A MYSTERY.........

[minniehaha]

Here is a problem which is possibly unsolvable but fresh eyes may find the answer...........

In the main, the puzzle starts when Ann Nicol and her father James arrived in New Zealand per the 'Clontarf' about 1859 (not proven) and her four sisters following with their mother Euphemia/Elspeth/Elspith) per the 'Pladda' in 1862. (Mary, Helen, Elisabeth & Agnes found on the 'Pladda' but not their mother).

Ann NICOL, born 30.9.1845 @ Dalgety, Fife. [parents David Nicol & Agnes MacHardie]
Mary NICOL, born 5.3.1847 @ Dalgety, Fife. [parents David Nicol & Elspeth MacHardie]
Helen NICOL, born 30.4.1848 @ Dalgety, Fife. [parents David Nicol & Agnes MacHardie]
Elisabeth NICOL, born 3.5.1849 @ Dalgety, Fife. [parents David Nicol & Elspeth MacHardie]
Agnes(s) NICOL, born 1.5.1852 @ Dailly, Ayr. [parents David Nicol & Elspith McHardie]

Here we see that Ann & Helen have a different mother from Elisabeth & Agnes. However, the main mystery is that the father of all the girls in New Zealand is recorded to have been James Greive NICOL(L) and not David NICOL(L) for events such as marriage & death. Also James has been claimed as their father in the two obituaries of daughters.

[The 1851 census shows David as the father of those girls born prior to this year.]

No descendants of the five girls had even an inkling that such a mystery existed until family research began.

Anyone got any ideas?

Minniehaha.

[loobylooayr]

Hi Minniehaha,

I wonder if this is David Nicoll - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBC8-VH3
born 7/3/1812 to James Nicoll and Helen Grieve at Auchterhouse Angus.


Looby

[minniehaha]

Hi Looby,

Now that is interesting. When James Nicol* died in New Zealand in 1889 he was said to be aged 77 years, therefore year of birth about 1812. His father's name was unknown by his son-in-law who provided details at registration, but his mother was recorded as being Helen Nicol, formerly Grieve.

*His will shows James G. Nicoll and death registration for his wife Euphemia, shows James Grieve Nicoll.

[Nicol or Nicoll. Greive or Grieve.]

If David & James were one and the same, why the name change I wonder??

Minniehaha.

[loobylooayr]

Yes it is very interesting 
Same with Elizabeth being Agnes on 2 of the girls births. Obviously Elspeth is a version of Elizabeth but I've never seen Agnes being interchangeable for Elizabeth. So I don't think the girls have different mothers.
As to why David seems to be James ?? Unless James was a brother?
Have you found the mother Elizabeth and the 4 girls on the 1861 Census yet?

Looby

[loobylooayr]

This you may have - David and Elspet on the 1841 Census at Auchterhouse in Angus (David gives this as his place of birth on the 1851)
Address - Dronley
   LESLEY       Jean       F       45                                      Angus           
    LESLEY       Ann       F       8                                      Angus           
    NEISH       William       M       15       Hand Loom Weaver        Angus           
    NICOLL       David       M       29       Forrester                     Angus           
    NICOLL       Helen       F       70       Independent                Angus           
    ARNOT       Patrick       M       50       Farmer                     Angus           
    ARNOT       Ann       F       45                                            Angus           
    ARNOT       Betsy       F       2                                           Angus           
    MCHARDY       Elspet       F       25       Female Servant          Outside Census County         
    MCGREGOR       Elizabeth       F       20       Female Servant        Outside Census County         
     CHALMERS       George       M       15       Clerk               Angus           
     CHALMERS       Andrew       M       14                             Angus           
 The couple appear to be living in the same household along with what appears to be David's Mother Helen Nicoll.   All spellings are as transcribed on Freecen.

Looby          

[Janette]

Marriage

First name(s)    Elspet
Last name    Mchardie
Marriage year    1843
Marriage date    16 Dec 1843
Marriage place    Auchterhouse,Angus,Scotland
Spouse's first name(s)    David
Spouse's last name    Nicoll
Place    Auchterhouse
County    Forfarshire (Angus)
Country    Scotland

Cheers Janette

[Janette]

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
King Street, Monifieth, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland


Household Members
First name   Last name    Relationship  Marital status    Gender    Age    Birth year    Occupation    Birth place    
Elisabeth Mchardy    Nicol    Head    Married    Female    46    1815    Seaman's Wife    Aberdeenshire, Scotland    

Helen    Nicol    Daughter    -    Female    14    1847    -    Fife, Scotland    

Elisabeth    Nicol    Daughter    -    Female    12    1849    -    Fife, Scotland    

Agnes    Nicol    Daughter    -    Female    10    1851    -    Ayrshire, Scotland

Cheers Janette

[minniehaha]

Thank you Looby,

Yes, I do have that census information. Dronley is shown on the death registration for Euphemia/Elspeth as her birthplace, so that ties in well. [Her parents names are unknown but her maiden shown as McHardy.]

I have not located the family in the 1861 census. At that time only Ann and her father were in New Zealand.

The obituary of Elisabeth (Elizabeth) says she was the fourth daughter of Mr. James Nicoll. ........."When she was three years of age the family went to live in Ayreshire, her father having been appointed head forester on the estate of the Right Hon. Sir F. E. Kennedy, which estate adjoined the ancestral home of Sir Charles Fergusson"............ Also said she was born @ Fife on May 6, 1850 which does not tie in with that found on the Family Search website.

In New Zealand James took up farming in a very small way.

Janette, that marriage looks to be spot on, thank you. 


Minniehaha.

[Janette]

I wonder if the name change was due to the fact he was a seaman who jumped ship in NZ

Cheers Janette