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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: ruthhelen on Sunday 01 February 15 21:43 GMT (UK)
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Since this Slessor thread (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=148198.0) popped back to the top the other day, I've been trying in vain to see if I can get my 4x g grandmother, Ann Slessor, to fit into the bewildering array of Slessors around Old Deer. Here's what I have so far - if anyone can shed any light, it would be gratefully received:
Ann Slessor (variously, Ann Slessor, Anne Slacer, Anne Slassir) married John McArthur (baptised 25 Sep 1768, New Deer, the son of John McArthur of Tukshill(?) and Jean Anderson) on 22 Jun 1797, Old Deer. They lived at Guilkhorn(?) and had two sons that I'm aware of:
1. George McArthur (baptised: 9 Jun 1802, New Deer), farmer at Keppleston, New Deer, married Christian Knox (b. abt 1807 New Deer, to James Knox and Janet Ronald; d. 13 Nov 1880, New Deer), 27 Mar 1827, New Deer; died 14 Oct 1870, New Deer. They had five children.
2. Robert McArthur (b. 24 Jun 1806, New Deer), tailor at Little Annochie, Old Deer, married Susan Baxter (b. abt 1812 Monquhitter, to John Baxter and Jane Rennie; d. 11 Jan 1877, at Little Annochie, Old Deer), 11 Jul 1839, New Deer; died 28 Jul 1857, Little Annochie, Old Deer. They had two sons that I know of.
Assuming that Robert McArthur's death record is accurate, his father John McArthur was dead by 1857, but Ann Slessor was still alive. Both are noted as deceased by the time George McArthur died in 1870. I've tried in vain to track down a birth or death for Ann Slessor - not helped, I suspect, by the immense variation in the spelling of Slessor (and the use of the 'long s' in the old parish records) - the transcriptions of some of the census records on A******y for Slessor are hilarious - I've spent most of the day submitting corrections ;D
Anyway, I've assumed - perhaps incorrectly - that Ann Slessor was from Old Deer - she was certainly resident there by the time of her marriage to John McArthur (who was from New Deer), but I can't fit her into any of the Old Deer Slessors. I also haven't been able to find a death record for John McArthur - but there are a LOT of John McArthurs around, and I have a feeling he died before 1855.
Any illumination gratefully received :P
Ruth
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Gilkhorn and Touxhill are both placenames in New Deer. The following gravestones are beside one another at New Deer:
In memory of George M'Arthur d. Culsh 23 July 1843 aged 70. His spouse Bathia Falconer d. there 18 Dec. 1845 aged 64. Their dau. Bathia d. 12 Aug. 1815 aged 5, their son Gordon d. 16 Feb. 1817 aged 18 months. Their grandsons George d. Dumbarton, Canada West 4 July 1864 aged 23, Robert d. Bonnykelly 24 April 1866 aged 17, both sons of George M'Arthur farmer Bonnykelly who d. 7 Jan. 1882 aged 74. His wife Ann Irvine d. 6 Dec. 1893 aged 83. His dau. Ann Watt M'Arthur d. 71 High Street, New Deer 2 Nov. 1928 aged 84.
In memory of George McArthur, Kepplestone, Old Maud d. 14 Oct. 1870 aged 68, his daus. Jane d. 22 Feb. 1851 aged 23, Mary d. 20 Dec. 1852 aged 21. His widow Christian Knox d. 13 Nov. 1880 aged 74.
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Thanks - that's given me confirmation of the deaths of a couple of George McArthur of Culsh's grandchildren, which I didn't previously have. These two George McArthurs are related - George McArthur of Culsh is the third son of John McArthur and Jean Anderson, so he is an uncle of George McArthur of Kepplestone.
John McArthur and Jean Anderson had one other son (as well as George and John already mentioned) - Robert b. abt 1770, New Deer, and a daughter, Margaret, b. 1765 New Deer - I have no other details about either of these children.
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Many years ago I was given a load of photocopied papers regarding the Slessor families of Old Deer. I passed most of them on to a neighbour as they were about his ancestors. I do still have some research information on the Slessors & will have a look through it & get back to you. My husband has connections to the Slessors. We live near the places already mentioned in previous posts.
flst
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Hi my great grandfather John Slessor
a baker died aged around 50 circa1903 in New Pitsligo. His son was John Slessor as per the war memorial. The family moved to Aberdeen after WW1 where Agnes - " Nan" became town clerk. Another son Sandy born c 1896 was a bank manager in Coupar Angus. My granny was Ella born 1901. Think John's wife was a Cathy. Interested to know where they fit into a family tree.
