Anthony Conning kirkcudbright

[clematised]

Sorry Elizabeth I can not help you with this question as I do not have the answer for you

Edna

[susanmjvr]

Hi Anthony,
I'm looking for info on the Conning family from Scotland.
g/grandfather David Johnston Conning - Wife Susan (Byers) AND Jessie (Boyd)
gg/gf James Conning - Wife Margaret (Stephen)
ggg/gf Alexander Conning - Wife Margaret (?Thomson)
If you can link any of these to your search please let me know.  David Conning moved to South Africa and died there.  As far as I know Jessie never came to SA.
Thanks
Sue

[Erato]

Hi Sue -

Sorry, I see no connection to my Conning ancestors, who were from Wigtownshire and some of whom went to the US in 1834.


Erato

[MonicaL]

Hi Sue

Welcome to RootsChat 

What sort of info do you have already on the earlier lines?

James Conning and Margaret Stephen were married in 1861 in Montrose, Angus. Five children showing to them born between 1862-71, including your David in Montrose at the end of December 1867. One other child also shows on the 1881 census aged 4. Not sure of Margaret's marital status at that time as she shows as head of household.

This looks to be a messy transcription of the 1871 census:

James Arning 46, Ship Black Smith, b. Montrose
Margaret Cunning 29 b. Inver Keeler, Forfar
Alexander Cunning 7
Robert S Cunning 5
David I Cunning 3

Address: 92 Hill St, Dundee

James Conning's birth year of c. 1825 is confirmed on his 1861 census entry, where he shows at 7 River St, Montrose, occupation of blacksmith.

And in the earlier censuses, with some of his family:

1851:

James Conning (Twin) 26 b. Master Blacksmith (employing 3 Men)
Isabella Conning (Twin) 26, sister
Elizabeth Conning 21, sister
Grace Conning 19, sister

Address: 7 River St, Montrose

Monica 

[MonicaL]

Not seeing anything on father Alexander and mother Margaret on IGI. Wondering though whether father Alexander may have remarried by 1841. From the sisters names in 1851, I wondered whether this was the family in 1841. James not showing at home. Points to note with the 1841 census, relationships within the household are not normally given and ages for everyone over 15 were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years:

Alexander Canning 45, blacksmith
Isobel Canning 45
David Canning 15
Jane Canning 14
Elizabeth Canning 12
Grace Canning 10
Isobel Middleton 15, servant

Address: Mill Lane, Montrose

Possible IGI entry for this marriage:

ALEXANDER CONNING and ISABELLA WYLLIE    
Marriage: 29 NOV 1835 in Montrose

Can't see Alexander in the 1851 census, may have died between censuses?

Monica

[susanmjvr]

Hi Monica,
Details don’t seem to add up.  You have Cunning not Conning.  First part is right about James and Margaret’s marriage in 1861.  Have not looked at any census records yet. Turning out there are many skeletons in the closet, one is David married to Jessie.  Records in SA, great grandmothers (Susan) death record shows surviving spouse as David Johnston Conning, but when he passed away later, it shows his surviving spouse as Jessie, and Jessie was never is SA and David never returned to Scotland.  Looking at Scotland records found he did marry Jessie in 1889. I have never come across any divorce records from that time, so maybe you can help, can a person even get such a thing from back then. Did he have two wives one in SA and one in Scotland :-o
From marriage record of
David Johnston Conning to Jessie (Boyd) 20/12/1889 St Andrew Dundee, father James Conning and mother Margaret (Stephen). 
I then found the marriage record of
James Conning and Margaret (Stephen) 30/08/1861 Montrose, father
Alexander Conning and mother Margaret (?) can not make it out, Thomson maybe, also think it may say Deceased
I am still looking into marriage between Alexander and Margaret
You have the address as 7 River Street my records show 8 River Street.
David Johnston Conning
28 Dec 1867 4:00 am
8 River Street
Montrose
Angus
Scotland

One very interesting fact you have come up with, my g/g/grandfather had a twin sister and this is the first I have heard about that – thanks

James Conning (Twin) 26 b. Master Blacksmith (employing 3 Men)
Isabella Conning (Twin) 26, sister
Elizabeth Conning 21, sister
Grace Conning 19, sister

Thanks
Sue

[clematised]

Hello all,

Just catching up with the thread, My Connings were sometimes spelled Canning but name transcriptions vary so dont worry too much about that.

Happy Hunting

Edna

[MonicaL]

Hi Sue

Just picking up on some of the points. Don't be concerned about the spelling of the surname. Unlike today where spellings are rigid, in those times there were many spelling variations to names and you can often find a number of different versions on varying documents.

Regarding addresses, 7 or 8 River Street. Again, you can find families at different addresses over the years, sometimes on the same street.

If you have a problem confirming the surname of Margaret, wife of Alexander, you can contact Scotlands People and ask for help. They often get these types of enquires as sometimes images make things hard to read. See this note www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=1210

When did David head off to SA? Can't easily see him on the Scottish 1891 census as yet. Have you found a marriage for David to Susan in SA?

What were Jessie's details from the 1899 marriage (age, parents' names)? Maybe we can find her on the later Scottish censuses.

Monica 

Added: Hi Edna. Sorry, our posts crossed over.

[matt muir]

Hi Edna.

I think this is your Conning family as listed in the Pre 1855 MI's for Kirkcudbright.

No 608.
Anthony CONNING mariner d Kirkcudbright 11.12 1826 41 yrs.
son John 6.12.1841 20yrs. son Jas d Liverpool 30.7.1851 29yr.
son Anthony lost at sea 3.6.1858 (wife Mary MATHEWS d Gatehouse 10.10.1858 24yrs)
Gda Agness Isabella DICKSON d Liverpool aged 2yr 2mth.Jas Maben DICKSON master
of the ship Florence Graham lost in Dingle Bay Ireland Jan 1861 36yr.
Above Anthony CONNING senior, wife Jane CONNING d Liverpool 15.11. 1867 83yr, dau
Agnes d Liverpool (h J M DICKSON).

(west side)
Mary CONNING d Kirkcudbright 25.2. 1907 84 wid of Ephraim JESSEMIE,da Mary Caroline JESSEMIE 6.1.1936 82 yr (wid of Thos E COWPER)

Hope this is some help.
Rgds Matt