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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: spichael1964 on Monday 27 July 15 11:42 BST (UK)
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My grandfather James 'Jim' Watkins was born in 1902 in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, Wales. We know there is a Scottish link within the family - probably on his mother's side - and possibly the surname Morgan.
Attached is a photograph of my grandfather. On the back is simply the inscription 'Invergordon'.
Any leads or help of any kind would be much appreciated.
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What were the names of his parents as that would be a help to finding the link. Thank you.
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Hello again. There are quite a few James Watkins in the area. Were his parents Oliver and Priscilla by any chance. If so I still haven't found a Scottish connection but I may well be looking at the wrong family.
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I've traced James Watkins' paternal side back to Cwmgarvan in Monmouthshire in 1699. I know very little of his maternal side, other than his mother was a Morgan. All I have is a few photographs and the memory of my father always saying that he was linked to Rose Campbell and there was a link to Invergordon. It's not much, but any help will do. I have no idea what the tartan is. My father mentioned it once, but he's been dead for 12 years.
Possible surname links could be Cottrell, Rowe, Gibbons, Vickery.
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Forgot to add the names. Ann Morgan b 1970 Bedwelly, Monmouthshire was James mother and his father Frederick Watkins b 1869 Llansoy, Monmouthshire. Ann Morgan's father was William Morgan b 1831 Bedwellty and HIS father was David Morgan (married to Jane Aston) - No details are available for the last two.
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This is a very difficult one and I'm getting nowhere fast!
I see there was a William Jones, stepson to Frederick Watkins in 1901 and 1911. I presume this was Ann's son by another marriage. Do you know anything about that?
Perhaps this William Jones married after 1911 and you'd be able to get his details from that.
Will keep looking when I have time.
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Yes, he was William 'Jibo' Jones. He lost a leg in the war and never married. Once again nothing is known. I know I'm clutching at straws - just hoping that someone somewhere will recognise a link. I have extensive knowledge of all my family apart from this area.
The full details of what I know can be found here on the Family Search website https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:374T-LS2
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All I have is a few photographs and the memory of my father always saying that he was linked to Rose Campbell and there was a link to Invergordon.
Possible surname links could be Cottrell, Rowe, Gibbons, Vickery.
Campbell is a very Scottish name. Do you have any idea of who Rose was in terms of relationship. Was Campbell her maiden or married name ???
Annie
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I've researched this for years. Been on all the family tree sites and have downloaded as many census records as possible. Cannot find a definite link to the family, although my father always boasted about being a Campbell. He kept very quiet about his family. From his limited notes, he seemed to think that his grandmother was originally Ann Campbell, not Morgan as I discovered. On the marriage certificate to Frederick Watkins her father is marked as William Morgan, and it ties up with the census records from 1871 and 1881.
I do however live in hope, as on the other side of my family an unknown line suddenly unfolded due to a reply from New Zealand where they had newspaper obituaries sent over to my great great grandfather's brother who had emigrated in the late 19th century.
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I've researched this for years. Been on all the family tree sites and have downloaded as many census records as possible. Cannot find a definite link to the family, although my father always boasted about being a Campbell. He kept very quiet about his family. From his limited notes, he seemed to think that his grandmother was originally Ann Campbell, not Morgan.
Do you mean her birth name was Campbell or from another marriage ???
I would think tracing the name Campbell in Wales would be a good place to start.
You haven't said who Rose was ???
What do you know about her..........did she live nearby & died there as her death cert. may reveal something, was she married as that could have some info. ???
Annie
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I have no idea I'm afraid. Hopefully someone may have an inkling, spot this post and fill in the gaps. :)
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Where in Wales was your dad living as Rose may have died there ???
Annie
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Maybe look for Ann Campbell b c 1870 Wales & Campbells on census ::)
Hard finding anything without circa dates/ages etc. as it would be a "needle in a haystack"
Annie
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I've tried everything. No legitimate links. My mother is 89 and knows nothing about my father's side. She does remember attending a family wedding where people wore kilts - that's about it. Everyone who would remember is now dead :)
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Can you ask your mother if she can give an approx yr of this wedding & if she recalls anything at all of Rose, was she at the wedding & where it took place.
No-one, no matter who will be able to find the connection, if there is one without dates & names ???
Annie
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Just to save "double trouble" (going over what's already been said)
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=699231.msg5424104#msg5424104
Ann Morgan b 1970 Bedwelly, Monmouthshire Ann Morgan's father was William Morgan b 1831 Bedwellty and HIS father was David Morgan (married to Jane Aston) - No details are available for the last two.
To save confusion, typo born 1870
I think you need to start with Ann Morgan/Campbell's birth cert. as the link could be her mother. You know when & where she was born, you have her "Male" ancestry but no mother ??? ???
Can you recall how old you were roughly when Rose Campbell became known to you as it would seem from the way she was referred to that she was still alive & known as there is nothing else mentioned or did he ever mention she'd died ???
All I have is a few photographs and the memory of my father always saying that he was linked to Rose Campbell and there was a link to Invergordon.
Can you tell us the area your father lived when Rose was mentioned AS a death search for her name in that area would be a good place to start. Can you recall when your father stopped mentioning the "link" to Rose & has your mother ever heard of her ???
Annie
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I had a similar scenario. My aunt told me her father (my g father) had always said they were connected to a certain family (McFarlane & Lang Biscuits)........over the years "connected" became "related" as she couldn't remember from her childhood the exact term used when she was a child (lost both parents when she was 13/14).
However, my g father was a widower (with a Son) when he married my g mother.
Later in my research I decided to look for my g father's 1st marriage as her name was not mentioned on his marriage to my g mother nor his death cert.................
It turned out his 1st wife was a McFarland (a variant of MacFarlane) so no direct connection to my family & still to this day it may have been made up as their lorry used to pass my mother & aunt's house although my mother had never mentioned it as she was only 6/7 when both parents died & wouldn't have remembered anyway.
Annie
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Many thanks for your efforts. It is very frustrating as I'm only working with hearsay and theories. My mother is nearing 90 and cannot remember much about what my father told her. All that she knows is that he used to mention being related to Rose Campbell and that he thought his grandmother (Annie Watkins, who had previously married Robert Jones in 1890 in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, had a son William Jibo Jones (b.1890) and later married my g-grandfather Frederick Watkins ) had the maiden name of Campbell. From my research, no Anne/Ann/Annie Campbell was born around 1870 in the area. Her father is listed as William Morgan on the marriage certificate with Frederick and this ties up with an Ann Morgan who lives in the area of Bedwellty at the time. Frederick Watkins and Annie lived in Pontypool in 1901 and then Newport, Monmounthshire in 1911. They later moved to Risca, Mon.
So where on earth does the Campbell link come from? Invergordon is written on the back of the photo of my grandfather I posted - and that is all I know. I live in hope that somebody will recognise a link somewhere. :)
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Could it be that the parent remarried to a Campbell & that surname was used for a time ???
Worth looking for a marriage in the area with surname Campbell ???
Annie