Uncertain ~ Parents of Peter & Anne (nee Kirk) Graham

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 22 (UNCERTAIN)


This week's focus on UNCERTAIN left me thinking about my 5th great grandparents Peter & Anne (nee Kirk) Graham.


Both were born in Scotland, he about 1788, she about 1785, and they both died in Scotland in an unknown year.


The only proof I have they existed is via 4 birth registrations. This was the first area of my tree that I engaged a reasonable exhaustive search, and placed two parents without what I thought was enough proof to enter their data.


I have no birth, marriage or death information for them. 


Peter Graham
BIRTH ABT 1788 • Closeburn, Dumfriesshire
DEATH Unknown
and
Ann(e) Kirk
BIRTH ABT 1785
DEATH Unknown


Using Scottish naming patterns I am guessing that Peter's parents were James & Elizabeth, and Ann(e)'s parents were Robert & Mary. This family line does use Scottish naming patterns, but the flaw in my guessing is that I am unsure that I have a record of all their children. I only have records for 4 children of Peter & Ann(e). I can't be sure the names are relevant for Scottish naming patterns usage.  Even so I have put the parent names in my tree on Ancestry with a note that they are simply guessing using Scottish naming patterns. 



The  children I have found proof of are:


James Graham
BIRTH 16 JUL 1811 • Closeburn, Dumfries, Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
DEATH 23 MAR 1886 • Drowned in River Dothan, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire
married 
Elizabeth Pate
BIRTH 16 JUL 1818 • Lesmahag, Lanark
DEATH 19 JULY 1873 • Turfholm, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland


Robert Graham
BIRTH 16 JAN 1814 • Thornhill, Closeburn, Dumfries-shire, Scotland
DEATH 24 MAR 1892 • Forth, Lanarkshire, Scotland
married
Susanah (Susan) Hamilton
BIRTH 03 NOV 1814 • Carnwath, Lanarkshire
DEATH 11 APR 1894 • Forth, Lanarkshire, Scotland
My 4th great grandparents


Mary Graham
BIRTH 9 FEB 1819 • Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
DEATH Unknown


Elizabeth Graham
BIRTH 10 FEB 1821 • Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland:
DEATH 22 NOV 1903 • 16 Anderson Street, Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
married
William Stark


Ancestry DNA matching has confirmed a match through the descendants of two children of each of the brother's James & Robert. I have not yet found DNA confirmation for the sisters. At this time I have no DNA matches that might suggest more children.


I don't yet know which Graham line we descend through, but my family has embraced out Graham Scottish heritage.

Our youngest son, high school graduation

Hearing the call of our people!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***






Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Old Records With Strange Comments - No Tombstone For Abraham Decator

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 21 (TOMBSTONE)

The prompt TOMBSTONE immediately had me think of the movie.
Which is a sign of good advertising because I had never seen the movie. 


With nothing pressing to do during the pandemic lockdown that was rectified this week. 


Clearly we are desperate for outings as shown in the careful planning of our movie date. Or maybe it was an excuse for more snacks which we definitely didn't need during this time of inactivity.


The first thing I learned from the movie is that Tombstone is a town in Arizona where the GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL happened. I wonder how it was that I didn't know any of this before this week.


The second thing I learned is that I still really love historical stories.

The Third thing I learned is that the movie has nothing to do with this Bramble Bush.


I was pondering who to write about for the prompt, tombstone, when I remembered a strange comment on a death registration that I found a few months ago.


I began researching my husband's third great grandfather, Henry Decator.
Abraham Henry Richard (Henry) Decator
BIRTH 1795 • New York, USA
DEATH 29 FEB 1880 • Brantford, Brant, Ontario, Canada

Noting Henry's death date I checked that 1880 was a leap year - it was.


X3 great grandpa's death registration had two things I found intriguing. 

1. He died of old age, duration: 5 months. He was 85 years old. He must have been old for longer than 5 months.  When exactly does the time of old age begin?

2.  The comments section stated "An indigent old man ignorant of the law". I have never noticed a comment in the comments section before. I scanned the records before and after Henry's death to see if leaving comments was a common practice for that area. I found one where it was noted the deceased had been pregnant at the time of her death. 

Snipped from Ancestry (Ontario, Canada, Deaths, Brant)

The comment recorded by Registrar R.M Willson seems oddly out of place within the records. I wondered what Abraham (known as Henry)  did in death that showed he was ignorant of the law. What law exactly did he violate in dying.  


