Armstrong of Wigtownshire

[tommacgregor]

Hi!

What I see from your postings, Gadget:

1851 Census at Cathcart, Renfrewshire.
560 ED2 Page: 26

Peter Ferns  40  Block Printer Journeyman born Glasgow.
Agnes           39 Dyer Journeyman born Ayrshire
.......................................................................................................

1861 Census
571 ED 2 Page: 30

Peter Ferns  62 (Gee, that's quite a difference from previous Census!) Block Printer, Printfield.  born Glasgow.
Agnes           55 born Glasgow.
.........................................................................................................

1881 Census
567/1 ED 4  Page: 19

Peter Ferns, father, widower, aged 82, formerly Block Printer born Glasgow.

..........................................................................................................

It just goes to show how crucial information can change, eh?  If the 1851 Census details about Agnes Ferns M.S. Jackson is correct about her place of birth, i.e. Ayrshire, then I, personally, would feel a wee bit happier.

When I look at the 01/01/1872 Ferns, Agnes (Statutory Deaths 571/00 0054),I see the weird spelling of the Surname, can't really make out the writing underneath her name, although I think it says Married to Peter Fearns .... (and I've only recently had new reading glasses!  Her age at death is given as 66 which, if my mental arithmetic is still Ok, makes her birthdate about 1806. Her Mum and Dad are shown as James Jackson and Margaret Jackson, M.S. Millar. That is in perfect agreement with what I have and allows me to say that Agnes Jackson was christened 15th November, 1807 at St Quivox and Newton in Ayrshire. Her brother, Hugh Jackson was christened 19th July, 1801 at Sorn in Ayrshire and his sister, Mary Jackson, was christened 24th March, 1803 at Sorn in Ayrshire. These are all EXTRACTED records.

So, there I think we have quite a comfortable bit of data to work from. Again, very many thanks, and I must say how much I'm enjoying working along with you. great stuff!

Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi,

I think the information about my coachman ancestor get's better by the day, Gadget and I even prefer the name Susanna to that of just plain Susan. However, I'm just an old-fashioned Old Buzzard at heart

The lady who married my Great-Grandfather, i.e. Susan Armstrong, certainly appears to have originated from around Drummore near Kirkmaiden in Wigtownshire. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that. With that in mind, I had a look at quite a few Armstrong's from around that area. In order for other researchers to follow me, I have remembered to give my source.

John Armstrong, who was married to Susan Monteith had the following children, (I'm not doing a full list, only a mention of some!

Batch C.118904.

John Armstrong Extracted christ. record 19th July, 1847 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

Jane Stroyan Armstrong Extracted christ. record 25th Sept, 1850 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

Susan Armstrong Extracted christ. record 27th April, 1852 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

Batch C 118901.

Agnes Armstrong Extracted birth record 9th February, 1855 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

I took another step and found the extracted marriage record on Batch M.118764. Marriage took place on 30th April, 1847 at Minnigaff, Kirkcudbright.

I hope that the above information will help other people who are researching the ARMSTRONG family.

My very best wishes.


Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi,

Continuing with that look at Batch No. C.118904. I'm not really sure whether I'm seeing an error, or if I'm seeing local families marrying the brothers/sisters of a neighbouring family.

James Armstrong married to Jean Byres.

An Extracted birth/christening record for their son, James Armstrong, who was christened on 28th February, 1821 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

However, on that same Batch, i.e. C.118904 I see:

Robert Armstrong married to ................ Byres.

There is an Extracted birth/christening record for their son, Robert Armstrong, who was christened on 10th January, 1823 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi!

Batch: C.118904.

This tells us that a James ARMSTRONG was married to a Mary REID.

There is an Extracted birth/christening record for their daughter, Mary McKay ARMSTRONG, who was christened on 11th December, 1826 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

I now turn to Batch C.118902.

Here we see a Thomas ARMSTRONG and a Mary Ann BROWN. We can also see Extracted christenings for 27th August, 1811 and 22nd November, 1813, both at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

On the same Batch No. C.118902.

Here we see James ARMSTRONG and Elizabeth MEAN. I note an Extracted christening for 26th November, 1815 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

Batch C.118902.

