Grieve Family - Roxburghshire/Selkirkshire

[NGreaves89]

Hi all,

I wondered whether anyone else here may be in the same genealogical field as me?

I am currently looking into the Grieve family, many of whom appear to have lived in several family groups in a rough triangle of land around Lillesleaf, Hawick, Ancrum etc. throughout the 1800s. I set out below some of the rough findings to see whether anyone can 'link in' with these or shed more light.


My direct great, great grandfather was Robert William Greaves, born in Yorkshire in 1873 to William Grieve and Elizabeth Craig.

William Grieve (found in 1871, 1861 and 1841 censuses in Scotland) (born c. 1822 - 29, ages vary on censuses) was the son of Walter Grieve and Jane/Jean Ford.

Other children of Walter Grieve, a ploughman, and Jane Ford were:-

Robert
Helen
John
James
Isabella
Mary

In the 1841 census, Walter's age is given as 35 which seems to be a rough guess and places his birth county as Roxburghshire. I have found an IGI entry for him which suggests he was born c. 1803 in Ancrum. He seems to have died between 1841 and 1851 as in the latter census Jean is listed as a widow.

I believe Walter's father was Robert Grieve but there is no further information on him that I can glean at present.

Around the later 1860s and 1870s a number of the Grieve males seem to have drifted off to Normanton and Wakefield in Yorkshire. This is what William did, bringing his new wife with him, where she gave birth to Robert William. Sadly William died shortly thereafter of TB. Elizabeth Grieve, nee Craig, then remarried several times.

Walter's wife, Janet Ford, was also born in the first decade of the 1800s - in Gordon, Berwick.

There are lots of Grieve's kicking around in this geographic area at the time. Many of the lines repeat certain names - particularly Walter and Thomas - which although no concrete indicator, does seem to suggest perhaps some possible residual link?

I wondered whether anyone else has Grieve ancestors from this region at around the time? Or whether anyone had any suggestions on hunting Robert Grieve who must have been born in the second half of the 1700s? Or any suggestions on Scottish border history generally?

I have been doing my family history for a few years now but have always neglected my direct paternal line. However, I am soon to be a first time father and this has given me pause to stop and think about my direct line so I think it is time I addressed the deficiency!

Many thanks,

Nathan Greaves

[Forfarian]

Hi Nathan, and welcome to RootsChat.

I see that William Grieve and Elizabeth Craig were married in Smailholm, Roxburghshire, in 1867. Do you have a copy of that marriage certificate? If not, you need to get a copy, just to confirm that names of the parents of both William and Elizabeth.

You can get this at modest cost online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

I see that the index there at SP says that Walter Grieve and Jean/Jane Ford had
Helen, baptised 24 March 1829 at Jedburgh
Helen, baptised 26 October 1831 at Jedburgh
John, baptised 23 June 1834 at Jedburgh
James, baptised 16 October 1836 at Jedburgh

In the 1841 census (transcription from https://freecen1.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl)  they seem to be in Hobkirk
Address: Hallrule Porter Lodge
GRIEVE Walter       M 35       Ag Lab      Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE Jean       F 35               Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE Robert       M 15       Ag Lab    Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE Helen       F 9               Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE John       M 7               Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE James       M 4               Roxburghshire           
GRIEVE Isabella       F 1               Roxburghshire       
Adults' ages were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years in 1851, so Walter and Jean could be anything from 35 to 39, so they could have been born between 1801 and 1806. 

In 1851 the family is at Nisbet Hill in Crailing, Jean shown as a widow
GRIEVE Jane       Head W F 51 Prev Wife Of Ag Lab Berwickshire, Gordon
GRIEVE Elisabeth    Dau U F 24 Farm Labourer     Northumberland, Wark           
GRIEVE Robert       Son U M 23 Farm Labourer        Roxburghshire, Ancrum           
GRIEVE William       Son U M 21 Farm Labourer        Roxburghshire, Minto           
GRIEVE Helen       Dau U F 18 Farm Labourer        Roxburghshire, Jedburgh           
GRIEVE John       Son U M 16 Farm Labourer        Roxburghshire, Jedburgh           
GRIEVE James       Son U M 13 At Home                Roxburghshire,  Jedburgh           
GRIEVE Isabella       Dau U F 11 At Home                Roxburghshire, Minto

Never trust anything you find online, including me! Always check by looking up the original documents at Scotland's People.

[Kiwicol]

Robert Grieve and Margaret Lindsay had a son William baptised at Smailholm 16 Feb 1823, so he could have been born in 1822

[Suz Roney]

Hi Nathan,
I have some Grieve's in my family tree.

Margaret Grieve is my 3rd Great Grandmother. Census records place her birth in about 1828 in Teviothead, Roxburghshire. She married John Turnbull in Hawick on 7 June 1852 and they had a number of children.

Margaret's father is Christopher Grieve and mother is also Margaret (maiden name unknown), though I haven't found out any more about them, or if they had any other children.

Suzanne.