Clutching at straws here and hoping someone can help, my head is buzzing with this line!
I’m posting in East Lothian because I ‘think’ it might be the right area.
An outline: My 3g gparents were Francis Combe/Comb & Elizabeth Randell (Rendall Rendle Randle) but usually Randell. Elizabeth was 1st child of John Randell/Helen Dickson b Duns Berwickshire 1805, her last known 2 siblings were b East Lothian 1813/1816. Francis/Elizabeth had 2 sons William (mine) b 1824 and John b 1826 (ages from Census’s and deaths). I can find no marriage for F & E, and no births for Wm & John. I am assuming here that William may have been the name of Francis’s father as second son was John (Elizabeth’s father).
Both Wm & John’s death certs say parents were Francis C & Elizabeth Randell, Combe and then Murdoch and that Francis was Brass Finisher/Jobbing Blacksmith. Oldest son’s of both are Francis.
Elizabeth turns up on the 1841 census in Hawick Roxburghshire with Benjamin Murdoch (no marriage found) and has 2 daughters Helen (abt1831) and Matilda (abt 1833) Murdoch plus Wm and John. (Benjamin d Hwk 1849 Dropsy & Eliz d Hwk 1849 Cholera).
Wm & John were the only 2 Combes in Hawick and I have followed these 2 lines successfully up to present day.
Reason for posting here is Elizabeth’s family were in E Lothian, Wm states b Haddingtonshire EL and the name Francis Combe turns up again as first son of George Combe/Euphemia Cowe b 1861. I bought George’s death from SP but only gives mothers name as Elizabeth Comb. George was b 1843 so not my Elizabeth. There are two other Combs with sons called Francis being born in the 1860’s E Lothian.
On SP there is only 1 birth (and it’s in the correct time span) for a Francis b 1797 Cupar Fife to William Comb/Anne Dalyell. Could this be him??? Because I cannot find a death for Francis I really have no idea where family were pre 1841 except that Wm states b Haddingtonshire and John Midlothian.
Also Elizabeth’s sister Helen married Benjamin’s brother Joseph, they too were in Hawick in 1841 census again no marriage but I do have births of their 7 children all b Hawick.
Questions…..Did Elizabeth marry neither ‘husband’ and where can I look now?……..Where are her marriages and births of her 4 children? Benjamin and Elizabeth’s daughters were b Hawick but unlike her sister Helen none recorded!!……..Why no records of any of these on SP surely something was recorded?………Should I post elsewhere?
Is your head buzzing now? I really would appreciate any help or contact with any other Combe/Comb researchers. Many hours have been spent on this family as I tear my hair out!!
Pleading now
Terry