In an ideal world I could neatly wrap this up with a photo of great great great Grandpa's grave, but I can find no record of where he's buried.


Since the death registration noted he was indigent it's possible he is in a pauper's grave without a marker at all.


I began digging to see if I could find any records. 


I noticed that wife Margaret died 11 years later in Michigan, and wondered if they were separated at the time of his death. 

Marguerite (Margaret) Ryan (X3 great grandmother)
BIRTH 19 MAR 1817 • Ontario, Canada
DEATH 24 APR 1901 • Standish, Arenac, Michigan, USA


The 1871 census records Abraham with wife Margaret and their 2 youngest children: Margaret & Alexander.


The 1881 census has wife Margaret as a widow living with their youngest son, 17 year old Alexander. They both claim Methodist on the census. Henry's death registration records no religious affiliation.


10 years later, the 1891 census still shows widowed Margaret living with her son Alexander who remains unmarried. Margaret is a Seamstress, and Alexander a Farm Labourer.


Margaret is found in Michigan residing with her daughter Mary Honey in the 1900 census. Margaret's year of arrival is not listed. Mary's is recorded as 1880 (the year her father died). 

Margaret is recorded as having had 7 children with 6 still alive in 1900. I have only recorded 5 children for Margaret and Abraham.


I now had more questions, and still no answers


The move to Michigan made sense after I found the record of Alexander's marriage to Isabella (Bella) Reid on December 23rd 1891 not too long after the 1891 census was taken. Their first child was born in 1894, and by the 1901 census they have three boys.


I'm guessing that Margaret moved to Michigan to live with her daughter whose children were all grown.


At the time of writing I still don't know: where X3 great grandfather Henry Decator is buried, who took care of his affairs at the time he died, and what exactly he did that was ignorant of the law.





Another session chasing down the rabbit hole!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***







Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Leaving North Berwick ~ A Tale of 3 Siblings

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 20 (TRAVEL)

This is a tale of three siblings who moved away from Scotland in very different directions.

Their parents were:
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
and
Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT 1848 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland

The 1911 census snipped below confirms their marriage date of July 22nd 1870 (the notes on the photo above) since it states they were married for 40 years.
It also records they had 8 children who were still living in 1911.  

Below you will find the basic information for all 8 children, but this week's prompt TRAVEL focuses on child 4, 5, & 6. It's these three that appear to have had the need to see more of the world.

My great grandfather Thomas Thomson moved to Canada. 
His brother, James Devlin Glass Thomson moved to New Zealand. 
His sister, Agnes Thomson moved to South Africa.


Before looking at these three for this blog I had never realized that they were connected in birth order. 


Did they grow up as close friends?  


Did they dream of travel while they were growing up?


I will never really know what took each to the countries they would call home.


How is that they grew up in the seaside town of North Berwick, with a father who was a fisherman, and ended up so far away? 

#8 (left), #6 (right) Clifford Road in North Berwick Scotland
My grandmother was born in #8

My dad told me that his grandfather (Thomas Thomson) did not want to be a fisherman so sought out a different career. He became a stonemason, and lived in Canada, the United States, and Scotland. 


James Devlin Glass Thomson was a Joiner's Apprentice in Scotland's 1901 census. New Zealand's 1938 Electoral Records James is a carpenter.


How Agnes ended up in South Africa is a mystery. She arrived before getting married in South Africa, and having her first child. She met her husband, Herbert William Smith in South Africa. Herbert fought in the Boar War as a medic with the Gordon Highlanders.  Her second child was born in Scotland before the family of 4 returned to South Africa. 

** * **

Thomas, Mary & James

** * **

Mary Thomson
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Mary never left Scotland, never married, she lived to 103, and died in Edinburgh. My grandmother was named after this aunt.
The name Mary Thomson is too common a name to conduct a reasonably exhaustive search using available records. 

** * **

Isabella (Bella) Thomson
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Bella married William Haughie who was a tailor. They raised their family in Edinburgh.

** * **

Mary & Henry, On Mary's 100th birthday
Henry was 96

** * **

Henry Thomson
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Henry married Bessie in Edinburgh where they raised their family.
I found pay records for Henry listed him as a Marine Joiner from
1916 to 1920, Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland. 

** * **

Agnes

** * **

Agnes Thomson
BIRTH 07 MAR 1876 • Graham's Close, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 30 JUL 1956 • 205 Berea Street, Pretoria, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Agnes married Herbert William Smith in South Africa. They had their first child there, but the 2nd was born in Scotland. I wonder if it was a family tradition to return to North Berwick for the birth of children. 

