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Messages - JKCIII

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1
Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Wednesday 19 September 07 05:29 BST (UK)  »
Hi SED:

You're close, but not quite.  Actually I spent a lot of time as a teenager helping my father haul artifacts into the Wingham museum, when it was first created.  So I'm quite familiar with it.  There is a good portrait of Robert Currie there, which I've attached a photo of here.

Somebody has moved Margaret's headstone (with the single rose) within the past year or so, which is a bit disturbing.  It used to be one of many laying side-by-side on the ground along the tree line.  I almost gave up on finding it, before uncovering it beneath a large pile of scrub brush, which I cleared.  But when I returned about 2 years later it had been covered again?  I originally located it and the ones in Elora through the following web site:

http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/

No additional info in the book on James other than he died the winter of 1853/54 in Guelph Township, unmarried.  So your tidbit about him parishing while working on the roads there is likely correct.

The Bible and papers were last reported to be in the possession of another branch of the family (Bob and Andrew). Who knows where it could be now?  Hopefully it is still around somewhere.

I'd love to join you at the Wellington Museum to do some fact hunting, as I live not too far from there, but unfortunately am booked elsewhere this weekend.

Good Luck!
JKC

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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Monday 17 September 07 18:20 BST (UK)  »
Hi SED:

I've wanted to delve more into the details of pioneer life in the Scottish settlements of Elora and Fergus, to better frame the life and times of Margaret and her family.  But have had trouble finding the time.  Would be interested to hear any snippets you may have gleaned.

It does not specify in the notes exactly who's family bible it is or from what period it originated.  However, I assumed from the fact that this is a fairly old and forgotten family ritual, it is likely Margret & John's or possibly Robert's  Unable to verify unfortunately.

Also note , that I was incorrect in my initial recall of the brother's who remained in Scotland.  It was George who survived and Thomas and William who died relatively young and unmarried.  So we should focus our searches for possible decendants in Scotland to George Currie.

Funny there is no Andrew mentioned, and yet his name has been passed down through the generations, as is the family custom, so I don't doubt he was in there somewhere?  I was also fairly sure there was an Elizabeth too, who's name has also been handed down, as you are obviously well aware ;-J

It is certainly nice to connect with a fellow explorer (and cousin) on this journey through history. Hopefully we can find the answers we seek.

Many thanks,
JKC

Note:  My initials had already been used by someone else to register, so I added "III", as it  is part of my nick name.

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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Thursday 13 September 07 16:15 BST (UK)  »
Wow!

Thanks for those valuable tips and links Jo.  Obviously you're a pro at this.

JKC

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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Thursday 13 September 07 07:48 BST (UK)  »
FYI:

I've also found that the only Crawford St. in Lanarkshire is in Motherwell, which is located a bit to the N.E. of Carluke.

JKC

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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Thursday 13 September 07 07:23 BST (UK)  »
Btw:

If you subtract census year 1841 from Margaret's recorded year of birth (1790) the result is 51.  Given that it is also recorded that they temporarily moved to Carluke prior to coming to Canada, I'm 99.9% positive that is them!   Excellent Hunting!  - JKC

===========================

could this be them?

1841 census- crawford street, carluke

margaret...age 51
john...age 26...ag lab
william...age 15
james...age 14
david...age 8

Joe

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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Thursday 13 September 07 06:50 BST (UK)  »
Hi SED:

I got the notes that have been passed down and not too surprisingly my memory is not nearly what it used to be, (as expected, I managed to get a few details wrong).  It has been a few years since I've picked through this material...  That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.   ;-J

============================

John Currie lived in Kirkcudbrightshire Scotland in (b.1790) "but was believed to be part English".

Margaret McCartney was born in Scotland in 1790 and died Feb. 19, 1871 at 81 years of age. She was from somewhere in the highlands and came from a well to-do family with one sister and one brother.

Six of their children were born in Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.  After John's death she moved with her family of 7 sons and 2 daughters to to Carluke, Lancashire.

George - Stayed in Scotland and had a family. One daughter Joann may have gone to Australia.

Thomas - Died in Scotalnd a young man, unmarried.

William - Died in Scotland a young man, unmarried.

