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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Banffshire => Topic started by: jennywren001 on Saturday 19 July 14 18:06 BST (UK)
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Hi Everyone,
Trying to find Jane/Jean Kormack's parents and am beginning to think that might be impossible. I have the couple's 1805 marriage certificate which states both of Rathven parish. I know James was born in Findochty in 1784 (parents John Thain and Jean Sleater) and was lost at sea in 1848 along with two of his sons. The article reporting the loss says he left behind a widow but there is no sign of Jean/Jane on the 51 census so I suspect she dies not long after him. The family can be found on the 41 census with the five youngest children.
I've had their daughter Ann's OPR birth for years (1825 recorded along with her twin Isabel) as I'm descended from her but yesterday I obtained the oldest child Joseph's OPR to see if perhaps Jane's father was witness. Alas not, but above Joseph on the OPR (born 1806) is his brother John (born 1810 - 3rd child) and one of the witnesses is a John Cormack. I thought I was on to something until I noticed - The two witnesses to Joseph are themselves Josephs and the two witnesses to John are both Johns! Maybe then Jane's brother rather than father?
I'm sure she is not the Jean Cormack born in Forglen to Alexander and Katherine as it looks like that lass marries in Forglen.
All the children (9) are born in Findochty - looks like twins girls run in the family as son James (2nd born) also has twin girls.
Cormack appears to have a multitude of forms.
I've run out of ideas on this one...
Thanks
Jen
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A possibility is that Jane/Jean is in the 1851 census under her maiden name. I have folk in Gardenstown, another fishing village, at that time where all the wives have their maiden names. It might be worth trying to chase up the other children in case she is staying with one of them.
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She might also have remarried. Have you looked on Scotland's People for a death of Jane/Jean Cormack/Kormack, other surname Thain? Or for a marriage of Jane/Jean Cormack after 1848?
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There are several accounts of the accident. It even made the London Morning Post.
The John O' Groat Journal gives the crew as: James, Joseph and William Thain, Findochty; John Souter, Burghead; Robert Pollock, Glasgow; James McDonald, Stirling.
The Dundee, Perth and Cupar Advertiser calls the boat the "Snow" and gives the crew as: James Flett, Joseph Flett, his son, William Flett, his grandson; John Souter, Burghead; Robert Pollock, Glasgow; James McDonald, Stirling.
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Joseph Thain, fisherman, Findochty, applied for cessio bonorum at the beginning of 1846. Perhaps the same man?
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Peterhead, August 29. The boats were all at sea last night, but there not being a great appearance of fish, the most of them retiurned without shooting their nets. A few boats remained at sea, and returned this morning with from 2 to 10 crans. By these boats we learn the melancholy intelligence of a boat having been swamped at sea, and all hands perished. It is reported that the boat belongs to Portgordon or Findochty. It is feared that the repeated misfortunes which have befallen our fishermen will put an early stop to the fishing for this season, on this part of the coast.
[Aberdeen Journal, 6 September 1848]
Peterhead. We are now enabled to furnish the names of the unfortunate boat's crew that perished off Peterhead, on the night on Monday the 28th, while engaged in the herring fishing; they were:
James Thain, Findochty
Joseph Thain, his son, do
Willaim Thain, do, do
John Souter, Burghead
Robert Pollock, Glasgow
James McDonald, Stirling
Thus increasing the number of lives lost at Peterhead, during the herring season now almost ended, including a boat's crew lost in the early part of it, to no less than 35.
[Aberdeen Journal, 6 September 1848]
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Sorry for tardiness in responding - huge lightning storm last night with resulting loss of internet, along with the sun it has now returned.
GR2 That's probably Joseph applying for cessio bonorum he's the only Joseph Thain showing on the 41 census living Findochty.
