Dunscore: Did George and Esther Brown exist?

[*sparkle*]

I have been struggling on with this one for a while now.

My GGG Granny is Elizabeth Brown b. abt 1820, d. 1865. She married James Dalziel, and had several children, two of which were to different fathers; George Ireland and Margaret Kirkpatrick.

I'm trying to trace Elizabeth's birth and parents.
There is only one Dunscore birth that is a possible: 6 Nov 1815 for an Elizabeth Crichton Brown, parents Thomas Brown and Janet Grierson.

However on Elizabeth's marriage certificate and death certificate it says George Brown and Esther McLean are her parents. Her brother James Brown's death certificate confirms this fact too.

I cannot find anything on George Brown or Esther McLean or Elizabeth's birth. So I have slammed into a brick wall

Can anyone help?

I wonder if the Dunscore MIs have an answer? Does anyone have them? No worries if not as I'll just get them from the DGFHS.

Thanks!

Tx

[Piglet01]

Hello

They don't appear to show on the IGI .

In Dumfriesshire, no sign of Esther on the 1841 census at www.freecen.org.uk.  Of the George Browns - assuming that he'd be about at leat 40 - none has a wife called Esther......
No sign of Esther dying after 1855 on SP.

On the freecen site for 1841 there are 8 Margaret Browns in Dumfriessshire.  What does her marriage cert say - assuming she married after 1855 regarding fathers occupation - or on James death cert.

Sorry....   Good luck with your search.   Regards, Steve       :O)

[kirkmichael]

Hi sparkle

I'm afraid that you have come across one of the main problems of the pre-1855 records in Scotland, in that, depending on the era, something between 30 and 60% of BMDs don't appear in the surviving parish records (OPR).

There's a chance that the birth may be found in secession church records at National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Given that you know from Elizabeth's statutory marriage certificate and death certificate that her parents were George Brown and Esther McLean, never mind the confirmation via her brother's death register entry, then you can certainly rely on that info being correct.

MIs is certainly one possibility, but have you had a look at the 1841 census?

You'd need to take advice from the Ewart Library in Dumfries as to the possibility of the various possible newspaper reports, - simple death notice, reports of the funeral (on a good day there can be a list of the principal mourners along with their relation to the deceased) and an obituary.

wkr

Wullie

[*sparkle*]

Thanks kirkmichael and piglet

I had looked on the 1841 and 1851 census records, and there is nothing for Esther or George Brown. It looks as though they both died before 1855.

George Brown is listed as a weaver on Elizabeth's marriage certificate.

I'm unlikely to be able to get to the NAS; time to persuade my sister to get involved I think!

Wullie- good point about the Ewart. I'm up in Dumfries at the end of next month, so will add them onto my list of people to look for and keep my fingers crossed that there may be a death notice or better.

Regards

Tracey

[kirkmichael]

Hi Tracey

Thanks kirkmichael and piglet

I had looked on the 1841 and 1851 census records, and there is nothing for Esther or George Brown. It looks as though they both died before 1855.

George Brown is listed as a weaver on Elizabeth's marriage certificate.

I'm unlikely to be able to get to the NAS; time to persuade my sister to get involved I think!

Before you do and she does, have a look at the First and Second Statistical Accounts, - see http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/reading/intro.shtml, - as the Established Church of Scotland minister who supplied the info most often refers to any secession churches in the parish.

Don't limit your reading to Dunscore but look also at the neighbouring parishes, as folk were known to be happy to travel quite a way to a church of their preferred 'flavour' !

Then have a look at the on-line catalogue for NAS to see if they hold records of any such secession churches.  I'm unsure as to whether NAS have yet achieved their objective of fully listing not just the secession records in their holdings but also the location of all other known holdings, - it's quite possible that The Ewart may have some.

Wullie- good point about the Ewart. I'm up in Dumfries at the end of next month, so will add them onto my list of people to look for and keep my fingers crossed that there may be a death notice or better.

Well worth an email to them in advance as they may be able to do some preparation work.  I long ago lost track of where things are these days regarding locally produced indexes of newspapers.  No promises but I have a vague memory that the Dumfries & Galloway FHS may have done something along these lines.  A look at their website on http://www.dgfhs.org.uk/ , and/or an email to them could be worthwhile, I'd suggest.

Fingers duly crossed !

Wullie

Regards

[tika]

Hi there,

Just picked up this thread.  I have the MI's for Dunscore (both village and old graveyard) but no trace in either of your George and Esther.  However I also have the OPR deaths which show death of Esther Brown (McLaren), widow of George  in Feb. 1837.  Also death of a George Brown at Moorhall in 1824 and another George, farm servant, Farmerfield Killyleoch May 16th 1833.   Sounds as though they may be who you are looking for although the maiden name of Esther is slightly different it could be a transcription error.   Maybe a look at the originals would help.  The Family History Centre has a fiche of the originals (which I have been through for McGinleys!!- they don't show in the burials either - too poor for a stone).  If I can help let me know. 

Morag

[*sparkle*]

Morag,
That is a massive help!! And makes sense that they both died before 1841. Will have a look at the originals when I'm on the right side of the border next month. Thanks!
Tracey

[kirkmichael]

The OPR Index and images are on test at the moment, so should hopefully come on line at ScotlandsPeople in the near future.

Info in these OPR entries, however, tends to be very sparse, witness the content for the three entries above.

Elizabeth Brown wife of George Brown  Moorhall  died  [blank where date is for some other entries]

In 1824 were interred
.....................
George Brown in Moorhall
.....................

George Brown Farm Servant at Farmerfield of Killyleoch [buried] 16May1833

All entries in Dunscore OPR.


Where did the info come from on Esther's maiden surname?

Wullie

[tika]

Hi Wullie,

I have the transcribed OPR Deaths for Dunscore which were complied by members of the Family History Centre - supposedly transcribed and checked by two different members so not sure where Esther's maiden name came from.  She is indexed under both names.  If her maiden name is not shown on the originals then I don't know what has happened?!

Morag