Jessie - Married John Bosomworth

John - Born 1819 - Died Feb. 20th 1856.  Married Margaret LinkLater (from Parish of Bersay on the Isle of Pamona in the Orkneys).  John died 3 weeks after their wedding from influenza.  Maggie and her son John Jr. went to live with her father John LinkLater, a tailor, (b.1797 - d.1878), who was also buried in the Bluevale cemetary. 

James - d. 1854  Died in Guelph Township unmarried.

David - 1831/32 - 1866.  Married Ann Cornyn.

Robert - Nov. 15, 1829, (Parish of Balmaclellan) - May 14 1910 (Bluevale cemetary). Married Ann LinkLater (May 3, 1834 - Oct. 10, 1905).  He was 20 when the family moved to Canada.  It was apparently he that located and purchased the 200 acres of land in East Wawanosh in 1853 on behalf of the 4 brothers.  Unfortunately James died that winter (probably as you said, while working the roads?).  In the spring of 1854 the three surviving brothers settled permanently on their new land. Robert was the first elected councillor in 1857 and later went on to become Reeve.  He returned to Scotland twice in 1876 and 1886.

Mingus/Menzies - Taught grammar school in Alma. Buried in Elora cemetary.

In 1849 they settled in Guelph Township, near Elora, Ont. and in 1853 the brothers bought land in East Wawanosh at $2.00/acre, settling permanently there in 1854.  There were no other settlers there, the country was little but a dense forest, but in the fall of 1854, a Mr. Thompson arrived in the area.  Three years after the Currie brothers arrived, the site for the Town of Wingham was surveyed.  The first settlers of Wingham proper being the Cornyn families.  David Currie married Ann Cornyn an native of Ireland, considered to be the first white woman in Wingham.

=======================

I've got some other snippets lurking around, but that's all I have in "the book" regarding the first two generations.  Actually there is much more, in fact I now see that you and your family are listed in there too.  Btw: A belated, happy 35th anniversary.  ;-J  My folks, whom you likely know (JAC and AC) also have a book on the history of E. Wawanosh that has some additional tidbits.  "The Book" also mentions where the original family Bible and letters were handed down to, but this is not a good place to get into that.

As for pushing back that brick wall a few more generations?  I've been trying for years without much luck.  I found some of the birth/baptism records from Scotland, but that is about all.  So I've been trying to attack it from the other end of history. Part of the key and facination is to understand the life, times and events of each generation.  Speaking of which I also have a copy of young John Jr's diary, which is an interesting read about pioneering in Huron County.  Maybe we could tag team?  You go high, I'll go low.  ;-J  Maybe if we could track down some of George's decendants we might catch that big break we are looking for, (which I thought for a while there I had finally stumbled upon) <:-[

As for the reunion.  If I was there, I don't remember it.  I would have been pretty young then.

Cheers, and good luck with the new knee.
JKC


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Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Wednesday 12 September 07 16:11 BST (UK)  »
I'm a direct decendant of John. who died his first winter in the Wingham/Marnoch area.  I have the entire written history copied from the original family bible.  (I may have a few details wrong as I'm going from memory here, as it is not immediately available for reference at the moment.)

I'm really excited to hear that we still have connections back in Scotland.  They were as lost to us as we were to them.  I am certainly keen to find out more.

I can't recall the exact details from memory, but Mingus or Menzies may have went by a different name later in life.  Back in thoses early days school teachers could not marry, so I don't believe Mingus had any family.  She taught in a school house in Alma if I recall correctly.  I found Elizabeth (Bosomworth's) headstone several years ago, when I first caught the geneology bug.  I've been meaning to hit the Wellington County museum, located just outside of Fergus in hopes of digging up some records, but have not managed to yet. 

I've wondered if Robert's 2 trips back to Scotland may have related to settling the estates of William and Thomas after they passed?  There was an interesting note that he slept in a hollow tree where the farm is located today, before proceeding to Goderich to purchase the lot(s).  Actually his direct descendant by the same name is a favourite cousin of mine.  Unfortunately we've lost touch so I'm uncertain if he or his family might have additional info.  I believe his parents had a group photo of John, Maragaret and the family hanging in the old original farmstead, back when I was too young to be interested. 

