Robert and Margaret Strathearn

[Currie]

There’s some great stuff on the http://www.venturacogensoc.org that you mentioned Sarah. Robert Perkins Strathearn is consistent with his age and there are a few items there that point to a birth year of 1852/3.

I couldn’t find an obit in the L.A. Times which is possibly a bit surprising as he is mentioned there quite a few times but never in any detail.

I came across a 1947 article in the L. A. times titled “Princess Linked to America by Scotch Ancestor” and proving that Princess Elizabeth is related to George Washington, Robert E. Lee and F. D. R. through a 17th Century Robert Porteous of Newbattle. Barack Obama didn’t get a mention for some reason or other.

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

Hi Alan,
It is indeed too bad that it isn't the right Robert Strathearn, since there is so much info on him! I'm nearly convinced that he must be the one who first went to Colorado, then Kansas, but am still following side paths to try to make sure. He did pretty well for himself also, but not in so spectacular a fashion

Regards,
Sarah

[garibaldired]

Hello Sarah (and anyone else taking an interest!),

I'm back!
In between cooking, baking, washing etc I've managed to work on this
It looks pretty conclusive that this isn't the Robert I was looking for but I do think his and my Robert's father, John, may have been brothers.

From FreeCen in 1841
Piece: SCT1841/716 Place: Pencaitland -East Lothian Enumeration District: 2
Civil Parish: Pencaitland Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 2 Page: 3
Address: Newtown



Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
STRATHERN Robert M 49 Coal Miner East Lothian
STRATHERN Margaret F 45 East Lothian
STRATHERN Janet F 25 East Lothian
STRATHERN George M 24 Coal Miner East Lothian
STRATHERN Christain F 20 East Lothian
STRATHERN John M 18 Coal Miner East Lothian
STRATHERN Robert M 16 Coal Miner East Lothian
STRATHERN Marion F 14 East Lothian
STRATHERN William M 11 East Lothian
STRATHERN Davidson M 8 East Lothian
STRATHERN James M 6 East Lothian
STRATHERN Nicole M 10m East Lothian

Age is right for my John (died 1880 age 56) and Californian Robert. John was variously described as a chinaware merchant on children's birth certificates and one of his sons was a quarryman. Perhaps not too far from a stone mason??!
Also the naming pattern is pretty strong both with Robert and Mary in California and my branch of Strathearns .
It certainly warrants further investigation

Thanks for all the information you emailed me too, Sarah. It makes a fascinating story of the rise to success of a Scottish immigrant. What a pity he never seems to have taken his cousin under his patronage!

With many thanks again,
Meg

[garibaldired]

I forgot to say this family as seen above in 1841 do also have an Isobel(la) born July 1820 according to the IGI.

Meg

[garibaldired]

During my recent visit to NAS, I looked at the 1879 trial papers for one of Robert and Margaret's siblings.
One of the papers included a statement from their father in which he talked of his daughter Margaret who had "travelled to California at the beginning of June 1878" and of his two older sons, one of whom was a mason!
Bingo!
I now appear to have discovered Margaret's marriage to a John Rutherford in Santa Barbara, California in 1881.
Isn't it amazing what you can find when you're not looking?
Best wishes,
Meg

[SarahND]

=D> Good news, Meg! You give me hope that one day I'll find a crucial bit of information that will open up one of the closed doors in my ancestry. I'm dreaming of a week in the archives in Aberdeen... but it doesn't look like it will happen any time soon
Santa Barbara would make a good vacation destination for you

Sarah

[garibaldired]

Thanks, Sarah.
It's funny how these things crop up isn't it?
Hopefully you'll have a similar piece of luck in Aberdeen one day!

Best wishes,
Meg