Missing soldiers 18th & 19th centuries

[MonicaL]

Lyndsey, you mentioned you had actually visited the grave at Greyfriars Churchyard. Just picking up from Shaun's trascription earlier, Helen buried with Chalmer's showing as daughter on the stone? Did you confirm that this was actually incribed on the stone?

From the Collected Letters of James Hogg that you also mentioned you had read (just adding here for background notes to the thread):

Elizabeth Stewart may have been his second wife, for according to James Brown, The Epitaphs and Monumental Inscriptions in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh (Edinburgh, 1867), p. 272, Chalmers Izett's daughter Helen, who died on 11 March 1867, is buried with him. The record of her death in Inveresk parish gives her mother's name as Jane Izett or Maclean and her age as eighty- two, so she must have been born around 1785, before her father's marriage to Elizabeth Stewart.

I think for me the fact she shows as daughter and is buried with Chalmers is fairly conclusive. Whether parents were married, no record found so far is there.

[MonicaL]

Have you looked at Chalmers Izett's Inventory and Settlement legal documents following his death? From www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - Legal Records:

Chalmers Izett - 29/4/1841 residing at Blackett Place, Newington of Edinburgh
Inventory; Settlement, Edinburgh Sheriff Court Inventories
Ref SC70/1/60

Wondered whether there could be a mention of his children (ie Helen)?

Monica
   

[Daonnachd]

Hi Monica,

I've had a look at he Inventory, and it is basically that - a list of his property and stocks and shares. I can only make out two names, one being the Writer of the documents, and the other being William Wemyss Anderson, "his nephew and executor". William was the son of Chalmers' sister Margaret Izett (who married Rev John Anderson). It does say William Wemyss Anderson was a Solicitor in Kingston Jamaica, but doesn't say anything else that I can make out.

I agree that a lot of the evidence does point to Chalmers being Helen's father, but why would her marriage record in 1807 say he was dead, when Chalmers lived until 1840? There are a mountain of possibilities I suppose.

 

[ciderdrinker]

Hello Lindsay
Sorry not to get back to you yesterday,I was at the seaside.
The Army reference for James Ferriers was off FindMyPast.
It's his pension record for 5.11. 1819 at Kilmainham  Hospital.
It says he enlisted at Aberdeen 24.7.1809 age 18 for unlimited service .In the 78th Regiment of Foot or Seaforth Highlanders.
He left with an incurably sore leg.Ulcers after an accident to his left leg at Fort George N.B
He gave very indifferent  service-like my summary .Sorry!
5 ft 9 black hair, grey eyes ,dark complexion-a  labourer ,
He got 9 shillings marching money for his journey from Athlone to Dublin.
If you haven't got a Sub pm with your e-mail and I'll send it to you.
Sorry I was so brief Tuesday.

His pension record on Ancestry says he died at Aberdeen 24.2.1872.there is a G75000 which I don't understand.
Scots people have a death cert for him -mother Sinclair at New Blyth.
That would fit with James s of John Ferrier and Margaret Sinclair bapt at Banff 18.4.1790.
There's a will for Dad John at Macduff 9.1.1847 which may help.

I can now see those pay musters ,as you say he must be the James Ferrier at Edinburgh Castle in 25 Dec 1815/24 March 1816 so why can't they give the Regiment?

Ciderdrinker

[ciderdrinker]

Me again
I looked at that 1816 pay muster and on the same page is Adam Gillian also of the 78 foot born 1797 at Cromaty ,attested 3.8.1813 discharged 9.4.1838.
So it looks like the James Ferrier of the 78th regiment was at Edinburgh in 1816 at least.
A bit of a coincidence if there were two men with the same name at Edinburgh Castle 1816 and 1818?


Ciderdrinker

[ShaunJ]

I can now see those pay musters ,as you say he must be the James Ferrier at Edinburgh Castle in 25 Dec 1815/24 March 1816 so why can't they give the Regiment?

It does say 78th Regiment. All of the soldiers on that page are in the 78th regiment. The "78" is in the "regiment" column at the top of the page. 

[Daonnachd]

Hi Shaun & Ciderdrinker,

Wow! Thank you so much for digging this out, it is really starting to make sense. As you say, it seems a coincidence that 2 James Ferriers would be at Edinburgh Castle within a couple of years of each other.

Please don't be sorry! It's not like I'm paying you!  A day by the sea is much better for you than surfing the internet - you weren't doing the other kind of surfing were you?