Peter McCallum - Merchant in Greenock

[loobylooayr]

Hi CelticMom,

What a terrible start in life for young  Henry and William McCallum. You would therefore imagine they had been orphaned by 1851. The  older Gilchrist couple and woman with whom the McCallum family are registered with in 1841, and who may have been relatives of Harriet's are missing from 1851 Census too.

Looking at Peter McCallum, their father. Sadly you do not have much documented evidence of his life. You know he was married to Harriet in Leith ( what year please?)  and his son Henry James Laurence was baptised in Falkirk in Jan 1841. You know he was in Leith with the Gilchrist family on 1841 Census - a 24 year old Shoemaker who was born outside the Census county. Was William's baptism recorded?

Looking at your other thread. You have linked Peter to a brother Robert McCallum through DNA results. As already said, I know nothing about DNA  but would like to ask how strong/accurate those results are that mean you can definitely say these men were brothers and not more distantly related.

You have information on Robert McCallum from his second marriage in 1855. This gives you the birthplace for Robert of Tradeston and the parents Peter McCallum ( auctioneer) and Elizabeth McFadyen.
Who were the witnesses to this marriage?

It is interesting that both Peter and Robert need name a son Henry . Of course Robert's son may have been called after his cousin. But it makes me wonder if this was another family name.

Lastly. Iron merchant/ auctioneer??  Personally I would not link one with the other. Mind you, just because Robert McCallum said his father was an auctioneer on his marriage record doesn't mean he actually was. He wouldn't be the first or last to make a mistake or embellish the truth on a marriage cert.

Looby 

[CelticMom]

Thank you for you reply.

I haven’t found Williams birth as it was in Leith and there seems to be a bulk of records missing for that period. His baptism and his parents, grandparents  deaths.

I’m am pretty confident Peter is Roberts brother as I dna match to various branches from Elizabeth McFadyen and I wouldn’t do that if I didn’t descend from her.

Witnesses at Roberts marriage are Matilda Aitken and what looks like Robert Day or ODay

I’m not feeling too convinced about Peter McCallum iron merchant anymore. Reason being is when I look at my dna matches for McCallum there is a pattern of using the names Dugald, Duncan and Donald in children and they all seem to connect back to Girzall Munro and Donald McCallum of Inveraray, so the clue is there I think. My Peter has to fit inbetween them somewhere. Peter (iron merchant) doesn’t use any of those names. I can see there are some of Donald’s and Girzall  sons ending up in the Renfrew/Lanark area so my Peter could be the son of any of those.

I’ve been plotting back all my mccallum dna matches hoping that something stands out and most link through to Girzall and Donald.

With Elizabeth McFadyen being born 1792 I’d expect him to be born anywhere from 1781 to her year too but he could be much older or even slightly younger.

Hopefully I can crack this at some point. I’ve definitely made progress after years of being stuck by working out his mother at least.

 

[CelticMom]

Found a Peter McCallum born about 1792/93 who died in Leith in 1840, occupation Wine and Spirit dealer - could this be Peter and Roberts father maybe?

[raonull4]

hi
 1841 census Trongate, glasgow
Elisabeth McCallum 60
peter McCallum 25
could be Elizabeth McFadyen with son Peter

[CelticMom]

hi
 1841 census Trongate, glasgow
Elisabeth McCallum 60
peter McCallum 25
could be Elizabeth McFadyen with son Peter

Thank you - My Peter is in Leith in 1841 with wife Harriet, so I don’t think this is him. Occupation was a Shoemaker.

Plus Elizabeth was born 1792 - so this Elizabeth would be too old (although I know census ages can be way off)

She could be related though, wife of Peter McCallum seniors brother maybe.

[CelticMom]

Ugh and now I am not sure about Peter McCallum and Elizabeth McFadyen being his parents. I definitely dna match to McFadyen and McGarvie which are Surnames from a Elizabeth but I think these may be coicidental. As I have two surnames that match this person.

Which takes me back to The only info I know is Peter McCallum born 1817 Living in Leith but not born in Leith, married in Leith 1840, first son Henry James Laurence born in Falkirk (what is the Falkirk connection) and then William Gilchrist born about 1845, between then date and 1851 Peter and hus wife are deceased.

If they followed naming patterns you would expect Henry James Laurence to have some connect. William Gilchrist the second son is the name of Harriets his wives father.

[loobylooayr]

Hi -

Thanks for the info from Robert McCallum's marriage cert - I had hoped the witnesses names might give a clue....but maybe not !

I think you are wise to regroup and begin with what you know about Peter McCallum.
Can I ask if you have read the original records on Scotlands People of both his marriage to Harriet and the birth of Henry James Laurence in Falkirk?
If so, how were they worded . Can you transcribe please?

We are assuming both Peter and Harriet - plus the entire Gilchrist family are deceased by 1851. However it is worth pointing out that because the children are in the poorhouse that might not be the case - I have examples in my own tree of children being in the poorhouse when only one parent is deceased or if a parent has abandoned them   

Henry James Laurence McCallum's name is interesting - as you say if they were following the traditional naming pattern you would expect this to relate to Peter's father's name.
The birth/christening of Henry in Falkirk is also interesting - there could be a family connection to that area.

Looby

[CelticMom]

unfortunately they don't give much info.

On the marriage in Leith:
Peter McCallum, Shoemaker, Citadel, and Harriet Pearson Gilchrist, South Fort Street, N Leith, daughter of William Gilcrist (Royal Navy Gunner) were proclaimed on the 22nd and married on the 23 March 1840 by Rev Francis Muir Minister in Leith

(no witnesses mentioned).

Citadel might be a clue for Peter, but couldn't find anything.

On the baptism of Henry James Laurence McCallum in Falkirk:
Henry James Laurence McCallum son of Peter McCallum and Harriet Gilchrist born 26th december 1840 established 18th October 1840.  So she must of been pregnant when they married.


Death of William Gilchrist (originally I only had his death date from his pension record) but I have found it in St Cuthberts the same parish Henry and William are in in 1851 in the workhouse .
1st August 1843 Wm Gilchrist - Late Gunner 3 S Fort Street, Leith, age 68  (Disease of Bowels).

I can't find William Gilchrist McCallum's baptism, maybe Harriet died in childbirth. He would have been born about 1842-1845 by his census age.

He and his brother Henry are in St Cuthberts Workhouse in 1851, I can't locate Henry after this. William ends up as a Lodger with the Newlands by 1861 at 32 West Port and he marries their daughter Mary Ann. He is at 5 Portland Pl in 1871 with Mary Ann, her parents and his children and then dies in 1875.

[CelticMom]

Got another son for Peter and Harriet - no baptism from what I can see, but here is his death.

James McCallum died 12 May 1846 (age 1 and 2 months) - father Peter McCallum (now a Tailor it seems)  - 3 South Fort Street - cause of death Measles.

So I am presuming Harriet and Peter were still alive in 1846.