Donaldson's

[Kirsty01]

Yes I’ve seen that & I did reply to it but it was quite a few years ago so I  don’t know if anyone will see my reply. That Henry is my great great great uncle.

[Alan of Kaslo]

If that 1778 Dunfermline one is the correct Robert Donaldson then you can see it's not far to Carnock where he and Jane Campbell had the kids.

Also there is a death on SP for a Robert Donaldson , correct age , at Falkirk (connected on map).

DONALDSON
   
ROBERT
80
-----
M
1858
479 / 2 / 85
Falkirk Landward

He had been a farm servant... because it's after 1855 the record should be quite informative as far as parents/occupation/spouse etc. Worth having a closer look.

[Kirsty01]

Hi Alan yes I did see that death record which has his father as John Donaldson which could mean his mother was Margaret Short? The son who signed the death record also fits in with the kids he had. I'll have to have another look on Scotlands people to see if there are any other records for a Robert Donaldson born to a John Donaldson in that area. thank you.

[Alan of Kaslo]

Interestingly there is no marriage for a John Donaldson to a Margaret Short (that I can find) ... but there is this:

DONALDSON JOHN
   
ELIZABETH SHORT/
19/11/1743
421
10 / 214
Dairsie

Could just be a coincidence.

If it is the same John Donaldson and he had a son in 1778 then , if he was born 20 years before this wedding he'd be 55 for the birth. That makes it in the realm of possibility.

[Kirsty01]

Hi Alan I don’t think they ever did marry there is a bit on the kirk session’s under the minute’s for Alloa on the 20th February 1778 they both went before the church at the time it says John Donaldson an unmarried man so I’m not sure if he married someone else before Robert was born or what? I did look at marriage’s for 1777 to see if he married before Robert was born but didn’t find anything.

[Alan of Kaslo]

Gotcha.

I wonder if John Donaldson was also the father of the other kids in Alloa that were born at the same time as Robert.  One was in 1776 and another in 1779.

[Kirsty01]

Now that sounds interesting I’ll have a look into those.

[Alan of Kaslo]

There is a few John Donaldson's around Alloa at the time though. I see at least 4 that marry between 1778 and 1788.

[Kirsty01]

Yes I saw that too which makes it hard trying to figure out which one he is. There is also no census records for back then either which makes things difficult.