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Hi, welcome to rootschat. I'm wondering how far back you know about your family.Have you found your ancestors in the censuses?
Regards,
flst
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Had a quick look & found the Slessors in the 1901 census at 56 High Street, New Pitsligo. John is 40, born in Old Meldrum.His wife, Catherine is 32, born in Keithall. Their son John, 9, was born in Old Machar (as was his sister Alice A. aged 8). Jeannie C. age 7, was born in Cullen 7 the youngest, Alexander A., age 5 was the only one born in New Pitsligo. From the age given in the census, John would have been 42 or 43 if he died in 1903. A bit younger than you thought.
Hope this helps,
flst
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I think the 1901 census may have his age out by 10 years.
I have John Mutch Slesser, born 20 Jun 1851, Old Meldrum, to William Slesser and Jane/Jean Cruikshank. Married Kathleen/Catherine Angus (daughter of Alexander Angus and Agnes Cassie) on 3 Jul 1891 in Keithhall.
In the 1891 census, he's with his widowed mother in Aberdeen St Nicholas, and again in 1881 in Old Machar - his sister, Isabella Rebecca Slesser is also there. In 1871, the family are in Old Meldrum, again without father William. William is still around in 1861, when the family are again in Old Meldrum.
Ruth
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Thanks, that would explain the difference then :) Are you connected to this family?
flst
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Are you connected to this family?
Unfortunately, not that I can immediately see - they came up in my general search for Slessors, when trying to find where my 4 x great grandmother, Ann Slessor, fits in the bewildering array of Slessors in Aberdeenshire. Sadly, I'm no closer to finding out where that is than I was in 2015, when I first posted this thread ;D
Ruth
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Many thanks for info. I am just starting search so was keen to see if we were already in a tree. John Mutch Slessor is definitely him. Interesting news they moved around. Old Meldrum was mentioned by my Granny Ella - she lived to 101 1/2 in St Andrews. John died in WW1, Jeannie was a nurse who died in the flu epidemic. The other daughter must have died as a child. Nan and Sandy produced no offspring and so this Slessor line has died out. Off to search round and see what can find. Btw saw a thread somewhere that said Deer Slessors were rellies of Jobn Slezer the military architect and guard captain who came over from Germany or Holland and was a big shot at court til he went bust! He has a wikki entry. Thanks again.
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The Surnames of Scotland says, "Slassor, Slesser, Slessor. All recorded in Abedeenshire. Robert Sleller (perhaps an error for Slesser), burgess of Aberdeen, 1487 .... In 1696 several Slessors were recorded in the parish of Peterhead .... The name may be of Dutch origin".
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Thanks for info on Old Macher and Meldrum. Old M is a place that crops up in trees re the famous Mary Slessor and her mum came from Old Meldrum. Her father was Robert and Uncle was John. Am wondering if we are maybe cousins of this branch give the place similarities? I must of course start to do things properly now have had this helpful start!
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ruthhelen
According to People's ScotlandsPeople
the son Robert McArthur was christened on 8 July 1806 in New Deer.
I am curious as to where you found the birth date?
There used to be a McArthur tree on the clan website but it has disappeared.
The MacArthur Foundation founder is from this tree (he changed his name)
I haven't gone through every detail but this is the tree on family search.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/portrait/L7F8-BLY
I have doubts about the parents of John husband of Jean Anderson.
I don't know what the source is to his birth in a family in Calander, Perth but it is added by Jim McArthur who i think is the author if the family tree on mcarthur clan website.
if it is correct then his sibling Alexander probably married twice (there is a duplicate)
Let me know if you want the tree as a gedcom.
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ruthhelen
According to People's ScotlandsPeople
the son Robert McArthur was christened on 8 July 1806 in New Deer.
I am curious as to where you found the birth date?
Most entries in parish registers only give the date of baptism, some only give the date of birth, others give both. When both are given, indexes tend to show the date of baptism, not birth. I suspect that if you look at the actual entry it will give both in this case.
