RootsChat.Com

No problem, I'll PM you shortly with more details.

Just for the benefit of anyone else though researching this family William Gibson was born around 1835 in Beith, son of William (a baker) and Jean Hamilton.

Margaret Knox was also born around 1835 in Beith, daughter of Fulton Knox (a Weaver) and Margaret Caldwell.

William Gibson Senior was born around 1791 in Beith.

Jean Hamilton was born around 1793, also in Beith.

William and Jean married on 16th January 1817 in Beith and as well as William they had another son, James born around 1823.

Fulton Knox was born on 14th February 1810 in Beith, to parents John Knox and Elizabeth Barcly.

Margaret Caldwell was born around 1810, also in Beith.

Fulton and Margaret married on 13th July 1833 in Beith and had the following children:

Margaret – born around 1833
John – born around 1838
Robert – born on 31st August 1840, Christened on 13th Sep 1840 in Beith.
Elizabeth – born on 1st March 1843, Christened on 26th March 1843 in Beith
William – born on 23rd February 1849, Christened on 11th March 1849 in Beith


Don't have much detail on John Knox and Elizabeth Barcly (presumably Barclay but that's how it is spelt on the register!) other than marriage on 25th November 1797 in Beith and had the following children:

Janet – born on 7th October 1798 in Beith.
William – born on 21st December 1800 in Beith.
Jean – born on 8th December 1802, Christened on 12th Dec 1802 in Beith.
Elizabeth – born on 18th May 1804, Christened on 27th May 1804 in Beith.
Fulton – born on 14th February 1810, Christened on 18th February 1810 in Beith.

Hi,

yes it was some time ago and I don't have the details to hand but I'm sure that is the records I found and was certain it was a match, only to apply for a copy of the marriage certificate to be informed that while those two people were married it was not to each other! 

Also tried the 1911 census at one time when there was free access on Find My Past but the WIlliams name was so common I just couldn't pick out any that I could say with any certainty were the family I was looking for - and I looked at DOZENS!

I may have to wait until I can get the 1921 census for a definite match!   

Thanks Sarah.

I'm thinking it might be an idea to start a new thread anyway in case anyone else has info on the family.  I thought maybe adding a post to this thread would put it back to the top of the list of latest posts to bring attention to it but I don't think that's the case.

Thanks again. 

Michelle,

I too am related to Margaret through her first marriage to William, although from the records that I have they had four children.

They were married in the United Presbyterian Church on Wardrop Street in Beith on 20th December 1855.

They are on the 1861 census at Crummock Street in Beith with two sons William (aged 5) and John (aged 2 and my great great grandfather).

Between then and the 1871 census they have Fulton and Margaret before William dies (I'm assuming, don't have details) and Margaret remarries as per census info provided by Hume elsewhere on this thread.  Note on the 1871 census eldest son William is absent not sure where he is at this point as he would only be around 15 so too early to have left home?

I can't provide much more than this I'm afraid although I do have details of both William and Margaret's parents if you haven't gone that far back?

Paul

Hi folks,

Firstly I apologise if this post is a bit wordy but I thought it best to give as much details as possible!

I’m hoping someone may be able to help with a problem I’m having tracing ancestors on Colonsay.

My g.g.g.grandmother is Isabella Gibson (maiden name McKinnon) and appears aged 22 on the 1881 census in Beith, Ayrshire.  It is from this that I discovered she was born in Colonsay.

She died in 1891 aged 32 and it is from the death register that I have her parents’ names as Donald McKinnon (Farm Servant) and Margaret McMillan.

The only Isabella Mackinnon born on Colonsay I can find that fits the dates is born in Machrins on February 1858 to Donald McKinnon and Margaret McMillan so I’m assuming this is her.

I have a Colonsay marriage in 1857 of Donald McKinnon (27), a ploughman from Kilchattan, and Margaret McMillan (22), a dairy maid from Machrins.

Donald’s parents are a Donald McKinnon (Crofter) and Mirren Kilpatrick.  This is where things start to go awry, not helped by various spelling errors and discrepancies in the records.

I believe I have found Mirren on the 1841 Colonsay census as Marion McKinnon aged 60, with daughters Cathrine and Flory.  They are living with a McLucas family.  I am assuming Donald (the Crofter) is deceased as he certainly appears to be on the next census.

On the 1851 census she is listed as Maron McKinon (widow, still aged 60!) with daughter Janet McNeil and grandson Archibald McNeill.

Moving to the 1861 census she is listed as Mirren MacKinnon, aged 80 with daughter Cathrine and grandson Archibald.  On this she is listed as being born on Mull (all other records say Colonsay).
Her last appearance on a census is 1871 aged 89, living with Donald and Catherine McLean (her daughter).

I believe I have her entry on the death register in 1875 aged 95 as the witness is Catherine McLean, daughter.  But this is where things really come unstuck!  Firstly she is named Sarah McKinnon – although apparently the name Marion usually appears as Sarah on official records so I have no particular issue with that.  However her husband is listed as John McKinnon (Crofter), not Donald.  Are these names also interchangeable?  The final bombshell is that her parents are listed as Dugald McArthur and Ann McCormick!

So, at the start I have a Mirren McKinnon, maiden name Kilpatrick, who goes through various name changes and ends up as Sarah McKinnon, maiden name McArthur!!

Have I tracked the wrong Mirren/Marion on the census?  Can anybody shed any light on the McKinnons of Colonsay?  I could sorely do with it!

Thanks