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My great grandfather was Thomas Leitch White, born in Ballymena Ireland in 1874 and brought to Greenock as a baby. He married Mary Carr in Greenock in April of 1899, daughter of Roderick Carr and Mary O'Donnell.

Tom and Mary had a son born Jan 1 1900 who they named Roderick or Rhoderick after Mary's father. Little Roderick shows up in the 1901 census living with his parents in Paisley. The census gives his birthplace as Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire.

Five years later, there is no sign of Roderick and Tom and Mary appear to have separated. Not sure if they were ever legally divorced. By May of 1906, Tom had a child by, and then married, my great grandmother Lizzie Brymner - and then hopped on a boat to Canada.

Mary Carr married a George McMahon in 1911 in Glasgow, and then passed away in 1916 in Greenock. Interestingly, she lists herself as a spinster at this second marriage. Hmmm. Definitely her, same parents, same date and location of birth.

I have been back and forth through the records and cannot find a sign of what could have happened to Roderick. My presumption is that he must have passed away between 1900 and 1905 - and one assumes in Renfrewshire - either in Paisley or Greenock. However, no death registration can I locate. I'd love to know a date and location, if this is indeed what happened to him.

Anyone out there with any bright ideas or sources ?

My husband's 4G grandfather was a Peter Mack, who was married to an Isobel Brown, probably in the 1770's, so likely both were born in the 1750s. We have only found the names of two children, thus far - John, born in 1774, apparently in Duns, and sister Jean, born January 1778. John married Margaret Dale in 1809 in Longformacus, Berwick (children we know of include Peter, Isabella, Margaret, John, Alexander and Janet).

Would anyone have access to any information that might help find a marriage for Peter and Isobel, or the names of other children they may have had.

Mary Gordon

My husband's 2G grandparents were John Hunter and Nancy Agnes Anderson. We believe they were both Protestants from Strabane. John was a boot and shoemaker, and was born about 1806. A biography of one of his sons says that John emigrated to Canada in 1821, which suggests to us he must have been with his parents, as he would have been only 15 years old. We presume he must have learned his trade from his father.

John and Nancy married in Quebec in 1826, and later moved to Ontario. Their children include Robert B., Thomas Anderson, William John, Nancy Jane, two named Samuel James, Mary Catherine, Hamilton D., Margaret, Elizabeth Maryann, and Louise Mariah. Three of the sons became Methodist preachers - the headstone where two of them are buried is a big stone bible on a plinth that says "Preach the Word"  (a horrendous piece of Victoriana).

We have had no luck tracing either John or Nancy as to their parentage or sibs, and we do think both of them came to Canada with those parents. Anyone out there with Hunters or Andersons from Strabane?

Mary G.

My husband's family are Bertrams from East Lothian, who came to Canada in a trickle between 1860 and 1900 (9 surviving children from one generation and ultimately their parents eventually ended up in Ontario). Anyone else researching this name?

His 2G grandfather was Hugh Bertram, who was the farm stewart for George Hope's farm, Fenton Barns, near Dirleton. Prior generations were from Whitekirk, Aberlady etc.

Other surnames in the line include Mack, Walker, Lamb, Dudgeon, Johnstone and possibly Murray.

Mary G.

My husband's 2G grandfather was a tailor from Yorkshire, who emigrated to Toronto (then in Upper Canada) in 1831 with his father John Robinson, who appears to have been a widower.

The Robinson headstone says Isaac was born in Yorkshire October 16 1809. A directory published in 1885 notes that that Isaac was the eldest of the children in the family, and that he had a brother and three sisters, but gives no names for these siblings. It notes he learned his tailoring trade in Yorkshire, but we don't know if his father was a tailor. Father John Robinson is buried with the family in Toronto, and the headstone says he was born October 10 1788. There is no mention of a wife for John and we don't know her name, so we presume she died in Yorkshire prior to Isaac and John setting out for Toronto.

Isaac married in Toronto in 1832 to a Ruth Walker from Brampton, England, and their children include Mary Ann, Margaret, Mary Jane, Elizabeth Ruth, Sarah Ann, Egerton, Clara, Hannah Louise and Ellen Amelia.

So...we're looking for help finding out the name of Isaac's mother and siblings and where in specific in Yorkshire they might have been from. Despite having specific birthdates for Isaac and father John, we're stuck!

Mary Gordon
Toronto