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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: Caltha on Monday 31 December 18 10:38 GMT (UK)
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What is described as the largest rose tree in the World exists at Tombstone Arizona and it was planted by 'Henry and Mary Gee', described as newlyweds from Scotland. They apparently arrived in the town in 1885, but I cannot find any reference to a couple of that name in my searches through Scotlands People.
This is all I know about them, but if anyone with an interest in genealogy kind find them, it would be good to know. I'm going there in June and it would be nice to complete the circle, so as to speak.
Any help appreciated.
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The World's Largest Rose Bush is a white Lady Banksia. The original root came from Scotland in 1885. From a single trunk, it spreads over an arbor that covers over 8,000 square feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq2SEOeAf8Y
https://tombstonerosetree.com/worlds-largest-rose-tree/
Sandra
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Thats the same one Sandra
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Mary Gee wife of Henry Gee. 2 May 1855 - 13 November 1905
Cause of death Apoplexy
FIND A GRAVE
Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29652326
Sandra
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That's great Sandra - at least I now have a date of birth for Mary. The couple lived out there lives in Tombstone.
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According to Arizona, Wills and Probate of Mary Gee (29 January 1906) - Henry was Henry M Gee
Sandra
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Accoring to Arizona, Voter Registrations, 1866-1955 - Henry M gee was born 1853
Henry M. Gee - Age 53 years - Registration Date 20 Jun 1906 Cochise, Arizona.
Sandra
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Yes, I saw that from the reference n the 'Find A Grave' site. I'm beginning to wonder if his name was McGee and they changed it. I know that some people when they immigrated changed their name to avoid being found - if there was any reason behind that.
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Arizona, Voter Registrations, 1866-1955 for Henry M Gee (1900) aged 47 years states he was born England. Naturalized September 1898 Cochise Arizona.
Sandra
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The plot thickens! I cannot find anyone called Gee or even Henry (or any variants) born in Scotland in 1852 or 1853.
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Could he be - Henry Macfarland Gee born Q4 - 1852 Dursley - Gloucestershire. 6a 168
Sandra
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or 1850 census Greenhead Burnhouse Stirlingshire
Henry Mc Gee 48 Isabella Mc Gee 30
Margaret Mc Gee 13 Mary Mc Gee 4
Isabella Mc Gee 5 Henry Mc Gee 1
James Corrie 25
Margaret Corrie 20
Sandra
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1900 census Tombstone, Cochise, Arizona Territory.
Henry M Gee 47 Born october 1852 England. Mine owner.
Mary Gee 41 born May 1859 Scotland. Had 3 children and 3survive. Maarried 1894.
Kathleen Gee (the name Barr was crossed out) 16 born May 1884 Scotland. Step-daughter
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9V4-CYD
Sandra
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Its a bit of a puzzle. As you know, England is often used to describe the UK, but if he was born in England it would throw the story out since they couple apparently came from Scotland. Mary's date of birth is possibly going to give me the best lead.
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Thats great Sandra! Now that I have Kathleen, it should help tie them down, as well as that confirmation that Henry was English! Great work!
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Scotlands people shows birth of :-
Kathleen McGee - 1884 - 885/ 17 - Glasserton
Sandra
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Yes, I just found that too! No other Kathleens that seem to fit on the face of it. I'll get the certificate and let you know what it says.
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Sadly, its not them. The parents were James and Margaret, although interestingly, James was a market gardener! That might fit with the tree they brought to Arizona?!
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Name is Kathleen N Barr - Bisbee daily review - 11 August 1906 - page 4
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26694919/tombstone_probate_mary_gee/
part 2 of same article
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26694937/part_2_mary_gee/
Sandra
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I Just checked the 1891 Census and there is no sign of the family in Scotland
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That newspaper report is fascinating! I wonder why the children retained the name 'Barr'.
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Kathleen N. Barr married Charles G. Bullock 5 November 1908 Cochise County, Arizona.
Sandra
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I wonder why Barr if the parents were named Gee or McGee?
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Petition for naturalization
Kathleen Newlands Bullock - [Cathleen Newlands Bullock] 20 March 1884 Kilmarnock Scotland
Spouse Charles Gordon Bullock. Last lived in Australia.
Sydney Australia to Blaine Washington 30 - 1 - 1940
Sandra
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Scotlands People
Cathleen Newlands Barr - 1884 - 597/ 225 - Kilmarnock (Ayr)
Sandra
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Mossgrove King Street Helensburgh Dumbartonshire - 1891
Parish Row ED: 9 Page: 10 Line 21
J B Newlands 67
J Newlands 62
J Newlands 44
N Barr 10 (this must be 10 months)
K Barr 7
J McLellan 21
Sandra
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Mary Buchanan (Newlands) Barr and John Barr
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Mary Buchanan Newlands - John Barr 1879 573/ 131 Paisley
Sandra
lol........... snap
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New York passenger List- Kathleen Newlands Barr - 1884 - Southampton to New York arriving 24 december 1905 on the New York. Mother Mrs henry Gee. Arizona.
Sandra
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I know we shouldnt make assumptions without fact, but I suspect that Mary left John and emigrated. Her marriage to Henry - if it took place - might have been bigamy!
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California Death Index -
Kathleen Newland Bullock - Kathleen Newland Barr
Birth Date 20 Mar 1884 other country - passed away 14 May 1959 San Francisco
Mother's Maiden Name Newland - Father's Surname Barr
Sandra
Added :- Husband Charles Gordon served in canada. Canadian Attestation Papers
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-
records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=74687
digitalised file - slow to download - 26 pages
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B1256-S012
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According to the newspaper article it was Norman Barr and Kathleen who were disputing the estae.
N Barr aged 10 appears on that 1881 census.
