James Stuart, Ballindalloch/Inveravon, b.ca.1830

[Meringue]

Can anyone help with tracing this person?  He left Scotland before 1858, as he married in Swansea in that year and settled there till he died.  The middle name McPherson/MacPherson runs through the family.  I've been told that he was in Ballindalloch before going to Swansea and I've found a census entry in 1851 for a farm labourer at Rechlerich Farm (owned by Robert Hay).  I'd really like to try to trace James' origins/parents.  Oh, and I've also been told that they were Catholics.  His second son (also James) emigrated to Cook, Illinois and I am contemplating contacting someone I think might be a direct descendant still living there, but thought I'd try here first.  Any help anyone can give me would be very much appreciated 

[CaroleW]

Hi

Do you have a copy of his marriage cert showing his fathers name and occupation?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KCYB-QP4

The middle name McPherson/MacPherson runs through the family.

  Do you mean that James gave that middle name to his children?

[loobylooayr]

Hi Meringue
Welcome to Rootschat,
Can you give us the names of James Stuart's children please?
Looby

[Meringue]

First of all thank you very much for taking an interest and replying.
Marriage certificate - I'm trying to get this via my dad's elderly cousin's ex-work colleague who is friends with someone who did some research the family!  However, it's taking forever to get this lady's contact details and it is very frustrating.
McPherson (and variants) middle name - it appears as a middle name on at least one of James' records and it also appears for several of his children on various records.
James's children were: Grace Harriett; Emeline Ada; William John; James; Harriet McPherson; Charles McPherson; Robert McPherson; Elizabeth Ann; Mary Elizabeth; Annie McPherson; Matilda McPherson.  (William was the f-in-l's name and Harriet was the m-in-l's name).

[CaroleW]

They are in Llangyfelach Glamorgan in 1871 and James is just shown as b Scotland 1830 - no specific county

[CaroleW]

In 1861 they are in Carmarthen indexed as Stewart and James is shown as b 1833 Scotland - again no specific county.  Elizabeth's sister Harriet Lewis  13 is living with them

I am assuming you already have all Welsh census entries and are just wanting to go backwards from James

[CaroleW]

Stewart again in 1881 and 1891 but Stuart in 1901 and his death was registered as Stuart in 1904

One of the problems here may be whether his surname at birth was Stuart or Stewart.

When you get the marriage cert - check whether he actually signed his own name or whether he signed with an X

[loobylooayr]

This could be a real long shot - but perhaps worth investigating on Scotlands People.
Going by James's children's names I found this marriage  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT21-P47

This couple Grace McPherson and John Stuart have a good few children all baptised in the Catholic faith at Tomintoul. They have a son James baptised during 1828.

They also have an Ann, a Charles and a Robert amongst their many children. All circumstantial, of course. There is no proof yet that these are the family of James Stuart bit perhaps worth looking in to. The children's birth/christening records can be viewed on Scotlands'People.
This family are on the 1841 Census and 1851 Census at Kirkmichael but not with James on either    which is a bit of a shame!!

Looby

[CaroleW]

There is this 1841 entry for Kirkmichael Banff  - all b Banff

James McPherson  60 farmer
Mary 60
John 28
Isabella 25
Margaret 15
Grigor Grant  15
James Stuart  14 agric labourer
Barbara Cameron  7
Charles Cameron  4
Kirkmichael ED 10 Page 3 Line 1300