Peterkin, Mary- Born Scotland abt. 1845 probably Aberdeenshire or Banffshire

[MonicaL]

The missing 1861 census entry for the family with the surname mistranscribed:

Ann W Peterston 51, laundress b. Carmilly, Forfarshire
Elizabeth Peterston 22 b. Old Marchar
Euphema Peterston 12 b. Old Machar
James Peterston 9 b. Old Marchar
John Ross 19 boarder

Address: 24 Summer Lane, Aberdeen St Nicholas

Monica

[MonicaL]

  This is turning into the story of Noah's Ark where everything is coming in two by twos!

There are only two deaths showing for a John Peterkin in Aberdeenshire between 1855 - 1861, both in Old Marchar and both the same age 

For your genealogical sake I hope it is the 1855 death of a 55 year old John - this certificate, the first year of official registration in Scotland should include his place of birth, wife's details and a full list of his children (names, ages and whether alive/deceased).

The other death in 1861 also in Old Marchar is for a John aged 61.

Here's hoping!

Monica

[MonicaL]

Hope is high for that 1855 death cert  Mother's maiden name on that 1855 death cert is Clark which might then fit this IGI entry:

JOHN PETERKIN Birth: 05 MAY 1799/ Christening:09 MAY 1799 Edinkillie, Moray
Parents:JAMES PETERKIN and ANNE CLERK

Birth place would fit that 1851 census entry we have (John Peterkin 51, carpet weaver b. Edinkilly, Morayshire)

The other John who died in 1861 has a mother's maiden name of Gordon which potentially fits with this IGI entry:

JOHN PETERKIN OR GORDON  (maybe illegitimate?) Birth: 24 JUL 1800 Christening: 24 JUL 1800 Deskford, Banff
Parents: JOHN PETERKIN and ELISABETH GORDON

Monica

[sesd]

Wow, thanks to you all, it is a lot to digest.

My Mary Peterkin's birthdate guess comes from:

her marriage certificate:Sep 09, 1870 age 24
1871 Toronto census: age 27
1881 Toronto census: age 37
1891 Toronto census: age 45
her death certificate: 25 May 1896 age 51

She changes a bit but the range seems to be from 1844-1846, so a Mary found on the 1841 census would not be her.

I don't know exactly where she came from, but after having her first daughter in Toronto in 1873, she returned to Aberdeenshire to have her second son, James Ernest Peterkin Moir born Jul 29, 1878. She then went back to Canada before July 1880 when the next child was born. 


There is a family from Old Machar, Aberdeen who showed up in Toronto for the 1861 census, after being on the 1841 & 1851 census of Old Machar. The parents are James & Mary & the children: William, Michael, Ann, James, Margaret, Mary(on the 1841 census) and Charles, Stuart, Robert and Marjory added on the 1851. The father and several of the children are in Toronto by 1861, so I wondered if my Mary went to join them as a relative. I don't see any Peterkins in Toronto who are not related to this one large family.

In 1861, they do have a 17 year old Mary living with them. She would fit my Mary, better than their daughter who would be 20 or 21 by that  time. Relationship isn't given. However, they also have a 19 year old Annie, who should be 25, so maybe they are just lowering the age of their unmarried daughters. These 2 are positioned right in with their own boys, whose ages are also dropped a bit.

I will read things over and figure out what fits.

Thanks again for your great detective work.

Sharon

[MonicaL]

Hi Sharon

The Mary Peterkin born c. 1845 that we have in the censuses is the only one showing coming close to her birth year. The other is the daughter of James P and Mary (Monroe) that you have found born c. 1841.

Working from what you know and the names of her parents from her Canandian marriage entry, I do think it is likely that you have the right entry for her. Given the likely entry for her still in Scotland for the 1861 census, she probably left for Canada after this date. Have you tried looking for her on shipping manifests during this decade?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just a thought  Was Mary's husband George also from Aberdeen? Just wondered whether you could get any clues from the registered address for the birth of son James in 1878 in Old Marchar. Hoping you might find an address that you could link to the census addresses we have for Ann Peterkin Snr in Old Marchar.

Monica

[sesd]

Monica, George Moir was born at his grandparent's home, Drumlithie, Glenbervie, Kincardinshire. That is what led me to suspect that a family connection of Mary's to Aberdeenshire led them to go there for the birth of James.

It's a good suggestion about  son James. Once I get enough good questions for scotlandspeople, I will ask about James' birth address. It might be the very tie I need to clinch the relationship.

So far, I haven't found any entry for her on the online ship's manifests. I did find an entry year for James, 1879, on the 1911 census.

I think the most likely family from 1841 is John, the Carpet weaver. It requires the assumption that their first Mary, born about 1832 died and my Mary was given her name about 1845. Other than that the pieces fit.

On IGI I have found individuals who mach the birth locations and dates, however in Edinkilly (1841&51) there is a  John Peterkin born abt 1800 who remained.

There are 2 possible John's there, Ann Clerks' son and also son of James Peterkin and Catherine Anderson born 07 SEP 1796. So maybe the son of Catherine is the one who stayed in Edinkilly

It still comes in 2's.

I guess I have a second question for scotlandspeople, the one about the death certificate for John.

There is an Ann Williamson Watt born in Carmyllie to David Watt & Agnes Fleming. This may be Ann Peterkin.

Does anyone see Ann Watt Peterkin after 1881?

[MonicaL]

Hi Sesd

I cannot see mother Ann Peterkin after the 1881 census that we have her in and Peterkin. Nor can I see a relevant death entry for her under Peterkin/ Watt on SP after this year 

However  ....James Peterkin Moir was born in 1878 at his grandmother's address from that 1881 census entry - I Gray's Buildings, Old Machar.

Monica

[sesd]

Thank you so much, Monica. Now, assuming she isn't some great aunt or something, we are starting to get a real picture.

Maybe Mary went to Aberdeen to bring her mother to Toronto. I can't find her on the 1881 census, but I will keep looking.

I just found a death record for Ann Peterkin,
Age: 82 years
Birthplace: Scotland
Death date: 24 Dec 1890
Death place: Toronto, York, Ontario

I plan to look for the Moir graves in Toronto, maybe she will be among them.