Author Topic: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick  (Read 9045 times)

Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #9 on: Friday 12 February 16 19:56 GMT (UK) »
Hi SamK,

I hardly know where to begin but, 1st of all, I am not related in any way to the King's of Motherwell, I only live here, I don't, as they did, own half the town.

They were a prominent family in 19th century Motherwell and the business of James King & Sons was known throughout the country.
Alexander King who was married to Mary Dick was prominent enough to be mentioned in the 1899 - 1900 "History & Directory of Motherwell" as having died in 1897. The exact entry reads "18th January 1897, Alexander King, Windmillhill House, died". In that same directory his widow, "Mrs King" is listed as residing at Brandon House, Brandon Street.

There are a couple of trees on Ancestry.com that list this family and it may be worth while joining as you can build a tree there and keep it private. Be warned though, much of the information in some trees is either copied from others or guess work on the part of the compiler. Many mistakes are copied, so it's always best to do your own research and use Ancestry for pointers & hints.

Anyway, Alex's father was Thomas King, who was married to Charlotte Snell.
Thomas, according to a list of baptisms I have here, was baptised on 22nd August 1819, lawful son of James King & Catherine Clark, Motherwell. Thomas, as you know, died in Rothesay 1885.
Thomas was the youngest known child of James King & Catherine Clark, they had at least 10 children born between 1802 & 1819.
This James was known as "Homie" King or sometimes as "Cork" King.
According to the author, himself an Alexander King (one of the family), of the series of articles published for the Hamilton Advertiser newspaper and sold in book form in 1910, entitled "Motherwell 70 Years Ago & Now", James was given the name Homie when he was courting Catherine who, according to the author, lived on Home Farm somewhere in the direction of Hamilton but, as their Banns of marriage were actually called in the parish of Stonehouse (and of course Dalziel too) the farm may have been a little further away than Hamilton.
He was always going off to visit the "Home", so his friends began to call him Homie. The name Cork was applied to the master of any trade, in this case master mason. (Meaning he had a business and was an employer). He was also sometimes known as "Laird King", probably because he owned so many dwelling houses and businesses. His eldest son James was known as "Young Cork".

It would be worth your while to find a copy of "Motherwell Seventy Years Ago - And Now", as your family is much mentioned. It was published in 1910. It even mentions things like young Cork being a trumpet player in the town band and it tells of some of the projects carried out by the King business. It built the second railway in Scotland for example and it built the first stone railway viaduct in Scotland.

I will now give you some transcriptions of the King family gravestones, please remember that this is a huge family, living in and around the parish of Dalziel for at least 250 years, so relationships are not always easy to figure out.
There doesn't appear to be any mention of Alex King & Mary Dick but they may be in the family plot somewhere but not mentioned on the stones.
These gravestones are all in the old Dalziel Burial Ground at the river Clyde, in the modern-day North Lodge area of Motherwell. It is sometimes called The Manse Burial Ground and it was originally the churchyard of the ancient pre-reformation parish church which was demolished about 1783 (perhaps by King the Mason?) and a larger parish church built at Windmillhill (by King?). The old burial ground continued to be used by families who had plots there and was last used in the 1960s for cremation burials. It is now in a sorry state due to time and vandalism.

I have to continue in the next post as I've gone over the limit of 5500 characters!

Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.

Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #10 on: Friday 12 February 16 19:57 GMT (UK) »
Continued ............

The following inscriptions are in a consecutive row against the west wall of the burial ground. On the right of the gate, apart from this 1st one which is inscribed onto the boundary wall.

 (Brackets stand for unclear inscription or, for relationships to the person immediately before the bracket).

1. "James King died (1801)".

2. Large stone. "James Homie King, railway contractor, quarrymaster and builder died 8th March 1855. His wife Catherine Clark died 28th September 1841. Their son James died 1854 (his wife Marion Reid died 23rd January 1874, their daughter Marion died in girlhood, their daughter Catherine died 20th November 1918, their son James of Brandon House, quarrymaster and builder died 20th February 1881). (His son James of Fallside, quarrymaster and brick manufacturer died 20th March 1929).

