George and Barbara (Barbra) Wood

[AlexWood]

Hi I'm new to this and have hit my first problem...

I can find this couple in the 1841 census for Gamrie with their children William (8 ), Margaret (4), George (6) and James (2).

By the 1851 census the parents have disappeared and all the children appear to be in service with different families.

I would expect this to reflect the parent's deaths and the kids being farmed out.

However...by 1851 there's a George and Barbara Wood in Gamrie at a location that features later in my one's (James) life. They are about the right age and George is also an agricultural labourer.  But they have a different set of children that I can't find in the 1841 census.  There's no other likely candidate in the 1841 census that I can find either.

Any advice on how to tackle this or a solution that wraps it all up would be most welcome.

[MonicaL]

Hi Alex

Welcome to RootsChat 

Looking at IGI, there are at least two couples called George Wood and Barbara.

There is the George Wood and Barbara Killock in Gamrie:

1. ISABEL WOOD Birth: 15 SEP 1828
2. MARY WOOD  Birth: 08 AUG 1830
3. WILLIAM WOOD Birth: 23 JUL 1832
4. GEORGE WOOD - Birth: 14 NOV 1834
5. JAMES WOOD  Birth: 22 AUG 1838
6. BARBARA WOOD  Birth: 19 MAR 1842

There is also George Wood and a Barbara Rankin over in King Edward, Aberdeen having children at the same time:

 1. ISABELLA WOOD  Birth: 02 APR 1835
2. MARY WOOD   Birth: 28 OCT 1836
3. HELEN WOOD Birth: 26 OCT 1838
4. MARGARET WOOD Birth: 02 FEB 1841
5. JAMES WOOD   Birth: 26 JAN 1844
6. GEORGE WOOD  Birth: 11 NOV 1845

From what you said, is your family that with mother Barbara Killoch?

Monica 

[MonicaL]

This looks to be the family from King Edward in 1841, with a number of farm servants in the household:

George Wood,35, Farmer, b. Outside Census County        
Barbara Wood, 25, b. Outside Census County       
Mary Wood, 4, b. Aberdeenshire           
Hellen Wood, 2, b. Aberdeenshire           
Margaret   Wood, 5months, b. Unknown

Address: Morlass, King Edward

Monica

[MonicaL]

Alex

Just had a look at that 1851 family. With the children showing for George and Barbara (Killoch), that entry would fit:

George Wood, 54                   
Barbara, 49               
Eisabella, 22, Emp At Home - (Birth: 15 SEP 1828 )       
Mary   , 20, In Bad Health - (08 AUG 1830 )           
Barbara, 9 - (19 MAR 1842)          
John, 5            
(Infant)Grnson, 3 months

Address: Draidland, Gamrie    

It's not unusual to find the older children, including James at his young age of nearly 13, away from the family home working.

Monica

       

[MonicaL]

The family that you already have an entry for 1841:

George Wood, 45, Ag Labourer        
Barbra Wood, 40            
William Wood, 8               
George Wood, 6
Margaret Wood, 4                   
James Wood, 2

Address: Cushnie, Gamrie   

There is a young Mary Wood maybe staying at her Uncle's (?) also in 1841, showing as same address as her parents:

James Killoch 40, farmer
Elisabeth Killoch 40
Mary Killoch 9
James Killoch 6
Elizabeth Killoch 4
William Killoch 2
Ann Murray 15
Mary Wood 10 , female servant

Address: Cushnie, Gamrie   

Monica                    
    

[MonicaL]

George and Barbara made it past the start of official registration in 1855 which will let you search for their death certs. and confirm their parents' details This looks like them in 1861, everyone showing as born in Gamrie:

George Wood 65, Farmer Of 12 Acres
Barbara Wood 60
George Wood 26, Railway
Isabella Wood 32
George Rhind 10, grandson
Margaret Roger 6, granddaughter
Isabella Ross 2, granddaughter

Address: Draidland, Gamrie

Possible birth entry for George Wood Snr.

GEORGE WOOD Birth:07 JUN 1796/Christening:16 JUN 1796 Gamrie, Banff, Scotland
Parents:WM. WOOD and MARGT. WOOD

Monica

[AlexWood]

Thanks Monica, this is a great help.  Yes my family are George Wood & Barbara Killoch. Also Killah in one source but Killoch seems the commonest spelling.

The Mary staying with the Killochs is a good candidate for George & Barbara's daughter because I've found a baptism record for a daughter of theirs called Mary born in 1830.  I was keeping her for later investigation so that's another job you've saved me. 

Margaret doesn't appear as their daughter from the birth records so I'm guessing a niece but will look into that later.

Thanks very much for your help.

[MonicaL]

Hi Alex

The Margaret who shows in 1841 could well fit for daughter. There is an appropriate gap for her in 1838 in the list of children. Not sure if her birth/christening would show on SP, it doesn't show on IGI where I got the list of children that I posted. Sometimes happens that you have gaps in the lists of children (registers for that year lost over the years for example).

Hopefully you will be able to trace through 

Monica

[MonicaL]

In 1851, there is a Margaret Wood, 14, working as a domestic servant in Gamrie (b. Gamrie). There is also a birth (illegitimate it would seem) of a Barbara Taylor or Wood in Gamrie in 1857, to a James Taylor and Margaret Wood. The went on to marry on 18 DEC 1858 Gamrie. Given her age and birth place in the 1861 census in Longmanhill, Gamrie, this looks like the same Margaret.

This marriage will let you verify whether she is family when you move on to the extended family of James 

Monica