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Wanting to make contact with anyone researching William DUNCAN (born 22 Jul 1818, Ramornie, Fife - died 11 May 1894, Muirside, Fife) and either of his two wives -- Janet FIFE (Fyfe) (born before 17 Jan 1815, Cults, Fife - died between 1851 & 1855) or Ann (Annie) HAXTON (born c1833, Newburn, Fife - died 27 Nov 1905, Collessie, Fife).

William & Janet Fife married 23 May 1841 @ Kettle, Fife and had children David (1841 - 1922), William (1843 - 1933), Janet (1846 - 1918), Catherine (1848 - 1884) and Ann(e) (1851 - unknown).

William & Ann Haxton married 24 Feb 1855 @ Kingsbarns, Fife and had children Christina (1856 - 1881), John (1857 - unknown), Robert (our ancestor) (1859 - 1941), Andrew (1861 - 1946), Divinnie (Divina) (1864 - 1877), James (1866 - 1946), Helen (1868 - unknown), Agnes (1870 - 1949), Alexander (1873 - 1905), and Mary (1878 - unknown).

Would appreciate any family history and photos to fill in blanks on this line of our family tree.

We are looking for information, photos and/or contact with descendants of Gilbert HERON Jr (April 21, 1853, Logie Buchan - May 28, 1941, Chapel of Garioch) and his wife Lilly (Lily) Jane REID (October 14, 1868, Banff - August 1, 1951, Keithhall).  We know that Lilly was Gilbert's third wife.  He married first in 1879 to Helen MATTHEW (1854 - 1890) and had children Gilbert, James, John, Ann, Eliza-Bella and Jessie-Jane.  He married second in 1892 to Ann MILNE who was quite a few years his senior.  They had no children together although Ann had children prior to the marriage (James CHEZNE, b1861; John MILNE, b1863; William McRAE, b1866 and Alexander COWIE, b1869).

Gilbert married third on December 2, 1908 to our great grandmother Lilly Jane REID and they had two children, Elsie (1909 - 1998) and William (1911 - 1984). 

It is known that Lilly had four illegitimate children prior to her marriage to Gilbert ~~ Lilly Jane Meldrum REID (father unknown; 1891 - 1984), Lizzie Ann REID (our grandmother; father unknown; 1892 - 1957), Mary Ann BARTLETT (father: James Bartlett, not married to Lilly Jane; 1898 - 1986) and Charles Coull REID (father unknown; 1906 - 1988).

Gilbert was the son of Gilbert HERON Sr and Ann CRAIGHEAD and had siblings Ann (Annie), Jane, Elspet, James, John and George.  Lilly Jane was the daughter of William REID and Margaret REDFORD/REIDFORD and had siblings Mary Ann, Margaret, Christian (Christina), Elspet (Elsie), William, Alexander, Barbra (Barbara), Catherine, Helen, Annabella, Jessie, Robert, Eliza and Robina. 

We have obtained many birth/marriage/death records for Gilbert, Lilly and their siblings through ScotlandsPeople but cannot seem to find much on their descendants.  From what our mothers have told us, our grandmother would not speak about her family when asked.  After reviewing all of the information that we have managed to gather we think she may have been embarrassed about her mother's illegitimate children (and also the number of cousins in the Reid family who were illegitimate -- last count was a total of seventeen!!). 

Any and all information that anyone can provide us on these families would be greatly appreciated including any of the family members --- we may already have the information but a second verification of things is better than not receiving anything.  Contact with the descendants of Gilbert's children and step-children from his first two marriages would also be appreciated as they may be able to shed some light on Gilbert and Lilly too.

Joanne

According to the book 'The Cunningham Family of Antigonish, Nova Scotia' (by Leonard Cunningham, 1929), these three brothers (John, Richard & Michael CUNNINGHAM) were on their way to "America" when their ship went aground off the shore of Nova Scotia in about 1769.  They all settled in Nova Scotia and Richard and Michael both died and were buried at Antigonish.  Not sure about John --- the book states "Of the eldest brother, John, little is known and no date of his birth or marriage has been found.  The theory has been gradually forming in my mind that he was many years older than Richard or Michael -- that he married in Ireland and his wife was with him in the ship; that his younger brothers had been left to his guardianship and came to America with him, and that some of his sisters accompanied him".  Additional information can be found by Googleing the book .... it's a digital format online.

According to this same book, there were also three sisters (Mary, Magdalen and Jane CUNNINGHAM) who arrived with the aforementioned brothers.

Who were their parents?  Where, exactly, did they come from in Ireland?  What other family might there have been that remained there?

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Joanne