Hello,
I wonder if anyone can help with some queries. I have reached an impasse in trying to track down the parents of John Ross, 1803ish-1885, Master Shoemaker, husband to (Mary) Davida Graham, 1815-1895.
1. On his death certificate his parents are identified as John Ross, farmer, and Helen Ross, born Munro. The closest match I can find is a John Ross b. 1761 crofter of Kincardine parish in the 1841 parish and his wife Helen b1776. I can't track them (or Helen at least) in the 1851 census. There is a possible marriage in 16 Jun 1792 of John Ross and Helen Munro. BUT I can't track down a death record for John Ross senior or any further information on Helen. I'm wondering if they were caught up in the clearances of 1845 in Kincardine parish and were scattered. If anyone can confirm that they are the parents of John Ross, would be grateful.
2 John Ross throws up even more queries. I traced him through his daughter Eliza, b1845ish, my husband's direct ancestor. Eliza's marriage certificate describes her father as a 'farmer'. John Ross's day job was a master shoemaker and all the census records describe him as such so making the connection took some time. The link is made through his tombstone as it describes John Ross as a 'feuer' (small tenant farmer) so linking him to John Ross senior; thus my suspicion that he was cleared from the highlands and his son wanted to restore the family link to the land, thus the pride in his tenancy. The family names in the different censuses tally and birth documentation for siblings David, John and Charles Dougherty Ross is available. I can't, however, find a birth record for Eliza, her sisters Rebecca b 1853 or Jannet 1850-52. Could they have been baptized in the free church due to the changes inthe church of Scotland and its connivances in the clearings?
3. The family had a flexible but faithful attachment to the Scottish naming system. I can't identify the original Rebecca or Jannet, although these are names mentioned in the historical clearance docs as members of the Ross family but no corroboration or records. There is mention of an aunt to Eliza. The 1901 England census records that James Hudson Ashton and Eliza were living
in South Shields and were visited by Rebecca Dougherty, age 72, aunt. This gives
a birth year of c1827.Rebecca Dougherty pops up again in the 1871 England census
age 40 visiting Elizabeth Kelly, age 68, in St Mary Paddington, Kensington.To
date I have not tracked down the elusive Rebecca Dougherty. I assume she is
Eliza's maternal aunt as her sister is Rebecca and Eliza names her daughter
Rebecca Graham. Rebecca names her son Charles Dougherty Munro suggesting a close
famiial link but apart from Rebecca's death there are no records I have traced. Was Rebecca scattered elsewhere and can anyone identify where?
My apologies for the length and complexity of these queries: any information or guidance would be most gratefully received
Sally
