I would really welcome suggestions about finding anything more about my ggg-grandfather, William Swanson. He was recorded on the 1841 and 1851 censuses for Old Machar, Aberdeen, as a shoemaker, born in Caithness. He married Agnes Bain of College Street in 1828 and the 1851 census has him as 62, which if correct makes him born 1788/9. The 1841 census has his age -as 40-44, but since Agnes was 17 years younger hiding a few years was perhaps understandable.
So where can I go next? There are 3 OPRs for the birth of a William Swanson in 1788; 1 in Thurso and 2 in Dunnet, but who's to say which, if any is his? William was the name for 1st born sons in the family for 4 generations that I know of, so of the 3 OPRs for 1788, that of a birth to Willm. Swanson/Mary Gunn of Thurso is plausible, but what kind of records could prove or disprove this? Have I just reached the limits of what's possible to find out? All comments and suggestions will be much appreciated.
Jason
Any suggestions for finding William Swanson b1788? Caithness
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jscottswanson
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LesleyB
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Hi Jason
..and a warm welcome to Talking Scot
Do you think after his appearance in the 1851 there is any chance of him surviving long enough to die after 1855? If so, his death entry should give you his parents' names which would make your search a lot easier, but maybe you've looked for this already?
Best wishes
Lesley
..and a warm welcome to Talking Scot
Do you think after his appearance in the 1851 there is any chance of him surviving long enough to die after 1855? If so, his death entry should give you his parents' names which would make your search a lot easier, but maybe you've looked for this already?
Best wishes
Lesley
Researching:
Midlothian & Fife - Goalen, Lawrie, Ewart, Nimmo, Jamieson, Dick, Ballingall.
Dunbartonshire- Mcnicol, Davy, Guy, McCunn, McKenzie.
Ayrshire- Lyon, Parker, Mitchell, Fraser.
Easter Ross- McCulloch, Smith, Ross, Duff, Rose.
Midlothian & Fife - Goalen, Lawrie, Ewart, Nimmo, Jamieson, Dick, Ballingall.
Dunbartonshire- Mcnicol, Davy, Guy, McCunn, McKenzie.
Ayrshire- Lyon, Parker, Mitchell, Fraser.
Easter Ross- McCulloch, Smith, Ross, Duff, Rose.
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Wee Ina
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LesleyB
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Wee Ina
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Russell
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Hi Jason
I had exactly the same problem with my Omans from Halkirk in Caithness.
I was luckily in a position to take a holiday up there and spent a couple of days getting square eyes trawling through the Old Parochial records on microfilm. It was successful and we found my g g grandfather and his brothers with enough additional comment on the records that allowed us to check they were correct. Things like witnesses to births which tied in aunts and uncles. Its the slow way but can be worth it.
If a trip up north is not feasible you can, of course, get exactly the same film from your local LDS Centre and take photocopies of the OPR pages.
Our way was more fun though and let us visit graveyards and look at houses.
Russell
I had exactly the same problem with my Omans from Halkirk in Caithness.
I was luckily in a position to take a holiday up there and spent a couple of days getting square eyes trawling through the Old Parochial records on microfilm. It was successful and we found my g g grandfather and his brothers with enough additional comment on the records that allowed us to check they were correct. Things like witnesses to births which tied in aunts and uncles. Its the slow way but can be worth it.
If a trip up north is not feasible you can, of course, get exactly the same film from your local LDS Centre and take photocopies of the OPR pages.
Our way was more fun though and let us visit graveyards and look at houses.
Russell
Working on: Oman, Brock, Miller/Millar, in Caithness.
Roan/Rowan, Hastings, Sharp, Lapraik in Ayr & Kirkcudbrightshire.
Johnston, Reside, Lyle all over the place !
McGilvray(spelt 26 different ways)
Watson, Morton, Anderson, Tawse, in Kilrenny
Roan/Rowan, Hastings, Sharp, Lapraik in Ayr & Kirkcudbrightshire.
Johnston, Reside, Lyle all over the place !
McGilvray(spelt 26 different ways)
Watson, Morton, Anderson, Tawse, in Kilrenny
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jscottswanson
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Thanks for those suggestions
Lesley, Ina, Russell
Many thanks for those suggestions. I have looked into some of these avenues and found some good stuff, but as yet no links back to Caithness.
I visited Aberdeen in January trying to find details of William's death. What I found was little confusing. The ANESFHS had a local burial index which listed his burial as 12-May-1852 (i.e. pre-1855 so no civil registration of his death) and gave a lair reference. I then found the lair records at the civic offices but these showed that Agnes had not paid her £2 2/- for the lair until 2-May-1853. The records listed other family burials upto 1915 but not William, so I am not 100% sure if William is buried there or not.
I do have the OPR for their marriage, but this gives very little info other than their address (College Street) and the name of their kirk elder (John Arthur) and minister (Rev Hugh Hart). So far I have had no luck finding their kirk as the Rev Hart does not appear in the Fasti. If I can find the kirk, I thought there is an outside chance that sessions records might hold something.
And I agree with you Russell about the value of visiting in person. Aberdeen is a great city and visiting St Peter's cemetery and the streets noted in the census felt good. I'll get back there as soon as I can think of what my next angle is, but at the moment I'm stumped.
Thanks again to all.
Jason
Many thanks for those suggestions. I have looked into some of these avenues and found some good stuff, but as yet no links back to Caithness.
I visited Aberdeen in January trying to find details of William's death. What I found was little confusing. The ANESFHS had a local burial index which listed his burial as 12-May-1852 (i.e. pre-1855 so no civil registration of his death) and gave a lair reference. I then found the lair records at the civic offices but these showed that Agnes had not paid her £2 2/- for the lair until 2-May-1853. The records listed other family burials upto 1915 but not William, so I am not 100% sure if William is buried there or not.
I do have the OPR for their marriage, but this gives very little info other than their address (College Street) and the name of their kirk elder (John Arthur) and minister (Rev Hugh Hart). So far I have had no luck finding their kirk as the Rev Hart does not appear in the Fasti. If I can find the kirk, I thought there is an outside chance that sessions records might hold something.
And I agree with you Russell about the value of visiting in person. Aberdeen is a great city and visiting St Peter's cemetery and the streets noted in the census felt good. I'll get back there as soon as I can think of what my next angle is, but at the moment I'm stumped.
Thanks again to all.
Jason