ALEXANDER FARQUHAR + JEAN WHITLAY.....

[Christine_Conroy]

Seeking information on the family of Alexander Farquhar, born circa 1735 in Edinburgh and his wife Jean Whitlay born circa 1735 in Edinburgh. Alexander was a skinner in Edinburgh and died in February 1805. They had a daughter called Mary Farquhar, born in Edinburgh on the 2 April 1754. She married Campbell Denovan 1775, a well known printer, publisher and Burgess in Edinburgh. They had 5 children, James Farquhar Denovan, Alexander, John, Francis Garden and an unnamed child who died at birth.

[LesleyB]

Hi Chris
...and a warm welcome to Talking Scot
I don't have any connection that I know of to your names, but maybe someone will, I hope. In what part of Edinburgh were they living?

Best wishes
Lesley

[Christine_Conroy]

Hi Lesley
Yes, I hope someone out there in the Edinburgh area will know of or be related to either the Farquhars or Denovans. Not sure where Alexander Farquhar and his wife Jean Whitlay (or Whitlaw) lived in Edinburgh but their daughter Mary and her husband Campbell Denovan lived in the Canon Mills area and also Turk's Close and Brodie's Close in Lawnmarket.
This couple had a son called Francis Garden Denovan, he became British Consul in Copenhagen and eventually married a Countess called Wilhelmina Frederika Hedwig Von Platen-Hallermunde. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[LesleyB]

Hi Chris

Wilhelmina Frederika Hedwig Von Platen-Hallermunde

What an amazing name! Bet there aren't many of those around!!
Its a bit off topic, but, have you managed to find out much about her? Have you been able to follow up any Danish records? Are there census records for Denmark?

There seem to be 6 Denovans/Donovans born Edinburgh showing in the 1881 census. They are a good deal later than the period you are interested in, but are any of them familiar?

DENOVAN, Euphemia Head <1831> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Lana Glasgow
DONOVAN, James Head <1838> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Lana Barony
DENOVAN, Timothy Head <1842> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Edin South Leith
DENOVAN, Elizabeth Serv <1856> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Edin Edinburgh St Cuthberts
DONAVON, Thomas Paup <1865> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Edin Edinburgh St Cuthberts
DONOVAN, Frank Bord <1869> Birth: Mlot Edinburgh
Census: Edin Edinburgh St Cuthberts

The IGI has three of the children you mentioned:
1. JAMES FARQUHAR DENOVAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 14 NOV 1777 Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

2. FRANCIS GARDEN DENOVAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 20 DEC 1790 Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

3. ALEXANDER DENOVAN - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 30 MAY 1780 Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Have you been able to find any of the above in the 1841 census which has recently been released on the Scotlands People web site? If they died young or in early middle age then they may not be there, but if not there seems a good chance you might be able to catch up with some of them. The name is unusual enough to be relativley easy to find, but no doubt suffers from the usual curse of unusual names - mispelling! There are 20 listed Denovans in Midlothian in the 1841 census on SP (Scotland People).

There are also several Denovan wills on SP (free search) including :

• Denovan John 23/12/1777 residenter in Canonmills TD Edinburgh Commissary Court CC8/8/124

which looks like it may be relevant given your mention of Canonmills, but you may have found this already.

Best wishes
Lesley

[LesleyB]

Quite a bunch of Denovans on Freecen too for 1841, if you've not checked there already. THis is from one household:

Piece: SCT1841/692
Place: Leith-Midlothian Enumeration District: 38
Civil Parish: Leith South Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: St John's
Folio: 38 Page: 6
Address: Baltic Street

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
DENOVAN Francis M 57 Clerk Midlothian
DENOVAN Whilemina F 45 Outside Census County (1841)
Page: 38/7
DENOVAN Maryann F 20 Midlothian
DENOVAN Henry M 25 Shipbroker Midlothian
DENOVAN Francis M 20 Shipbroker Outside Census County (1841)
DENOVAN Wilhemina F 15 Midlothian
DENOVAN Emma F 14 Midlothian
DENOVAN Jane F 12 Midlothian
DENOVAN Louis M 11 Midlothian
DENOVAN Charles M 9 Midlothian
DENOVAN Christian F 7 Midlothian
DENOVAN John M 3m Midlothian
MCGREGOR Janet F 29 Female Servant Midlothian

Is that Francis and his countess I wonder?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Piece: SCT1841/685 Place: Edinb.St Andrew-Midlothian Enumeration District: 44
Civil Parish: St Cuthberts Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 150 Page: 16
Address: Mcneils Place
DENOVAN James M 64 Sawyer Outside Census County (1841)
DENOVAN Janet F 62 Outside Census County (1841)
ORR David M 24 Sawyer Midlothian
GILLESPIE John M 25 Tailor Journeyman Outside Census County (1841)

And is that maybe your James?

Best wishes
Lesley

[Christine_Conroy]

Hi Lesley

Yes, you are correct, that is Francis Garden and his countess! Their ages are a little different, Francis was born in 1790, making him 51 and Wilhelmina was born in 1798, making her 43. I do understand that sometimes they lied about their ages or they weren't actually sure. The children's names are all correct with the exception of one illegitmate child Francis had in 1829 . This son very conveniently emigrated to Australia with his mother and did very well for himself. I did find a Danish Royal Family website called Royal Blue (www.forums.rbhq.net/forumdisplay.php?=18) A kind lady directed me to a site mentioning the Hedwig Von Platen-Hallermunde name and it appears that her great aunt was a child of the King of England! The Countess was the daughter of Henrik Platen-Hallermunde and Ann Von Aborniszand was born in Garrisons Sogn, Copenhagen.
I am having diffiuclty in getting onto free Scottish sites that will let me see censuses. I know one of the sites you have to pay for. Do you have any web site addresses you can give me?

Many thanks for your help - more info very welcome!!

regards

Chris

[LesleyB]

Hi Chris
Freecen is the only biggish free site I know of:
http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
Freecen is an ongoing project and as such is not complete.

Full Scots census 1841 - 1901 (pay per view) is on SP:
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

and there are some spedific areas availbale free, menitoned at:
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3514

Best wishes
Lesley