BYRES (or BYERS)

[ianbyers]

Looking for the parents of & information on Robert BYRES, possibly born at Philpstoun, West Lothian circa 1750, died circa 1804.
Married Isabella (or Isobel) REID circa 1775. Isabella bap. 3 June 1750, dau. of William REID & Catherine SHIEL(D)S.

Children of Robert BYRES snr & Isabella (Isobel) REID are -
Catherine born at Kirkliston on 5 April 1777, bap. 12 Apr 1777.
Agnes born at Bathgate circa 1780, married Walter THORBURN 28 Jul 1804, and had one dau. Isabella THORBURN born circa 1806.
Isabella (Bell - twin to Agnes ?), born at Bathgate circa 1780, married John DUNLOP circa 1805, and died at Philpstoun, West Lothian, 9 Apr 1862.

On Isabella DUNLOP's death certificate, it states she is the widow of John DUNLOP, GROUNDS OFFICER at Hopetoun Estate, and
the dau. of Robert BYRES also a GROUNDS OFFICER at Hopetoun Estate.

Thomas born at Kirkliston 17 Jun 1782, bap. 23 Jun 1782.
Jean born at Uphall on 20 Feb 1784, bap. 29 Feb 1794, died at Abercorn 5 Jun 1801.
Helen born (at Linlithgow ?) 19 Jul 1786, bap. 23 Jul 1786, married Colin McBEATH, and had a family of six children.
Janet born (at Linlithgow ? - twin to Helen) on 19 Jul 1786, bap. 23 Jul 1786, married John DUNCAN and had a family of eleven children.
William born at Abercorn on 30 Sep 1789, bap. 18 Oct 1789, married Margaret WILSON on 5 Nov 1819, and had a family of nine children.
Robert BYRES jnr, born & bap. 21 Jun 1793, who married Catherine (Kate) HENDERSON at Abercorn on 4 Jun 1815,
and had a daughter Isabella born 10 Mar 1818, bap. 22 Mar 1818.

I would also be interested in any information on the children Thomas, or Robert jnr, who seem to have "disappeared".

I can find no information or records of a BYRES (or BYERS) family at Abercorn, Bathgate, Kirkliston, Uphall or Philpstoun, West Lothian,
in the period 1700-1750, or where they might have come from to these areas. Can anyone help ?.

Regards
Ian

[paddyscar]

Hi Ianbyers, and a Warm Welcome to TalkingScot!

I checked Mapquest, and Philpstoun, West Lothian is just over 15 miles from Edinburgh, so it crossed my mind that maybe he was born in Edinburgh and grew up in Philpstoun.

The IGI http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/ ... _form=true
shows:

ROBERT BYERS (EXTRACTED RECORD)
Male
Birth: 20 MAY 1740 Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Parents:
Father: THOMAS BYERS Family
Mother: ANN NISBET

There are two birth records for Ann Nisbet in Edinburgh

ANN NISBET Female
Birth: 25 AUG 1721 Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Parents:
Father: JOHN NISBET Family
Mother: ANN MYRTON OR MORTON

and

ANNE NISBET Female
Christening: 07 AUG 1716 Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Parents:
Father: ANDREW NISBET
Mother: JANET MEEK

The above, along with references to Robert Byres may be worth checking.

Frances

[ianbyers]

Frances, =D>
Thanks, yes I already know about this and (almost) ALL the other Robert BYRES' /BYERS' in Scotland,
that are on the records. I have also been able to compile most of the details for Thomas & Ann's family.

There is also another Robert bap. on 13 Dec 1740 in Aberdeen to Patrick BYRES and Janet MOIR.

The problem I have, is that I cannot find the marriage for Robert & Isabella, circa 1775, to give me an indication
where they were living at the time of the marriage, or where they might have come from.

I will just have to keep looking .....

Regards
Ian

[ianbyers]

I have subsequently found Robert BYRES death on 28th Nov 1804 at Philpstoun Gate, and burial at Abercorn Cemetery on 30 Nov 1804, aged 54, so he was born circa 1750. His wife, Isabella nee REID, also died at Philpstoun Gate 8th Aug 1819, and buried at Abercorn Cemetery 10th Aug 1819. =D>

Still looking for their marriage details.

Regards
Ian

[WilmaM]

Would Hopetoun House be able to give you any information on their historical staff?
If not the House itself perhaps there are papers relating to it somewhere?

If a daughter of the gardener married a gardener, perhaps there are more family employed there too.

The same family seem to have lived there [Hopes, and Earls of Hopetoun] for centuries but the walled garden seems to date from your family's time.
Sometimes they brought their experienced workforce with them for these grand projects.

[ianbyers]

Wilma,

Apologies for the delay in replying, I had forgotten about my post; and thanks for the suggestions.

Whilst in Ediburgh for two weeks in May 2011, most of which was spent in the National Archives,
I was priveleged to look through some original Hopetoun Estate papers from as early as 1708,
although I only found a couple of confirming snippets relative to my Robert BYRES snr, and his
son-in-law John DUNCAN.

I know believe that Robert was more likely to be working on the Philpstoun House Estate, the traditional
home of the DUNDAS family, which eventually became part of the Hopetoun Estates,
and I was probably looking in the wrong records !.

Subsequent research in June 2012, found Robert jnr had emigrated to Montreal Canada, circa 1820,
probably after his mother died in 1819. Still no sign of the other son Thomas.

I will keep looking ....

Regards and thanks again,
Ian

[ianbyers]

UPDATE 2015

Robert BYRES jnr (1793-?) and his wife, Catherine HENDERSON (1795-1892) emmigrated to Quebec, Canada circa 1820, after the death of Robert's mother Isabella nee REID in August 1819.

Robert jnr and Catherine had a further two known children -

John born 1821 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and
James died 1826 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Robert and Catherine and their family, appears to have been living in the village of Huntingdon, Lower Canada region, from the mid 1820's to at least 1842, and possibly later; although Robert jnr "disappears" (or died) between the 1842 and 1851 census returns - Catherine is shown in the 1851 census as a "widow". Catherine subsequently lives to the ripe old age of 97, and dies at Huntingdon in 1892.
No death or burial record for husband Robert has been found; and no marriage, death or burial records for daughter Isabella or son John, also found.

Any further information is welcomed.

Ian