Still struggling with James Harper.....

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:32 am

Hi Everyone,
I have posted about this problem before but thought I would give it a new airing in the hope that someone can help!
My gt gt grandfather James Harper married Hannah Dobie in Lasswade in 1842. He was not living with his family in the 1841 census (he was working in Cleish Kinross-shire where the couple settled) and he consistently gives his dob as c1820 in Carrington or Inveresk, Midlothian.
From SP and the IGI I can only find one James Harper born around this time and his parents are William and Christian (ms Ronaldson) Harper.
My problem is that despite having 11 children none are called William or Christian, while the Dobie names seem to figure strongly. If I follow the Scottish naming pattern (they seem to have reversed it ie mother's parents first) his parents would be John and Jane Harper, but I can find no such couple.

So, do I have to accept that I am stuck? Should I order the film for births in that parish from my LDS centre or will this not help?

Please please give me your thoughts and ideas; my head's hurting from banging it against this wall!

Meg

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:39 am

Hi Meg
I'm probably stating the obvious here, and apologies if you have tried this - but is there any chance he was obliging enough to die after 1855?

Best wishes
Lesley

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:34 pm

Sorry Lesley I forgot that frustrating bit; he died in 1891 and his son, the informant, didn't give his father's parents'names on the certificate!
Meg

Jockbird · Post by **Jockbird** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:53 pm

Hi Meg,

There is nothing worse than when you find that all hopeful death cert and they informant doesn't give you that vital bit of info....i do sympathise.

Apols for the rude question but was James literate? I've found a few of mine who were not literate, were not numerate either and it was sometimes a case of 1,2 miss a few when counting ages.

What about his age on the death cert? Where does that get you for a possible Y O B?

My Gx2 grandfather managed to be almost 10 years out on his own age for his marriage cert (he was literate as he managed to sign it), I was searching in all the wrong places because of this.

What are the names you've got for the children? Looking on the IGI for James Harpers in Midlothian there is one in Colinton in 1811 born to an Adam Harper & Jean Anderson, Jean & Jane are often swapped round, and another in Stow in 1825 born to a James Harper & Elizabeth Gibson. Do any of those names fit? I know there is a huge difference in the years for these two but age didn't seem to mean as much then.

Good luck

Donna

x

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:17 pm

Hi Donna,
Thanks for your thoughts.
The children's names in order are Hannah, James, Jane, John, Thomas, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Margaret, Barbara & Agnes (sorry there are only 10, not 11 as I said above).
His age at death is given as 73 which obviously gives a dob of 1819 and which agrees with IGI & OPR for the James son of William & Christian. Incidentally these 2 names don't crop up in their descendants either.
I think the Stow one is too much of a discrepancy - though their names would fit nicely!

Meg

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:12 pm

Hello Meg,

I know you've checked the census records for his age and place of birth but what does it say on his daughter Margaret's 1855 birth entry?

I have a few 1855 births where the age and place of birth of the parents have been very accurate in all of them.

Regards,
Annette M

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:54 pm

Hello Annette,

The 1855 birth certificate gives his age as 36 and birthplace as Carrington
which confirms the IGI and the OPR

Meg

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:58 pm

So do you all think I should just take William Harper and Christian Ronaldson as the parents of James Harper?

Meg