Thomson family of Marnoch

[geniemom]

Looking for anyone who might have knowledge of James Thomson b.about 1766 married Barbara Scot( b.1788 in Forgue) in 1818 in Marnoch.  Their children were: Alexander and Catherine b.1819, Adam b.1821, James b 1823, George b 1825, Barbara b 1828 and Susanna b 1830.  James Sr. dies about 1832 if I read the parish records correctly. Barbara dies on Long Lane in Aberchirder on 4 Apr 1872. Barbara  lived, according to the censuses, in Lenart-Tillydown?, and the Burn of Tomy, Marnoch.  Not sure just where those places are, but would love help with location also.  Thanks much, and so glad I found this site

[GR2]

If you look at the National Library of Scotland maps website, you will have access to old maps of Scotland on screen. These include Roy's mid eighteenth century map, which is quite detailed, and large scale 19th century Ordnance Survey maps.

[geniemom]

Thanks so much, will give that a try

[Forfarian]

I have had a look at FreeCEN http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

In 1841 Barbara is listed at Tillydown http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/690731

In 1851 she is listed at Burn of Forny, which is presumably another reading of your Burn of Tomy. This is in Enumeration District No 1, after Cromby, Mains of Cromby, Brae of Cromby and before a whole list of other places including Ardmeallie, Tillydown, Dens of Mayen and the Manse. Right at the end of the ED are Mill of Cromby and Old Cromby. So you are looking in the south-westerm extremity of the parish of Marnoch, north of the River Deveron and east of the parish of Rothiemay. The Burn of Tillydown is the boundary with Rothiemay.

In the 1861 census Barbara is listed as living in Main Street. This will be in the town/village of Aberchirder.

The modern 1:25,000 Explorer map shows Foamy Burn flowing down from Backhill of Ardmeallie to join the Crombie Burn south-west of Old Crombie and north of Ardmeallie House. Could your Tomy and FreeCEN's Formy perhaps be Foamy?

Armed with this information I went to www.nls.uk and navigated my way to the OS Six-inch 1st Edition map, Banffshire Sheet XV, published 1871, and found the area around Crombie and Ardmeallie. This map does show a building or buildings called Foamyburn on the north bank of the Foamy Burn, east of Backhill of Ardmeallie and north-west of North Mains (of Ardmeallie). So I think that this is probably where Barbara was living in the 1851 census.

Some more photographs of the area
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5749
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5750
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5849
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5850
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5851
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5950
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5951
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5952

[GR2]

I have just looked at the published volumes of monumental inscriptions at Marnoch and none of these Thomsons are mentioned.

[geniemom]

GR2: thanks so much for that tip of the NLS, spent some time last evening delving through the maps.  I'm having problems with the terminology sometimes; for instance this Burn I'm seeing, what exactly does that mean?  The Manse was the parish house I believe, what about Mains?  I apologize for not knowing my Scottish terms.  I do have a great deal to learn.  I also have checked the Marnoch monumental inscriptions and had sent a letter to the minister years ago, but there wasn't any knowledge of where they were buried.  Probably no stone

Forfarian:Wow!  Thanks for all your help.  I just returned home from a long day at work and couldn't wait to check all that out.  Still processing.  Love that site geograph.org.uk.  Never knew there would be so many photos of the areas I'm interested in.  Have googled the area but that didn't show up.  I know that my great grandfather was born (he stated to his daughter) in Rothiemay, not sure if it was the burns of Rothiemay. Again, thank you for trying to make me understand where Barbara might have been living.  I realize that the census is only as good as someone who has local knowledge for deciphering locations.  Some of these I know have been wrong but without that local info I'm lost. 

Appreciate all the assistance 
 

[GR2]

"Burn" is the Scottish word for a stream. "Manse" is the word for the minister's house. "Mains" (e.g. The Mains of Delgaty) means what was once the main farm on an estate. It was sometimes called "the home farm". The name was retained by that farm even after an estate was broken up and sold off. You may also come across a farm name with "Cottages" after it. That is usually a building with two houses for married farm workers.

[jimshetland]

James Thomson b. Marnoch, 1823, was my great grandfather. His son George Thomson, b. Banff, 27 Dec. 1861, moved to Shetland, and married my grandmother, Maggie Tait, from Voe, Shetland. He worked as a road foreman and crofter/farmer. They had one daughter Barbara, known as "Babsie", who married my father, James Pearson. I would love to get in touch with some of my Scottish relations. Any information would be great!

[Gene Forbes-Hood]

Hi Jim, I am a descendant of Alexander Thomson b 1819 He is my 3xg grandfather. His mother Barbara Scott was born at Largue in Forgue. She was baptised 3 Feb 1788 the daughter of James Scott and Anne Murray. I only just noticed your posting hence the long gap in replying.
Gene