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ruthhelen
According to People's ScotlandsPeople
the son Robert McArthur was christened on 8 July 1806 in New Deer.
I am curious as to where you found the birth date?
Most entries in parish registers only give the date of baptism, some only give the date of birth, others give both. When both are given, indexes tend to show the date of baptism, not birth. I suspect that if you look at the actual entry it will give both in this case.
GR2 is correct - there are two dates on the actual record. The entry reads: June 24th, John McArthur in Guilkhorn had a son brought forth by his wife Ann Slessor, baptised 8 July last named Robert....'
However, a closer look at the page reveals that all the entries were actually entered in 1807 - and they're in a random order of birth/baptism dates. It looks like they may have been copied from an original register. So it's possible the date that precedes each entry isn't, in fact, the birth date, but the date (in 1807) that the records were copied into this register. Although 24 June 1806 wouldn't be an unreasonable birth date for a child baptised at the beginning of July...
I was quite excited that this might be about the Slessors in the title - this post keeps popping up every few years, but I'm still no further forward finding out which family of Slessors my Ann Slessor belonged to. ;D ;D ;D
Ruth
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I wonder if the Registrar just forgot to note that Ann Slessor or McArthur was deceased by 1857?
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I wonder if the Registrar just forgot to note that Ann Slessor or McArthur was deceased by 1857?
That is the conclusion I’ve come to - as I’ve failed to find any trace of her.
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Thanks both of you
was there anything more after your quote?
"The entry reads: June 24th, John McArthur in Guilkhorn had a son brought forth by his wife Ann Slessor, baptised 8 July last named Robert...."
I would also like to know more about Ann. She is my direct ancestor.
I see you have Cromie and Bell and co. Down in your bio.
Me too, via Harbisons of Co. Down.
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was there anything more after your quote?
"The entry reads: June 24th, John McArthur in Guilkhorn had a son brought forth by his wife Ann Slessor, baptised 8 July last named Robert...."
The entry finishes: … Witnesses George McArthur and John Fowlie.
I would also like to know more about Ann. She is my direct ancestor.
Then we must be related. Ann Slessor and John McArthur are my 4x great grandparents.
My great grandfather was William Mitchell McArthur, the second son of Robert McArthur and Elizabeth Paterson Mitchell, who was the second son of John McArthur and Ann Slessor’s second son Robert McArthur and his wife Susan Baxter.
I see you have Cromie and Bell and co. Down in your bio.
Me too, via Harbisons of Co. Down.
My Cromie/Crombie and Bell ancestors are actually on my mother’s side. My maternal grandmother was a Dalziel; her parents were from Co Down - her father’s mother was Bell, and her mother’s mother was Crombie.
Ruth
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How exciting.
Robert McArthur, the brother of William Mitchell McArthur is my great grandfather.
I think that makes us 3rd cousins
The Co. Down connection is also on my mother's side although they moved back to Glasgow (assuming planted people came form the lowland) in the late 1880s.
We should share McArthur trees. I am sure we have new info to share even if it is more recent history?
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I have a fair amount on your W.M McArthur
but almost nothing on his 4(+?) children, just rough birth date info from census.
Sane for his wife Jeannie Ann Milne.
I had a DNA test (as my y chromosome is 'McArthur') if that helps. Nothing exciting and as expected.
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May as well weigh in here with another Slessor and hope.
I have a direct ancestor, Mary Slessor, born c. 1806 Aberdeenshire and who died prior to 1851 in Aberdeen. She was married to William Robb, a merchant service seaman and labourer - marriage date unknown but likely c. 1836.
Both of them are brick walls but I believe Mary may have come from the Old Deer area. The Robb family was closely linked with a family of Grants (William Robb junior married Margaret Ann Grant - William was often a marriage witness on the Grant side, including for this next one). The youngest of the Grant siblings, William (1851-1919) first married an Elizabeth Kerr (1846-1889) who was born in New Deer to George Kerr and Ann Slessor. Her mother Ann Davidson was from Old Deer. Her father Alexander I'm not sure.
Just chance, or is there a family link? I tried to branch out Ann Slessor's family to see if there was a missing Mary but they're all quite hard to pin down. Ann Slessor's father was a ship carpenter, so there's a marine connection.