Alexander Thomson and Mary Clark

[Rozzy]

There seem to be 2 families with the  names of the above parents;

1.  Alexander Thomson and Mary Clark, children Charles, Margaret, John, Mary Ann, Alexander, emigrated to NSW Australia 24th July 1837 on "Portland", and had more children NSW.

2. Alexander Thomson and Mary Clark, on 1861 Census and 1871 Census Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland.  Various children.

The problem seems to be that these families look to have been 'merged' sharing about 20 children, some of these children are in NSW, and some are born in Scotland after 1837 emigration.

Dates of death for the NSW, Australia, Alexander and Mary are incorrect.

So it's messy.  Is anyone able to help to unravel the 2 families please?

[CaroleW]

Are you looking at somebody else's family tree?

If so - you need to ignore it & do your own research based on your own FH

Which Clark child are you descended from?  Was that child born in Scotland or NSW?

If in Scotland - when & where was it born.  Who did it marry - where & when?

[Rozzy]

Hi Carole

My husband is descended from the Thomson family in NSW Australia, Alexander and Mary (Clark) Thomson, who emigrated, and died in NSW Australia.

The problem is the children that have been attached to them seem to include the other Alexander and Mary's children because some were born after 1837 in Scotland, after the NSW lot emigrated.

I am trying to do my own research, but source material is attached to both of the Thomson families and difficult to see which children belong to whom.

Specifically for a start: 

Jean Thomson; was she of the Australian family and died before they emigrated;  OR, was she of the Scotland family and married Alexander Herron 21/10/1853. OR, were there 2 Jean's?

Barbara Thomson;  was she of the Australian family and died before they emigrated;  OR, was she of the Scotland family, who married John McGill in Scotland, and emigrated to Queensland, Australia, 1862 on the Ariadne, where she died 1918. OR, were there 2 Barbara's?

Thanks very much.

 

[CaroleW]

Which particular child is your husband descended from?  Name/birthyear/birthplace

[Rozzy]

Thank you for following up on this, Carole.

Child of Alexander and Mary Thomson (they emigrated under the name of Alex Thompson on the "Portland"): 

Charles Thomson
Birth: May 03, 1828 Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Death: July 04, 1900 (72) Paterson, New South Wales, Australia

[Neale1961]

It sounds like you are looking at a public tree and getting confused.

Alex Thomson (b 1808 Cumnock Ayrshire)
married 12 Nov 1830 Kirkoswald, Ayrshire
to Mary Clark (b 1809 Straiton)

They lived in Girvan in 1841 and in Kirkoswald 1851-1871 census. So they did not emigrate to Australia.

Children born Kirkoswald: Jean 1830, John 19/01/1832, Barbara 1833, Agnes 1835, Alex 1839, Sarah 1841, Margaret 1843, Mary 1844, William 1846, Elisabeth 1849, Ann Dick 1851

-   Note: daughter Barbara married John McGill in 1862 Scotland, and emigrated in 1862 to Queensland.

[Neale1961]

The family on the ship “Portland” in 1837:
Alexander Thomson 35 a native of county Antrim,
Mary 33 a native of county Tyrone,
Children on board Portland: Charles 9, Margaret 7, John 5, Mary Ann 2&3/4 , Alex 15 months
Children born in NSW: Richard 1841, Agnes 1843, Caroline Shaw 1844.

[Neale1961]

Alexander Thomson married 7 Apr 1826 in Stevenston, Ayrshire to Mary Clark

Children baptised in Largs, Ayrshire
-   Charles 1/06/1828
-   Margaret 25/7/1830
-   John 21/10/1832
-   Mary Ann 18/01/1835
-   Alexander 25/09/1836

[Rozzy]

Thank you very much Neale.

The family that I am related to is the one you have listed, they married and had children in Ayrshire, Scotland, and emigrated on the Portland in 1837. I am not confused about that part and have all that information.

I'm trying to determine children of the family; in numerous public trees there have been many children attached to the NSW Australian "Alexander and Mary Thomson".

It seems that some of 'their' children belong to the other family of "Alexander and Mary Thomson", who are on the Scotland Census until 1871, having children that you have listed, thank you very much.

(Note; Both families had children at Ayrshire, Scotland prior to 1837).

Their first 3 children; Jean, John and Barbara have been linked to the Australian family, and in fact John born 1832 is listed in both of those families - John (5) emigrated 1837.

Could you please confirm that there are 2 John Thomson's born 1832?  Thank you.

That is the confirmation of children that I was looking for, so I really appreciate your help.

Could I please have any source material you might have to ensure that the correct children are with the correct parents please, as this is where my roadblock started.

Much appreciated.