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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 02:38 BST (UK)

Title: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 02:38 BST (UK)
hi Everyone 
Really need help with this have tried every way I can to do this but have come up empty handed.


Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's  family back to Scotland but can't get any siblings births or anything together with same parents, really need expert help.

This is her family after marring William Backhouse
1871 census  St Cuthbert Within, Cumberland
Household                        Role    Sex         Age        Occupation                         Birthplace
William Backhouse   Head   M   40 1831  Joiner                            Carlisle, Cumberland
Elizabeth Backhouse   Wife   F   40 1831 Wife                             Edingburgh, Scotland
Mary Backhouse          Daughter F            18 1853  Cotton Weaver          Carlisle, Cumberland
John R Backhouse   Son       M   16 1855  Joiner                            Carlisle, Cumberland           
Isabella Backhouse       Daughter F       14 1857 Cotton Winder        New Castle On Lyne Down
Sarah Backhouse          Daughter F   12 1859 Scholar                       Carlisle, Cumberland
Joey G Backhouse   Daughter F   11 1860    Scholar                         Sunderland, Durham
William Backhouse   Son   M   9   1862     Scholar                            Sunderland
Joseph Backhouse   Son   M   4 1867       Scholar                           Jarrow On Lune
Charlottee Ann Backhouse Daughter F   2 1869                                         Newcastle On Lyne
Peter Backhouse   Son   M   0 1871                                         Carlisle, Cum

I beleive this may be her on the 1841 census

John Johnston      M   40-44   Cumberland 1800 1797
Mary Johnston      F   36-40   Scotland 1805 1801
John Johnston      M   5   Cumberland 1836
Thomas Johnston      M   0   Cumberland
Jesse Gordon      F   17-21   Scotland
Charlotte Gordon      F   12 1829   Scotland
Peter Gordon      M   15-19   Scotland 1826 1822
Elizabeth Gordon      F   9 1832   Scotland

sorry update also found this but can't put them together with births

Name   Charlote Gordon
Gender   Female
Christening Place   EDINBURGH PARISH, EDINBURGH, MIDLOTHIAN, SCOTLAND
Birth Date   29 Dec 1829
Birthplace   Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Father's Name   William Gordon
Mother's Name   Charlote Mcleod
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 07:54 BST (UK)
The couple of the Charlotte birth also seem to have been parents to a male, Eneas Gordon, in 1823:

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jz5/
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 08:08 BST (UK)
May or may not be same chap, but an 1885 Post Office Directory, under Church of Scotland entries in Cupar Presbytery, lists at Kettle, an Æneas Gordon.

Now found:

http://www.howekirk.co.uk/page11.html

so would rule out this chap, as he served until 1930.
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 08:32 BST (UK)
Elizabeth married on 2nd October 1849 at St Cuthbert's, Carlisle. The certificate should mention her father's name.
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: Forfarian on Saturday 22 April 17 08:34 BST (UK)
Washy, have you seen Elizabeth's marriage certificate? If so, what does it say her father's name and occupation were?

If not, I suggest that this is your next step. William Backhouse and Elizabeth Gordon were married in Carlisle in the December quarter of 1849.

I agree that the 1841 census looks very promising, but I also note that she apparently had at least four daughters before naming one Charlotte. When there is information available to confirm her father's name, I would not assume that these are the correct parents.
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 08:41 BST (UK)
Just in case the 1841 is her siblings, and going sideways yields any clues, a Charlotte Gordon married a William Ellwood at Carlisle in 1849.

Also, a Jesse Gordon married a William Furness in St Cuthbert's, Carlisle on 30th October 1843.

Quote
At St. Cuthbert's Church, on the 30th ult., Mr. Wm. FURNESS, shoemaker, to Miss Jesse GORDON, both of Botchergate
as at http://www.cultrans.com/newspapers/cumberland-newspapers/carlisle-journal/493-carlisle-journal-bmd-notices-1843/6180-carlisle-journal-bmd-04-nov-1843
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 09:04 BST (UK)
In the 1891 (in Tynemouth area) census, Charlotte Ellwood gives her full name as Charlotte Mary and her birthplace as Falkirk. This is as transcribed and looks clearly same on original.

