Cathrine Stewart b. 1822 Perthshire or Lanarkshire, Scotland

[JEB54]

Hello, my 2nd great grandmother was Cathrine Stewart b. 1822 in place unknown, Scotland.   Cathrine emigrated to Nova Scotia (NS), Canada in 1847 according to Canada census records and married Ebenezer Bezanson in 1850/1.  They settled in Guysborough County, NS, before moving to Pictou County, NS.  Cathrine and Ebenezer had 6 children - John Allen, William George, Alexander, Eliza, Daniel Donald James, and Lydia J Bezanson.  Catherine died in March 1903 and is buried in the Bezanson Cemetery, Mt Thom, Pictou Co, NS.

On John Allen Bezanson's death record, their eldest son and my great grandfather, it states that his mother was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire but this is uncertain.  Different family trees show her family as living in Perthshire so I am uncertain as to which is correct. I have tried looking in every place that I can find for information but no luck so far.  I haven't been able to find her in the Scottish census records of 1841 -- none of the Cathrine's are living with their families. 

There is a story that a Jane Stewart who married Donald Kennedy in Stirling, and emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1848 with their two children, Thomas & Elizabeth, was Cathrine Stewart's sister -- just have to prove this.

Appreciate any info on possible other records to search -- I have even tried Scotland's People, but couldn't determine if she was on there.

Thank you,

jane

[Geoff]

Hi Jeb54,

I found my STEWARTS in the parish of Logierait, Perthshire.
With a little luck you could try there and some parishes that are nearby.

Good luck
Geoff

[ColC]

Trying to find a connection for Catherine & Jane/Jean may prove difficult, I doubt if the records below would help much.

The only likely marriage for Jane on SP

KENNEDY   DANIEL   JANE STEWART   06/11/1843   St Ninian, Stirling

The only birth for Elizabeth nothing for Thomas.

KENNEDY   ELIZABETH   DONALD KENNEDY/JEAN STEWART    15/06/1847   Larbert, Stirling

There are 11 Catherine Stewarts on SP born 1821 – 1823 but I guess the 1822 date came from other sources, so it could be more than +/- 1 year. How sure are you on Catherine’s birth year?

Only one was in Perthshire & 7 in Glasgow, the other 3 elsewhere.

I tried to match parents for birth sisters without success and as you say on some of the census returns Catherine was a servant.
 
Did the census returns or marriage record in Canada provide any extra data?

Colin

[JEB54]

Hello, thank you for your replies.

Catherine's date of birth comes from the 1901 Canada census records as being 30 Nov 1822.  Her grave memorial indicates that she died 25 Mar 1903 at the age of 81 years.  I have been unsuccessful in getting any documentation for her here in Canada --  tried to get their marriage record but was told that it would contain no information on parents if found and no death record.

As stated previously, my great grandfather's death record is the only one which provides information as to where his mother was born, other than just Scotland, states that she was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire.  There seems to be some questions on this from relatives who think she was born in Perthshire to a Donald Stewart and Elizabeth Cumming and that Glasgow was the port of her emigration.  There doesn't seem to be any documentation to verify that Donald and Elizabeth were her parents.

She seems to be a very elusive person to trace!! LOL

Again, thank you.

Jane

[loobylooayr]

Hi Jane,

Been having a wee search for you - nothing so far, I'm afraid.

Looking at Catherine's daughters names - Eliza and Lydia
Lydia has obviously been called after Ebenezer Bezanson 's mother ( I saw his death registration on FamilySearch) Therefore I would think there was a good chance that Eliza has been called after Catherine's mother (Eliza or more likely Elizabeth) Us Scots were very good at naming our children after grandparents  .
Normally 1st daughter  - mother's mother    2nd daughter- father's mother.
              1st son - father's father                2nd son - mother's father.

Looby

Added - there are , of course, often exceptions to that rule 

[ColC]

There was a marriage.

STEWART   DONALD   ELIZABETH CUMMING   16/12/1804   Fortingall
Children Fortingall
Jean 1809, Duncan 1811, Allan 1814, Girsel 1815

Then same parents but no other marriage for those names?
Jane 1832 Blair Atholl

Maybe as there were gaps/errors a Catherine was born 1822?

Colin

[JEB54]

Hello

I think Cathrine followed the naming pattern for her daughters but unsure about the sons.  Ebenezer's father's name was John William Bezanson, his father was Jean Jacques/John James, and his father was Jean Georges.  Catherine and Ebenezer's sons names were John Allen, William George, Alexander, and Daniel James -- I know that the name Allen was not a Bezanson family name nor Daniel/Donald.

So, maybe the Donald Stewart and Elizabeth Cumming are her parents??  Given that there doesn't seem to be much documentation, I was hoping that DNA would help, but no matches yet.

I appreciate both of your efforts to assist me!!!!

Jane

[Rosinish]

Do you have Cathrine on a passenger list with other Stewarts or relations & were there others with surname Stewart close to where Cathrine was living in the 1851 census for any clues?

"There is a story that a Jane Stewart who married Donald Kennedy in Stirling, and emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1848 with their two children, Thomas & Elizabeth, was Cathrine Stewart's sister"

Have you looked at the names of Jane's children for any clues?

Annie

[JEB54]

Hi, I have tried to connect Jane Stewart Kennedy with Cathrine but it has been very difficult.  The reason that I think there's a link between the two is that a couple of her descendants say that there is a letter written by Jane describing their walk to see Catherine & Ebenezer Bezanson upon their arrival in Nova Scotia.  We tried years ago to find their parents but were not successful, though, some Stewarts in Dundee, Angus looked promising.

The names of Jane's children don't follow the naming pattern -- eldest son was called Thomas Walker Kennedy (I am not sure who he is named after -- Donald's father was Findley Kennedy -- perhaps her mother was a Walker??  The daughter Elizabeth McKay Kennedy may have been named after both grandmothers (Donald's mother was a McKay).

Jane Stewart was born in 1816 (the date shown on her headstone) so if Donald Stewart and Elizabeth Cumming were her parents, I am not sure if they are the same parents of the one born in 1832.  By looking at the birth record, it seems unlikely. I think Donald and Elizabeth did have another daughter but she had an unusual name but I can't remember offhand -- something like Janet Matt.  Could Cathrine have changed her name?

Regarding the children of Donald & Elizabeth, I think that their sons Duncan & Allan also emigrated to Nova Scotia and perhaps their mother too (but will have to check).  Duncan married Janet, the daughter of a Robert Stewart.

Regards,

Jane