James Steedman 1823-1912

[Neale1961]

Then this might be the 1851 census for your James ?......

Census:   1851  County:   Midlothian (MLN)  Civil Parish:   Glencross
Piece:   687  Enumeration District:   1  Folio:   692  Page:   6  Schedule:   16
House or Street Name:   Lawhead

BALLANTINE   James   Head   M   M   50   Farmer, 190 Ac Emp 5 Lab   Peeblesshire   Broughton      
BALLANTINE   Elisabeth   Wife   M   F   40   Farmer's Wife   Midlothian   Penicuik      
BALLANTINE   Clementina   Dau   -   F   11      Midlothian   Glencross      
BALLANTINE   Mary   Dau   -   F   10   Scholar   Midlothian   Glencross      
BALLANTINE   Isabella   Dau   -   F   8   Scholar   Midlothian   Glencross      
BALLANTINE   Janet   Dau   -   F   5   Scholar   Midlothian   Glencross      
BALLANTINE   Thomas   Son   -   M   3      Midlothian   Glencross      
BALLANTINE   James   Son   -   M   1      Midlothian   Glencross      
STEEDMAN   James   Servnt   U   M   22   Agricultural Labourer   Midlothian   Lasswade      
JACKSON   Joan   Servnt   U   F   24   House Servant   Midlothian   Carrington      
THOMSON   Edward   Servnt   U   M   23   Agricultural Labourer   Midlothian   Lasswade      
DODS   James   Servnt   U   M   18   Agricultural Labourer   Midlothian   Lasswade      
MOLIGAN   Patrick   Servnt   U   M   17   Agricultural Labourer   Ireland   -      
KILKENY   Thomas   Servnt   U   M   20   Agricultural Labourer   Ireland   -      
KILKENY   Margaret   Servnt   U   F   26   General Servant   Ireland   -

[Neale1961]

Did you note that James Steadman gives himself the middle name GEMMEL when he is informant on his wife’s death. That name might be helpful in tracing the family back.

Also …
I am not sure if you noted that the first child born to the union of James Steedman and Marion Campbell was not his first, but it was her first child. He had one son living in 1855 when his son James was born. I don’t know what became of that son (possibly was with his mother) but he is not with his father in any of the census records.

[Neale1961]

1861 census Alexander (a shepherd) and Ann Steedman are at Blackford Farm in Edinburgh.
Son Alexander is with them.

Alexander Steedman (age 78) died 15 May 1878
Ann Turnball Steedman (age 76) died 29 May 1878
The cemetery register gives the address as Blackford Farm


Death certificates -
STEEDMAN   ALEXANDER   78   
mother's name  - GEDDES   
M   1878   685 / 1 / 614   ST GEORGE
(His baptism is easy to find in West Linton 1800)

STEEDMAN   ANN   74   
mother's name  - MEIN   
F   1878   685 / 1 / 632   ST GEORGE
(Her baptism easy to find in Wilton 1801)

[Forfarian]

Looks good, but inconveniently James Steedman, parents Alexander S and Anne Turnbull, married Mary or Margaret Robertson and died in Glasgow in 1898. So it's not him.

In the census after his marriage James S husband-of-Marion consistently says he was born in the city of Edinburgh*, not Lasswade or Glencorse etc.
* Greenside is in the city.

[Forfarian]

ADDED - Also, the 1851 census I posted above is NOT correct.

Does that mean that the grandson of Peter S and Jean Coalier comes back into consideration?

- He's the right sort of age - 21 in 1851, so born 1829/1830
- He was born in the city (St Cuthbert's)

- Peter S and Jean Coalier had a son Alexander Ritchie Studman baptised in 1803.

Alexander Steedman, son of Peter S and Jean Collier, died in South Leith in 1878, aged 73. He married Isabella Dougall in 1841. Are the grandchildren living with Peter S and Jean C in 1841 his children by a previous marriage to Mary White?

[Neale1961]

Does that mean that the grandson of Peter S and Jean Coalier comes back into consideration?

I don’t know. Maybe. I spent a long time looking at this today and I am still puzzled.🤔
I was hoping the name GEMMEL might provide some clues.

[Forfarian]

I spent a long time looking at this today and I am still puzzled.🤔
I was hoping the name GEMMEL might provide some clues.

Likewise, but I have yet to find anything helpful.

There is a baptism of a Mary Whyte to Thomas W and Agnes Gemmill in Paisley in 1803, and no matching death after 1855, so it's possible. However the three grandsons don't include a Thomas.