McPherson Bootmakers of Forres

[K Rees]

First, on behalf of my friends Dianne & David, they were able to visit Forres and found her Anderson relatives' grave.
Now I would like to open the McPherson line for her, as they are the parents of Janet McPherson, who married Alexander Anderson in 1840 Forres & Elgin.

Already, I have been able to establish that bootmakers John McPherson and Margaret Donaldson remained in many houses in Forres. One son, Alexander McPherson married Jean / Jane McGillvray 1856 Radford, but moved back to Forres, as a bootmaker. It would seem that this couple had 10 children.

The first child Elspet was born in Glasgow 1856, and the rest in Forres (records show 4 of them).
Anyone know of people interested in this McPherson family?

Keith (Australia)

[Sir_Roger]

I belive that Alexander McPherson, born 18/5/1859,boot maker of Forres moved to london and married Sarah Law. If this is correct Alexander McPerson is my grandfather, so more information would be appreciated.
Sir_roger

[Forfarian]

Have you had a look in LIBINDX http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/mainmenu.asp ?

According to that, Janet McPherson, daughter of John McPherson, shoemaker, and Margaret Donaldson, was born in Cromdale and married William Anderson, contractor, in Forres on 27 November 1840, died on 25 January 1901 in Forres aged 73, and in interred in Cluny Hill Cemetery there. (Her age at death has to be wrong because if she was 73 on 25 January 1901, she would have been born in 1827 and thus only 13 when she married. This was legally possible but in practice almost never happened.) William Anderson died on 25 April 1863 aged 42.

According to Scotland's People John M(a)cPherson and Margaret Donaldson were married in Ardclach on 17 January 1818 and had at least six children
Janet, baptised 4 April 1819, Ardclach
Margaret, 22 April 1821, Ardclach
Isabella, 5 June 1825, Ardclach
John, 13 October 1827, Alves
Alexander, 2 April 1833, Forres
Christian, 13 August 1836, Forres

Alexander McPherson married Jane McGillivray on 11 January 1856 in Rafford (not Radford), the next parish to Forres. Their family included Alexander, born on 18 May 1859 in Forres.

You need to look at the 1856 marriage certificate to check that the Alexander who married Jane McGillivray is the son of John and Margaret Donaldson. BTW it looks as if he died in Forres on 20 June 1910. His wife died in Forres in 1901. Their death certificates will confirm the names of their parents.

[K Rees]

Sorry about long time for response:
my thoughts based on

Alexander Anderson bible (d.6 Aug 1927 Rupanyup Victoria) handwritten that Alexander Anderson b.17 Jan 1847 OPR Forres 137/0040
Alexander lawful son of William Anderson, farm servant in Forres and Janet MacPherson his spouse, was born 14th. February and baptised 13th. March 1841. Witnesses Alexander Anderson Farm servant in Alves and Margaret Anderson residing in Duffus.
The O.P.R Marriages 137/0040 0353 Forres records:
1840 Anderson & Macpherson
William Anderson, farm servant, residing in the Parish of Elgin, and Janet Macpherson, residing in the Parish of Forres, after publication of banns, were married November, 27th. 1840. Witnesses John Macpherson, shoemaker in Forres and Alexander Anderson, farm servant in Alves.

The O.P.R. Marriages 135/0090 0180 Elgin records:
Anno 1840 November, 27th. Anderson & MacPherson
After being contracted to their matrimonial banns duly initiated in the Parish Church of Elgin, were married by the Rev'd Duncan Grant, minister of Forres, William Anderson, farm servant in the Parish of Elgin, and Jessie MacPherson, in the Parish of Forres, before a competent number of witnesses.

Topic needs review

[Forfarian]

Alexander Anderson bible (d.6 Aug 1927 Rupanyup Victoria) handwritten that Alexander Anderson b.17 Jan 1847
OPR Forres 137/0040 Alexander lawful son of William Anderson, farm servant in Forres and Janet MacPherson his spouse, was born 14th. February and baptised 13th. March 1841.

Quite a disparity between those two pieces of information, isn't there?

However the 1851 census lists at 18 North Back Street, Forres
William Anderson, 30, born Duffus
Janet Anderson, wife, 30, born Ardclach
Alexander, 10; William, 8; John,5; Margrate, 2; Jane, 8 months and an unnamed nursling aged 2 months.
You can (and should) view the original at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk to check that this transcription is correct.

Alexander Anderson, age given as 85, died in Rupanyup in 1927, parents listed as William Anderson and Janet McPherson. This also fits with a birth in 1841/1842.

So it would seem that the date of birth written in the family bible is incorrect.

BTW the fact that there are two marriage records does not mean that they were 'married in Forres and Elgin'. Before 1855 the church registers record the proclamation of the banns, not necessarily the actual wedding ceremony. As the couple lived in different parishes, the banns had to be proclaimed in both parishes, resulting in a double record. It was normal for the wedding to be in the bride's parish, and the Elgin record confirms that they were married by the minister of Forres.

[K Rees]

It certainly looks like Bible birth year was incorrect.
His death age better matches OPR b. 14 Feb bp.13 Mar 1841.

The South Australian Genealogical Source for Immigration data  (66/1) has entry No. 475 Alex Anderson, a ploughman from Elgin, Scotland, aged 24 years, single, embarking on the "Salamanca" at Plymouth, England on the 28th. October, 1865; departing 1 Nov 1865; and arriving in Adelaide, on the 18th. January, 1866. His conduct during the voyage was very good. The selecting agent was Thomas Hay.

Alexander Anderson died on 6th. August, 1927, age 85 so that age better matches 1841 not 1857