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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Banffshire => Topic started by: heedrapper on Tuesday 01 May 12 10:29 BST (UK)
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Hi Rootschatters,
I have been researching Alexander McGregor Rose b 17th August 1846, at Kirkmichael, Banffshire. He was raised by his maternal step-grandfather, viz: Alexander McGregor (described as otherwise childless). His parents were George Rose (appears as Ross is some searches) Tailor in Tomintoul, and Ann Innes.
Ann Innes is described on her death certificate (dated 15 March 1870) as,
“Ann Innes (illegitimate), widow of George Rose, Tailor. Female aged 46. Parents: William Innes, farmer and Margaret McGregor maiden surname Grassick.”
Any help or information on the step-grandfather, or the parents of Margaret Grassick, would be appreciated.
Thank you.
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Do you have them in the 1861 Census
Alexander Mcgregor age 58 born 1803 occupation ( flesher )
Margaret Mcgregorborn 1799 their Grandson is with them all living Main Street Kirkmichael Banff
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I did see that, Rosie, thank you, and did consider it, but the child's surname should be listed as Rose.
It is still a possible however, although young Alexander never dropped his surname, he was known as Greeg locally. This taken from a biography of him by Robert Dey M.A..............
The young Grigorach (shortly, Greeg), as Rose was familiarly called, soon became a local celebrity. He early developed certain well-marked traits. Some of these were his love of reading, as we have already mentioned, his great fondness for dogs, his love of sport, his quickness in repartee, and his great ability in composing smart rhyming couplets.
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Is this the family you are discussing, but in 1851?:
Alex Mcgregor 49, Farmer Of 5 Acres Crofter b. Kirkmichael, Banffshire
Margt Mcgregor 51 b. Kirkmichael, Banffshire
Alex Ross 5, nephew b. Kirkmichael, Banffshire
Address: Main Street, Somentone
Monica :)
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Saw this http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wdgrassick&id=I12566 Think some of the detail may be wrong (name of first husband?) but perhaps some dates and details of parents that may help.
Monica
Added: Actually, Ann Innes was illegitimate so Margaret Grassick and William Innes never married? So, possible husband's name of Alexander Blair, given for her above on the link, might be correct? Questions, questions... ;)
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Hi Monica,
You are correct, this one does throw up many questions, but I know you like a challenge, having kindly helped me a few times before. Thank you for that, but, again the relationship is wrong, it should be ‘grandson’.
I am inclined to think both census are the correct family (but with errors, as previously raised).
I see it as..... Born Margaret Grassick, had an illegitimate daughter Ann to William Innes, then married Alexander McGregor (otherwise childless), daughter Ann keeps the Innes name. I will check out the details in your link for accuracy which would mean that besides an illegitimate daughter, she also married twice. :-[
If this is correct, then maybe I should have named the thread Innes/Grassick, but it would also be good to get some background on ‘Auld Alex’ as well.
Just for every ones’ information young Alexander (grandson), grew up the be Minister in Orkney, and a reasonable poet, became bankrupt, left his wife and two children, in Aberdeen (with support) emigrated across the Atlantic, to become a journalist. A biography by Robert Dey M.A. says this of him.......
Disgusted with the change in his circumstances, and wishing, as far as possible, to forget the past, and that he should be forgotten, he added the name of Gordon to his own patronymic, so that his future career, he was known by the name of A. Macgregor Rose Gordon. Writing to a friend on 17th June, 1887, from San Francisco, with reference to this, he says: "I made a slight change in my name when I took to journalism and gave up the ministry'. I was ashamed of the change at the time (change of profession I mean), and I could not hear that my name should appear in it. I was in the depths besides, and hoped that nobody would ever hear from or of me again. I feel very different now, but the thing is done and cannot be undone.
Why did he pick 'Gordon'?.... Questions, questions, right enough.....
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I wouldn't worry to much about the 'nephew' tag for Alexander in 1851 - this does happen. I know we want to have perfect relationships for the household but I have seen the 'nephew' for 'grandson' before. You have the confusion generally whereby you have Alexander as McGregor and grandson in 1861 also...one of those things unfortunately.
Regarding a possible first marriage for Margaret Grassick to an Alexander Blair, the info has to have come from somewhere! I can't easily see so far 1841 census entries which would help. Maybe the death cert for Margaret, as widow of Alexander McGregor, in 1879 might show details of a first marriage?
Guess this is all part of your Ross family research..... ::) ;)
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Monica,
Margaret Grassick died 9th December 1879, aged 84, confirmed as widow of Alexander McGregor (Butcher). Parents: Donald Grassick farmer (deceased) and Anne Forbes (deceased). No mention of first husband.
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That all sort of fits with what is on that RootsWeb link, except for no mention of first husband and a few days out on Margaret's death.
You could try contacting the person who posted (their email is on the link (scrambled) - may not be live though if changes have been made).
Hard to say really whether a first marriage for Margaret may be a red herring isn't it :-\ Records seem poor for her in this period.
Monica
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There is only one ‘Blair’ marriage in Abernethy & Kincardine, Moray., showing in the OPRs for 1538 to 1854....William Blair to Elspet Cameron in 1794
Added... I made a mistake with death cert. should read 18th Dec 1879
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The entry on the rootsweb page shows as this..
