Sarah Falconer / John Taylor M.A. rector Musselburgh Grammar School

[Lizw]

Hi everyone

I have several mysteries that I'd be very grateful for some help with:

John Taylor M.A. died 1820 aged 67 in Inveresk he had been the rector at Musseburgh Grammar for 30 years. I'm assuming he was born about 1753-54 but where and to whom I don't know. Another relative had suggested he was born on 1 Jul 1756 to John Taylor and Mgt Hoggard in 1756 in Kelso Rox. but I just feel that date isn't quite as accurate as I'd like it to be.  I have no idea where he gained his M.A. either. I can see that he was chosen for the position as Rector by Dr. Alexander Carlyle and replaced John Murray on his retirement.

At some stage he married Sarah Faconar who died 24 Sep 1826 still in Musselburgh. I had assumed her parents were Alexander Falconer and Margaret Elder/Alder and she was b in Lauder in 1750. They had at least 8 children between 1780 -1795. Most of their children were born in Lauder the last 2 in Musselburgh.

I have the transcript of a letter from their Grandson (also John Taylor) which states: "My Grandmother's brother, Falconer of Woodcot of the then Sir George Clerk of Pennicuike, Bart  had a son also in the Scots Greys whose sister married Sir Thomas Napier K.C.B. brother of Admiral Sir Charles Napier K.C.B."

I can find an Alexander Falconer of Woodcote who had inherited a property Reidhall from his father Thomas and renamed the property Woodcote/Woodcot. However I can't find any reference to Thomas having any other children. I wonder if the Falconers of Woodcote are in fact cousins of some sort but would like to prove or disprove that theory once and for all.

Any help would be very gratefully received.

many thanks
Liz

[tidybooks]

Hi Liz,

Done some searching, I can see the births of 6 children to John Taylor and Sarah Falconar (sic) in Lauder and Kelso and 2 children to John Taylor and Sarah Falconer at Inveresk, Musselburgh,

Margaret Taylor               b 15/10/1780    Lauder
Alexander Falconar Taylor b 20/01/1782    Lauder
Jean Taylor                      b 21/03/1784    Lauder
Colin Taylor                     b 03/04/1786    Lauder
John Taylor                      b 29/03/1788   Lauder
George Falconar Taylor     b 06/05/1790   Kelso
Matilda Taylor                  b 03/07/1792   Inveresk, Musselburgh
Archibald Hope Taylor       b 03/08/1795   Inveresk, Musselburgh

If Scottish Naming Pattern followed, I would have expected John's parents to be Alexander and Jean, and Sarah's parents to be Colin and Margaret. You suggest names of John Taylor and Margaret Hoggard for John, and Alexander Falconer and Margaret Elder/Alder for Sarah's. Having both mother's christian names the same, had made Scottish Naming Pattern to be awkward. I wonder who Jean and Colin were to take preference over father John.

There is also a will in Edinburgh Sheriff Court for John Taylor who was rector at Musselburgh Grammar School, his will is dated in 1822.

More searching required.

Tom

[tidybooks]

Hi Liz,

Found a possible baptism record for John Taylor on OPR's.

Taylor, John  Parents - John Taylor/ Margaret Hogg 02/07/1756 at Kelso

and Sarah Falconar (sic),

Falconar, Sarah Parents - Alexander Falconar and Margaret Alder August 1750 at Lauder, Berwickshire.

Makes John a bit of a toy boy!

Tom

[Forfarian]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Napier_(Royal_Navy_officer)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Napier_(British_Army_officer)

Thomas Erskine Napier married Margaret Falconer in Edinburgh on 18 December 1821.

Margaret Falconar, other surname Napier, died in Duddingston in 1885, aged 93.

In the 1881 census she was living in Duddingston Cottage

Margaret NAPIER   W   88    F   Fala, Haddington, Scotland
   Rel:   Head
   Occ:   Widow Of Sir T Napier R C B
Georgina MC KAY   U   70    F   Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland
   Rel:   Sister
   Occ:   Annuitant
Alexina OGILVIE   U   50    F   Edinburgh City, Edinburgh, Scotland
   Rel:   Niece
   Occ:   Annuitant
Plus one visitor and several servants.

