David Grant farm servant and father David Grant Cattle Farmer

[eversg]

This is the continuation of a request from May 2012. I have been trying to pin down a David Grant who was my great-grandfather. He worked as a farm servant around 1870 on farms in the Drainie/Lossiemouth area (e.g. Sweethillock, Ballgreen). I believe he married a Jane McLeod in 1865 with whom he had several children. On their marriage record, he is said to be 28 and Jane McLeod 17. He lived in the Knockando area around 1870, but I can't prove that he was born there. His mother appears to be a Mary (McKenzie) Grant and his father, David Grant, but i have been unable to find a record of a marriage between her and a David Grant through a search of ScotlandsPeople.

The mystery of the identity of the two  David Grants  and Mary MacKenzie continues. If anyone else is searching for these people, I would be pleased to hear from you.  Any research methods that could be offered are most welcome.

Cheers

[CaroleW]

Link to previous thread

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,596766.msg4470019.html#msg4470019

[MonicaL]

Hi Grant 

Just been re-reading the previous post as linked by Carol.

In trying to narrow down the whereabouts of David Grant, husband of Jane McLeod, in particular around 1869 (given that Richard was born on 19 July 1870 in Drainie), have you thought to check the addresses given on the birth certs of David and Jane's children's birth certs? These are the births I can see on the IGI index:

John 1865 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7SW-PLD
David 1867 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQX8-1VK
Hugh Mcleod 1869 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQX8-1VK
Jane 1871 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ9W-RVY
Mary Ann 1873 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ9W-5YT
John 1874 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQXD-SBP

What do the censuses, before and after his marriage in 1865, say about his age/birth place?

Have you also checked his death cert for any new info? Any witness names on his marriage that might connect to family names?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just been checking censuses post the 1865 marriage. David Grant was pretty consistent on his birth place being Knockando around 1837-9.

Did David show as a widower on his 1865 marriage? Just wondering about this 1861 census entry:

David Grant 24 ploughman b. Knockando, Morayshire
Alexanderina Grant (MacDonald) 23 b. Knockbain, Ross-shire
William Grant 1 b. Drainie, Morayshire

Address: Salterhill, Drainie, Moray

One more child shows for them, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ9W-VXL

Marriage for them here https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYS8-GQN
 
There is a death showing on SP in Drainie, for a 27 yrs old Alex*a McDonald/Grant...

The marriage cert for them in 1859 is a further opportunity to confirm details hopefully for David (if the right entry for him  ).

There is also a likely entry for him in 1851, working away from home. 1841 however is hard to see much for him.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Looking at the tree owner names of online trees, think you have all this info already which is great.

Did parents' name match on the marriage certs?

Monica

[eversg]

Looking at the tree owner names of online trees, think you have all this info already which is great.

Did parents' name match on the marriage certs?

Monica

Thanks very much for your research on my behalf. The parents' names do not match. According to the 1859  marriage record for David Grant and Alexanderina McDonald, David's father is William Grant (shoemaker); in 1865 when David Grant marries Jane McLeod - after Alexanderina passes away in 1864 - David's father was a David Grant (cattle farmer). The interesting conundrum is that in the 1871 census, David Grants' children include the children he had with Alexandrina: William and Isabelle. It could be a coincidence, but it seems unlikely since the years of birth for the children match up. It appears that the David Grant in the 1871 census is the David Grant who married both Alexanderina and Jane McLeod, notwithsanding the discrepancies in fathers' names on the two marriage records.  Any further thoughs on the mystery?

[MonicaL]

The 1871 entry does tie up I think any questions as to father David being the same for William and Isabella don't you think:

David Grant 38 farm servant b. Knockando
Jane Grant 23
William Grant 11, son
Isabella Grant 7, daughter
David Grant 3, son
Hugh Grant, 1 son

Address: Maryland, Drainie

Never mind the small issue of Jane McLeod's age at the time that William and Isabella were born...!  Notice also that that David's birth year down to 1833 for this entry.

What was the mother's name given for him in the 1859 marriage cert and his death cert?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Have you seen this 1841 entry:

William Grant 42 shoemaker
Margaret Grant 33
Alexr Grant 12
David Grant 5
George Grant 4

Address: Roads, Dunfermline Fife

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY86-DFJ Can only see this and George's birth.

This might the family in 1851:

William Grant 50 shoemaker b. Inverness
Margaret Grant 40 b. Edinburgh
George Grant 15 b. Dunfermline

Address: Nethergate No 85, Dundee

The problem with this is that David really only showed Knockando as his birth place (although his info is coming across as inconsistent!).

Monica

[eversg]

Have you seen this 1841 entry:

William Grant 42 shoemaker
Margaret Grant 33
Alexr Grant 12
David Grant 5
George Grant 4

Address: Roads, Dunfermline Fife

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY86-DFJ Can only see this and George's birth.

This might the family in 1851:

William Grant 50 shoemaker b. Inverness
Margaret Grant 40 b. Edinburgh
George Grant 15 b. Dunfermline

Address: Nethergate No 85, Dundee

The problem with this is that David really only showed Knockando as his birth place (although his info is coming across as inconsistent!).

Monica

Interesting info. I had seen these records before, but pretty much had dismissed them because of the area (Fife). There doesn't appear to be a relevant record of a birth of a David Grant with parents William and Margaret that might connect.

In the 1965 marriage record, David Grant indicates that his usual residence was Knockando Tomlay - Draine is also mentioned as it was in 1959 when David and Alexanderina were married. I had it in my mind that he was born in Knockando, but now I'm not so sure.

The David Grant that I'm pursuing lived around Drainie, was a farm servant and was married (as discovered by Forfarian). This is the David Grant who was the father of Richard Grant. Richard Grant's mother was Margaret Lamb. I'm not sure where that leaves us.

As an aside, I just discovered that David Grant's first son, William, married an Elspet Anderson in 1882 in Drainie and moved to Canada.