CLARK & FORD connection Dunnichen

[LindsayG]

I have Peter Clark (d 1905) and his wife Betsy Clark (ms Low) (d 1902) buried in Dunnichen. I am stuck with a connection to the FORD family though and wonder if anyone could offer any suggestions!

Peter and Betsy are buried along with David Ford (d 1861) and Crawford Ford (ms Pullar) (d 1848).

The gravestone was Erected by G.D. Ford U.S.A. in memory of his parents.

I can find no family connection with my Clarks and the Fords although the Clarks had a daughter named Agnes Ford Clark and the Fords had a daughter named Annie Sturrock Clark - I believe Peter Clarks mother was a Sturrock but can't prove that yet.

The Clarks and Fords are both living at East Craichie in the 1841 census but the Fords are the farmers with servants and Peter Clark is 'just' an ag labourer.

Any suggestions would be welcome as to why they are buried together

Thanks

[ColC]

Whilst I cannot find a direct connection some of the following information from Scotland’s People and other sites might help, especially the 1851 census below. These are all transcripts but if you look at the original returns on SP it might help?

PETER CLARK died Monifieth 1905 age 94, born about 1811.
(By coincidence Peter Wood Clark also died 1905 in Brechin, he was 4)

Peter Clarke baptised 15 Nov 1810 KIRRIEMUIR, ANGUS?
 Parents William Clarke & Elspeth Grant

PETER CLARK married BETTY LOW 13/05/1837 Dunnichen
Anne 20/7/1837, James 6/08/1837, William 23/02/1840
Agnes Ford 10/04/1842, Jessie 28/09/1844
Mary 28/12/1846, Helen 12/01/1850, David 23/11/1852
(A David Clark died 14/02/1852, age 5 no birth record)

Dunnichen, Angus (As transcribed)
1901 CLARK – Peter 89, Betsy 84, William 13?
1891 CLARK - Peter 78, Betsy 74, William Stark 3

1881
Pool Bothy, Kinnell, Forfarshire (Angus)
Peter   Clark   Lodger   Married   Male   66   1815   Ag Lab   Kirriemuir, Forfarshire (Angus),

1881 Dwelling: Hemming Road, Dunnichen, Forfarshire
Betsy L.  CLARK Married Labourers Wife (Head), 64 born Fearn, Forfarshire
Ann R. CLARK Gr Daur 15 Weaver born Dunnichen, Forfar
George BARRIE Boarder 24 Butcher & Cattle Dealer born Dunnichen, Forfar

1871 CLARK – Peter 60, MARY 56? Jessie 26, Annie 5, Jessie 3, James 0

1861 CLARKE – Peter 49, Betty 46, Elizabeth 25, Helen 10, Peter 5, Agnes 2, David 1

1851 CLARK – Peter 39, Ann 13, William 11.
   It appears that a Betty Low 36 is on the census return with David Ford & Family

1841 Clark – Peter 29, Betty 25, Elesa 5, Anne 3, William 1

1841 Clark – David 64*, Susan 49      
David Clark died 17/02/1848 age 70.

Regards

Colin

[Forfarian]

The first thing I would do is take a look at their death certificates at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. This will cost you about the same as a cup of coffee, and will confirm the full maiden names of the couple's mothers. You could also get David Ford's death certificate, but there won't be one for Crawford as death registration only started in 1855.

I see from the index to the 1901 census that Peter Clark, 89, Betsy Clark, 84 and William Clark, 73 are all listed on the same page. So if these ages are accurate Peter was born about 1811/12 and Betsy about 1816/17.

In 1881 Betsy L Clark, 64, married, labourer's wife, born Fern, granddaughter Ann R Clark, 15 and a lodger are in Hemming Street, Dunnichen. (This is from a transcription which unhelpfully omits the names of the towns and villages throughout, but Hemming Street is in the village of Letham in the parish of Dunnichen.) Peter Clark, 66, married, labourer, born Kirriemuir, is lodging in the bothy at Pool, Kinnell.

You can (and should - never rely on transcriptions) look at the originals of the census on the Scotland's People web site.

