Grassie family of Aberdeen

[Kari G]

I am looking for any information on a woman named Jessie Grassie who immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1929 out of Glasgow, at age 24. I have the ship passenger list and it shows her as married to John Grassie of 280 Hardget, Aberdeen, and her father is named on the list as James Grassie, of Rose Cottage, Midstocket Road, Aberdeen. (I'm not sure how they both can have the same last name or if she was using her married or maiden name.)

The story goes that Jessie and James had a daughter but he deserted them and she left the child in Aberdeen with her mother and was going to have her come over later.

Jessie also had an older sister who came to Toronto, Canada in 1925 and was employed as an accountant. She also had a brother who was a war veteran and had lost an arm. He ran a billiard room in Aberdeen in 1930. Another brother lived in England in 1930 with two children and was a bus driver.

Any suggestions or assistance in tracking down the family or geneology would be appreciated.

[AndrewP]

Hi Kari,

If you go to the ScotlandsPeople website marriages and select groom's surname GRASSIE in the years 1920 to 1929 for the whole of Scotland you get 12 results. Of these, there are five in Aberdeen. Of these five, three are Jessie or Janet. Of these three, one married a John Grassie. That should be worth a gamble to see if the bride's father is James. If he is, then there is a good chance this is the Jessie that you are seeking. See if she is of an age at marriage that would lead back to a birth around 1905. If so, the chances improve of this being the right Jessie.

Assuming the details above look good for her being the right Jessie, then the children should be next to seek, either under the name Grassie or by Jessie's maiden surname in that era. For 1920 to 1929 there are 8 Grassie births in Aberdeenshire. Unfortunately the only the index is available for births within the last 100 years. If there are any certificates there that you need to see, you will need to send away for them or have somebody look them up for you in the SP Centre in Edinburgh, or Park Circus in Glasgow. There is one there who I would bet good money on being a product of the John Grassie marriage above - the middle name matches that Jessie's maiden surname, and was born in the year of that marriage.

All the best,

AndrewP

[keewik]

Hello Kari.

There are a couple of William Grassies on the World War 1 Pension Records on Ancestry. I've only had time to look at one - he had some sort of shrapnel injury to his upper right arm and was discharged as unfit. His next of kin was down as James Grassie who lived at Village Road, Aberdeen; however William then married somebody whose name looks like Jessie Henderson. This man had joined in 1899, so not just for the war. Don't know if he's too old to be your Jessie's brother as he must have been born in early 1880's.

I'll try to look at the other record tomorrow.

[Kari G]

Thank you both. I've found the Jessie, John and James and the daughter Jessie. It appears that the first Jessie died in 1974 in Aberdeen which must mean she returned home from Canada. Can I check ship manifests arriving in Glasgow somehow? I can do so on Ancestry for ships arriving in Canada but am wondering about the other way around. Thanks for your help.

Kari

[SarahND]

Hi Kari,

Can I check ship manifests arriving in Glasgow somehow? I can do so on Ancestry for ships arriving in Canada but am wondering about the other way around.

On Ancestry you can find the database UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960. It may not be recent enough for her permanent move back, but there is a Rose Grassie age 24 coming back for a visit in 1931 from Saint John, N.B. to Greenock. Proposed address in U.K.:

Rose Cottage, Mid. Slocket Rd., Aberdeen

All the best,
Sarah

[speleobat2]

Hi all,

Findmypast has a Rose Grassie b. 03 Apr 1908 leaving Southhampton for NY on 05 July 1956. She is traveling with Christina Grassie b. 02 Mar 1906 and John Grassie b. 20 Dec 1883.

Rose and Christina are both single as is John. John is retired, Rose a housekeeper and Christina a China buyer. Their last address was Hammerfield Ave., Aberdeen.

Don't know if this is relavent or not!

Also, FMP has a Jessie Grassie b. 1906 leaving Glasgow for Montreal on 19 Sep 1929. Her address was Rose Cottage, Aberdeen and her country of last permanent residence was Scotland. This is the departure for the passenger list arrival you already have I think.

I didn't notice any other Grassies with her, but I'm downloading the original image which is supposed to take 15 minutes. I'll look again when it comes up. (Love my dial-up! )

Carol