Yes, I believe John Jr. married a Linklater, was my extremely great grandmother.  Her family came from the Orkney Islands and I have much of her written family history too.

I have had no luck with finding any further detailed info on John and Margaret, other than he came from English/Norman roots and she came from a fairly well to do "noble" family from the highlands.  No further info on William either.

Out of frustration I've attacked the problem from the other end of history in hopes of finding the missing links.  My initial research lead me in the direction of Islay, Clan Ranald and Ireland but recently have discovered that the more probable lineage is that which stems from Robert de Corci of Normandy, son of Baldric, son of Wigerius Duke of Lorraine.   

My father recently showed me a book given to him from his uncle JHC that was presented to him by the mayor of some town in Normandy in gratitude for his part in liberating that town during WWII.  Curiously, the book that JHC chose from that town's library contains all the genelogical data relating to Robert de Courci (also spelled Courcy) who was related to William the Conqueror and mentions that he slew many an Englishman during the battle of Hastings.  His (gr.?) grandsons were later granted large tracks of land in the Annandale, Kirkcubrightshire area for their services to King David I of Scotland.

It was JHC who told me as a child that he was taken up in an airplane once in the 60's and could still see the scar through the woods where the original Currie brothers had hacked their way up through the woods from Fergus.

One thing I have discovered in my research is that our family perpetuates the same first names down through the ages, which provides a useful trail of breadcrumbs to follow.  This was apparently a common practice, particularly with noble families.  Typically the oldest son is named after the father and subsequent sons are named after grandfathers and uncles.  Subsequently you will find a long line of Roberts, Williams, Johns, Davids, Thomas', Andrews, James, Georges relating to the Curries, Corries, de Courcys, de Courcis down through the ages, which I suspect may be our best remaining clue to finding our missing links, if in fact that information survived the many border wars.

Also if you are familiar with Baigent's work, you may want to take a long look at the family coat of arms (another clue?). However the hidden symbols contained within go much further back in time than even he may have suspected.  I'm still trying to piece that puzzle together.

I'll get back to you with more details, when I can have the official notes on hand to refer to.

Aspiro ~ Inspire to Victory,
JKC

8
Kirkcudbrightshire / Re: 1841 CURRIE, a lost family!
« on: Tuesday 11 September 07 22:01 BST (UK)  »
We're not lost...

The ink blot was Mingus/Menzies, the other sister was Jessie though she may have changed her name to Janet.  Margaret is buried in the Bluevale, Ont. cemetery, her broken tombstone can still be found under a pile of scrub brush at the edge of the woods, between the road and her daughter in-law's grave stone, found further back along the N.W. edge of the woods.

John died in Scotland (no known details), though it is believed his roots were Norman, tracing back to Laird Sir Walter de Corrie & Lady Susanna Carlyle, Baldric the Teuton, Charlemagne and ultimately Clovis the Riparian.  After John's death the family temporarily moved from Balmaclellan to Carluke, which is where Margaret McCartney's high-society family apparently originated from. 

The family then migrated to Fergus, Ont. (c. 1845), with the exception of William, Thomas and George.  (I believe Andrew died rather young)  Thomas and William did not survive long enough to produce heirs.  George's daughter Joann is believed to have gone to Australia.  Apparently the family witnessed the burning of the parlament buildings in Quebec City on their trip up the St. Lawerence River.

After spending 4 years in Fergus, where the two sisters remained (Menzies became a school teacher),  Robert, his brothers and mother bought land in Huron County and were the first to settle in the Wingham area.  In fact they had to hack their own path though the woods to get there.  Their stone homestead can be found in excellent condition on the S.E. corner of Hwy 86 and Currie Line. on the Western outskirts of Wingham, Ont.  Robert's brothers David and John lived on adjacent farms immediately to the east of Robert's.  John died the first winter after getting wet in the barn, but did have one surviving son, John Jr. who was raised to a large degree by Robert and his family.  I believe Robert was also the first Reeve of Wawanosh Township in Huron County. The descendants of the other two brothers are still very active in the surrounding community.


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