Stuck in a mire of Wilsons of Gamrie

[extattiehowker]

Hi everyone
I am stuck with ancestor William Wilson marrcert 23/10/1819 Gamrie&Macduff. Cannot identify dob and predecessors amongst the hordes in the Gamrie/Cullen area. Hewas a fisherman and married Isabella Watt and had kids William b7/12/1827,Alex b26/4/1835, Margaret b9/5/1830, Isabel b13/8/1823 all Gamrie/Macduff.  Anyone out there with links backwards?
Thanks

[dottie43]

Hi was looking at your post and noticed your researching lawrences, do you mind if i ask who as am also researching them from that area.
Dottie.

[extattiehowker]

Hi Dottie
In my ancestors I have a Margaret Laurence b4/3/1798 at Cullen d18/8/1860 Sandend whose father was James Laurence b11/4/1779 Deskford m 29/6/1799 Cullen d 1/8/1865 Sandend, Parents of James were John Lawrence and Elspet Keir. Then on another line of my tree I have Alexander Laurance b1803 Fordyce d 1870 Banff whose parents were James Laurance and Margaret Donald. I need to trace back further on both lines.
Any links with yours?

[ev]

hi 

it looks like william had died before 1851 and maybe before 1841 
going by the the 1841 and 1851 census
1851 27 low shore gamrie
isabella wilson 54 fisherman's widow
children - willam 23 , margaret 21 , innes 19 , alexander 16

1841 low shore gamrie
isabella wilson 47 spinster(?)
james wilson 20 fisherman
isabella wilson 18
william wilson 14
margaret wilson 12
innes wilson 10
alexander wilson 6

not sure if spinster is meant to indicate widow
(there are 90 ladies in gamrie noted as spinster(all ages) with no husband)

the children seem to match up with what's on the IGI fairly well

ev

[GR2]

Hi.

I have several Gamrie ancestors. One thing I noticed about the 1851 census for Gardenstown is that is is very common for wives to be entered under their maiden names, even when their husband was present in the house on census night.

If a fisherman was lost at sea and no body recovered, pre 1855, you could look in the minutes of the kirk session to see if any payment was made to support the widow and/or children. If he died and was buried at Gamrie, there is a fairly detailed burial register in the OPR from, if I remember correctly, about 1822 to 1855.

Graham.

[ev]

i had a look at the OPR death and burials index on scotlandspeople
there are 2 william wilson's between 1830 and 1855
1841 and 1849
might be worth a look 

ev

[extattiehowker]

Hi ev
You are right the 27 Low Shore Gamrie tribe are mine!! I did a death cert on 1841 and got William Wilson d28/3/1841 no age stated on Gamrie burial list but said to come from Parknuik wherever that is. Checked out Gamrie St John burial ground on ANESFHS mi's not there, though there are a few with no dates.  Checked out Doune Kirk, Macduff again no matches.  Any other burial grounds he might be in? or maybe as Graham says if lost at sea and no body recovered to bury I could check kirk session minutes. If body washed up later I guess that could account for no death date or age??  All interesting stuff.
Thanks again

[GR2]

Parkneuk is south of Dubford. It is inland, so the Wilson from there would not likely be a fisherman. One thing about ages in the Gamrie burial register is that when they say someone was 82, they usually mean he was in his 82nd year, ie he was 81. I have found this quite often to be the case when I've had a precise date of birth to compare.

Graham.

[extattiehowker]

Graham
I hear what you say about Parknuik or Parkneuk which I agree is about 2km south of Gardenstown. I presume you mean that if they were of crofting stock they were unlikely to go join a fishing crew. In the 1960's which I remember well I had a buddy who was a farmers son and who joined the trawler fleets and sailed regularly in Icelandic waters just for the money which was amazing but rapidly spent by him. Would the same not have happened in 1830's?
 Following ev's advice I now have 7 William Wilson's deaths listed on Scotland People from 1835 (when his last son was born) to 1855. He does not appear on 1841 Census and wife is said to be a spinster which others say could mean widow. She is definately a widow on 1851 Census. I have only done deathcert for the 28/3/1841 Parkneuk one which seemed logical. The only other deceased William Wilson in 1835-1841  period is in Fordyce. Maybe I should pay my quid for that? Is Scotland's People 100% on deaths in Banffshire?