Here, I see an Extracted christening dated 19th July, 1814 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown. I then was able to find an EXTRACTED MARRIAGE RECORD on Batch No. M118904 for the marriage of John ARMSTRONG and Jane (or Jean) ROOM, who married in October, 1811 at Kirkmaiden by Drummore, Wigtown.

We are now seeing various members of the ARMSTRONG's living in close proximity to each other at a certain period in time. I believe that other researchers of this family will be able to use this information as a stepping stone to further more detailed investigation.

Tom

[tommacgregor]

Hi,

I'm now going to turn my attention to LESWALT, which is situated about 2 miles outside STRANRAER, Wigtown. I'm looking at a period in time between the beginning and the middle of the 1800's. Here we find members of the ARMSTRONG family, and surely there is a need to further explore the relationships between the following individuals.

Batch No. C.118912.

William ARMSTRONG and Grissel Biggam are shown as the parents of a William ARMSTRONG.

There is an Extracted christening record for William Junior, it is for 7th January, 1819. at Leswalt, near Stranraer, Wigtown.

Once again, I hope that the information will be useful to other researchers of the ARMSTRONG family.

Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi!

I never got round to thanking you for the lovely photograph of Portpatrick, Gadget. I do apologise for that, because it was greatly appreciated. My wife, when she saw it, said that it reminded her of when I used to drive her up to Scotland from Birmingham and travel around the Anstruther area of Fife.

I was having a bit of a poke around the 1881 Census and came across a bit of detail that appears to be around the brother of John Jackson FERNS. I thought that you and other researchers may like to have the details for your records.

Dwelling:   1 Fountainwell Road.
Census Place:   Glasgow, Lanarkshire.
Source:   FHL Film 0203650  GRO Ref.   Vol. 644-6
                                            Enum. Dist. 65. Page 2.

James FERNS      Head  M.  Age 31  Occ. Loco Engineer. born in Glasgow, Lan'k
Ellen      "            Wife   M.  Age 31                                  born in Glasgow, Lan'k
James FERNS      Son          Age  5                                   born in Glasgow, Lan'k
Elizabeth FERNS Daur        Age 3                                    born in Glasgow, Lan'k
John FERNS        Son          Age 9 mths                           born in Glasgow, Lan'k
James Thompson Board     Age 23                                  born in Glasgow, Lan'k

The age of 31 set against James FERNS, Senior, fits in quite well with the birth of James FERNS, the son of Peter FERNS, the old calico block printer, and his wife Agnes, Maiden Surname, Jackson.


Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi!

Naturally enough, I was aware that my G.G.Grandfather, John Jackson FERNS, was a Coast Guard, and that he had lived in Kirkmaiden in Wigtownshire, as well as Inverkip in Renfrewshire.   However, time and time again, because of the weird and wonderful way in which the Surname appears on various documents, I run into all sorts of problems.

As I was trawling through various Census documents, I came across the one taken at 83 Shore Street, Kirkmaiden in Wigtownshire, in 1871, that confirms that the Head of that household was indeed a Seaman Coast Guard. Further, the age stated on the Census was about 38, which would have made the man's birthdate round about 1833. I had a look at the age of the oldest child, Elizabeth, and saw that it was 8 at the time of the Census, making her birthdate around 1863/64. Surely, there is nothing wrong in me surmising that the marriage of the Head of the household could possibly have taken place around 1862. I hope that I'm not going to get crucifed for daring to surmise! 

I will do a bit more looking around and get back to you and let you know how I got on.


Tom.

[tommacgregor]

Hi,

I mentioned the 1871 Census taken at 83 Shore Street, Kirkmaiden in Wigtownshire and mentioned the eldest child, Elizabeth, aged about 8. On further examination, I find that she was born at Bridgeton in Glasgow.

I then had a look at the nephew of the Head of the household, the 9 year-old Charles CRAMSIE and found that he too was born at Bridgeton. It may be well worthwhile for other researchers of these families to spend a bit of time researching these connections.

Tom.

[sancti]

Tom, what were the names of all the people in that household?