That plot (or lair as we call them here) was owned, in 1929, by Mrs James King. James who was buried there in 1929 was aged 55 years. Catherine who was buried there in 1918 was aged 79 years.

3. "Erected by James and (.........) King in memory of their parents, (........................) and their mother Helen Hamilton who died 22nd August 1839 aged 83 years.
This stone is in very poor condition, the father's name is not legible at all and, although some trees on Ancestry give James' father as John, I am inclined to believe it was James.

4. "Archibald King JP born February 1835 died November 1910. His wife Mary Gillon born 17th November 1857 died 31st October 1915".

5. Inscription on the boundary wall - "Frances King".

6. "William King JP merchant and quarrymaster, provost of the burgh of Motherwell 1866 - 1877, died 28th May 1881 aged 57 years. His wife Helen Gourlie died 11th November 1891 aged 72 years. Their son William died 11th March 1857 aged 7 years. Their daughter Mary died 2nd March 1858 aged 5 years & 6 months. Their daughter Helen J. H. died 2nd April 1858 aged 1 year. Their daughter Catherine died 3rd April 1858 aged 3 years. Their son James died 27th December 1888 aged 42 years. Their son Walter G. died 8th April 1889 aged 40 years. Their son William died 14th October 1916 aged 57 years".

OK, that's all for now - but I'll be back as soon as I can.
 
Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.

Offline Rosinish

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #11 on: Friday 12 February 16 20:54 GMT (UK) »
Great informative input Lodger.

Sam.........the death Lodger gave for James King (1855) is well worth downloading as it will have much extra info. than a death in any other year (the only year to include extras)
"James Homie King, railway contractor, quarrymaster and builder died 8th March 1855"

Annie




South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"

Offline Rosinish

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South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"


Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #13 on: Saturday 13 February 16 10:22 GMT (UK) »
Every large estate had a Home farm, the one mentioned in the previous post is in the parish of Lesmahagow, so not the one where Catherine Clark lived. As also stated, it will be well worthwhile to view the 1855 death certificate as it will contain a list of all known children both living and dead, any spouses living or dead, his place and year of birth if known to the informant and if not born in the parish, how long he has resided there.

Following on from the previous monumental inscriptions at Dalziel burial ground. There is another stone that may be of interest. Homie King had a brother by the name of Alexander. This man was at sea for many years and when he returned, Homie gave him a job in one of his quarries, probably at Windmillhill. Because he worked with stone, he always wore a pair of moleskin trousers and was known from then on as "Moleskin King". (This makes me think that there was more than one Alexander King in the village at that time, so to differentiate he was given this "bye-name" as they called it back then). Anyway, Homie also built a little row of single-story houses at the Calder bridge in Motherwell and gave the row to Moleskin, one house for him and he rented out the others. This row was always known as the Moleskin Row. My grannie had an aunt who lived there and she had a good memory of these houses, with rain barrels outside to catch water from the slated roofs.
Anyway, here is Moleskin's gravestone inscription - "Erected in memory of Alexander King and his wife Marion Boyce. Their daughter Mary McDonal King (wife of William Reid). Their son James died in infancy. Their son Thomas Hamilton King died 21st June 18(..) aged 70 years. (His wife Janet Brownlie died ............. aged 82 years".

According to my copy of the Burial Register for this plot, Janet Brownlie King was interred at a depth of 5 feet in August 1928 aged 92 years. She was interred in the "top" lair, the gravedigger's way of describing which compartment of the plot she was put into. "Top" would have been one of 3 or 4 lairs in the plot. I researched this branch of the King family many years ago for a lady in the USA and, as I never throw anything away, have other notes I made at the time.
The estate papers of the Hamilton's of Dalzell (Dalzell was the large estate, Dalziel was the parish) are now in the safe hands of the archivist at Motherwell Heritage Centre, 500 years of estate records that at one time, any old Tom, Dick or Harry was allowed to rake through. There are "bundles" of rental papers and here are some details, proof that the Kings were in Dalziel parish as far back as the mid 18th century and seem to have been at one time, all living around the area now known as Milton Street, (part of the original village) Milton = Milltown, the Mill was further along this street, situated on the river Calder. It still exists, much modified and rebuit after a bad fire in the late 19th century, it is now a small hotel and pub.

