Hill of Beath

[davaar36]

Hi Chris

Decided to re-visit my local library's microfilm of the 1851 Census and check the Wilson family entry again. The quality is not very good and it is possible that Thomas's age is in fact 70 rather than 76. The place of birth still reads as "Auchtertool".  Add to that his age is given as 71 in his obituary in the local paper. I found the family in Crossgates manse in the 1841 Census (remember the age of adults usually rounded in this Census)
Thomas Wilson 60 Minister
Margaret 50 Wife
Robert 20 Son Coalmaster
Janet 20 Dau
John 15 Son Farmer
Margaret 15 Dau
Isabella 14 Dau
Georgina 12 Dau
Marianne 10
Thomas15 Son Writer's Apprentice
Interesting that Thomas junior started off following law before becoming a minister and that Robert became a lawyer after trying his hand a coalmastering if the censuses are accurate.

Serendipidy then took over and I came across a book with a fair bit on Thomas viz. T.F.Hunter's Some Notes on the History of the Crossgates Area in West Fife published 2002. (According to Hunter)Thomas was apparently from a Lochgelly family and lived in Auchterderran before coming to Crossgates when ordained in 1811.  After marrying the daughter of the wealthy Aitken family he took an interest in their properties which included the coal rights at Hill of Beath. Thomas financed the development of "The Minister's Pit" and his eldest son joined in these ventures. When the Minister's Pit became difficult they leased it out. Thomas and Margaret bought another tract of land with a view to exploiting coal - Wilson's Ground.

When I have some spare SP credits I'll see if I can track down some marriage and death information on Thomas and Margaret's offspring.

Dod

[Machiavelli]

Hi Dod

It all seems to stack up, many thanks!

I would imagine that Robert initially obtained the coal job through the family of his step-mother, Margaret Aitken, but followed his younger stepbrother Thomas into the law between 1841 and 1851, perhaps when the coal ran out?

However, I think that you are confusing Thomas (junior) with his father, Rev. Thomas Wilson - I believe Thomas (junior) when straight into the law (Dunfermline, Edinburgh (studies), Glasgow and then Aberdeen).

Incidentally, you mentioned an Elizabeth in an earlier post, born in 1817. What more information do you have for her, as she does not appear in the two census' above? Could she be a younger sister to Robert by Thomas (senior)'s first wife?

Chris

[davaar36]

Hi Chris

Yes, my error - please excuse a senior moment regarding Thomas junior's profession.
The only information I have on Elizabeth is the extracted birth or christening record for Dunfermline OPR giving the christening of Elizabeth Donald Wilson on 31 July 1817, parents Thomas Wilson and Margaret Aitken.

Dod

[Machiavelli]

Thanks, Dod, for this info on Elizabeth.

I have since found out that the bowl had two initials - GA. Referring to the very useful Aitken history which you identified, Dod ( http://www.fifefhs.org/Records/familyhistories.htm, this would probably be a George Aitken, of which there are two likely candidates.

George Aitken (1) (born 1712). Married to Margaret Moodie in 1739 (initially tenant of Lassodie).
George Aitken (2) his grandson (1784-1826) (unmarried).

I am trying to identify the makers mark on the bowl to establish a date - the bowl could have been commissioned at any time, but likely to have been on a special occasion such as a marriage (1739) or an inheritance.

The other issue I have been trying to establish is whether the Wilson(e)s ever actually lived in the house on the Hill of Beath, or whether it was inhabited by Aitkens until it was demolished. George Aitken (2) presumably lived there until his death in 1826, and then his sister Janet until her death (date unknown), especially if she remained unmarried.

As for the Wilson(e)s, Rev. Thomas was still living in Crossgates Manse according to the 1841 and 1851 census'. I also found out that a new Minister had been installed by the time of the 1861 census, - presumably occupying the Manse. Rev. Thomas' wife Margaret died in 1857 in Aberdeen - presumably because her husband had already died (date unknown) and she had moved to be close to her by now prosperous son Thomas.

However, it is possible that she/and or some of her children had inherited and moved into the Hill of Beath house sometime after the 1851 census, and some of the children could have remained there after Rev. Thomas' wife (widow) moved to Aberdeen. This could easily have been whilst Janet (and any of her children) was still alive.

