Thomas Frater, Infantry Soldier, early 1800's

[Rakiura John]

Hi I have the 1879 Death Cert for Margaret Scott born 1784 in Morebattle, dau of William Scott & Christian Robson. The Death Cert mentions she was the widow of John Cockburn (which I was well aware of), but it also mentions that she was previously the widow of "Thomas Frater, Soldier (Infantry)", which was a surprise. I haven't found the record for either of her marriages.
I haven't found any kids to Thomas Frater & Margaret, not found his death record nor found anything about it in UK Newspaper Archives.

There was a Lieut. Thomas Frater in the Fraser Fencible Infantry Unit based in Ireland in 1799, the Unit was disbanded in 1802. There were many Scots units at Waterloo in 1815. All I know is that he would have died before 1819 – as by then Margaret is described as “John Cockburn's spouse” (in 1819 birth of their son Thomas).

Has anyone come across this Thomas Frater?

[Neale1961]

Margaret and family in 1841
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a155fadf4040b9d6e750255/margaret-cockburn-1841-roxburghshire-morebattle-1786-?locale=en

In 1851
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59046efee9379091b137ed6b/margaret-cockburn-1851-roxburghshire-morebattle-1785-?locale=en

They are still there in 1861, but husband John is dead.

[Neale1961]

I can’t see any marriages, but we are on the border, so there might be something in England.
There seem to be a few Frater families in Berwickshire and Northumberland.

What was the occupation of Margaret’s father? If he was in the military, her marriages might have been abroad.
Who was the informant in Margaret’s death?  It is possible that the name of 1st husband, is not remembered quite correctly.

[Rakiura John]

Thanks Neale1961.

Margaret father, William Scott, was a Farm Worker/Ploughman.

Margaret's Death informant was her grandson, Andrew Scott. She was 94 when she died so certainly a long time had elapsed since her first marriage. But the grandson was aware of that marriage so we can only assume the info was correct or he had found some relevant papers.

[Neale1961]

But the grandson was aware of that marriage so we can only assume the info was correct or he had found some relevant papers.

You are very trusting John. From my experience with death certificates, I would only assume that SOME of the information MIGHT be correct.

[Rosinish]

But the grandson was aware of that marriage so we can only assume the info was correct or he had found some relevant papers.

You are very trusting John. From my experience with death certificates, I would only assume that SOME of the information MIGHT be correct.

I'd agree on taking all the info. at face value is not a good idea...

A relative of mine was a widow who married a widower who I met/knew.
Their marriage had no father named for hubby so I purchased the 1st marriage to see what it revealed - blank again...
I then purchased his DC in the hope he'd confided in my relative who his father was - blank again but I did notice my relative had given a wrong name for the previous wife although she'd got the forename correct the surname was wrong with only the initial correct yet she'd been married to him for 18 yrs & was the informant on his death.

Annie