Early Annan Census - look up offer

[cupcake]

Hi SGJ,

Have you visited the Dornock cemetery? If not, I would go and take a photograph of your GGG Grandfather's burial place, if there is a headstone.

cupcake

[sgj]

Hi Cupcake

I have been to Dornock Churchyard, just a couple of week's ago when we were up in the Lake District.   I found James's headstone, it had fallen over and had cracked in half but the incription was still very clear.  It had the following inscription:  In memory of David son of James Gass  Joiner in Annan who died 18th Dec 1810 aged 2 years  and JANE his daughter who died 3rd Jan 1820 aged 7 years.  Also ELIZABETH STEEL his wife who died 3rd Feb 1870 aged 84 years. And the above James Gass who died  12th of June 1873 aged 92 years.   As you say he was a good age.

There were lots of other Gasses buried in the same area,  I did find a George Gass but the engraving was so faint  I couldn't read it.  It was also a very cold, windy day and my husband was getting a little bored traipsing round the graveyard so we didn't stay too long.  Pity. 

I wondered why James was buried in Dornock and not Annan where he had lived most of his life.  I suppose his family were originally from Dornock. 

Regarding Margaret Neilson.  There is a marriage cert for her and James Neilson, dated 15 May 1843 in St Marylebone, Middlesex.  Both James Neilson and Margaret are witnesses at George's marriage in 1845.  I found Margaret again in the 1861 census, she is a widow, aged 43 and working at a Lunatic Asylum.  1871 she is with her father in Annan, and in 1881 she is aged 65 and working as a Cook in Lancashire.  I can only think that on the 1871 census her age is wrong and that it should be 55 and not 35.   That would make more sense.  If she was born in 1836 she would have been on the 1841 census with her family in Annan.  I haven't found a death certificate for her.

I have found the name of another child of James Gass and Elizabeth Steel.  Another daughter, Mary Gass, she was the informant on Elizabeth's death notice.  I know nothing about her.   

REgards
SGJ

Regards
SGJ

[cupcake]

Hi SGJ,

I have been to many churchyards doing family researches but, I have never been to the Dornock Churchyard. That's good you managed to visit it, sometimes headstones can give you valuable information. Yes, the weather has been really bad here and hasn't improved, places round about have had snow.

I love the Lake District, again, good weather makes all the difference. My father was born Kirby Lonsdale in the Lake District.

Thank you for the inscription on the headstone. You never know, I may find some information on the children. I'll go to the cemetery, soon and see what I can find. Perhaps we will get some sunshine one of these days.

Would imagine the family did came from Dornock. Wonder if George was a flesher there, or more likely Annan.

Thanks for the added information on Margaret Neilson. I agree with you, the age on the 1871 census was wrong and, 55 does make more sense and make her born abt. 1816. Mistakes were often made in census and other records.

The daughter Mary Gass may have been living in or near Annan, when Elizabeth died in 1870.

I will study all the information and, if I come up with anything, will pass it on.

Regards,

cupcake

[cupcake]

Hi SGJ,

I hope you don't mind, but I put a post on RC for MI's in Dornock Cemetery regarding James and his father George. I did this before you sent information on James and family, buried there.

However, just received this prompt reply from Rootschatter Charlotte21

From Dornock MI's entry 207:-
" Here lies George Gass in Birkbank who died May 9th 1757 aged 38 years.
Also Jean McLean his spouse who died October 23rd 1781 aged 52 years.
Also John Gass their son who died at Annan 10th April 1816 aged 69.
(on reverse of stone)
George Gass who died at Annan 16th June 1825 aged 75
and Margaret Weild his wife who died at Annan (no date or age shown on stone)
Also Jannet this daughter and wife of William Graham, Floshend, who died at Annan 21st January 1862 aged 81."

cupcake

[sgj]

hi Cupcake

What does MIs mean.

Thank your for the information on the gravestone.  Does it mean that the George Gass in Birkbank and the George Gass on the reverse of the headstone are related.  Would John Gass be George Gass's father?

SGJ

[cupcake]

Hi SGJ,

MI's stands for Memorial Inscriptions.

You're welcome. Yes, I think they could be related.

Have tried to work it out, going by death dates and ages.

George Gass -  Birkbank  b. abt. 1719  d.1757
John his son  b. abt. 1747 d. 1816
George (James's father) b. abt. 1750  d. 1825

Just looking at the dates I think John and George (James's father) were brothers. George from Birkbank was their father.

cupcake

[Donnalynn]

Hello Cupcake,

I am looking for the death record of a Richard Irving of Annan. Born about 1791 and died sometime between 1823 and 1841. I have located his marriage record in Annan (1820) and the birth records for his two sons - (1821 and 1823). He may have been a mariner or a shipbuilder, as his sons had connections to the sea. In the 1841 census, his wife appears with their two sons and two sons from her first marriage, but I cannot locate him in the 1841 census.

[cupcake]

Hello Donnalynn,

I am afraid Annan do not have death records before 1855. This I know, as I won't be able to find my GGG Grandparents deaths or burial places.

However, I have looked at the Annandale People in Carlisle Newspapers ( Marriage and Death Intimations 1812-1858) and found two deaths which, may or may not be connected to your research:

734 
D  26 June 1835 - Annan - Richard IRVING herring merchant. (The Carlisle Patriot)

751
D  1835 -  Annan - Richard IRVING aged 53, merchant. ( The Carlisle Journal)

There is also a marriage:
M  27 Dec 1833  - Annan - Richard IRVING gardener to Jane LACKIE  eldest daughter of David Lackie, watchmaker of Annan. ( The Carlisle Patriot & Journal)

cupcake

[Donnalynn]

Thank you! and thanks for the time you spend in heing others find their roots!