Chris

[davaar36]

Hi Chris

T.F.Hunter in his  Some Notes on the History of the Crossgates Area in West Fife has an anecdote re the sudden death of Rev Wilson(e) viz.
By 1852 Wilson was 72, and was still trying to cope with this large congregation. He was persuaded to take an Assistant and one was appointed, a Mr. James Skinner. Skinner arrived at Crossgates Station and went to the Manse; this was a Saturday afternoon and he sat talking to Mr. Wilson. This continued after dinner into the evening. About 10pm Wilson complained of a funny foot, then his leg, and he got up and moved restlessly about. The strange feeling came to one arm and he started to have difficulty in his speaking. At this point he was taken to bed and almost immediately went unconscious. He died at 1.30. The date was 29th August, 1852. The next minister was Andrew Grahame. 1861 Census will confirm whether he was in the manse.

Dod

[Machiavelli]

Thanks, Dod, another important link in the chain!

Incidentally, I was intrigued by the name of the assistant which you mentioned as there are many Skinners in our family -  I have identified 2 named James who would have fitted. 

The wife of Rev. Thomas' son, Jane Ann (nee Skinner) was the fourth cousin of a Rev. James Skinner (1818-1881). The only other information I have about him is that he may have moved to England (Malvern Link) at some time, but his father, the Very. Rev. John Skinner was an Episcopal clergyman, Forfar, Dean of Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1790 - not far  from Crossgates.

Incidentally, Rev. James' grandfather was the Right. Rev. John Skinner, the D.D. Bishop of Aberdeen (consecrated Co-Adjutor 1782), and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church (1788). He was also one of three bishops who consecrated Bishop Seabury of Conneticut in 1784.

The other candidate is James Henry Skinner (dates unknown), the nephew of Rev. James Skinner (above). I have nothing on him, but his father William was an Aberdeen solicitor (1806-1861) and I believe formed a partnership with Rev. Thomas' son, Thomas Wilsone in 1850 (some time before the latter formed Wilsone & Duffus in 1892).

It seems that these families were very close knit.

Chris

[davaar36]

Hi Chris

Not sure that in 1790 Forfar would be considered "not far from Crossgates".

Remember that Crossgates was a United Presbyterian Church so it is perhaps more likely that James Skinner was "James Skinner was from the Abernethy section of Edens- head congregation. Got licence from Perth Presbytery in April 1850, that of Kinross not being then formed. After completing his probationary course he spoke sometimes of going back to farming, but he continued on the list of occasional supply to the end. He died, I7th April 1890," according to "History of the congregations of the United Presbyterian Church, from 1733 to 1900"

Dod

[Machiavelli]

Hi Dod

I am sure that you are correct, this is the most likely answer, and that the local clergy stepped in here.  I see that Wikipedia states "The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland.
As a member church of the Anglican Communion since 1867, it recognises the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who does not, however, have any jurisdiction in Scotland". It also states "The Scottish Episcopal Church began as a distinct church in 1582, when the Church of Scotland rejected episcopal government (by bishops) and adopted a presbyterian government by elders as well as reformed theology. Scottish monarchs made repeated efforts to introduce bishops and (the) two ecclesiastical traditions competed."

So the James Skinners I mentioned would have been from the 'rival' Episcopal church, and probably not acceptable to the congregation (although, no bishops to worry about!). 

At first sight, when he died in 1852, Rev. Thomas Skinner would not have been exposed to his son's future wife's clerical relatives because they were not married until 1872. However, a strong family myth claims that Thomas (junior), who was 24 years older than his wife, said that he would marry her when he saw her in her cradle (she was born in 1851 in Edinburgh)! This means that, despite his father's UP faith, the family knew the Skinner family socially despite their notable Episcopal background, even before Rev. Thomas died - probably not surprising as I would imagine the clerical world was pretty small.

Although Rev. James Skinner, the grandson of an Episcopal bishop, was unlikely to be drafted into a Presbyterian church, his nephew James Henry might have had other views. It is also possible that this was purely a short term emergency solution organised by his son Thomas, by now a well established solicitor in Aberdeen, and that such clerical differences would be  less significant. Who knows?

I agree about Forfar, although Dunlane is much closer. Also, even it those days, I would imagine that clergy had to travel long distances to obtain a suitable 'living'?

Chris