Trying to find relative of Isabella Haig Stevenson

[spades]

Thanks Bellaode,

Good luck with your research.

Spades

[ruthhelen]

It seems likely that Isabella Haig Stevenson and John Duncan weren't married - at least at the point of your father's birth. Without reintroducing your father's name to the thread, SP shows a 1938 birth in Banff for a xxx Duncan, and another index entry (with the same reference number) for a xxx Stevenson, which suggests he was registered as xxx Duncan or Stevenson, and his parents weren't married.

You'd need to see the birth certificate to confirm that - if the parents were married, the date and place of the marriage should be recorded.

Ruth

[bellaode]

Thanks ruthelen I do have my father's birth certificate and the parents Isabella Haig Stevenson and John Duncan never married it does show where both parties are from.  I also have a copy of Isabella Haig stevensons mothers death certificate but John Duncan of backhill is a mystery.

[Rosinish]

I have PM'd Bella for obvious reasons with 'living/possibly living' names i.e....

From the names on your dad's maternal side it would appear he wasn't named after them....speculation I know but for now it's looking likely he was named after John's father?

What year was Isabella Haig Stevenson born as we are looking now for a John Duncan born around the same year approx. as Isabella (hopefully)?

The other question which is important (to me anyway), do you know the distance between Backhill, Banff where John was and Wesley Cottage, Gellymill Parish of Gamrie where Isabella Haig Stevenson was?

John was 'of' Backhill (at that time) i.e. not necessarily born there!

Annie

[Forfarian]

There are dozens of farms called Backhill, but the one in the parish of Banff is here
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ6360

Gellymill isn't named on the modern map but it is in the middle of this map
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ7063

or you can look at the old twenty-five inch map, 
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=57.6603&lon=-2.5027&layers=168&b=1
where Gellymill Cottage is named. I can't see a readily accessible map with Wesley Cottage but it must be one of the ones close to Gellymill Cottage.

I estimate that it would be about eight miles from Backhill to Gellymill depending what route you took - you'd have to cross the Deveron at either Bridge of Alvah or Banff Bridge. No distance at all to someone accustomed to walking.

[bellaode]

Thanks for your help all information is handy to have especially since I am on the other side of the world

[Forfarian]

John was 'of' Backhill (at that time) i.e. not necessarily born there!

Are we absolutely certain that the original document says 'of' rather than 'in' or 'at'? Because if it does indeed say 'of', it may imply permanent rather than temporary residence.

In older records 'of' usually implies that the person referred to is the proprietor or at least tenant-in-chief of the place. 'In' implies habitual residence but not any sort of ownership, and 'at' implies temporary residence.

It's not infallible, of course, and it is certainly not helped by the sloppy use of the term 'Of' in the Family Search web site to suggest where someone may have been born just because they were married there or their eldest child was baptised there.

[bellaode]

the fathers section of my fathers birth certificate reads

John Duncan Father Backhill, Parish of Banff



the other part reads John Duncan, Farm Servant


Thank you for your help
Teresa

[Rosinish]

Thanks Forfarian....

My comp has been updating for the last 2 days & I'm having problems here & there.

Hi Bella,

As your research now does not include any possible living people you can post what you PM'd me i.e. I will add it here for others to help.
I had to PM you as I didn't know your father's name & at that point I couldn't get onto SP site to find out.

"Isabella Haig Stevenson who was resided at Wesley Cottage, Gellymill Parish of Gamrie.
We know that Isabella Haig Stevenson's mother was Margaret Ann Stevenson whose mother was Margaret (Maggie) Walker Barron and the father was George Stevenson.

I have found several Duncans that have lived in Gellymill Street Banff through Census but not sure if they are the same.
Isabella Haig Stevenson mother also lived in Gellymill Street Banff too from the information we have seen the death certificate and it too states Wesley Cottage Gellymill."


It will not be possible to identify them in any census for that period as our last census available is 1911 unfortunately.
It may however be possible to find the parents of Isabella then take things from there with possibilities.

I have checked the Valuation Rolls for Gellymill Street (latest being 1930) with no Duncans although there are Stevensons with different names although probably related?

The only George is this one...

STEVENSON GEORGE, Tenant Occupier
FARM WESTER RIVEHILL ESTATE OF GREENSKARES, GAMRIE
1930
VR009100100-

There are no Duncans listed in 1930 for Backhill, Banff


Annie