McMeekan - Caerlaverock

[ruthamy05]

I am looking for any information on Thomas McMeekan, born abt 1829, died July 1899 and who is buried in the Caerlaverock Churchyard.

I am trying to make a connection to the McMeekan family of this area.  My ancestor Jean Agnes Lydia McMeekan Mollart was born abt 1814 in Scotland but at some point came to Staffordshire England where she married Samuel Mollart about 1845.

In the family's possession was the funeral card for Thomas McMeekan of Caerlaverock.   

If anyone can give help me locate this McMeekan family or if you have any connection to this family I would love to hear from you.  Being from the US I have no idea where to begin this type of search.

Thanks
Ruth Amy

[Boongie Pam]

Hiya Ruth,

The best advice for searching from abroad is to try http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

You need to register to use the site and to start a session it costs £6 which equals 30 credits, this £6 lasts 48 hours.  You don't lose the credits you've bought but you have to buy another batch to revive them (I think that's the bad bit of the site!).

To view your search results it costs 1 credit (20p) if you get lucky and find the cert you want it will cost 5 credits to view (£1).

You will find the death certificate for Thomas and that will list his parents.  You will also be able to view the 1881 and 1891 census and find Thomas.  Obviously his death cert may bring up other avenues in Scotland like the informant maybe related so you may get to use all of your £6.

Best of luck,
Pam
 

PS I've looked at 1881 and haven't found him yet?

[Martin Baker]

Hi Ruth Amy

Quite a number of the Mollart's from Staffordshire area in the UK (Stoke on Trent) descended from Jehan Mollart b c1695 in Charenton, Paris.  His son William born 1720 was described as 'of France and Staffordshire'. 

William married Johanna Jackson and their four children were William, Mary, Elizabeth & John. 

Their eldest sone William married Martha Scarrett of Longton, near Stoke on Trent and they had children William (c1788) and Mary.  I assume this William may also have married and so the Mollart name would have continued, but I have no info on this yet.  Perhaps he had a son called Samuel Mollart.

The daughters Mary & Elizabeth may have married, but I assume the Mollart name would have thin been lost.

The fourth child John Mollart married Martha Chetwynd of Wolstanton near Stoke on 16th October 1787, and they had 22/23 children in all, but I don't know all the names.  Perhaps a Samuel Mollart was amongst them ?  I'm assuming their children were born between 1791 and about 1815.  Several went to Sydney Australia.  John Mollart himself was famous because he was the designer for Wedgwood who in 1806 designed their first Willow Pattern china.

Good hunting, Martin
[email removed to prevent misuse: moderator]

[johking]

Have you found his grave yet and know what is written on it ?

Most of the churchyards in Scotland have had transcriptions done of the gravestone inscriptions which are published in a series of books. The gravestone may have details of other family members on it which would help your search.

Jo

[agnew]

Hello from Australia - I noticed that Tristram is a surname on your list of interests - I am interested in a marriage between John Tristram and miss Mollart (cant lay my hand on the paper with the Christian name on it) in Bagnall, early 18th century.  My prime target is William Tristram born 1823 who may be the son of the above.  Any help gratefully accepted, with thanks, Liz

[ruthamy05]

Sorry, but the Tristram name is not on my list.  It is on the list of someone who had replied to one of my posts, so you may want to contact him.  Sorry.

[Jamjar]

Greetings,

I checked the Dumfriesshire '51 census online, and there are no Thomas McMeekan of the correct age. I even tried variations of the surname spelling.

There is a Thomas  McMICHAN , aged 21 a mason, who is the sister of Agnes  McMICHAN . They are in Caerlavrock.

Jamjar

[ruthamy05]

Hi, Thanks for looking.   I have found that they did spell the name as McMichan.  I guess when my ancestor came to England she changed it to McMeekan.
Thanks Again

[agnew]

I would like to communicate with anyone who has a connection to a Catherine Mollart (married John Tristram) Staffordshire, early 1800s. With thanks, Liz - Australia