Richardson and Forsyth of Annan Parish

searchfar · Post by **searchfar** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:41 am

My g-g-grandparents Henry Richardson and Jessie Forsyth married in Annan, Dumfries, Scotland on 28 Dec 1849. Information on Richardson or Forsyth families in Annan Parish around this time (1825-1849) would help me locate families for them. They immigrated to Illinois after they married.

Post by **SarahND** » Tue May 08, 2007 3:46 am

Hello Searchfar, and welcome to Talking Scot!

What information do you have for these families besides the marriage certificate? Did the marriage record say anything about either of their parents? Sometimes, but not often

at least the father's name is given on the marriage record. Any information you already have could be helpful in tracing the families farther.
I'm just over in the next state at the moment (panhandle of Idaho) and will disappear tomorrow into the woods for a few months. However, when the folks in Scotland wake up, I'm sure you'll get some help

All the best,
Sarah

searchfar · Post by **searchfar** » Tue May 08, 2007 4:41 am

Henry Richardson's gravestone says he was born on 11 Aug 1825. I couldn't find anything on IGI or ScotlandPeople for him.

Jessie Forsyth's gravestone states she was born in 1830. There was a Janet Forsyth born in 21 Nov 1829 to John Forsyth and Mary Jardine in Annan. She might be a fit.

I saw the actual marriage record through Scotlands people and there were no parents listed. I have their children and their dates. Henry and Jessie were Presbyterian and successfully farmed in the U.S. Oral history says that they were cousins.

I found Henry and Jessie in the 1851 Census. They both say they were born in Annan Parish. Their children's names: Mary, Jane, Magdalene Mary, Elizabeth, John, Sarah and Jessie.

I looked in the Annan Parish Census for 1801-1821 by Gilchrist. In the 1801 Census I found a William and Margaret Forsyth family that has a daughter named Magdalene. William is maybe the grandfather of Jessie. William and Margaret's children: William, Nancy, John, Magdalene, Jean and Alexander.

Jessie is a servant in the 1841 Census---without her parent. I couldn't find Henry in the 1841 Census.

There are many Richardsons in Annan. I've spent more time looking at the Forsyths because there are fewer of them.

They came by boat to the US in 1856 and Jessie was pregnant with my g-g-grandmother Magdalene during the voyage.

Post by **paddyscar** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:30 am

Hi Searchfar:

Do you have any guess at what year either were born? There are several Forsyth families in Dumfries-shire, specifically Annan, in the 1841 census. Of those there is only one Jessie, aged 14, servant, who unfortunately is a live-in.

This is available on http://freecen.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

There are many Henry Richardson listings, but none for Annan or Dumfries-shire, so if you knew his approximate age, or occupation, you may be able to locate him.

Hope this helps,
Frances

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:36 pm

Hi Searchfar,
Just an outside chance....though i have seen surnames differing much more than this!
There is this Henry RITCHIE with the right age & occupation in 1841.
Can't see him in the area 1851, but that means nothing.

St. Mungo Parish, where Henry RICHARDSON is 1851, is next west to Hoddam which is just north of Annan.
Brydekirk, Annan (birthplace of your Henry in 1851 census) is on the border with Hoddam.
The address Burnside was very near to the border with St. Mungo.
--
1841 census 829 Place: Hoddam, Dumfries-shire Enum Dist: 4 Pages: 10-11
Civil Parish: Hoddam Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island:
Address: Burnside
William ROBERTSON, M, 50, Joiner, b Dumfriesshire
Mary ROBERTSON, F, 50,--------------- b Dumfriesshire
Isabella BELL, F, 12, Female Servant, b Dumfriesshire
Henry RITCHIE, M, 15, Apprentice Joiner, b Dumfriesshire
William GARTHWAITE, M, 5, ----------------b Dumfriesshire
--
Jack

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:36 pm

Hmmm.....not sure this is any help but I took a different angle. Found a Henry Richardson birth to parents Andrew Richardson and Janet Young and wondered if Andrew might be a sibling to your Henry. From the BIVRI I found these births to Andrew and Janet:

RICHARDSON, Henry Bir 1846 Scot Dumf Annan
Fa: Andrew RICHARDSON
Mo: Janet YOUNG
RICHARDSON, John Bir 1846 Scot Dumf Annan
Fa: Andrew RICHARDSON
Mo: Janet YOUNG
RICHARDSON, James Bir 1853 Scot Dumf Annan
Fa: Andrew RICHARDSON
Mo: Janet YOUNG
RICHARDSON, Elizabeth Bir 1856 Scot Dumf Bridek
Fa: Andrew RICHARDSON
Mo: Janet YOUNG

So then I followed along with them in the census. They are still in Brydekirk in 1871 and then I'm not seeing them anywhere after that. Not finding a death for Janet in Scotland. I wondered if they might have emigrated too...but that is purely longshot thinking right now. The good news is that I know who Andrew's father was as he died in Brydekirk in 1861 at age 81 and Andrew was informant. Bad news is that Andrew listed his father as a widower but didn't happen to mention who the wife had been. So I know that John Richardson was father to Andrew Richardson. I know that John Richardson's parents are named as James Richardson and Elizabeth Richardson mn Johnston(e).

Oh and I also picked up the marriage date of Andrew and Janet from the BC of the last child I've found so far.....Archibald was born 21 June 1867 in Brydekirk and their marriage date is given as 20 August 1844 at what looks like Rathfield Annan.

I haven't a clue if this will tie in to anything meaningful or not!

Hope so.....

Best wishes
Jean

ps....John Richardson is a woolen weaver and Andrew Richardson is also a weaver of various description.

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:58 pm

This looks like the Richardson family in 1841 that I was tracking in the post above....looks like maybe John's wife was named Mary. Now if we could only link Henry to them

1841 Scotland Census
about John Richardson
Name: John Richardson
Age: 55
Estimated birth year: abt 1786
Gender: Male
Where born: Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Civil parish: Annan
County: Dumfriesshire
Address: Brydekirk
Occupation: Cotton H L W
Parish Number: 812

Household Members: Name Age
Ander Richardson 25
Elisabeth Richardson 30
John Richardson 55
Mary Richardson 55

Best wishes
Jean

searchfar · Post by **searchfar** » Tue May 08, 2007 3:34 pm

Thank you for helping me with fresh ideas. This is my first try at genealogy across the water. I thought how hard can this be? It turns out to be quite a puzzle. There are plenty of Forsyths and Richardsons.

I think the 1841 Census idea of Henry Richie is a likely fit because of the carpentry connection. In 1851 in St. Mungo, Henry lists his occupation as "joiner master" and in 1841 he is an apprentice.

I have one other piece of the puzzle that might help the other idea fit: Henry is said to have a brother named Archibald. But the source was a generation out and facts get garbled. I'm starting to think Archibald might have been a nephew. There is also a "sister" buried in Illinois. She might be sister-in-law. She is:

Jane Richardson's gravestone: 1823-1883.

On the same date (28 Dec 1849) that Henry and Jessie Richardson married there was a Thomas Richardson married to Jane Stevenson. I don't know if this is a connection or not. The names are entered on the same date on the register of Marriage in 1849.