My Genealogical Holy Grail.....

Looking for Scottish Ancestors

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East Coaster
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:03 pm

My Genealogical Holy Grail.....

Post by East Coaster » Tue May 17, 2005 7:54 pm

I have been searching for the death or any other event of my 3xgreat grandfather for two years. I've thrown a fair amount of money on it but have only been able to prove that it wasn't this person or the next.

What I know.

James Duncan was born c1806 in Johnshaven (parish of Benholm). There is no entry on the IGI for him. Any other James Duncan's on the IGI for this area have all been thoroughly checked out. So unless he was registered through another church/religion there is no record of his birth. The only record I have at all is the 1851 census which says that he is born in Kincardine, Benholm and is aged 44.

To my knowledge he never married. He lived with Elizabeth Torrie and they had two children (Edwin born c1840 (my 2x great grandfather) and Robert b1844). Elizabeth was either married or widowed (she had several children to her husband James Mather). James and Elizabeth never married.

I have never found a death for James either. I accept he may have died between 1851 and 1855. He isn't on the 1861 census for Benholm. However, he worked as a salmon fisher and this was a job which could take him all over the district.

I'm looking forward to the 1861 census being indexed as his son Robert didn't appear in Benholm in 1851 either (hopeful on them being fishing somewhere).

Can anyone possibly give me some advice on where next to turn, other than the census of 1861. I have thought of the national archives to see if James was born into another religion.

Any fresh perspective on this would be much appreciated!

nelmit
Posts: 4002
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:49 pm
Location: Scotland

Post by nelmit » Wed May 18, 2005 6:28 pm

Hello,

Was your ancestor the Edwin DUNCAN who married Margaret SHERET in 1862?

If so was James named as Edwin's father on the marriage entry and was he deceased.

Regards,
Annette M

East Coaster
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:03 pm

Post by East Coaster » Wed May 18, 2005 7:38 pm

Hi Annette,

Yes my Edwin married Margaret Sheret in 1862 and his parents were James Duncan and Elizabeth Torrie. Neither of Edwin's parents were listed as deceased.

The same goes for when his brother Robert married Christina McBay in 1865 and finally when Edwin married (for a second time) in 1870. However, I know for a fact that Elizabeth Torrie was deceased before 1870 (she died in 1866).

The first time James is listed as deceased is on his son Robert's death cert. in 1917 and that would have been obvious by that time anyway.

Regards,

Grant

East Coaster
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:03 pm

James Duncan

Post by East Coaster » Sat May 28, 2005 4:11 pm

Okay, so I assume that I've done pretty much everything that can be done at the moment and nobody has any fresh thoughts/approaches?

Thanks for taking the time to look, and I hope you can solve some of your genealogical mysteries!

evelyn
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:50 am
Location: glasgow

duncan

Post by evelyn » Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:41 pm

I AM LOOKING FOR ANY INFO RE DUNCANS OF BENHOLM, MINE ARE A JOHN DUNCAN MARRIED TO AN JEAN OR JANE CRAW. CROW OR CROLL. THE.Y HAD A DAUGHTER CALLED ISOBEL, ISABELLA. ANY HELP ON THIS WOULD BE GREAT

Cathy
Posts: 473
Joined: Sun May 29, 2005 12:43 pm

Post by Cathy » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:20 pm

Hi Evelyn,
do you have any dates for these people?
Cathy