Scottish help needed to untangle Irish family

[aghadowey]

Have 1942 obituary for 1906 man's death and it says: Mr. Mitchell decided to leave the Ballymoney district and try his fortunes on Scotland, where he obtained employment with the Orchard Sugarhouse company, Greenock with which firm he remained for thirty-nine years. When in Scotland he built up for himself a high reputation as a designer and painter of flags and banners, supplying many prominent Orange lodges with the emblems.

There are a few major errors in the article like 'church was being built he did the carpentry work along with his father' when he was only 2 years old at the time the church opened!

Robert Mitchel(l) born 1836? married Matilda Scott and had 7 children: John (born 1879 Ireland), Robert, David (youngest son), Matilda, Elizabeth, & 2 others.

Not sure where any of the children were born (except John) but found birth for twin daughters on 14 Mar.1885 Belville Street Greenock to Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mitchell which is a possibility as there were supposed to be lots of twins in the Mitchell family.

Before I start searching on Scotland's People it would help to have census details- assuming if the family were in Greenock area 39 years they must have appeared in at least 1 Scottish census. Can anyone see them?

[CaroleW]

Hi

This is the full obit
http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.mitchell/10241/mb.ashx

Robert Mitchell was 106 yrs old when he died in 1942.  His wife Matilda was 87 when she died in 1936

In 1885 - Matilda was only 36 so could have been the mother of the twins.  However - there is no 1891 or 1901 entry for Robert and Matilda.   

I have also checked the 1871 and although there are a number of Robert Mitchell's b Ireland - no Matilda

If Matilda was only b 1849, the earliest Scottish census they would appear on would be the 1871

The 1881 has a Robert & Matilda but he was b Glasgow 1844 and Matilda was b Glasgow 1854

[aghadowey]

Thanks for searching Carole. I tried searching on Ancestry for them in Scottish census to narrow down the date but thought it was just because I wasn't able to check the images that I hadn't any luck. Thought if I could find any children born in Scotland that I'd go to Scotland's People and do some digging but not sure of children's names or birthplaces yet.
The obituary contains a number of mistakes including age of son John (born 1879 Ballymoney district, son of Robert Mitchell and Matilda Scott). Am wondering if Matilda was perhaps known by another name. Article says Robert's father was Burton Mitchell but I seriously doubt that- possibly Benjamin but no proof.
Have sent an e-mail to the person that posted the obituary and perhaps he'll have more information on their time in Scotland.

[aghadowey]

Have been going through old files with a fine tooth comb and found a possible marriage for a daughter of Robert Mitchell's in 1901 Coleraine, Co. Londonderry to a Robert Mitchell who's quite possibly related!
Haven't found marriage for Robert Mitchell and Matilda Scott yet (only possibility I can see so far is 1879 Co. Antrim which is later than I would have thought). Wonder if Matilda is by any chance a second wife...

[aghadowey]

Update- Mary Derry has kindly found me the marriage of Robert Mitchell and Matilda Scott on 24 Apr.1879 in Drumreagh Presbyterian Church (son John was born later that year). Hopefully will be able to look up the marriage next week to find his father's name and if he was married previously. Still not sure about this business of living in Scotland for 39 years.

[CaroleW]

Hi

Still not sure about this business of living in Scotland for 39 years

I agree - he was clearly still in Ireland in 1879 when he was already 43yrs old

From the obit

His surviving children are Mr. John Mitchell, 66, residing in San Francisco,

If John was 66 in 1942 - he was b around 1876 which was before Robert & Matilda married so possibly he had been married before

[aghadowey]

From the obit

His surviving children are Mr. John Mitchell, 66, residing in San Francisco,

If John was 66 in 1942 - he was b around 1876 which was before Robert & Matilda married so possibly he had been married before

No, that's one of the errors in the obituary- I have birth for son John in 1879 not 1876.

Still not sure about this business of living in Scotland for 39 years

I agree - he was clearly still in Ireland in 1879 when he was already 43yrs old

Am considering the possibility that Robert was either in Scotland before 1879 marriage (with or without a previous wife) ot that he was in Scotland before 1879, came back to Co. Antrim and married Matilda and then returned to Scotland for a while.

For a family that should be so easy to sort out they are becoming more and more difficult.

[sancti]

On the 1901 census index on SP there is a 57 yr old Robert M Mitchell living in Kilmacolm (near Greenock) with 2nd named person Matilda

[elaine447]

Hi aghadowey
there is only one Robert Mitchell with second person Matilda on the
1891 census for Port Glasgow
have you seen the Inverlyde council site with BMD's for the area
there is a reference to twins born to a Robert Mitchell
at 75 Belville street
Elaine