illegitimate. If so, it would be worth taking a look at the New Deer and Old Deer Kirk Session records, which, if they survive, will probably contain a report on the matter. They may also shed light on the birth of Elspet Shewan and Ann Keith. The Kirk Session records are only available in certain archives in Scotland at the moment, but rumour says that they will become available on Scotland's People.

If John immigrated to Canada in 1860, he must have gone with members of his family as he would only have been 12 or 13 in 1860.

Note that in both 1881 and 1901, the census says that Mary Jane was born in Ontario, of English origin. This probably explains the absence of a marriage in England 

[Forfarian]

Old Deer. The census says this is in Banffshire but it is actually in Aberdeenshire.

Actually, there was a piece of Old Deer that was a detached piece of Banffshire.

From Fullarton's Gazetteer (1842): "Old Deer, a parish partly in Aberdeenshire, partly in Banff, situated almost in the centre of Buchan .... " 

[Glendaveny]

Agreed Forfarian. I was referring to today.  But I think the OPRs etc are catalogued under Aberdeenshire despite the historical anomaly.

[Glendaveny]

My earlier post confirms that an uncle was involved in his emigration.

[Forfarian]

Agreed Forfarian. I was referring to today.  But I think the OPRs etc are catalogued under Aberdeenshire despite the historical anomaly.

Yes, that's right.

[Forfarian]

There a baptism of a James Chalmers, parents James Chalmers and Helen Murison, in Old Deer on 8 July 1820. Helen Chalmers, widow of James Chalmers, daughter of Arthur Murison, died in Old Deer in 1861, death registered by Eliza Chalmers, daughter.

Christian Chalmers, aged 74, died in Old Deer in 1862. Her death certificate should tell you the names of her parents and therefore of James Chalmers, husband of Helen Murison.

James Chalmers, aged 50, is in Minto, Wellington North, Ontario, in the 1871 census.

In 1861 James Chalmers, 37, born Scotland with wife Agnes, 25, born Ireland, a baby, William, and John Shewan, labourer, aged 13 are in Minto, Wellington North.

I think this all ties together quite neatly.

[belliott]

Thank you so much for all of the information and help.  Definitely some more to go on as I work further backwards and find out more.  I'm surprised I missed the info on the Wellington Cty site as I've used that for other people in my ancestry. 
 
The Shewan information does match with some of the items I have found here and will continue to verify the links taking me back that far and further. 

Thanks again!

 

[hurworth]

I have found that there are 'pockets' of Shewan's in Shetland, NE Scotland and NE England. But I've never really managed to link them up

By NE England do you mean around Durham....ships carpenters? I've been looking at them and they seem to have Shetland connections.

[Tyrelle Elizabeth Shewan]

I am a descendant of the John Shewan who emigrated to Canada. You have t found his marriage certificate,  etc. As you are looking wrong spot. John Shewan and Mart Jane Bent of Pilkington Township, Ontario,  Canada and wed in Minto Twp, Now Palmerston, Ontario, Canada. He had several children one of which was another John Shewan which wed Sarah Goodwin,  daughter of Eli Goodwin and Elizabeth Bramhill. They had several children Including my grandfather,  Gerald Wyman Shewan who wed Colleen Cecilia Kennedy of Hamilton Ontario. They had two sons, my father Charles Christopher Shewan and Ricky John Shewan.^(*)

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