Peter Raitt - ships'carpenter

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:28 pm

Hi Jen,

Who raised Jane? I think it would be unusal for a wife to raise her husband's illegitimate offspring. There are five or six of these kids in both sides of my family and so far they have been raised either by the mother herself or the parents or siblings of the man involved. However, anything and everything is possible.

I have to be out of the house most of today, but when I get home I'll post a picture of Ann Raitt's son Malcolm and his family. If I have this figured correctly, you and I are fourth cousins.

Carol

jen wilson · Post by **jen wilson** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi,

Jane was raised by James and Christian and as far as anyone knew, she was Christian's child. But the same applies to Alexander, born 1843, who is now known, because of the Kirk Sessions Records, to have been Eliza Sherriff's child.

It looks as though Christian was more than dutiful towards her errant husband.

Look forward to the photos. I can try to do the same with some of my Raitts if you like. I have Peter Grant Raitt, his wife Jane Milne and all of their offspring on a diamond wedding anniversary photograph.

Cheers,

Jen

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:49 pm

Hi Jen,

Sounds like Christian was downright generous! I was going to suggest that she agreed to Jane because it appears that her daughter Jane born in 1837 had died and had been the only girl they had, but if she raised Alexander too then she must have had a big heart.

I just posted the picture of Ann Raitt's son Malcom and family under People and Animals in the Gallery. It should come up soon. I would really like to see the picture of Peter Grant Raitt to see if there is a "family resemblance". Where did the Grant name come from, any idea?

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1341

I've wondered about several of the middle names. Ann and John's second child was named Margaret Connon in 1833. One of the things my sister found in my father's papers was a pocket notebook of my grandfather's and one of the names in it was Connon. No first name or explanation. This would have been from the early 1900's. I haven't found a link between the families. Also, my grandmother's middle name was Taylor. There are so many Taylor's out there that I haven't been able to link them either.

Carol

Gallery url added by Marilyn

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:50 pm

Thanks for the URL, Marilyn!

Can you believe that the Mary Cadenhead Munro in this picture is the same one who was masquerading in the Willow St. picture?

Carol

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:39 pm

Hi Carol
What an absolutely cracking photograph. Nice and crisp and the clothing is just wonderful! Thanks for letting us see that one.

Best wishes
Lesley

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:16 am

Hi Lesley,

It did post beautifully. Can you believe how tiny the girls waists are? And the clothes are amazing. The picture was taken sometime after 1895 and before 1905. My grandmother had a twin sister, Elsie Fraser, who died at age 15 in 1895 and Malcolm died in 1905 so I was able to narrow down the date. I'm guessing 1900 because Isabella looks to be in her late teens.

Malcolm was a master jeweler and was able to afford to dress his family well, but all of the kids, girls too, had jobs. All those ruffles make the girls look taller than they must have been. My father topped out his side of the family at 5 feet 9 inches. I'm only 5 feet 2 inches tall and can't imagine myself in one of those frocks!

Carol

Post by **emanday** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:25 am

speleobat2 wrote:Can you believe how tiny the girls waists are?

Amazing! But I'll bet those corsets pinched

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:03 am

Those high starched collars that the guys are wearing don't look real comfortable either!

Carol

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:11 am

Hi Jen,

Have you looked at William Raitt's will yet?

I just pulled it up. Son William gets the Cloverhill leases and leases on other land held by someone named John Craighead in Mindurno. Daughters Margaret and Jane apparently received payments for their services prior to William's death and he notes this in the will to explain to other members of the family. Wife Margaret gets the "widows third" of remaining estate excluding the mare in the yard which belongs to son William.

The remaining two thirds gets divided equally among his "whole children of the present marriage". I wonder if James got his habit of fathering children out of wedlock from his own father!? Which makes me wonder how many of Ann's brothers and sisters including James were legitimate?

Ann's husband John Munro apparently was indebt for borrowing money from William Raitt because the will specifies that this sum be deducted from Ann's portion.

The only children mentioned by name in the will are Ann, William, Margaret and Jane.

I have to go back to the list of wills for Raitts because I think there was a Margaret Raitt listed, but I don't know if this is William's wife or daughter. If it is his wife's will, that could be very interesting to read too.

Carol

jen wilson · Post by **jen wilson** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:03 pm

Thanks Carol,

No I hadn't looked at the will so that's really helpful. I knew it was there and have been tempted but I am trying to avoid spending too much money on this game at the moment so was waiting until I felt I could justify yet another addition to my credit card. I shall no doubt give in soon.

Also, I haven't had a great deal of time to give to family history recently. Family real life has sort of taken over with an elderly and ailing mother, a sister's 60th birthday and visits from both daughters, all on top of my busiest time work-wise, I am quite looking forward to this weekend when I hope to treat myself to some quality genealogy time.

Thanks again,

Jen