James McPherson

[jk22]

Hello.
My maternal ancestor emigrated with wife and child (have the record) in 1852 on which James gives his origin as "Cromarty".
I've been struggling to find who his parents may have been.
I've checked with ScotlandsPeople and the IGI but haven't come up with a good full match.
James and Mary McPherson had several more Australian (Victorian) born children - two of the sons had middle names of 'GRAY' and 'CAMERON'.  I've looked out for these names in my searches for James and Mary's antecedents but nothing for sure.  One find that looked good did not have Cromarty or the county as his place of origin.
Any clues?!
Regards
Julie

[AMBLY]

Hi Julie

When abouts was James born? And what was his occupation?
Who was the child who emigrated with them - name time & place of birth?
What were the full names of the other children (to look for a naming pattern in first names)
What was his wife's maiden name and age - and do you know her birthplace and who  her parents are?

The question of birthplace, can be asked as "Where are you from" meaning:  place of birth - but  the answer can be given as the last place they lived, not necessarily where they were born.

Cheers
AMBLY

[Gadget]

Hi 

Could this be the family on the 1851:

Geranium Street, Cromarty
61 ED 4 P 21/22

James Mcpherson, 22, ?Flesher employing 1 man, b. Cromarty
Mary Mcpherson, 21, b. Inverness
Murdoch Mcpherson, 1 month, b. Cromarty
Margaret Young,mother in law, 69, formerly grocer, b. Inverness
Duncan Cameron, -, 21, servant ?Flesher, b. Inverness

The occupation is either Flesher or Hoker   

This family is not on the 1861 census so they look promising 

Gadget


Added - the IGI has Murdoch as being b. 14 March 1851, Cromarty. Parents - James Mcpherson and Mary Young

[Gadget]

I'm trying to find those middle names!

Mary Young, bpt. 26 Feb 1829, Inverness. Parents - William Young and Margaret McRitchie


Gadget

[jk22]

Hello People,
Thanks for trying.

Details that i think are correct and are verified with Australian end documents:

James McPherson:  bc1828:  the emigration record has him coming from Cromarty.
md
Mary Taylor [born 18th April, 1828] at St Cuthbert's Edinburgh on 3 Aug 1849:  I have a copy of the church register.  It gives Mary's father as David.  This entry does not give places of birth.  It gives their present addresses as 8 Market Place, Stockbridge and for Mary, 12 Saunders Street, Stockbridge.

They emigrated as per NSW Assisted Passenger List in 1852.  The small family consisted of James, Mary and infant son John who was born at sea.  No mention of a baby Murdoch.  In 1851 the census i have seen did have a family with James and Mary but Mary was born in Inverness and my records to date have her coming from Abbotshall, Fife.   

I've yet to find out when James died but Mary died in 1921 in a 'good' Melbourne suburb aged 93.

I've yet to get confirmed sources for the two sons with middle names of Cameron and Gray.

Hope this can help further,
Regards
Julie

[Gadget]

Hi again

I think that this is the Taylor family in 1851:

12 Saunders Street, Edinburgh
685/2 ED 20b p 12

Taylor
David, 53, cowfeeder of 30 cows(?), b.Markinch
Catherine, 49, b. Cupar
James, 28, engaged with father, b. Abbotshall
Janet, 20,-do-r, b. Loanhead
David, 18, -do-, b. Dysart (?)
Andrew, 16, -do-
John, 16, -do-

All b. in Fife

Do you have the date that they left the UK as, so far, I don't see James and Mary on the 1851.

Could you list their children's names in birth order, please?


Gadget

[Gadget]

Do you have this marriage from the IGI:

15 Nov 1818, Abbotshall

David Taylor and Kathrine Galloway

[jk22]

Hello Gadget,

Thank you!!!!!!
Well done!
So much gratitude!

I do have the Taylor/Galloway marriage, thank you.
The address for the Taylor family confirms what was on the marriage record for Mary and James McPherson.

I've been looking for a point of departure from Scotland but only have found the NSW Assisted P/List which said James came from Cromarty, but that may be wrong, as it had Mary coming from Inverness.  They were "Assisted" passengers.  Ship:  the Maria Somes.  Arriving 6 July 1852.  As per the NSWales Assisted Immigration Passenger List via Ancestry:  1828-1896. 
Also an entry on Victoria's (state in Aust) public records is a ship called the Wanata which had a John and Mary  arriving in Melbourne in 1852.  They were "UNassisted"  passengers.  John aged 22 and Mary aged 23.  I'll have to go back and find if their son was listed.
Their children as i have it now were:
John born at sea and died young;
A William was given as the eldest on Mary's Victorian death registration and he was dead by 1921, her death year.
Catherine 1853-1935
David Cameron1856-1918 (my ggrandfather)
Mary 1862; John Gray 1864-
So thats' all for now i guess,
Kind regards,
Julie

[jk22]

Update only.
Thanks all for helping.
Sadly i remain uncertain as to James' origins.
There were many men by that name.
And many had wives called Mary!
I don't think my ancestor was from Cromarty after all.
Mary was born in Fife in 1828 so she was first daughter but second child to David and Catherine Taylor as per Gadget below.

Regards,
Julie