David Bruce - Who were his parents ?

darylrodger · Post by **darylrodger** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:21 pm

Hi,

I was hoping someone out there could help me with confusing one.

I have an ancestor named David Bruce who was born circa 1846 in Craigo, Brechin. The problem lies with the names of his parents. His death certificate for 1910 aged 65, state his mother was Elizabeth Bruce m.s. Strachan. His father was a stone-quarrier. On his 2nd wedding on 2nd June 1894 was to Isabella Stevenson Keillor, it says his mother was Jane Strachan, and his father William was a crofter. His 1st marriage was to Mary Shirret, on 9th June 1865.

My existing details are that his father was William Bruce a fisherman from St. Combs, Lonmay Aberdeenshire, who died on 8th Aug 1875.

His son William was my great-grandfather. How do sort out which parents belong to him ?

Regards,

Daryl

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:46 pm

Hi Daryl

His death certificate for 1910 aged 65, state his mother was Elizabeth Bruce m.s. Strachan. His father was a stone-quarrier.

What was his father's name given as on this entry? Who was the death informant?

his 2nd wedding on 2nd June 1894 was to Isabella Stevenson Keillor, it says his mother was Jane Strachan, and his father William was a crofter.

What is the father's surname on the 2nd marriage?

His 1st marriage was to Mary Shirret, on 9th June 1865.

What are his parents given as in 1865?

My existing details are that his father was William Bruce a fisherman from St. Combs, Lonmay Aberdeenshire, who died on 8th Aug 1875.

What is the source of your existing details? What info does William Bruce's death give? Usually wives will be mentioned by name if the informant knew them.

Have you found the family in any of the census years? The 1851 would be good as you might find David as a child with his parents.

Best wishes
Lesley

ellenavon · Post by **ellenavon** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:23 am

Hi

I'd be more inclined to believe that David himself knew his mother's christian name better than the informant on the death cert.

Given that, this could be a probability:

1851 @ Den Road, Brechin

William Bruce, 36, General Labourer, b. Logie Pert, Forfarshire/Angus
Jean (common variant for Jane), wife, 34, b. Marykirk, Kincardineshire
Mary 14, b. Logie Pert
Helen 10 b. Logie Pert
Ann 8 b. Logie Pert
David 6 b. Logie Pert
Jean, 5 months b. Brechin

1861 @ 115-17 River Street, Brechin

William Bruce, 45, Free Stone Quarrier, b. Logie Pert
Jean, 44, wife, b. Marykirk, Kincardineshire
Mary, 24
Helen 19
David 17, Flax Mill Worker (all 3 b. Logie Pert)
Jean 10
Charles 7
Elizabeth 4 (all 3 b. Brechin)

Marraige 09 Jun 1865 @ Brechin, David Bruce to Mary Sherrat

1871 @ Newington Lane, Brechin

David Bruce, 25, Bleacher, b. Logie Pert
Mary, 23, wife
Margaret H, 5
Betsy H, 3
Annie A, 1

Hope this helps.

Ellen

ellenavon · Post by **ellenavon** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:31 am

And - there is an extracted christening on IGI of

Jane Strachan 13 Jan 1816 Marykirk, Kincardineshire

to James Strachan and Margaret Nicol.

So looks like the above Jean was certainly Jane.

Regards

Ellen

darylrodger · Post by **darylrodger** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:22 pm

Hi Ellen,

Many thanks for unravelling David's parents for me.

Hopefully I can now continue tracing the rest of them without getting the feeling I'm on the wrong track!

Regards,

Daryl