Author Topic: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854  (Read 3602 times)

Offline Brunlees

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John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« on: Saturday 24 March 18 15:23 GMT (UK) »
Hi,

I am wondering if anyone can help or suggest where I can look to try and find the birth of my 4 x great grandfather.

What I know is as follows -

John Brownlee was born c. 1788 (taken from 1841/1851 census, and death details given in the Kelso Chronicle).  The 1851 census gives his birthplace as Mellerstaine , Berwickshire.  Through looking at numerous newspaper articles of John's achievements in gardening and prize winning in the Kelso location, we can see that the name changed spelling in about 1827 to Brunlees.  His children all born before this were recorded as Brownlee but later details show them also as Brunlees (the most famous being my 3 x great grandfather Sir James Brunlees, the prominent Victorian Engineer).  John died on the 24th October 1854 (why couldn't he have waited just over a couple more months to 1855!) in Kelso.

A a family we have never been able to get beyond John in over twenty years of research and have really drawn a blank now on what else to try.  Can anyone suggest any record archives, or local records that may be we be able to find details of his birth and parents?


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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 24 March 18 22:36 GMT (UK) »
Was his death recorded as Brownlee or Brunlees?
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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 25 March 18 08:35 BST (UK) »
We haven't (to my knowledge) found the OPR record of his death, and it is through newspaper articles, and his gravestone at Kelso that we are aware of the date of his death. 

Both the 1841 and 1851 census report his name as Brunlees, all newspaper articles from about 1827 also show him as Brunlees, as does the headstone.

Offline Gadget

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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 25 March 18 10:23 BST (UK) »
Hi

What were his children's names in birth order?  As you probably know,  this might give an indication of his parents.

I've found 18 baptisms showing for a John (variations) Br*nlee* 1785 +/- 5. All are in Scotland, including one in Greenlaw. None in Roxburghshire


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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 25 March 18 10:53 BST (UK) »
When you mention Mellerstaine, do you mean Mellerstain House and the area around it,  north of Kelso:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellerstain_House

Gadget
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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 25 March 18 12:52 BST (UK) »
Hi Gadget,

John married, Margaret Rutherford (b. 1788, Eyemouth, parents, John Rutherford, Agnes Bennet). 
The known children are

Agnes (03/05/1814)
James (05/01/ 1816)
Jane/Jean (16/01/1820)
John (29/05/1822)
Robert (11/08/1824)

all are born in Kelso.

Would the record in Greenlaw be from 1781, parents George Brownlees and Margaret Marshall?  I think we had previously seen this and although being the closest fit, had dismissed it because of the level of difference in birth years. 

As to Mellerstaine (as written on the 1851 census), we have always presumed it to be one in the same as the Mellerstain estate/village, and realise there isn't a lot there at all.

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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 25 March 18 13:54 BST (UK) »
Hi

Yes it was the 1781 one.  Wondering about the accuracy of the 1851 as the 1841 is an unrounded  57 (b. c. 1784). 

I believe Mellerstain is in the parish of  Earlston but not found any baptisms, marriages or deaths there for variations of surname, nor wills for any in the border counties   :-\


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Offline Sunlaws

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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 25 March 18 14:17 BST (UK) »
Hi Gadget

The government, being short of money (!) instituted a whole lot of new taxes in the late 1770s, including a servant tax.

You paid a guinea tax for each male servant you employed (only half a guinea for females...) and in the list of servants employed by George Baillie, proprietor of Mellerstain, for 1778-9, is a 'Robert BURNLIES, Gardener's man'. he is not included in the next available list ,for 1785-6. I think Robert might merit further investigation.
regards,
Lesley
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Re: John Brownlee (Brunlees) c.1788-1854
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 25 March 18 14:27 BST (UK) »
Thanks Lesley  :)  I was just searching through Scotlands Places and the NRS online records.

Gadget
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