Rhind Family in Leven *completed thank you*

[Forfarian]

Does anyone have the Fife burials book, and if so would they please be kind enough to look for Rhinds for me?

I am interested in

William Rhind, Excise Officer, born 1757, his wife Jean Samson, and their family
Susan, born 1786
Margaret, born 1788
Jean, born 1790, married William Bell, Leven, in 1815, and their seven sons (I have Jean's death and burial)
Elizabeth, born 1791, married Robert Nicolson, Leven, in 1814, and their five sons
James, born 1792
William, born 1795
Ann, born 1797, married Robert Thomson
Isabel, born 1788
Thomas, born 1805

All the Rhinds except Thomas were born in Forfar, Angus, so it would seem that the family moved to Leven between 1799 and 1805.

[NorrieG]

Jean,Rhind born 1790, married William Bell, Leven, in 1815, and their seven sons (I have Jean's death and burial)

This is a headstone inscription from Scoonie Cemetery
If you require a photograph' PM with your E mail

Norrie

195   195,196,197 are sides of the same stone
   Inscribed by Mary BELL wife of William BELL
   In memory of Jane RHIND his mother b 1770? d.1858?
   The Above Mary ANDERSON wife of William BELL
   Died ------ age 56
   
196   William BELL ships Carpenter in memory of his
   wife Honory McDONNEL died 1875
   very worn stone

197   William BELL ships Carpenter born 1819 died 25.1.1880?
   this could be the husband of Honory no 196
   From IGI this is the son of William BELL & Jean RHIND

[Forfarian]

Thank you, Norrie, that's great. I also assume that's it, so the rest of the family must be elsewhere or in unmarked graves.

Jane/Jean Rhind was born 1790 and died in 1868 .... William died in 1881. His first wife Honorah O'Donnell died in 1873, and his second wife Mary Anderson in 1888.

[Nojiri]

I have just joined Rootschat to trace the Scottish history of a 1610/11 Geneva bible bound with the 150 metrical psalms, when it arrived in Portland Vic Australia and the family who brought it with them. In three places within the Bible are inscriptions relating to the Rhind Nicholson family.  Leven is the only Scottish placename. 

I hope the following information is helpful to someone and members can help me gain more knowledge of the life of this unique Bible. The task is a labour of love.
= difficult to read. Jpegs can be provided
1 Inside the front cover written in pencil
“William Nicholson    Leven”
“A C Cathels Portland” (see below)
2 Immediately after the NT head page
Robert Nicholson was born 7th Nov 1790 and married the 10th 1814 with Betsy Rhind who was born the 21st May 1791
Robert Nicholson the first son of Robert Nicholson was born the 31st January 1815
Nicholson born the 1st February 1817 and died 4th February 1818
3  On a page between the end of the NT and a table of names etc. in the NT
Alexander Nicholson was born the 7th October 1787
Robert Nicholson was born the 7th November 1790
Thomas Nicolson was born June the 25th 1792
    ________________________________________
  Robert Nicholson was born January 31st 1815
  Jean Nicholson was born February 1st 1817
 William Nicholson was born July 20th 1819
 Margaret Goodsir Nicholson 7th Sept?  1822
 Alexander Nicholson born  ?? 7th 1825
 Jean Nicholson died Feb? 4th 1819
 Margaret Goodsir Nicholson died Feb 2nd 1827 aged 4 years and 5 months

Written in faint/worn pencil
Thomas Nicholson was born ?? 20 1828 died 5th April  ?

The Bible was purchased by my uncle at a 1956 executor's sale related to the Cathels and Herbertson families.  It was willed to me in 1982. The Cathels, ex- Perth arrived in Portland 1854, are intertwined by marriage to the Herberstons, (from whom my mother descends) who left Glasgow circa 1830 to settle in Launceston and came to Portland in 1841. Both were pillars of the Presbyterian church.  Despite extensive research I cannot link either family to the Nicholsons. 
A possible breakthrough in the mystery occurred when I found a 1909 obituary of William Halley who died in the Cathels Herbertson home.  Born in Muthill Perth he arrived in Portland 1854 and became a leading stonemason.  In the late 1880s he was stricken with rheumatism. His wife died in 1901.  There were no children. In his latter years he lived with the Cathels.   The A C Cathels inscription is Amelia Cooper Cathels one of the two sisters who cared for William Halley, most likely inscribed after his death.
I have explored his ancestry but cannot find a Nicholson link.   

John Urquhart

[Forfarian]

Thanks for this, John.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Rhind is definitely one of mine, but I am not at home at the moment and don't have easy access to my file to look up what I have about the family. I'll get back to you when I make it home.

[Nojiri]

Thank you for your prompt reply.  Appreciate you not at home at the moment. Tomorrow I will send you a detailed report on my latest research.  Have discarded the William Halley link in favour of Daniel Nicholson of Keswick in Cumberland - will spell out in detail tomorrow!  Some home work for you.  You now hold the key to a solving beautiful mystery. Coincidentally both families came to Portland on the Shand January 1855 and developed a relationship of several decades in the building of key Portland buildings that still stand. 
Re Bettsy Nicholson , in SP 1841 census she was in Dundee - with, I think, her mother Jean aged 79
and Betsy's death in Edinburgh 28 April 1843 wife of Robert Nicholson - I think in an infirmary.  Do you want screen shots.  Your reading of 19C script probably better than mine.     

[Forfarian]

Yes please to screenshots.

Have made it home, on icy roads and through occasional blizzards, and will get on to this once I have unpacked the car and sorted things out.

Never heard of Daniel Nicholson, I'm afraid.

[Forfarian]

I've had a look at my file, and a rake about to see what I can add. See the attached file.

Betsy or Elizabeth Rhind's uncle Alexander Rhind left a will which confirms a lot of the relationships of the various Rhind descendants, but the only information about Robert Nic(h)olson is that he was a sailor or seaman, and that he had died before Alexander drew up the will in 1840.

I have made the assumption that, because he and Betsy named their first son Robert and their second daughter Margaret Goodsir, Robert was the son of Robert Nic(h)olson and Margaret Goodsir. They also had a son Alexander, born 1787. The baptism of Thomas Nic(h)olson in 1792 is not recorded in any of the registers on Scotland's People.

It seems clear that Jean, Margaret Goodsir, and Thomas, children of Robert Nic(h)olson and Betsy or Elizabeth Rhind, all died before their great-uncle Alexander Rhind drew up his will, but I have no information about what became of their brothers Robert, William and Alexander.

[Nojiri]

Thanks for your vary informative info.  I am otherwise occupied for the next few days.  When free I will go thru various state immigration records by port looking for Alexander, Thomas and William.  As they were born 1819-28, they were of the right age to benefit from the 1850s immigration schemes. Post 1851 gold in Ballarat there was a huge shortage of basic tradesmen and ag labour plus gold seekers with dreams of richness.   Of particular interest is Tasmania as there was regular trade and passenger movement between Launceston and Portland e.g. Mum's Herbertson family arriving in 1841 and later her grandfather marrying a Tasmanian Annie Whittle. Might yet be able to crack the mystery.  Will also send my research on Daniel to the Cumberland Family History group.  They may have knowledge of any later generations still living. Daniel's story stands by itself.  Regards John U
John Urquhart