Taken from a bundle of rentals in the black deed box -

Alex King, Milltown paid half-year rent to Martinmas 1808. £27.10/-
William King, Motherwell Mill paid 1 year rent to Martinmas 1808, £75. He also paid property tax of £7.10/- which was deducted from his rent.
James King, mason paid half-year rent and feu to Martinmas 1808. £2.11.3d

Alex King in Milltown paid half-year rent to Martinmas 1811. £29.7.6d.
James King, mason paid 1 year rent to Martinmas 1811. £5.2.6d.

In another bundle of papers -
"2 feus of land near the cross (Motherwell Cross) date as far back as 1778 and 1781. They are granted to James King younger, mason at Kingston, a tack of property in Motherwell Muir is dated 1810".
I remember having a discussion with the lady from the States over "Kingston", she thought it referred to Kingston Jamaica. I wasn't so sure and now can't remember what the outcome was, sorry!

In the same bundle -
"Tack of land, one rood Scots, granted by General John Hamilton of Dalzell in favour of William King, tenant in Motherwell Mill, dated 12th February 1820".
Same bundle -
"Tack, between Archibald Hamilton esquire and James King, mason at Toddelburn, for building of house, 19 year lease. Dated 19th June 1767".
"Toddelburn" = Toadholeburn, was a small stream that ran into the river Calder at Coursington, which is all part of modern-day Motherwell. The Toddleburn was, in my late mother's childhood, a place where there were allotments for growing vegetables and where married men escaped for an hour or three (My grandfather and his elder brother being 2 of them)!
 A tod is the old Scots word for a fox.

Same bundle -
"John King, tenant in Motherwell Mill , tack for the lands of Milton dated 17th May 1766".
"Tack between Colonel John Hamilton and John King in Motherwell Mill and William King his son there and Alexander King in Milton of Dalziel also his son, dated 1785".

I will continue in another post.













Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.

Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #14 on: Saturday 13 February 16 10:26 GMT (UK) »
Continued ..............

This is dated 1898 and is in the Dalzell papers, I didn't transcribe all of it.
"Thomas King residing at Ardglass, County Down, Ireland, heir at law of Thomas King, son of the late James King, builder, Motherwell. Discharge in favour of Miss Margaret and June Brock.
"Right of Pre-emption" dated 17th March 1898. It goes on about "Trust and disposition and Settlement executed by the late James King, builder, Motherwell, dated 26th February and recorded in the Sheriff Court books of Lanarkshire at Hamilton on 5th June both in the year 1855. The house at Windmillhill was sold in 1871 by Thomas King, son of James King. The Thomas King from Ardglass is the grandson of Homie.
1871 document -
"We, John Kay, formally Postmaster Motherwell, now Iron manager, Wishaw and James Davidson, grocer Motherwell and Archibald King, wright in Motherwell surviving accepting trustees and executers original and assumed of the late James King, builder Motherwell confirm to 1st a Trust Disposition and Settlement executed by him and dated 26th February 1855.
A deed of assumption dated 7th & 8th June 1871 granted by the said John Kay and James Davidson as trustees and executers forsaid in favour of the said Archibald King. James King directed his trustees, after payment of the legacies therin contained to convey, assign and make over to Margaret Brock and Jane or Jean Brock, both now milliners in Motherwell and Mary Ann Brock now deceased, all daughters of his late daughter Margaret King or Brock, and their heirs equally share and share alike that house and ground to the back and front, next to Dalziel church, sometime occupied by Archibald Summers and others.
Tack and lease dated 9th August 1851.

