Children of HUGH TANNAHILL

[ian-nz]

Hi,
I hope someone can help me. I am trying to find the children of Hugh Tannahill who married Marion Allison on the 21 August 1802 in Abbey, Paisley, Renfrew. Hugh died on the 15 January 1811 and Marion died in February 1824. From a letter written to relatives in America in 1824, Hugh and Marion had one son and three daughters.

One daughter was Janet born in Paisley in about 1803 and married Robert Watson in 1823 in Paisley Middle, Renfrew but I have been unable to find who the other three children were and would appreciate any help any one can give.

Pauline

[Skoosh]

Presumably a connection of Robert Tannahill the weaver poet Pauline, I think his father came to Paisley from Kilmarnock.

Skoosh.

[ian-nz]

Yes Skoosh Hugh was one of Robert's brothers and their father came from Kilmarnock.

Can find very little on Hugh though.

Pauline

[carolineasb]

Hi Pauline,

Are you a Tannahill descendant?  I am descended from the Poet's brother, Andrew (1784-1811).

Unfortunately, I haven't delved too much into the other lines from the Poet's siblings and only have one child from Hugh and Marion just as you have said, Janet who married Robert Watson and then had a son, Henry Watson (born c.1830).

Are you on facebook?  If so, there is a "Tannahills" page on there and you may find someone on there who has looked into Hugh's line or is maybe descended from Hugh.

Regards,

Caroline

[ian-nz]

Hello Caroline,

Thanks for your reply. No I am not a decendant of the Tannahill family. I am helping a friend with his family tree.

He is the GGGrandson of Robert Watson and Janet Tannahill (Hugh's daughter). Robert and Janet had a son Robert Tannahill Watson b1832 in Paisley who emigrated to New Zealand in about 1850. Robert married Jessie Kerr in 1863 in Dunedin, NZ and he died in 1892 aged 60 years in Westport, NZ. His occupation was Baker.

So many people appear to have emigrated in the early 1800's so it is possible Hugh's other children also did this. Their is a marriage in 1825 in Paisley Middle, Renfrew for a Marion Tannahill to a William Crawford which is two years after Janet's marriage and is in the same place but I have not been able to prove this lady is the daughter of Hugh Tannahill and Marion Allison.

No Caroline I am not on facebook. Maybe I will need to look at joining up.

Regards

Pauline in New Zealand

[carolineasb]

Hi Pauline,

The problem is that the Tannahill surname is most prevalent in the Paisley, Renfrewshire, and Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, areas in Scotland, so although most Tannahills in each of those areas are likely to be related, the relationship may not always be that close. Also, the Tannahills all seemed to use the same first names in every generation - Andrew, Robert, Hugh, John, Matthew, Thomas, Janet, Marion, Margaret, Agnes etc!! My own Great Gran being Agnes Tannahill and she named her children (even though they were Reids!) Margaret, John and Andrew!

The further problem is that you are looking for records before 1855 (when statutory registration began) so if this line became members of certain "sects" of the Church, those records may not be with the authorities now and so will not be on-line .

Sometimes, the best way to move back is to find deaths after 1855 (if you can) for those who did not emigrate.  I take it you have got your information so far from the Scotlands People website?

Regards,

Caroline

[ian-nz]

Thank you Caroline for your advice. Yes the records I have been searching are Scotlands People and Family Search. I think it is time I gave up on this one. As you say the families used the same names over and over. Makes it almost impossible to find the correct person. I shall just leave it on my records that Hugh and Marion had three daughters and one son. Daughter Janet is the most important one and I have found her. A lot of information has been written about the Tannahill family but unfortunately not a lot about Hugh.

Thank you again for your help.

Regards,

Pauline

[Skoosh]

Folks have you searched the National Archives (NAS) online catalogue?

Skoosh.

[EJW2020]

Hi,
I am a descendant of Robert Watson and Janet Tannahill. My dad told me that two Watson brothers went to New Zealand. I am descended from a brother who stayed in Scotland.
Kind regards,
Jane Wilks ( nee Watson)