Craigie, Johnston, Sophia and Faroese immigration HELP!

[cbwilliamson83]

Hi all,
I am new here but have found myself being 'that person' in my family that has started the long journey to finding my family.
Please read what I have so far and if you think you can help - that would be great!

CRAIGIE
* Drummond Craigie is my 4th great grandfather.. His son, Alexander, married Ann MURRAY and they had a son Magnus Craigie. Magnus married Helen (ellen) Cooper (Couper) and they had a daughter Wilhelmina Logie Craigie. Wilhelmina married John Johnston and they had a son called William Johnston. William Johnston was the partner (I don't believe they married) of my grandmother Catherine Anne Brodie (daughter of Captain William Brodie) and they had a son, Paul, who is my father.

JOHNSTON
*Wilhelmina Craigie, my grandfather's mother married John Johnston. John's father was Nathaniel Johnston and he married an Elizabeth Harcus. There is a lot of data on the Harcus (hercus) family. Where I have found difficulty is due to the fact that I believe Nathaniel was born in Torshavn, Faroe Islands. Nathaniel's father was John Johnston and he married Mary Sophia. At some stage when Nathaniel was still a boy (maybe teenager), I think they have immigrated to Orkney as Nathaniel married Elizabeth in Kirkwall in 1875.

I am having great difficulty getting any further with this line of enquiry. If anyone has any info about immigration from the Faroe Islands during this period (Mid 19th century) such as ships I can look up for passenger lists, or other records that may show their movements it would be a great help.

Otherwise, if you know any specific places related to my family within the Rousay, Claybank, Kirkwall area or think you may be a distant relation, I would love to hear from you. Wilhelmina and John had their boys in Scalloway. My parents immigrated out to New Zealand when I was 5 from Edinburgh where I was born but I have always felt a really strong pull to Shetland and Orkney. I would love to come over in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to read over my family story (so far). Wherever you are in the world, isnt it wonderful knowing we are all a little bit connected :-)

Claire Williamson (nee Johnston)

[Forfarian]

In the 1881 census there is a Nathaniel Johnstone, 27, married, born North Faeroe Islands, aboard the 'Express' at Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. He is described as a naturalised British subject. Two other members of the crew were from Orkney, but it looks as if some of the crew, including the skipper and first engineer, were not on board at the time so maybe there were more.

Elizabeth Johnston, 29, married, sailor's wife, is in Main Street, Kirkwall with George H, 11 months; Margaret Jane, 4; Elizabeth T, 2; and her sister Mary Hercus, 27, all born Kirkwall.

So it does appear that Nathaniel was born in the Faeroe Islands, and that his parents were not British. If so, there should be some record of his or their application for naturalisation in the UK National Archives https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

I would be astonished if there were any record of his, or his parents', arrival in Orkney because there was always a lot of coming and going between the North Isles and Scandinavia, most of which was probably never documented.

Have you seen his marriage certificate to confirm that names of his parents, and to find out whether or not they were deceased at the time of his marriage?

There's a Danish web site https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/amt6 that has images of church books from the Faeroe Islands. I had a look at it and have yet to find an index, but as the census says he was born in North Faeroe and he was 27 in 1881, you do at least have a starting point. If you find him and have trouble deciphering the Danish post a copy of the image here and we can have a look at it.

Nathaniel doesn't seem to be listed in any Scottish census, and I don't see a death certificate (There are two deaths of Nathaniel Johnstons of about the right age, but both can be accounted for by reference to the 1901 and 1911 census; one in Berwickshire, born in England, and the other in Renfrewshire, born in Ireland).

Elizabeth died in Kirkwall in 1924, and her death certificate will tell you whether or not she was a widow.

[Forfarian]

I had a rake about in the indexes at Scotland's People.

Elizabeth is Kirkwall in every census from 1881.

In 1891 she is 39, and in the same household are Maggie, 14; Elizabeth, 12; George, 10; John, 8; James, 7; Jessie, 5; Mary, 2; and Nicolas, 0.

In 1901 there are Elizabeth, 48; John, 18; Mary H, 12 and William P, 6.

In 1911 there are Elizabeth, 59; Jessie A, 25; William P, 16 and Mary Ann, 8.

Putting all those together and looking at the birth indexes I reckon the family are
Margaret Helen, born 1876
Elizabeth Tomim, 1878 (died 1958)
George Hercus, 1880
John, 1882
James Park, 1884 (died 1960)
Jessie Ann Hercus, 1886
Mary Hercus, 1888
Nicholas, 1891 (died 1898)
William Park, 1894.

Mary Ann, aged 8 in 1911, surely cannot be Elizabeth's daughter - I think she has to be a granddaughter.

You can view all these censuses, birth and death certificates, and the marriage certificate of Nathaniel and Elizabeth, at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - it's pay-per-view but very modestly priced compared with the same service in England, Australia etc.

[akc]

E/2/9   
In loving memory of NATHANIEL JOHNSTON died 7th Aug 1904 aged 51. His sons NICHOLAS JOHNSTON died 1st July ~ aged 7, WILLIAM JOHNSTON killed in action 27th Sept 19~, GEORGE H JOHNSTON killed in action 12 Oct 1917 aged 37. Also his wife ELISABETH HERCUS who died 28th Aug 1924 aged 74 years.

St Magnus Cathedral graveyard

[Forfarian]

From www.cwgc.org

Private JOHNSTON, WILLIAM PARK
Service Number 20795
Died 27/09/1915
11th Bn Royal Scots
Commemorated at LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France

Private JOHNSTON, G H
Service Number 2323
Died 12/10/1917
34th Bn Australian Infantry, AIF
(served as HERCUS)
Commemorated at YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

There doesn't seem to be a listng of Nathaniel's death in 1904 on the Scotland's People web site.

[akc]

Have you tried looking for Joensen or Johannesen ? Johnston does,nt sound very Faroese, just a thought

[akc]

a tree on ancestry has Nathaniels death in Leith, and there is a death in Leith on scotlands people, chances are he was at sea, he doesnt show up on the census, there is another Faroese chap living in Kirkwall about the same time and a similar age ? possible relative

1881, Kirkwall, District: 7, Property No: 75 - Shore St

1. John Paul Johnston, (M), 34, Head, Mar, Fisherman, Pharoes Islands
2. Jane Johnston, (F), 33, Wife, Mar, , Eday
3. John Johnston, (M), 4, Son, , , Kirkwall
4. James Edward Johnston, (M), 2, Son, , , Kirkwall
5. Catherine Jane Johnston, (F), 1, Dau, , , Kirkwall

[akc]

John Paul Johnstons parents were John Johnston and Catherine Jacobson, he would have been born approx 1849 in the Faroes ?

[Annette7]

Nathaniel Johnstone's death is on SP - died 7/8/1903 (not 1904) aged 50.   He died in Leith Hospital from injuries sustained through falling through a hatchway into a ships hold.   Residence given as Kirkwall.

Annette