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Hi Lorna,

Thanks for that - that's filled in another bit of my tree. We've been in touch before re. Thomas Fairbairn. I now need to establish whether Alexander (ie. the one who married Isabella Aitchison, is actually the son of James Fairbairn and Agnes Lindsay (birth date and place of birth fit, but given the numbers of Fairbairns about in that area that is no true indicator). I need to delve about in the Records office in Scotland more.

Natasha

Update (09/2007): Alexander is the son of James Fairbairn and Agnes Lindsay

Am looking for any descendants of the offspring of Alexander Fairbairn (born Ednam c.1788  and Isabella (nee Aitchison):

Jane (born. c.1812); Alexander (born c.1813); Thomas (born parish of Morebattle, c.1814) James (born Eccles, c. 1815); Isabella (born Whitton, Roxburghshire c.1821); John (born Oxnam, c.1826); Agnes (born Roxburghshire c.1829); Helen (born Roxburghshire, c.1831).

Jane married James Hills, and her younger sister Isabella (or Isabel) married William Hills (James's brother). There is also a seven-year old grandson called James living with Alexander and Isabella in 1851, who could possibly be the son of their widowed son James, also living in the household at that time. Another grandson Alexander was also living with them, who was the son of their son Thomas.

Isabella and William Hills emigrated to Canada c.1851. She remarried there in 1865.

I am looking for any information about Fairbairns in the Ancrum or Morebattle area.

My great-grandfather Thomas was born in Ancrum in 1860, where his father Alexander was a journeyman miller. His mother was Isabella (nee Currie) - on their marriage certificate it says she is from Longnewton, East Lothian, and she and Alexander married 16th  December 1859.

Isabella's father was Peter Currie and her mother Jane (nee Handyside)
A James Fairbairn and Andrew Currie were also witnesses at their wedding.

Alexander and Isabella had four children born in Roxburghshire - Thomas, Robert (died aged 5), Jane and Alexander. The family then moved to NE England and they then had Isabella, Elizabeth, George, Harriet, and Barbara (found in 1881 census).

[Their son Thomas became a blacksmith who worked in Elgin Dock, Tyneside and subsequently at Easington Colliery. He married Ellen Storey (from Amble).]

Alexander's father was called Thomas and was from the parish of Morebattle.  His mother was Christina (or Christian) Mason and they married c.1836. Alexander was born 17th January 1837.

There is a very strong probability that Christian died just after Alexander was born, and that Thomas remarried, leaving Alexander to be brought up by his grandparents, who were probably Alexander Fairbairn and Isabella (nee Aitchison). In turn it is also possible that this Alexander was  the son of James Fairbairn and Agnes Lindsay, with a brother called Thomas.

Do any of these names overlap with anyone else's family research, or able to help establish the probables for certainties?