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Hi the Barnfather family in Wetheral are ancestors of mine . John Barnfather b 1763 Wetheral Cumberland d 1829 ? and Ann Atkinson b 1761 Wetheral d 1829 ? . I have examined various online trees Familysearch Ancestry Wikitree . I have not been able to research English records yet but my ancestor Jane Barnfather b Wetheral 1794 married 1 James Adamson then my ancestor 2 George Graham a Tailor from Stapleton and was living at Hillbeck . Jane was daughter of John and Ann . John Barnfather line in Wetheral is already documented in a rootschat piece of research . But these trees and other records in sites Find My Past Ancestry Familysearch etc suggest he descends from the Lanercost Barnfather family and in turn right back to Gilbert Barnfather and his father Robert in Swarthgill Kirkoswald near Penrith . I noticed something else that the Barnfather family according to a DNA project descend from Viking blood and that in Britain they go back to a Barnfather in Lapley Staffordshire with the name previously being Barnfeilde sounds Danish . I’m aware the Barnfather family is one of largest northern families in Cumberland and Northumberland. In this regard they were usually on the receiving end of reivers or border reivers but some sources suggest they were reivers . It would be interesting if anyone had an accurate Barnfather family tree that they could send me thank you Chris .

Hi I’m researching William Currie of Gasstown. On his death entry 5 December 1890 Hawthorn Cottage Gasstown Dumfries his death entry signed by his son John Currie . He is said to have been 69 years old making his birth 1821 his death mentioned in one of the local newspapers  . His parents said to be William Currie a Miller to trade . Mother unknown . William the younger who died at Gasstown married Mary Ann Jardine b 1821 Johnstone Dumfriesshire d 22 April Rockhallhead near Torthorwald. They married 1842 Johnstonebridge . On several censuses 1851 they are at Holland Park Caerlaverock with their children in 1861 he is at Rockhallhead as a ploughman while Mary Ann is with the children at the Racks Torthorwald. In 1871 William a widower is at Lochrighead Cottage with his children. 1881 I’m not sure where he is . In 1841 I’m not sure where William or Mary Ann are but two William Curries are at Mousewald and Householm Dumfriesshire same age same north county . Finally only one OPR for a William Currie b 1821 Durisdeer parents William Currie Jean Menzies however I looked at this William Currie a different man in 1871 census he is at Enterkinfoot near Durideer and is single so wrong man Chris any help here greatly appreciated

Hi I was researching my ancestor Michael Crosbie and Elizabeth Tracey some time ago . However since then I was researching my ancestors brother and appeared to get them mixed up . One was Patrick Crosby or Crosbie b circa 1836 Roscommon in Troqueer Maxwelltown Kirkcudbrightshire Scotland now Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway Scotland, he married a Mary McGrail I thought he had children but it happened he did not . On his Scottish death entry in 1886 at the High Street Dumfries his entry was signed by Patrick Crosbie informant status - cousin . A relative of mine did research and found he was married to a Bridget Mcevoy in Dumfries this Patrick clearly a cousin was born circa 1841 Roscommon. In a Scottish indexes record both Patrick’s are jailed in Maxwelltown for theft at one point . So clearly my Patrick was at least four or five years older . The other Patrick died about 1910 in Dumfries. This relative showed me a screenshot of his Marriage entry in 1864 to Bridget Macevoy and it stated that his parents were Thomas Crosbie Labourer deceased and Catherine Crosbie maiden surname Judge . When I looked this up on Ancestry I got a 1840 birth for Patrick Crosbie father Thomas Crosby mother Catherine Breheny . I saw other records on Ancestry and family search etc and other records saying her name was Judge or Breheny . Even more strange I got a distant Ancestry DNA match with someone who had Judge and Breheny families in their tree Chris

Hi I’m researching the Watson’s I have Robert Watson and Mary Watson a tinker and tinkers wife in the 1851 Census at Warwick Cumberland. It says he was born 1784 Walton Mary born 1805 Dumfries . The children born Dumfriesshire except Margaret the eldest b 1826 Irthington. Margaret married name Earl a widower and hawker and  her father Robert a widower and 80 year old Labourer on the 1881 Census at Jane Street , they live with Ambrose Watson b circa 1864 Newcastle Upon Tyne, Robert grandson and Margaret nephew . The question is Margaret is a direct ancestor but her mother surname is a mystery and the two censuses are inconsistent with vastly different dates . I think I have traced Margaret brother Joseph Watson born at Annan 1837 which is very close to Joseph’s estimated birthdate on the 1851 census . I found then Joseph was imprisoned at Stranraer for theft it says tinker . In 1881 he is with his wife and child and others at Bankhead Plantation Renfrewshire Near Barrhead ‘ living in tents ‘ . In 1891 he is living at St Thomas Camlachie which is present day East end of Glasgow . So what I am stating is the Watson’s despite being difficult to research have left some traces behind proving that researching Travellers is a difficult task . I know about Margaret and her family but think The Watson’s straddle Cumberland Dumfriesshire the Scottish Borders and further north . I know because in terms of DNA I have matched Those descended from Northern Scottish families . Any help or anyone with tips as to how to crack this Watson brickwall greatly appreciated.

Hi i have ancestors the Wallace's originating i think from Ulster who settled at Balmaclellan and the Forrest family who lived around Buittle anyone with these families in your tree please get in touch .