[LindsayG]

Hi ColC and Forfarian, thank you so much for your help - I couldn't find Peter in 1881 so that's a big help and also I didn't have the 1851 census.

I have spent a small fortune (enough to buy a coffee shop let alone a coffee 😅, but don't tell my husband lol) over the years at scotlandspeople and unfortunately neither Peter or Betty's parents are on their death certificates. I suppose it's because they were quite old when they died and their family didn't know or couldn't remember their grandparents? Peters does show a William Clark as his father but blank for his mother so I'm not convinced the 'William' would be precise.....

Anyway, I have a theory..... Peter and Betsy had in the 1891 and 1901 census, their great grandson William Stark Clark living with them and also in the 1881 census their grand daughter Ann Robertson Clark was living with Betsy. Now, Crafford Ford died in 1848, age 39 - possibly in child birth as David Ford has 9 children in the 1851 census and is widowed, the youngest of his children is age 3 which would work with Craffords death in 1848 but I've not got her death cert yet.... and the Clarks & Fords are all in the same place on the 1851 census..... My theory is that Betsy was a motherly type (having 'taken in' her grand daughter then great grandson) and perhaps help look after the Ford children when their mother died and therefore when GD Ford erected the gravestone in memory of his parents, he included Peter and Betsy.....

Might be way off the mark but can't think of any other reason for the moment, I'll keep trying though!

Thanks again 

[Forfarian]

David Ford has 9 children in the 1851 census and is widowed, the youngest of his children is age 3 which would work with Craffords death in 1848 but I've not got her death cert yet

You have no chance of getting it, because there was no such thing as a death certificate before the start of statutory civil registration in 1855. There might possibly be a burial record but it won't tell you the names of her parents.

There are two adjacent stones in Dunnichen Kirkyard. One to David Ford, East Mains of Craichie, 17 May 1861 and his wife Crawford Pullar 3 June 1848.

The other to David Ford, tenant, Dunnichen December 1784 aged 72, wife Isobel Fauld November 1783 aged 69, erected by surviving children Nicol and Ann, other two children Isobel April 1781 aged 38, David merchant in Dundee August 1783 aged 34.

The book of inscriptions doesn't list any Clarks in Dunnichen. However it only lists stones which have at least one death before 1855, so it is just possible there might be one.

[snowolf]

Hi ,
I sent an pm but dont know if you got it or not ....
anyway ,also found this .
                                        1856.
Bowriefaulds, Dunnichen,proprietor, David Ford East Mains of Craichie farm..(house,shoemakers shop,& garden)
East Mains of Craichie farm= David Ford

House & garden,East mains of craichie,Miss Eliza Ford,=tenant is David Gibson (painter)

                                         1859
House,shoemakers shop & garden, proprietor=David Ford, East mains of Craichie Fram....yearly rent
£230.

rooms &garden=Miss Ford =yearly rent £9 (3£ each).

                                        1867
Bowriefaulds, House,shop & garden, 1 tenant £3.18 shillings per year., Miss Elizabeth Ford, Lochty bank,Carnoustie.

                                      1871
 Bowriefaulds.shop ,house & garden,Miss Elizabeth Ford....Rose Villa,Carnoustie.

                                      1881,
Bowriefaulds...House,Shop,Garden.....miss Elizabeth Ford,London, she has a person acting for her named James Peter (shoemaker).

after 1888 she doesnt seem to have the property anymore.

cheers
Snowolf

[Forfarian]

1881, Bowriefaulds...House,Shop,Garden.....miss Elizabeth Ford,London, she has a person acting for her named James Peter (shoemaker).
after 1888 she doesnt seem to have the property anymore.

There are too many deaths of Elizabeth Fords in the English death indexes!

The thing to do is to go for the Registers of Sasines and search for Bowriefaulds. The record of change of ownership will tell you whether Elizabeth had died or whether she sold the property.

The Registers of Sasines are in Edinburgh and you need to go, or get someone to go on your behalf, to the Historical Search Room in the National Records of Scotland. If you want to hire a professional searcher, see http://asgra.co.uk/members.php