Armstrongs

[boswells]

My gggrandfather was Abel Armstrong b. c 1806 d. 1894. latterly of East Scales, Gretna.  I can find no record of his birth other than a census entry of Middlebie.  I have some pointers to him having been born at Crosslands Farm, Middlebie but without a birth certificate or other evidence I cannot be sure of his parentage.  Can anybody help?
Thanks
Boswells

[cavvytri]

 :)Hi Boswells, Have you checked out the old parish records on scotlandspeople? His marriage or baptism may be on there which might give you his parents names.
Best wishes
Cavvytri

[Piglet01]

Hello Boswells,

Have just come off the IGI - www.familysearch.org  Entered Abel Armstriong - and b 1805 +/- 5 years in Scotland - comes up with 1 born abt 1804 of Canonbie, Dumfries Scotland.  However has his death as 1884 - also in Canonbie.

Father John Armstrong, mother Ann Donaldson - possibly yours.  If you click on the parents gives quite a lot of good info - including a brother Francis - born in 1806 and dying in Darlington, Durham. 

www.freecen.org.uk - free 1841 census, has only 1  Abel Armstrong in Dumfries -shire - however aged 30 .  Not a major problem, as if he'd lied a little about his age, and the enummerator rounded down - could be possibly him.

Has a wife Elizabeth, and 2 daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth.

As cavvytri suggests Scotlands people is another good option.

If unfamiliar with Scottish rsearch - and Somerset is a bit far away .....  :O)

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk (you’ll find people calling it SP) This is the official govt website lots of interesting stuff can be found.  You can get info online - deaths to from 1855 to 1956, marriages from 1855 to 1931.  Births from 1855 until 1906  Census records 1841 to 1901.  You can also get info from parish records before 1855 - the website tells you what you can get.  Basically a per per view site - buying 30 units at £6 a go.  £1.20 should be able to get you a copy of his death entry - which will also include his parents names (including mothers maiden name).

2.  A second option.  A great money saver - Aberdeen Registrars Office (as do many others in Scotland), - has Scottish Birth Marriage and Death (BMD) records online going back to 1855 and up to the present day (for Scotland).  Charge £15 per hour.  An hour should be more than enough to get a good core of info.  I use them as I live locally and visit in person.  They can be contacted on 01224 522033 or e-mail:  Searchroom@aberdeencity.gov.uk  They're really friendly approachable and professional.  Will save you days and pounds ++ on Scotlands People.

The link below indicates their services:
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acci/web/files/rm_registrars/rm_registrars_family_history_leaflet.pdf


Good luck with your research.

Regards,   Steve  :O)

[boswells]

Hi Steve
You have found the same information that is the blank wall for me.  My Abel is the one with the children Margaret and Elizabeth but the age is wrong and his birthplace is shown as Middlebie in other Censuses.  I have seen his gravestone and the birth date is certainly around 1805.  From the research I have carried out I have found pointers to his having been born at Crosslands, Middlebie where he had at least three brothers but some of the family had gone by the 1841 census.  Arounf the time of his birth the make up of the farms was in a state of flux as farms were being made out of the old fermtouns and names were changing on many of them.  Fascinating but frustrating.
Many thanks for all of your help.  I will be up in the area next year and hope to find out some more then.
Boswells

[kenjo]

Hi There, boswells,
Have you actually bought the death certificate?
If so what did it say?
I presume you have all the census for Abel...He did have a lot of children according to the 1861c..
I will post it if you haven't got it..
Jo

modified.
If you search google books..http://books.google.com/
and put  Abel Armstrong scales..
up comes info on    The Clydesdale Stud-book. ... it also mentions Francis and an Andrew.
if you just search Abel Armstrong ...there is a obit..about a relation to you..from Hawick..
It is only snippets..but a lot of the time you get the whole book to read..
I also know this isn't the answer you asked for but..it could lead you onto another reference source..

[andycand]

Hi Boswells

The IGI birth entry for Abel Armstrong is a submitted entry with no source and an obvious incorrect death date so I would treat it with caution.

A look at the Middlebie baptisms on the IGI shows that they appear to be only the females, and a quick check of ScotlandsPeople shows no Abel Armstrong baptism around 1805.

As others have suggested I would download his death certificate as that will hopefully name his parents.  If so then you could do a search on the IGI to see if the parents had daughters around the same period as Abel's birth, and a check of the Parish Register for the daughters (Abel's sisters) baptisms  may indicate an address.

You could also download his wifes death certificate to find her parents and then see if Abel followed the traditional Scottish naming pattern.

Andy