Alexander Dunbar birth 25 APRIL 1830 Keith, Banffshire, Scotland

[mcadamsd]

Alexander came up as part of another post.  Details at

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=784495.0


Alexander was son of


John Dunbar 1797–1851 Death a guess as he was not in 1851 census but a son was born 11 AUG 1841  Brantford, Ontario.

Margaret Bain  1798 Keith, Banffshire– 3 JAN 1890  Wroxeter, Huron County, Ontario, Canada

In 1851 Alexander was in Brantford with mother and siblings and is listed as a carpenter.  In 1861 he is still in Brantford with family and single.  Listed as a wagonmaker.

No definitive sign of him after that.

In 1881 there is an Alexander Dunbar and family in Southampton Ontario with occupation Carpenter

We know some other Dunbars were in Huron County about 75Km away

1881 Census info:
Alexander Dunbar  48
Alspet Dunbar  46
Robert Dunbar 20
Charles Dunbar 17
James Dunbar 15
Isabella Dunbar 13
Joseph Dunbar 10
Jessie Dunbar 8
William Dunbar 5
Frank Dunbar 3

No luck finding a marriage to" Alspet" and he would have married in Canada or US based on census noted above.  There is a grave marker in Southampton that seems to fit the 1881 person. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175858170/alexander-dunbar

From that the birth date is off but possibly not unusual.  We have a baptism so know our birth date is correct.   It lists his birthplace as Moray, Scotland but we know Keith, Banffshire was birthplace.  Would the have used Moray on headstone rather than Banffshire for some reason?

There is a death record that gives a different death date than the marker.  Name is Alexander Dunbar Sr., carpenter,  and it is in Southampton with Alexander Dunbar Jr as informant.  Death date on record is 15 Nov 1895. Out by year of that on marker.  Sadly the death record does not list parents.


We know a brother George, born Brantford, 11 AUG 1841 was in Bay, Michigan area in 1872 as his daughter was born there.  From there he headed to west coast possibly Oregon and finally Washington where he passed.

We know in the 1880s some of another branch by marriage headed west to Washington and British Columbia.  Likely railroad work.

[AMBLY]

The 1881 Census referred to above, states Alexander and his wife were born in Scotland, as were the first four of the children listed - therefore their marriage was likely in Scotland, not Canada or US.

'Alspet' is undoubtedly "Elspet" - a common Scottish female name and a form of "Elizabeth".

The 1891 Census (linked in the prior thread listed), reiterates:

1891 Southampton, Bruce North, Ontario
½
Alexander DUNBAR 55, b Scotland
Elizabeth 55, b Scotland
Bella 22, b Scotland
Jessie 18, b Ontario
William 15, b Ontario
        son James is 'next.door'
 ½
James DUNBAR 26, b Scotland  (abt 1865)
Ann 26, b Ontario
Olive 3, b Ontario
Ellen 1, b Ontario

James died in 1947:
James Asher DUNBAR, age 81 years, widowed,
B 14 March 1866 Lockhill, Scotland
D 24 Aug 1947 Port Arthur, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Father: Alexander DUNBAR
Mother: maiden name SHAND
Spouse: Annie OLIVER
In Municipality 44 years, In Province  & in Canada 77 years

His birth:
James Asher Dunbar, born 14 Mar 1866
Urquhart, Morayshire, Scotland
Father: Alexander Dunbar
Mother: Elspet Shand

His parents married:
Alexr DUNDAR and Elspet SHAND  on 14 Nov 1857, Urquhart, Morayshire Scotland

This marriage cert, through Scotlands People website,  should give the names of both sets of parents.

Their headstone in Southampton, Bruce County, Ontario:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175858192/elspet-dunbar

Interestingly, when James married Annie OLIVER in 1888, In Port Elgin, Ontario he gave his place of birth as Aberdeenshire - and Lockhill (the birthplace on his death record)  is in Aberdeenshire. His sister Bella was a witness, and he gave parents names as Alexander Dunbar and Elsie Dunbar.

Alexander and Elspeth were in Canada in time for son Joseph Reach DUNBAR's birth on 22 Aug 1870, in Halton, Ontario. Parents: Alexander DUNBAR and Elspit SHAND. Informant, Joseph Reach, Postmaster, Bronte. Alexander's occupation: Waggon Maker.

Cheers
AMBLY

[mcadamsd]

Thanks for the reply.

It seems the Southampton, Bruce North, Ontario family does not fit for reasons specified.

I have a Shand in my tree but born about 1888 in Nova Scotia.  Mother-in-law of 2nd cousin so I haven't followed that branch