James Black b Coldstream

[ALSmum]

Hi, this is my first post so I hope I`m in the right place !

My gt grandfather James Black born Coldstream 1855.
He married Jane Blyth Oct 13th 1880 and had 2 children Alexander Black born Oct 1881 in Selkirk and Rachel Black born 1884 in Selkirk.
Jane Blyth then died 1890 in Hawick.
On the 1891 Census James Black and Alexander Black are still in Hawick.
James then married Agnes Johnston on Sept 10th 1892 and their son Adam was born April 6th 1893.
On the 1901 Census Agnes is still in Hawick, but living with he son Adam and her mother Mary Johnston. Agnes describes herself as married. There is no sign of James Black on the 1901 Census
However, this week I had a breakthrough and found the service record of Alexander Black dated 1899 which states his father`s name as James Black address unknown.
I cannot find any reference to James Black anywhere, can anyone find him ? !!!!

[WilmaM]

Hi A Warm Welcome to Talking Scot.

A few avenues I wonder if you've looked at?
1. 1911 census, have you found the family members in that - could James be with Alexander if he's not with 2nd wife & Adam.
2. What happened to Rachel?
3. Adam: do you have a Marriage or death for him? they should give parent details plus whether they are alive or not [if James died Agnes may have remarried]
they could date a time window for his death or disappearance.
4. Likewise Alexander death or marriage for him.
5. James Black is a horribly common name to be searching for with few other details

Side note - you say he was born in 1855 - do you have his birth certificate? that's the 'Golden Ticket' of certificates full of information not recorded in other years.

[ALSmum]

Thanks for your reply. I joined this website to try to break this brickwall! I thought I would try to get someone else`s thoughts on it !

Rachel died 1902 in Melrose Asylum.

I have everything for Adam - Agnes states on 1901 census still married. She died 1908 status widow.

I have birth cert. James Black born 5th August 1855 Coldstream father Alexander Black mother Rachel Wallace.
Also, both of his marriages. Census returns for 1861,1871,1891.

I appreciate the " common-ness " of James Black, I was just hoping that someone may also be se looking for him. The problem is that Adam was the only child of Jame`s marriage to Agnes so I`m not really expecting to find anyone else researching that side of the family.

There is an online tree from Jame`s first marriage to Jane Blyth, but the owner doesn`t seem aware of his second marriage.

Thanks for your interest.

[AnneM]

This may not help much but there is a tree on Ancestry which states that Rachel married Alexander Stewart in 1909. Having looked at the record this would seem to be the case and on her marriage certificate she gives her mother Jeanie Blyth as deceased but not her father James Black. Do you know where Rachel was in 1891?

Anne

[ALSmum]

The tree on Ancestry is the one I`ve seen; Ive free access to Ancestry at my local library, but it doesn`t enable contact.

I believe that in 1891 Rachel was in Edinburgh with her mother`s parents and none of them knew of James` whereabouts.
There was a story that Adam had a cousin who went to Canada, but I`m wondering if in fact it was James ( Adam`s father ).

[AnneM]

Possibly he did. I take it that you have looked at the passenger lists to see if he is on them. Is there any sign of a bigamous marriage anywhere as that can explain a disappearance. Sometimes people did just head off and desert their family and this may well be what he did.

Anne

PS Have you looked to see if their are any poor law records available for Hawick. The Heritage Hub there is great and the staff very helpful. A record for James's second wife might have some information.

[nelmit]

I notice you don't have James in 1881 but I think this is him at Hawick.

Rachael Wallace 55
James Wallace 25
Rachael Wallace 17
Jeanie Wallace 25 Daughter in law born Selkirk

The next bit is very far fetched but I'm going to put it forward anyway just in case.................

Before I found the census I did a search at Ancestry for a James Wallace (in case he was using his mother's name) born 1855 at Coldstream and up popped an army pension record. This James Wallace joined in 1900, says he is single and his next of kin is his father Alexander who lives at 34 Roxburgh St, Kelso. Unfortunately I cannot find anybody at 34 Roxburgh St in 1900.

I also cannot find a James Wallace born to Alexander at Coldstream around 1855.

This James Wallace served in the Royal Scots till 1915 and was living at Garscadden on discharge. He appears to be still living there in 1920 and 1925. Unfortunately there are a few too many James Wallaces or Blacks to try and confirm this man's death. It is not the James Wallace who is registered at Hillhead in 1932.

So if anybody can come up with proof that this person really is James Wallace born to Alexander at Coldstream around 1855 then it would certainly rule him out.

Regards,
Annette

[ALSmum]

Thank you all for your replies.

I put James Black`s name birth date and place of birth into a search of passenger lists but it returned thousands.
James Black and his second wife Agnes were my gt grandparents, so I know what happened to her and Adam after James disappeared.

However, Nelmit`s theory is quite interesting as I`d puzzled as to how james got to Hawick and met Agnes.

SO - 1881 Scottish Census Alexander Black James`s father lived " over Roxburgh " with Jane Brown age 24, son Thomas Black age 6 and son William Black age 1. NOW I remember thinking where was Rachel his wife, I next found her death in 1902 cert says Rachel Wallace Black widow ( to save face in view of Jane I imagine ).

So the ages of all the Hawick Wallaces fit and if they are the right ones Jeanie ( Jane ? ) Wallace was born in Selkirk. The 17 year old Rachel Wallace would be the youngest daughter of Rachel age 55, she was 8 on the 1871 Census.

I`ll now give some thought to the James Wallace in the army. How ironic if it is him as his oldest son served with the Royal Scots too !!

Thanks once again for all this.

PS. Not having seen the marriage cert of the Rachel Black who married Alexander Stewart I wasn`t aware of her mother`s name now recorded as Jeanie

[AndrewP]

Here's an outside possibility for you: James Black, who died in Glasow (Provan) in 1941, aged 84, is given as the widower of Agnes Johnston(e) - not fully legible. His parents are listed as John Black and Margaret Black (ms. Reid). The death was registered by son Robert Black, of 1192 Duke Street, Glasgow.

Any chance?

All the best,

AndrewP

[ALSmum]

Thanks Andrew, but his father was Alexander Black and his mother Rachel Black ms Wallace .