William Smith/ Margaret Forsyth

[genjen]

I have posted this query on various sites over the past few years so I apologise in advance to anyone who is getting bored with it.

William Smith and Margaret Forsyth married on 11th June 1813, in Nairn.

They had offspring including: Margaret, John, Robert and James Augustus Grant born between 1814 and 1824. There may have been others - I haven't found them yet.

By 1841, William was dead and Margaret Smith ( Forsyth), aged 40, was living in Douglas Vennel, Nairn with her mother Jane Forsyth, age 65, also widowed. Also there were:
Robert, aged 20, a draper,
Margaret, 15,
John 25, teacher.
 All ages obviously subject to the vaguaries of the 1841 census.
Both Jane Forsyth and Margaret Smith senior say that they were born outside the county. I am half expecting them to be linked to my other Forsyth line in Morayshire.
Can't find either of them in 1851 so am assuming they were dead.

According to his daughter, Margaret's death certificate, William Smith was a mason/ builder but I have struggled for a long time to find anything more about him. I should be very grateful if anyone can give me any ideas as to where I might find information on local builders in the early 1800s.

I should also like to find William's birth and death records but have precisely no hope of being able to get to Nairn myself in the near future so if there is anyone out there with access to parish records, I'd love to hear from you.

And if by any chance anyone is linked to any of the above names, do get in touch.

Regards,

Jen

[runningbear]

hi jen, this is only pure guesswork

i wonder if your margaret forsyth was the daughter of james and jean carmichael born 31/5/1801 in birnie, moray.

if so jean/jane is still living in 1851 with her son john in birnie

has your margaret remarried in the 1840's?


trying to help

Joe

[genjen]

My Margaret Forsyth married William Smith in 1813 so I really hope that she wasn't born in 1801!
I suppose that if that is a baptism date then it could be the same person but I feel that it is unlikely. I have been looking at any birth for which the mother is named as Jean or Jane as the two names seem to be one and the same in Scotland.
I know that on the 1841 census Margaret says that she is 40 but I suspect that that is to do with the rounding down system and that she was actually nearer to 45, making her born around 1795 - 97. I have found one or two possible candidates for her birth/ baptism, in Morayshire, but have no way of proving it one way or the other.
As for re-marrying, yes it is quite possible but I haven't looked into that yet. I shall do so asap.

Thanks for your help.

Jen

[Izzy]

Hi Jen
could you please tell me did Margaret Smith daughter marry ? or have children.
Izzy

[genjen]

Margaret Smith, daughter of William Smith and Margaret Forsyth, married James Shaw in 1851, in Nairn.

They had the following offspring:

James 1851
John 1857
Alexander 1859 (married Annie Christie)
Isabella (married John Glass)
Jane 1863
Robert 1867
Catherine 1870 (married Clarence Samuel Howe)
I don't have any information on the marriages of the others.

Hope this is of some help. Let me know if you think we may have a link through this line.

Jen

[ghostwhisperer]

Gravestone in Nairn Cemetery

In memory of James Shaw, Ship Master, Nairn who died 8th Nov 1885 aged 67 years and his wife Margaret Smith who died 16th March 1886 aged 61 years. Also their son Robert who died 17th March 1894 aged 27 years.

also

In loving memory of Clarence F Howe MBE, Ship Master died 4th Nov 1932 aged 67 years. Also his wife Catherine Shaw died 30th Aug 1949 aged 79 years. In loving memory of Dora Margaret Howe died 20th Feb 1972 aged 67 years beloved mother of Gordon & Douglas and beloved wife of William Mill.

and another

In loving memory of Annie Christie died 11th July 1918 aged 53 years and her sons William Ross Shaw died of wounds in the 17th CC Station, France 25th Sept 1918 aged 26 years, Alex Shaw killed in action at Arras 23rd April 1917 aged 28 years, James Campbell Cameron died 1st Nov 1903 aged 15 years eldest beloved son of the above Annie Christie and her second husband John Cameron. Also of her daughter Margaret Smith Shaw died at Edinburgh 31st July 1954 aged 57 years.

[genjen]

Thank you for that. I did actually have some of them from a visit I made to Nairn some years ago but the Christie one I hadn't seen and there is obviously a connection there which needs checking out.

Cheers,

Jen

[ghostwhisperer]

You can see the Christie/Shaw one here
http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=645&start=45&mforum=scottishwargraves