(*Completed with thanks*)CHRISTIE James - a Tailor from Montrose.

[jennywren001]

The puzzle:
James Christie (born Logie Pert) age 29 and Elizabeth Christie (Easton) on1851 Census, with children, living in Montrose - he lists himself as a tailor employing two people:
Elizabeth age 6 - born Logie Pert
Robina age 4 - born London (I have a Robina Christie born in Southwark in 1847 which MAY be her)
James age 2 - born Montrose
Charlotte age 2mths - born Montrose
On the 61 census I have the family still in Montrose (minus the Father) and plus a daughter Jane Louise age 6 born in America (it looks like Milwaukee). Charlotte is still describing herself as married on the 61 census but by the 71 she is back to using Easton and describing herself as widow. On Charlotte's death cert (1884) she is listed as widow of James Christie Tailor and Clothier.
OK I spent an age and a packet trying to find his death cert but came up with nothing...Then recently searching British newspapers I came across story of a missing James Christie tailor
from Montrose...Seems his wife and five children returned from the USA in 1854 without him as he vanished a couple of days before the ship was to sail. Then two weeks later another story of the 'unvanished James Christie' who apparently had been hit by an omnibus in New York, made a recovery and turned up in Montrose to a surprised wife! You could not make this stuff up!
So I've got him back in Montrose in 1854 then nothing...Christie, Easton,Wallace (Charlotte's mother's maiden name) are all given as middle names in the family from this time on...
I've got a James Christie born Logie Pert in 1822 but I can't confirm his parents until I can find his death cert...any suggestions on where to go from here?
Cheers
Jen

[MonicaL]

Hi Jen

If I say what a great find and story, sure you know what I meant. How lucky (after I am sure becoming a major shareholder at SP  ) that you found the newspaper reporting of what happened with James in the US...until he got lost again back in Scoland 

Just one thing, James' wife is she Elizabeth or Charlotte? You have used both.

Monica 

[jennywren001]

Oops - sorry wife (though do not have marriage cert) is Charlotte Easton. Thanks for pointing this out Monica...you know what it's like when you're trying to hold a load of people in your head and make the connections. It's even more confusing when this side of the family used (as is common) maiden names as middle names so it's Coutts, Wallace, Easton from Charlotte's line and Christie from James....one of the reasons I want to find his parents is because Paxton (his possible mother's name) never appears as a middle name.
Thanks
Jen

[MonicaL]

Jen, I am just reading the story with a little more detail regarding the re-appearance of James Christie. Have you got access to this paper: Dundee Courier - Wednesday, September 06, 1854

According to this report, James Christie headed off to the US likely not long after the 1851 census and nothing more was heard from him for 3 yrs. He left his family without any financial provision. His family made many enquiries and nothing more was heard until he wrote to them three years later, sending the necessary funds for them to join him in the US. They then finally settled in Milwaukee (explains the birth place you have for Jane Louise - Laurie?).

....And then the Cad decided to return to Montrose and convinced his wife on this. He deposited safely on ship his wife and children on the day before the ship departed, and then disappeared again. At least the Captain gave Charlotte back the money for her errant husband's fare 

So he did this not just once to poor Charlotte but twice...doubly bad rogue and rascal...(must have been hard on Charlotte and children though  )

Monica

[MonicaL]

You thinking of this entry for James https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYJL-86X

The only entry I think I can see for him in 1841 is this, with him a year at least older:

Christie Hutcheson 20, tailor j
James Christie 20, tailor j

Address: Balmain St, Montrose

Monica

[jennywren001]

Monica fantastic - I don't have that news item! I've got two others Sept 22nd Dundee Courier and Sept 4th The Standard. Also, a couple of other things.
a one line report in the Courier, I think, very brief - 'James Christie Tailor dead in Melbourne'. No elaboration. Needless to say I could not find a James Christie dying in Australia near the date given. I thought insurance scam!
Spookily in November 1854 on Burntisland - birth - ANOTHER Robina (twin to Jemina) to a James Christie and wife...thought life too short to start chasing that one down.
Also, I've got a James Christie dying in a lunatic asylum in Edinburgh 1856 - of course no parent/spouse info...

Entry for birth of James - that's the one - I've got the cert - also shows a sister Elizabeth born 1820 and a brother Thomas 1829. And the 41 census I've put that down as a possibility but who knows with this bloke. You can see why this has proved a bit of a challenge.
Thanks
Jen

[MonicaL]

Jen, when do you think the mention of the death of a James Christie in Melbourne was?

Monica

PS: We love the tricky characters to research...glad not married to him though 

[MonicaL]

Let's eliminate the Melbourne death I think...

From The Aberdeen Journal on Wednesday, July 24, 1861, the death in Melbourne, Victoria on the 1 May of a James Christie, tailor, aged 39, formerly from Banff....does this match the year you had on the mention you saw?

Monica

[MonicaL]

If you wanted to follow up a bit more on that Logie Pert family, headed up by James C and Ann Paxton, I think this is their son Thomas in 1861:

Thomas Christie 32 Edinburgh City Police b. Logie Pert
Ann Christie 31
Ann Christie 1 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ71-TBS

Address: 2 Mallochs Close, Edinburgh Canongate

Only three birth IGI entries showing for this couple:

Ann above
Elizabeth https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQC3-KYM
Thomas https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7HH-WZ4 with a ref to a LOWE middle name

They left Scotland, one partner died?

Not sure this will get you anywhere further for what you need now....

Monica