Marriage 1 Alexander Blair b: BEF 1800 in probably Moray, Scotland
Married: ABT 1819 in probably Abernethy & Kincardine, Moray, Scotland
Marriage Beginning Status: Partners
Any thoughts what this means?
P.S. I don't like probablies :-\
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I don't like probabilities either...always smacks of best guesses ::)
This is showing on one of the transcripts for 1841:
John Blair 30
Margaret Blair 40
Isabella Blair 20
James Blair 15
Alexander Cameron 10
Mary Grant 7
Jane Mcdonald 4
Ann Gilbert 10
Address: Somdow, Abernethy and Kincardine
Freecen shows the address as Tundow (rather than Somdow) and certainly likely father as John...
I think your Margaret Grassick is still out there to be found for 1841...
Monica
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...However, the RootsWeb page has been really helpful at identifying the death of Margaret Grassick (hopefully also the right death for Alexander McGregor). Who reported Margaret's death?
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Her death was reported by Duncan Grassick, nephew.
Also just found this birth, which confirms Alex Blair in Somdow and Margaret Grassick in Aultnelrich, (not living together???) I have to check if her father was farming in Aultnelrich, and make sure its the correct Margaret. It also looks to me as its another illegitimate birth.... It has been squeezed vertically in the margin.
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Ok, in that case, 1851 makes more sense regarding James Blair:
John Blair 42, Farmer Of 51 Acres Arable And 36 Pasturage
Margaret Cameron 50, sister
Isabella Blair 35 sister
James Blair 31, nephew
Jane McDonald 14 niece
Archibald McDonald 10 nephew
Address: Tomdow, Abernethy and Kincardine
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Margaret Grassick did not appear to marry Alexander Blair who died in 1838, age 40. Their son James b.1820-1881 married Jessie McBean and the family at living at Tomchrochar in Abernethy in 1871 census. I have a photograph of Jessie Blair (nee McBean) with her daughter Jane and would love to pass a copy on to her descendants. Jane married a Mr McKenzie 13th January 1894 at the Commercial Hotel in Keith. She died 8th June 1941 at Balliefurth, Granton-on-Spey.
Alexander Blair was son of William Blair and Elspet Cameron
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Don't know if this is any help but Margaret Grassick didn't appear to marry Alexander Blair either although they had a son James Blair 1820-1881 who married Jessie McBean. They are living at Tomchrochar in Abernethy in 1871 census with their children Jane, Alexander, Peter, Margaret, John and Jessie. If anyone is connected to this family I have a photo of Jessie with her daughter Jane would be happy to pass on copies.
By the way Alexander Blair died 1838 age 40 and is buried with his parents William Blair and Elspet Cameron.
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Oh, by the way, I came across a passing reference to one Alexander McGregor Rose, aka A.M.R. Gordon in the book "John Innes, Painter of the Canadian West" (1945) by John Bruce Cowan. About John Innes' early career, Cowan writes on page 11:
At New Westminster, the late A. M. R. Gordon (McGregor Rose) and Innes launched a paper called The Hornet. Gordon was a particularly brilliant writer—he was the author of that well-known satire, "Meinself und Gott"; but as editors needed to eat occasionally, printers demanded wages regularly, and advertisers did not pay their bills promptly, The Hornet, in spite of brilliance, didn't buzz about for long.
Is that him?
I am interested in the work of John Innes, as we both lived in the same towns (three times!) and he's a rather under-appreciated artist for his era.
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Oh, wait - I now see my previous quotation is actually an abbreviated/paraphrased version of this article in the Vancouver Star from Monday, November 16, 1931. From p 149-150 of Early Vancouver Vol 1:
...The season having ended, he left railroading and joined the staff of "Prairie Illustrated" as cartoonist and engraver.
Stranded in New Westminster
This paper was created for election purposes. The election won, it silently gave up the ghost, so Innes painted and journeyed hither and yon until he received a call to New Westminster to illustrate the Ledger under William Bayley. With the easy grace that characterized the papers of those days it became defunct and Innes was left stranded, with an engraving plant on his hands.
The only thing to do was to launch another publication, and thus the "Hornet" was plunged into the maelstrom of public opinion. The editor was the late A. M. R. Gordon (MacGregor Rose), a particularly brilliant writer. It was in the "Hornet" that his much quoted verses on the Kaiser "Meinself und Gott," were printed. The only thing wrong with the "Hornet" was that the staff had appetites and the advertisers a penchant for delayed payments. So, Innes painted more pictures, some of which sold, many more did not. However, he was awarded a silver medal in 1893 and carries it as a pocket piece.
Toronto lured him away from the wild and woolly west, where he free-lanced, till Mr. Bernard Mc-Evoy (Diogenes), at that time editor of the weekly edition, gave him the position of staff artist and special writer on the Mail and Empire. It was then his pictures began to he shown at the Royal Canadian Academy and Ontario Society of Artists exhibitions...
You can see the entire article here: https://archive.org/details/EarlyVancouverVolume1
The Vancouver Star - such a great paper!
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Any thoughts what this means?
It means that whoever put it there had no definite facts and was guessing.
Somdow
It's Tomdow or Tomdhu or could appear as Tamdow or Tamdhu - meaning 'dark hillock'.