Norman Barr is in Arizona. Imm 1894 - same year as it states for Mary's marriage ???
Sandra
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H M Gee brought an action against Norman S Barr to recover titles of The Old Guard Mine
Tombstone Weekely Epitaph - 15 July 1906 - page 4
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26695216/h_m_gee/
Sandra
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Norman Stirrat Barr - BARR - 1881 - 597/ 300 - Kilmarnock (Ayr)
Sandra
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Remember it was 1885 that Henry and Mary arrived in Tombstone as 'newlyweds'. I assumne young Kathleen and Norman were with them, so I guess she left John Barr. There is no sign that he died that year.
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Norman S Barr married 2 Dec 1902
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ2M-64M
single on the 1920 census - immigration consistent 1894
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCRR-KTM
WW1 Draft - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZV4-HM5
1940 census Assembly District 1, Manhattan, New York City, New York, New York
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQT7-RYC
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Norman Stirratt Barr Birth Date 19 Mar 1881 Kilmarnock S, United Kingdom
Father John Barr - Mother Mary Newlands
Sandra
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Ive looked at images of the house in Helensburgh that appears to have been the Newlands family home. Its likely that is where the rose cutting was taken from.
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In 1884, in Kilmarnock, there was a John Barr (engineer) who was declared bankrupt when his firm collapsed.
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Thanks for all your help Sandra. I think I have some handle on the story now.
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1881 No 28 Clark Street Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock ED 16 Page 20 Line 20
John Barr 28 Engineer Master.
Mary B Barr 23
Norman S Barr 1 month
Euphemia Crocher 18
Isabella Wilson 65
Sandra
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Declarartion of intention Arizona District Court - for Henry McFarland McGee dated 18th June 1894
(suggests he had been in the USA before this application)
Index to citizenship - Naturalization - Henry M Gee 22 September 1898
Tombstone Weekly Epitaph (Tombstone, Arizona) 25 Sep 1898, Sun - Page 2
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26695966/tombstone_weekly_epitaph/
New York Passenger List - Norman Barr - born Scotland - aged 13 - student - Southampton to New York - arriving - 31 July 1894 - on the SS Chester.
Sandra
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Tombstone Weekly Epitaph (Tombstone, Arizona) 17 Jun 1894, Sun - Page 4
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26695944/henry_gee_arrival_17_june_1894/
Sandra
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Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Arizona) - 15 Oct 1893, Sun - Page 4
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26696031/henry_m_gee/
Sandra
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Marriage - 22 December 1893 - Henry Gee (single) born 1852 - Gloucestershire - Mary Newlands Barr (widowed) born 1857 - Manhattan, New York.
parents of Henry Gee - Joseph Benson Gee - Mother's Name Elizabeth Bellamy.
parents of Mary - John Buchanan Newlands - Spouse's Mother's Name Jacobine Ovor
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24H6-XVG
Sandra
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So now I have to pursue again whether John Barr had actually died, or whether it was actually a bigamous marriage.
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Si its beginning to look like the original local story is wrong in so much as their arrival was not in 1885, but more likely they settled in 1895.
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So now I have to pursue again whether John Barr had actually died, or whether it was actually a bigamous marriage.
It does say she was widowed on the marriage info.
Sandra
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Sandra - the 1881 Census for the Newlands family - is this 1891? Just wondering about the K Barr, whilst Kathleen was born in 1884?
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I have encountered this in the past where someone claimed to be widowed, but had a wife who was very much alive!
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Sandra - the 1881 Census for the Newlands family - is this 1891? Just wondering about the K Barr, whilst Kathleen was born in 1884?
yes. ;)
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Mary Buchanan Newlands, daughter of John B Newlands and Jacobina Orr, was born in Paisley on 1 May 1855. You can view the original certificate at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.
1855 birth certificates contain lots of information not collected in any other year.
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Full 1881 Census details from LDS transcription
28 Clark Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
John Barr, Head, Mar, 28, Engineer master, born Paisly, Renfrewshire
Mary B Barr, Wife, Mar, 23, born Paisly, Renfrewshire
Norman S Barr, Son, 1 month, born Kilmk, Ayrshire
Euphemia Crocker, Servant, Unm, 18, General domestic servant, born Ardrossan, Ayrshire
Isabella Wilson, Nurse, Wid, 65, Nurse, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
So Norman's age in the 1891 census is indeed 10 years, not 10 months as suggested somewhere upthread.
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1881 Census: Burn Bank Cottage, Calside, Paisley, Renfrewshire
John B Newlands, Head, Mar, 57, Watch & jeweller, born Bathgate, West Lothian
Jacobina Orr, Wife, Mar, 52, born Paisley, Renfrewshire
Jacobina Newlands, Daughter, Unm, 34, born Paisley, Renfrewshire
Maggie Newlands, Daughter, Unm, 16, Jewellers assistant, born Paisley, Renfrewshire
Margaret Hendry Servant, Unm, 17, Domestic servant, born Saltcoats, Ayrshire
So it looks as if the J B Newlands in 1891 is John Buchanan Newlands, and the two J Newlands in 1891 are his wife Jacobina Orr or Newlands and his daughter Jacobina Newlands.
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Could he be - Henry Macfarland Gee born Q4 - 1852 Dursley - Gloucestershire. 6a 168
He could indeed. The GRO index gives the name of the mother of this Henry Macfarland Gee as Bellemy.
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Has anyone looked at the 1879 marriage certificate of John Barr and Mary Buchanan Newlands?
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Hi Forfarian and thanks for your help. Yes, I have the3 marriage certificate of John and Mary. I'm now trying to establish when John died, as Mary indicated she was widdowed by 1893 - but I'm sceptical!