Bruce and Williamson families

[GDub71]

Just a wee question about this family. My wife is descended from Margaret Gaa on her Father's side of the family. This would be William Duff Bruce's maternal aunt.

However, the brother of my wife's 4x Gt Grandfather Robert Cruickshank, on her mother's side, was called Alexander Cruickshank and he married a Jemima Bruce in 1840 in Keith. The 41 and 51 Censuses suggest she was born 1815-16, although definitely in Grange. I wonder if this is the same Jemima Bruce? Seems highly probable.

[carolbee]

Hi, That's interesting you have a connection to the Cruickshank family, which I was following for a couple of years!  But no, that was a different Jemima Bruce, which I found out the hard way. I spent a lot of time in communication with a woman in Aberdeen who found me on Rootschat, and who was researching the Cruickshank family for a friend. She and I both became convinced that yes, this was our Jemima. I even met that woman when I travelled to Scotland in 2009. As it turned out, only recently (long after I was back in Australia) I accidentally came across a newspaper cutting (Aberdeen Journal) which said that Jemima Duff Bruce, eldest daughter of William Duff Bruce had died at Brooklawn, County Leitrim, Ireland on 23 April, 1837.  Her brother George worked at Brooklawn as an agriculturist for the Earl of Leitrim, so it was definitely her!  I subsequently discovered that Jemima had had a daughter in 1829 by a John Stronach, (illegitimately I believe).

[GDub71]

Ah well,, still have a connection through the Gaa's anyway, which is a great Surname.

[carolbee]

Yes, I suppose that's true ... there's still that connection through the Gaa family! 

[jc33a]

I just came across this discussion and was interested. William Bruce (b 1684) and Margaret Keith of Grange, Banffshire were the 3xgreat grandparents of Australian Prime Minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce. I have been trying to build family trees of the Prime Ministers on Wikitree but am stuck with William Bruce (and his likely father George). Have you developed any theories on pushing this family back a few generations? John

[Forfarian]

carolbee and Fordyce, do you have any ideas about the parents of Jemima Bruce who married Alexander Cruickshank?

I see that I have transcribed her in 1841 as Jamaima and in 1851 as Jamesina, but FreeCEN has Jamaina in 1841 and Jammina in 1851. She must have died before 1855, because there doesn't seem to be a death on SP. 

[brucepoowong]

Hi Message for my cousin Carolbee.  Am having a hell of a time sending a message, hope this gets through. This rootschat is very confusing I must say.
My GGG? Grandfather was George Bruce and so down through George Williamson Bruce, thence to Mckenzie/Buchanan and now me a Thomas. The line goes through the maternal side.

Thanks for the info on your post, I am using Wikitree and so will now be able to fill in some blanks.

I was particularly interested in the siblings of William Duff which will now lead me down another avenue.
Let me know if I can reciprocate

[Fordyce]

carolbee and Fordyce, do you have any ideas about the parents of Jemima Bruce who married Alexander Cruickshank?

I see that I have transcribed her in 1841 as Jamaima and in 1851 as Jamesina, but FreeCEN has Jamaina in 1841 and Jammina in 1851. She must have died before 1855, because there doesn't seem to be a death on SP.

I've only just seen this.

This is her burial: Burial: Jemmina Bruce 15-11-1851 Keith - 1829 Burial Book - Page 107 (Name: Helen Gilbert & William Laing. Section Number on Plan 93. Extent of Ground 10 feet 6 inches.)

This is her husband's death: Alexander Cruickshank age 86 ma=Gilbert - D-1906-159(Keith)-99 SPI. His mother being a Gilbert explains the Lair owner.

Jemima Bruce was born abt 1817 in Grange per 1851 census.

A near miss, but a miss nonetheless: Jamima 2-11-1823 Grange to William Watt & Janet Bruce. In Nethermills (wit: George Bruce & William Cassie).

The only Bruces born in Grange around the time are those of William Duff Bruce and the nearest date-wise is Anne 17 Feb 1817. Maybe she took her's sister's name after she died. That's my best offer!

[Forfarian]

Thank you, Fordyce.

I would be very happy with your offer were it not that her children (in order) were Mary, James, Alexander, John, Anne, and William. No Janet at all, and William was her fourth son.

And of course see Reply #10 above.

Her husband Alexander was a son of Charles Cruickshank and Helen Gilbert.

So it looks as if Helen Gilbert may have married twice.