Hi
Can any of you clever people help me break down a 30+ year old brick wall in my family tree?
I have extensive research into my family done over nearly 40 years but this is my bugbear!
John Johnstone Cumming had a long military career of which I have details and died as the Governor of the Military Knights at Windsor Castle in 1843. He served in the 8th West Indian Regt mainly in the West Indies and whilst there, married a baroness from the (then) British Virgin Island of St Croix. They had 4 children all born in the West Indies but came home to christen them all in Drumblade Church near Huntly. His wedding in Guadeloupe in 1811 was also recorded at Drumblade Church so he clearly had connections with that area. His first wife died in Barbados in 1821 and when he remarried in 1826 in Scotland he was living at Lessendrum House, also in Drumblade. He was also a JP for Aberdeenshire around 1828, The problem is that all the John Cumming births around 1786 in Scotland do not state the key middle name Johnstone so I cannot be sure which one is him! He wrote a pleading letter on his military record in 1828 and seems to know a lot of prestigious people so I think he came from quite a good, well heeled family.
I cannot definitely connect him to the Huntly branch of the Cumming family and could never assume a baptism is correct without firm facts to back it up! So there is my brick wall!
I have tried maiden names of his mother possibly being Johnstone and the children's names holding clues to the parents names but I'm still stuck. I would really appreciate any help you can give me. My mum has been on this journey with me for 40 years and is now 92 so as it is her side of the family I would love to crack this while she is still with us :-) I have heaps of extra info if you want anything added please let me know.
Elaine Dering Gane
Details:-
Children's names:-
Jane Forrester Cumming born 24 Feb 1815 in St Lucia
Jannet Mary Cumming born 13 Dec 1816 in St Lucia
Andrew Leith Hay Cumming born 23 Jul 1818 in West Indies (place unknown)
Robert Aberdeen Cumming born 6 Oct 1820 in Guadeloupe
Wife No 1 Judith de Bretton daughter of Baron Frederick of St Croix, BVI
Wife No 2 Mary Ann Lane daughter of John Lane vicar of Sawbridgeworth, Herts
Christening details
1 8 Apr 1818 CUMMING JANNET MARY JOHN CUMMING/JUDITH DRUMBLADE
2 8 Apr 1818 CUMMING JEAN FORRESTER JOHN CUMMING/JUDITH DRUMBLADE 3 26 Jan 1821 CUMMING JOHN ROBT ABERDEEN JOHN JONSTONE/CUMMING JUDITH DE BRITTON FR324 NOB BARRONESS DRUMBLADE (John & Judith's 10th wedding anniversary)
4 26 Jan 1821 CUMMING ANDREW LEITH HAY JOHN JONSTONE/CUMMING JUDITH DE BRITTON FR324 NOB BARRONESS DRUMBLADE (John & Judith's 10th wedding anniversary)