Euphemia LAING, died Coull 1835

[Forfarian]

Very interesting. Have you looked at the original record? What does it say? What are the names of the people listed just before and after this baptism?

[Seaton Smithy]

An excellent suggestion Forfarian.

The parents for the entry above are both named Thomson.  I can't read the name of the father for the entry below but it starts with S* and clearly isn't Reid and the mother is Couts.

The interesting thing is that William Smith and Euphemia Reid are "in Lonhed of Corse".  Loanhead of Corse is where William Smith and Euphemia Laing die in 1835.  It looks to me that Euphemia Reid and Euphemia Laing could be the same person.

* EDIT:  I've worked out it is Stephen as the same family appears above the 1804 record for William and Euphemia's son George.

[Seaton Smithy]

I now have the death record of Peter Smith who dies in 1883 in Leochel-Cushnie aged 80.  His parents are listed as William Smith and Elspet Laing.

[Periwinkled]

I'm new to all this and have been working my way back to find the Smith in my family and have Francis Smith named in his illegitimate daughter's marriage register, deceased by 1875 but said to have been a journeying blacksmith during his life.  Son of William and Euphemia, born Loanhead of Corse 1810.  Family belief is that our Smiths were related to the Smiths of Inveravon/Drumin and I wonder if you have worked back and confirmed any of the clues hinted at above and subseqently found a connection with Inveravon (or indeed Kirkmichael) which would confirm this?  Many thanks for any help you can give.

[Seaton Smithy]

Hi Periwinkled

Thanks for getting in touch.  Your post is the first information I have for Francis other than his baptism.

When you say "journeying" blacksmith, do you mean "journeyman" blacksmith?  A journeyman blacksmith was someone who had not finished his training and had not yet become a master blacksmith.

The only Francis Smith I can find of the right age who died before 1875 died in Old Machar, Aberdeen in 1871.  I don't currently have any credits to check if this is the right man.

The earliest record I have found for William and Euphemia is the baptism of their son Peter in 1802.   I will look into the Smiths of Inveravon, Drumin & Kirkmichael.

Are you able to share any more details of Francis' daughter?  If you prefer to give the details privately you will need to make 2 more posts before we can send Personal Messages.

[Forfarian]

When you say "journeying" blacksmith, do you mean "journeyman" blacksmith?  A journeyman blacksmith was someone who had not finished his training and had not yet become a master blacksmith.

Not quite.

He had completed his apprenticeship so was a fully fledged blacksmith, and could seek employment anywhere he chose. 'Journeyman' is from the French word 'journée' meaning the length of a day; originally he would have been paid a wage on a daily basis.

Once he felt that he had gained enough experience he could then set himself up as a master and take on and train his own apprentices. In some trades a journeyman had to be approved by a guild before he could become a master, but I don't think that necessarily applied to blacksmiths in rural areas like Coull.

[Periwinkled]

Hi
Thank you for you reply.  The Francis Smith who died 1871 was the son of Charles and Elizabeth and occupation ground officer at Rubislaw so not the same person.    The peculiar thing is that although Francis Smith is named as the reputed father of my ancestor, and 'jour. Blacksmith' as profession (you are probably right about journeyman, not a term I was previously familiar with), my ancestor's father at baptism is listed as James Smith on a transcript of the birth entry - I have so far been unable to find a scan of the original entry.  Let's do a couple more messages and I will PM you what I have and explain why I believe Euphemia's Francis is mine too.

[Seaton Smithy]

Not quite.

Thanks for the clarification, Forfarian!

[Seaton Smithy]

Here is a thread about Francis' younger brother Samuel Smith (1819) who migrated to the US: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=784656

I am not sure what happened to their sister Elspet (1814) but her 5 sons all turn up in the US as boys, with 2 of them living with Samuel.

Another brother Alexander (1817) may also have gone to the US, possibly living with Samuel in 1860.