James Bolton

[eileendavid]

Hello Gadget

Still nothing from Dumfries archives on James Bolton.

Do you remember James Bolton/Elizabeth Storrie had a daughter Helen Bolton who married Daniel Potter.  His parents were James Potter and Jean/Jane Houldsworth.

Scotland people say it as been recorded at both Cannongate Edinburgh 30.01.1797 James is recorded as a tanner and she is recorded as being the daughter of Stephen Houldsworth clothier of Dalkeith.

The Dalkeith register says James Potter is a soldier in the Shropshire Militia I had difficulty reading it but will try and attach it

Eileen

[Gadget]

I'll have to refresh my memory of this thread, Eileen, but I know that Potter was quite a common surname in Shropshire. At one stage I had the Shropshire militia records but not sure where they are now - we've moved 3 times since I last looked at them.

If I find anything, I'll get back to you.

Gadget

[eileendavid]

Thanks for that Gadget  I do hope you can find James Potter so that hopefully I can progress.

Eileen

[Gadget]

Not found him listed on the Shropshire Militia list at the National Archives (Kew) but many of the men mentioned were from various counties around Shropshire and beyond. My militia list must be buried on an old backup disk  so it will take me a while to locate it.

What I did note on the Dalkeith marriage/Banns record of 30 Jan 1798 is worth following up. The 'witnesses' at the marriage were James Wood and John Bright.  Immediately after the Potter entry was an marriage/Banns record for John Bright, soldier Shropshire Militia to Agnes Smith. James Potter was one of the witnesses.  It might be worth following them up.

Gadget

[eileendavid]

Hello Gadget

This is the text of the email I got from Dumfries Archives nothing conclusive I'm afraid.

I have now looked through all the index slips to the 10 companies of the Dumfriesshire Militia 1803-1804 and there is no one by the name of Bolton. As he was having a family in 1802 in Inveresk and Musselburgh Parish It may be he was serving in one of the other companies within the North British Militia which as I told you was based in Musselburgh.
Looking at the name Bolton in or Indexes it is definitely not a Dumfrieisshire name. I have checked our indexes of Dumfries shoemakers from 1732-1832 and there is no one by the name of Bolton.
There are only two couples having children in Dumfries by that name  and that is in the early 1790’s  Father James and Mother Margaret Hyslop and the other Joseph Bolton and Isabell Hamilton. Prior to that there was only one other couple Marjory Bolton and John Newall married in 1680. Neither of these couples is recorded as having a son James.
I have also had a look at our incorporated trade records for the shoemakers but again this name does not appear
There is another complication that some soldiers in the militia were allowed to use a substitute to serve for them during periods when they had other demands on them. Odd but true.
Sorry not to have found much for you about the elusive Boltons.

On the Potter front I have been advised that James Potter who was with the Shropshire Militia were in Midlothian from June 1798 and that James Potter when he joined the Militia would have been living in Shropshire

Any help you can give me would be appreciated

[Gadget]

Hi Eileen

I was sure that there was a lot more about this family and I think most of the details are on the other thread:

Threads merged.

It might be best to keep to that one. I'll see if  ev could merge this one in with that one.


Gadget

[eileendavid]

Hello Gadget

Thanks for merging them.  I was advised that if James Potter was in the Shropshire Militia then he would be living in Shropshire at the time?

I did find in Scotland a James Patter which I was told was probably a misspelling in St Cuthberts Edinburgh William Patter and Mary Hislop 05.04.1777.  William Patter married Mary Hislop at St Cuthberts 22.09.1773.  Then there is no William Patter born but loads of William Potters.

I was just keeping you posted on James or William or James William or William James Bolton and what the Dumfries Archives advised me.  I have posted a copy of the transcript.

Eileen

[Gadget]

I'm wondering if there were some porkies told along the line. He doesn't appear to be listed in the Shropshire Militia and there are various occupations for him - soldier/militia/shoemaker/gardener - which suggests that Helen didn't know him.

I'll see if I can find anything else on him but I think we had a good look for him earlier 

Gadget

[eileendavid]

Hello Gadget

Thanks for that and agree I think Helen's father was some soldiers. lol There was a William Bolton living in St Cuthberts on the 1841 census aged 65.  Could this have been the guy who did the dirty deed.  They had the child baptised in Dalkeith again out of the parish of St Cuthbert's and although it was James on the baptism it was William on the marriage?

I think Elizabeth Storrie was born in St Cuthbert's 24.06.1782 daughter of Archibald Storrie and Agnes Cree and there was an Elizabeth Storrie on the 1841 census in Dalkeith aged 60 so did she never marry?

It seems that you could pay a substitute to do your duties in the Militia so we can never be sure.

The plot thickens

Eileen