william white and wife ann mcneil

[bellbird]

Greetings folk in Fife,  Some time ago I was looking for the above, but you like me had no success.  However yesterday while at our local library (which gives members free access to Ancestry.com if you can get a free computer) I looked for William White's in Fife birth in the year 1840 as he died aged 30 in NZ in 1871.  Lo and behold there were two possiblities in 1841 census.

William White 6 months old Dunefermline Fife, Village of Mastertown Parish No 424  Household Jamemah 35,  William 45,  Anne 15,  Christina, 6  Elizabeth 10,
James 8,  John 3,  Joseph 15,  William 6 months.

William White 1 year born about 1840 High Street Inverkeithing.  Melville Family
John 60, Janet 55, Catharine 20.  William White 1 year.  Wonder if he was result of extramartial activity or whether his parents died and he now lives with his grandparents.

These two look as if they could be possible candidates for my William and maybe from there Anne (McNeil born 1844) his wife.  Any suggestions or help would be much appreciated.   Bellbird.

[trish251]

Hi Bellbird

Do you have any other information from NZ - parents, siblings, marriage/children - when he travelled

IGI has the following extracted records in Fife
William Whyte son of William Whyte and Jemima Grieve 19 Nov 1840 Dunfermline
William White son of William and Janet Dandie 21 Dec 1840 Luechars
William Whyte  son of George and Helen Adie 12 Aug 1841 Dunfermline

And a couple more slightly later 11 Nov 1842 Dysart. 27 Jun 1842 Strathmilgo

Trish

Edit: sorry - I missed the wife Ann - did they marry in Scotland, post 1855  - if so the marriage image should show their parents

[bellbird]

Hi Trish  Thanks for your message.  I guess these two are in addition to the two I came up with.  Sadly we have no information in NZ that I can find other than their deaths and an entry in Wises Directory showing their address at Port Chalmers which was  the Port of Entry to Otago/Dunedin.   Yes their marriage would be after 1855 as William would only be 15 then and Ann 11.  Unfortunately I and a number of my cousins have been unable to trace their arrival in NZ, and I would imagine that to come out together they would have needed to be married.  But maybe they weren't.  They had 3 children in NZ. William born 19/11/1867 Port Chalmers, Agnes Born 19/12/1865 and Lilly (my grandmother) born 3/2/1870 Port Chalmers.  William snr died aged 30  4/8/1871 at Dunedin  and Ann died a few months earlier at Port Chalmers aged 27 13/3/1871. Probably not alot for you to go on, do you have any suggestions re the two I found on Ancestry.  Maybe the first one on your list could be the 6 months old baby on my list?  Bellbird

[trish251]

Hi bellbird

I can't see the marriage on the IGI & civil marriages 1855 to 1875 in Scotland are usually there    Depending on how they travelled, they could perhaps have been married in England on the way or even on board the ship. However, you have a date when they were in NZ from the births - Agnes 1865 correct? Tis in between the other two, so I wondered.

The fact they called their first son William, could indicate William as a father to William  

I'll look at the census & perhaps see who is NOT there in 1871.

And yes, I would agree the first one on my list is the First family on your list.

Have you seen their headstones? A couple of my scottish folks graves in Australia, list their place of origin on the headstone (One has much detail!) - Do  you know they definitely came from Fife?

Wonder if they came through Australia & married there? Anything seemed to have been possible back then.

Trish

[bellbird]

Hi Trish Thanks for your prompt response I was still sending death notice of a cousin died 5/5/08 to my cousins when your response popped up..   In addition to 1871 census, would the 1861 census show if they were still there as William would be 21 and Ann 17 so may not have left at that point.  Passenger shipping lists here are frustrating in that Cabin passengers are always listed, steerage sometimes or just listed as e.g. 250 in steerage.  They could have well been there I feel being young etc. and probably not well off.  16 pound from England seemed to be the going rate which doesn't sound much to us but to some it was probably a fortune.  Don't know if it happened much but William may have worked his passage even.  Anyways it's late and my eyes are shutting on me so I'm off to the land of winkin blinkin and nod.  Have a good day as those in the USA would say.  Bellbird  They don't have a pikky for tired so I'll leave it to your imagination.

[trish251]

I haven't yet found much to help but thought I should post what I have found to avoid any duplication

1851 is as follows
William born Anstruther Easter Fife aged 11 (1840)  parents Margaret Charles
William born Beith fife aged 12 (1839) Alexr and Helen
William born Dunfermline aged 12 (1839) stepson John Stevensen, mother probably Jean Stevenson (older brother Robert)
William born Leuchars aged 10 grandson of William Dandie and Margaret Dandie - Janet Dandie 28 in household
William Whyte born Dunfermline aged 9 father William
William Whyte born Dysart aged 9 parents David and Margaret

Very difficult to find the options for Ann

1861 looks sparse - so far I have only found this one
1861 William born Anstruther is still with parents Margaret and Charles - they are living in Leith, william is a shoemaker

more later (I hope!)

Trish

[lindapupcat]

Can anyone tell me exactly where Beith in Fife is or was, please?

[trish251]

Can anyone tell me exactly where Beith in Fife is or was, please?

Hi lindapupcat - & welcome to rootschat

I haven't been online for awhile so just saw your post. This will give you a parish map of Fife
http://www.thefifepost.com/map.htm
Beith is shown as parish 410 - near Dunfermline

Trish