I've hunted for Jane/Jean Cormack on the 51 census and the only person I could see that might qualify is a 69 year old pauper woman but she's living in Forgue parish - if in need of poor relief I thought a change of parish unlikley. Just looked again at list of dead female 'J Cormacks' on SP there is one in Forgue but looks like she was unmarried...did notice a lot of Cormacks in Caithness.
She's not with her daughter Ann Noble in Fraserburgh. Not to be seen with son James either - I hope that address on the 51 for him is not literal - 'Road Leading West' - they have seven children in tow.
I've looked for a death at SP using thain/comarck/kormach etc... but come up empty handed.
I never thought about a remarriage! I'll check that out at SP.
Jen
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Looks like a Jane Cormack did get married in Rathven in 1848 but it's July before James died. Think I need to go back and look at the names that keep popping up - I see a Souter was on the boat that was lost and I think a Souter is living with Joseph in 41. Given the number of OPR from Rathven I hold maybe I can make some connections that way. Also, have a closer look at Cormacks on the 41 census.
That's weird - I've just looked back at Barbara's birth (1822 - child number 6) and the two witnesses are both Georges. I wonder if they did that for all the children bar the twins. Never come across that before.
Forfarian I read that article and the one directly above it - talk about those that have and those that have not. I had a bit of a rant after that.
Jen
Edit - looked back at the twins Ann and Isabel- same thing two Williams sign this time.
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A Jane, Mary and James Cormack all get married in Rathven one after the other so I thought maybe siblings. Have scoured census and family search for hours then stumbled across this:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/sheena_charles/FRSfams.htm
they are on the 1791 Portessie page - I think!
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/sheena_charles/porpop1791.htm
Also from this site it looks like James Thain had a brother called Joseph and his mother's name might be Slater not Sleater (OPR is awful).
Jen
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Have you looked at Freereg? Quite a lot of Rathven OPRs have been transcribed and put on that site. There are other Banffshire parishes on the site. Perhaps would save some SP credits!
William
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his mother's name might be Slater not Sleater (OPR is awful).
It's only 'awful' if you are under the impression that there is and was a 'correct' definitive spelling for every surname.
Other variants of Slater include Sclatter, Sclater, Slatter, Sklaiter, Sklaither, Sklaitter, Skleater, and Skleatter. They are all the same surname, just different ways of spelling it.
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Too true Forfarian spellings can be so fluid - I see there's a 'Burges' no second 's' on Barbara's 1822 OPR - looks like the page has been rewritten (dates don't run in sequence) to give the Burges birth top billing! He gets a Mr and she get a Mrs nobody else on the page gets that courtesy must have been someone important.
William - thanks I always forget to look at Freereg...going now....Banffshire is like a sweetie shop for genealogy there are so many records available! But I'm so glad I'm not looking for Fletts - they're everywhere!
Jen
Picture of my grannie with her father - Ann Thain was his grannie.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=671796.msg5169437#msg5169437
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I see there's a 'Burges' no second 's' on Barbara's 1822 OPR - looks like the page has been rewritten (dates don't run in sequence) to give the Burges birth top billing! He gets a Mr and she get a Mrs nobody else on the page gets that courtesy must have been someone important.
Yes. Not one of mine as far as I know. I am fairly certain that this family was related to the family who were descended from William Burges(s) and Barbara Stewart, who lived near the mouth of the River Spey and may both have died in 1790. The second 's' was used some of the time.
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Just coming up for air after being submerged in Banffshire records for what seems like days - thanks William you have saved me a small fortune ;D
I am now confident I have Jane Cormack's parents. Looks like James Cormack was an incomer from the Mearns (born Kineff) he married Jean Smith in 1783 in Rathven parish. Jean was living at Porteasy at the time of their marriage. Their first two children Jane and Mary were born in Kineff while James, Margaret and John were born in Rathven.
James Cormack (snr) is possibly the son of James Cormack and Mary Beattie born Kinneff 1760. Jean Smith is probably the daughter of James Smith and Jean Finley born Rottenslough 1764.
Jen