The 1881 (in Tynemouth area) has birthplace transcribed as Selkirk, but looks more likely Falkirk on original.

In 1891, Elizabeth Backhouse gives Edinboro' (so Edinburgh) as birthplace.
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: Millmoor on Saturday 22 April 17 09:12 BST (UK)
The Elizabeth Gordon you have located in the 1841 census might be shown in the 1851 census as stepdaughter of John Johnston. She is recorded as Elizabeth Gordon  (born Edinburgh) but is said to be married. . Peter Gordon is said to have been born in Aberdeen and Margaret (his wife?) in Sunderland. Mary Johnston, wife of John Johnston is said to have been born in Dumfries.

Have you found William Backhouse in the 1851 census?

William
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 09:56 BST (UK)
Hi Everyone Thank you so much for the help. Just digesting at the moment.

Don't have 1851 census  but should be together as married 1849, and can't find William on the 1861 census.

As suggested to solve it may need Marriage cert but doing this for friend and was looking if any other way.

One thing is that Elizabeth's son John Robert Backhouse named one of his children William Elwood
Title: Re: Expert help needed please
Post by: Millmoor on Saturday 22 April 17 10:21 BST (UK)
Just to say the Elizabeth I found in the 1851 census is recorded as Elizabeth Gordon (not Johnston). I have modified my previous post accordingly.

William
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 10:31 BST (UK)
Think I I found Peter Gordon's birth which would suggest that Mary Johnson was their mother.

Name   Peter Gordon
Gender   Male
Christening Date   21 Jul 1825
Christening Place   SAINT NICHOLAS, ABERDEEN, ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
Father's Name   William Gordon
Mother's Name   Mary

 :)
Don't know why I smiled lol. That hasn't helped me at all. Can't find a birth for Elizabeth with parents William & Mary, so if I do get marriage cert & says father William doesn't get me anywhere.
Can't find marriage of Mary Gordon to John Johnson & can't find 1851 census ???
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: scotmum on Saturday 22 April 17 10:35 BST (UK)
The 1851 on FindMyPast has, transcribed as 'Gorden', in the Johnston household,

stepson, Peter Gorden, married,  born Aberdeen

stepdaughter Margaret Gorden, married, born Sunderland, but if, as seems, this is Peter's wife, should probably read, stepdaughter in-law. 

as well as stepdaughter Elizabeth Gorden

All as mentioned by Millmoor.

Certainly it is looking like Mary is mum to the Gordon siblings, but has subsequently, perhaps having been widowed, married John Johnston. The birth locations of the Gordon siblings suggest a lot of moving around the country. I wonder if their father was in the army at all.
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Millmoor on Saturday 22 April 17 10:40 BST (UK)
Gretna Green marriage registers show a marriage between John Johnston of the parish of St Cuthbert in Cumberland and Mary Gordon from the parish of Canongate in Edinburgh Scotland ... declared themselves single ... were married 26th day of July 1834.

William
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 10:56 BST (UK)
Hi Scotmum Sorry a bit confused is Elizabeth Gordon down as stepdaughter on 1851 census, if so looks like I have everything wrong as Elizabeth should be Elizabeth Backhouse on 1851 census
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 11:06 BST (UK)
Hi Millmoor That looks interesting as Elizabeth was married St Cuthbert in Cumberland
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Millmoor on Saturday 22 April 17 11:10 BST (UK)
The 1851 census has Elizabeth Gordon as married and stepdaughter of John Johnston. I have come across married daughters before who,when residing with parents, have been recorded with their maiden name rather than their married name.

I have looked at the Groindexes for the mother's maiden name for the two youngest children of John and Mary Johnston. The only surname which seems to fit is Harris(s).

There do seem to be some public trees on ancestry which could give some pointers.

William
Title: Re: Trying to trace Elizabeth Gordon's family back to Scotland
Post by: Washy on Saturday 22 April 17 11:15 BST (UK)
Hi William  just heaved a big sigh of relief thank you so so much.