Margaret Falconor, daughter of Alexander Falconor and Matilda Clark, was baptised in Fala and Soutra on 18 February 1794.

This couple also had George Hume or Home Falconer, baptised in Edinburgh in 1791, and Alexander, baptised in Fala and Soutra in 1795.

George Home Falconer served in the Scots Greys.

See https://archive.org/stream/falaandsoutrain00huntgoog/falaandsoutrain00huntgoog_djvu.txt - you need to scroll down to No 63 and 64.

Alexina Falconer, daughter of Alexander Falconer, married William Ogilvie in Edinburgh in 1818.

Alexander Falconer married Matilda Clerk in Lanark in 1790. He apparently died in 1795.

[tidybooks]

Hi Forfarian,

Alexander Falcon*r and Matilda Cl*rk had another son John, b 18/08/1792 at Fala and Soutra, as well.


Tom

[Forfarian]

Alexander Falcon*r and Matilda Cl*rk had another son John, b 18/08/1792 at Fala and Soutra, as well.

Missed that one

Not sure how unmarried Georgina McKay can be a sister of Margaret Falconer or Napier. If she was 70 in 1881, she was born 1810/1811. But the Fala and Soutra book says Alexander Falconer died in 1795, and I have not found a second marriage of Matilda Clerk or a baptism of a Georgina McKay.

[Lizw]

Thank you everyone,

I've downloaded John Taylor MA s will it is 6 pages long so it will take me a while to transcribe but I can see Alexander Falconar Taylor listed as his eldest son and Sarah nee Falconar Taylor as his wife. Thank you Tom for pointing out George Taylor was born in Kelso I looked that register up on Scotland's people and it says his father was Rector of the Grammar School there too. I still can't find John and Sarah's marriage.

The Falconers of Woodcote are interesting from what I can ascertain....
Thomas Falconer inherited Woodcote (or Reidhall as it was initially known) from his wife's father: Lt Thos. Maitland. He should have been the father of Sarah if the transcription of the letter I had was correct.

Thomas' son Alexander Falconer (poss. Sarah's brother) m 1790 to Matilda Clark (dau of Capt John Clark HEICS) this should have been the brother to my Sarah Falconer if the letter had been correct.
I saw on line a reference to them having 13 children but I can only find 5:
- George Home F. b. 30 Jul 1791 m. Alex Macleod 1813 d. 15/9/1820
-John b. 5 Aug 1792
- Alexander b. 20 Mar 1795
- Margaret ch 18 Feb 1794 m. Sir Thos. Erskine Napier inherited Woodcote
- Alexina b. 10 Mar 1785 m. Mr Ogilvie of Chesters inherited Sutra Mains

Thank you all for this work I really do appreciate it.

best regards
Liz

[Forfarian]

I saw on line a reference to them having 13 children but I can only find 5:
- George Home F. b. 30 Jul 1791 m. Alex Macleod 1813 d. 15/9/1820
-John b. 5 Aug 1792
- Alexander b. 20 Mar 1795
- Margaret ch 18 Feb 1794 m. Sir Thos. Erskine Napier inherited Woodcote
- Alexina b. 10 Mar 1785 m. Mr Ogilvie of Chesters inherited Sutra Mains

If the Fala and Soutra book is correct and Alexander died in 1795, they could not possibly have had 13 children, and John must have died young.

The book also mentions one son and three daughters. If this is correct then there must have been another daughter.

Also both John and Alexander must both have died young, as their sisters inherited .... but wait! The baptism of Alexander in 1795 shows him as female. So Alexander must be Alexina.

There should be records in the Registers of Sasines which might clarify these family relationships.

[Lizw]

Hi again everyone

Tom mentioned that it seemed unusual to name the children of John and Sarah Taylor in this way - I had noticed that a witness to 3 of the children's christenings (in 1784, 1786 & 1788) was Colin Cuthbert Falconar but I have no idea what his connection is.
Another witness with a possible family connection was Alexander Falconar Taylor witness to Colin Falconar Taylor's christening in 1786 - surely this wasn't his older brother of the same name as he was only about 4 years old at the time!

Thank you so much Forfarian - yes quite right re: the Falconers. I will look into the Register of Sasines I haven't used that before so thank you for referring me there.

best regards

Liz