James Tocher Mortlach, Elgin, Banff

[Itildu]

  Am looking for my ancestors.  James Tocher, his father was also called James. Have two years of birth for him, 1813 and 1816.  Neither of these check out.  He joined the British Army/East India Co. in 1933 and served in India till his death in 1866.   Help needed please. Ty.

[GR2]

Have you looked on the free Libindx website which allows you to search for Moray folk?

Graham.

[CaroleW]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat

The 1813 birthyear is from his burial record - where is the 1816 birthyear from and where is the info from re: birthplace and fathers name - is it from a marriage entry?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M6P7-54J/p1

[Itildu]

Thanks Graham, have tried it without any success.  Will keep checking back on there though. 

[Itildu]

Carol hi and thank you, 1813 date was the year he gave the army on enlisting in 1834.   He could have of course made himself  older in order to join.  Am not sure what the minimum age was back then.  The 1816 was on his marriage details.

[Itildu]

Ta for the link, I would like to trace his parents and siblings as well.  All I know is that his fathers name was James. 

[GDub71]

The IGI throws up an obvious candidate:

James Tocher b. 1st Jan 1817 at Grange, Banffshire. Parents: James Tocher and Jane Kinnaird.

There's another possible in Forgue, Aberdeenshire the same year and another in Oyne in 1818.

Is there any specific reason why you have Mortlach in the title?



Graham

[Itildu]

GDub, Mortlach was the place he put when enlisting. Grange and Mortlach are in different areas I believe. ty

[GDub71]

Itildu, if he enlisted at Mortlach then that doesn't necessarily that mean he was born there. It's entirely possible that he was working in Mortlach at the time or just travelled there to join-up isn't it?

The surname isn't a common one in Banffshire, but judging by the 1841 Census they all came from the North-Eastern and Eastern parts of Banffshire anyway. Keith is about as close as they get and that's just one teenager who wasn't even born in Banffshire at all. Based on that I think it's unlikely your James Tocher came from Mortlach.