Bundle of rents in the Dalzell papers -
John, William and Alexander King, Motherwell Mill, £29.5.0d for 1785.

Bundle of Accounts Dalzell 1811.
John King, mason, accounts of sundries £17.7.6d
James King, mason, £5.2.6d
2 years interest to James King's brother-in-law, £8.16.0.

That's about it for now, if I find anything else I'll add it.
I have a list of baptisms, Banns of marriage and burials in the parish of Dalziel, up to 1819.
If you send me your email address by P.M. I can send it to you.

According to the 1878-79 Motherwell Directory, Thomas King & Co, builders had a quarry at Bellside. This is in Cleland, parish of Shotts. Perhaps Thomas and Mary lived in Cleland, where she originally came from? Cleland is only a couple of miles from Motherwell.
The Kings also owned Motherwell House which is now the Bentley Hotel, I'm sure if you Google it there will be a picture.




Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.

Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #15 on: Saturday 13 February 16 10:42 GMT (UK) »
Father listed as Alexander King, Quarrymaster, mother Mary King nee McDonald Dick (both deceased)
d 28-Aug-1950 1301 Govan Road (cardiac failure)

1301 Govan Road, Glasgow was the Southern General Hospital.
Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.

Offline lud

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #16 on: Saturday 13 February 16 12:14 GMT (UK) »
Lodger wow!!
what a mass of information, great work, and deep research,here is my tiny contribution,
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=csr&CScn=dalziel&CScntry=50&CSst=0
"cant seem to reduce URL" but worth checking out.
Regards
Lud

Offline Lodger

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Re: King Family, Motherwell - James, Thomas, Alexander, William Dick
« Reply #17 on: Saturday 13 February 16 15:19 GMT (UK) »
Another little parcel of tit-bits.

According to the 1922 Motherwell Directory -

KING C. (Beneficiary Orbiston St) Janetta Place, Orchard Street.

KING H. (Beneficiary Orbiston St) 9 Blackmoorfoot Road, Crossland Moor, Huddesfield. (England).

KING J.D. (Beneficiary Orbiston St) Clydesdale Distillery House, Wishaw.

KING Mrs M. Motherwell House, High Road.

KING R.  (Beneficiary Orbiston St) Reith Cottage, Clyde Street.

KING W.G. (Beneficiary Orbiston St) Janetta Place, Orchard Street.

I can't really say what "(Beneficiary Orbiston St)" means but, could it be something to do with where Windmillhill House used to be? It was on Meadow Road, more or less behind what was then Dalziel parish church at Windmillhill. Nowadays, Orbiston Street runs parallel with Windmillhill St and Meadow Road runs off it at right angles. But I don't think Orbiston St was there before about 1880 - 1890ish. So Meadow Rd may have run up into Windmillhill St. (Lud, does this make sense to you?). Along the side of the church. This is where the Brock sisters inherited the house. Down the side of the church (according to Motherwell 70 years Ago and Now). Thomas King (married to Charlotte Snell) owned a lot of land around W/hill House and some of the houses in that little street (was it called Meadow Rd then?) were once his stables, he raised and trained race horses.

So, were all these people named above, in receipt of an income from the land, which by 1922 would have an awful lot of tenement houses on it. I can remember, back in the 1950s, (and I'm only 29) there were 2 very large tenements at the corners of Meadow Rd, one was nicknamed "The Rookery" and the other was "Paddy's Castle".
The King W. G. may really have been W.D. as this book is full of mistakes!

 
Paterson, Torrance, Gilchrist - Hamilton Lanarkshire. 
McCallum - Oban, McKechnie - Ross of Mull Argyll.
Scrim - Perthshire. 
Liddell - Polmont,
Binnie - Muiravonside Stirlingshire.
Curran, McCafferty, Stevenson, McCue - Co Donegal
Gibbons, Weldon - Co Mayo.
Devlin - Co Tyrone.
Leonard - County Donegal & Glasgow.