** * **

Thomas

** * **

Thomas Thomson
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada
Thomas married Elizabeth Young Slicer in North Berwick, and moved to Canada. They  returned to Scotland to have their first child, and then stayed to have their second (my grandmother) because WW1 started. After the war they went back to Calgary, Alberta, Canada and moved back into their home there. 

** * **

James Devlin Glass

** * **

James Devlin Glass Thomson
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand
James move to New Zealand, and married Elsie Winifred Genge. They remained in New Zealand, and raised their family there. James worked as a carpenter. 

** * **

Laura Edward Thomson
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • Someville's Court, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH Unknown
Laura married John Cleghorn Robertson. I haven't been able to find any further details for Laura. John's 1921 Attestation Papers record him as an electrician, and that he was not married. Laura appears have died before 1921.

** * **

Richard Alexander Thomson
1892–
BIRTH 12 JUL 1892 • Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
DEATH Unknown
The family was enumerated in England in 1891, and must have remained through to 1892 when Richard was born.  He is the only 1 (of the 8) that was not born in North Berwick. I haven't confirmed his death details. There are several trees on Ancestry that note he may have died in England (1918) possibly from the Spanish Flu epidemic. 

** * **

In discussion with a distant cousin about why the family was in England he said that the area they were enumerated in (Tynmouth) had the  North Shields Fish Quay which is one of the largest ports for prawns. With Thomas being a fisherman the logical reason for their being there was fishing.

As a Canadian I didn't really understand just how close Scotland and England are. Google maps show clearly the hypothesis of heading south to follow the catch as a logical one.

Google Maps

As I looked at this map I realized maybe the three who journeyed far were not the only ones who had the need to travel. It appears as though Thomas & Isabella traveled some too. Maybe they were on the move between census records. Maybe they traveled in search of the best fishing spots. Maybe they created the travel bug in their children. Even the ones who stayed in Scotland didn't stay in North Berwick. 

While searching for information I came across this photo I wondered if Isabella could be in this photo. Maybe they were in search of Herring when they headed south. Or maybe they were in search of opportunity which is the likely reason their children headed away from the seaside town of North Berwick. 

"Description : A group of fishwives standing on the Quay North Shields. Creels and baskets are on the ground in front of the women. The women came from the North East Scotland and Great Yarmouth following the shoals of herring as they moved up and down the East coast.  Fishing Collection : Local Studies Printed Copy : If you would like a printed copy of this image please contact Newcastle Libraries www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt quoting Accession Number : 033090"

Following ancestors as they search for opportunity!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!










***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***






Somehow Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot, Popular Name ~ Thomas Thomson'
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2020/03/popular-name-thomas-thomson.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot, Remembering - Thomas & Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson, and politics,
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/02/remembering-thomas-elizabeth-young-nee.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot, 3 Bricks in the Wall ~ Thomas Thomson (Stonemason, Brick House, Genealogical Brick Wall),
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/04/3-bricks-in-wall-thomas-thomson.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot, Elizabeth & Thomas - Together Again, 
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/05/elizabeth-thomas-together-again.html





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Service to the Crown ~ Widow Havens' Land Grant

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 19 (SERVICE)



Climbing the Vannatter branch of this Bramble Bush in search of someone who had a story to tell about service, I found the perfect tale.


In 1836, 54 year old, Elizabeth (nee Schram) Havens became a widow. 


I haven't found her husband William's will, but I have read enough old wills to know that Elizabeth would likely have been able to continue residing at her home for the rest of her natural life. She wouldn't actually own her residence. Likely the family of the son who inherited the land and residence from William would move in with Elizabeth. She would be a guest in the home that she had shared with her husband.


I'm thinking that didn't sit well for Elizabeth.
She was the daughter of a Loyalist. 

Elizabeth can be found in this book 1

Her father had fought in the American Revolution for Britain.  In 1840 she filed for, and received, a 200 acre land grant. 

John Schram U.E.L. and his children 2

The Loyalists, and their children, were offered land in Canada as a token of Britain's appreciation for their service.

As compensation for her father's service to the crown Elizabeth received 200 acres of land in Ontario. She was a landowner, in her own right, at the age of 58. 

Elizabeth's Land Grant 3

I haven't yet found Elizabeth's death date or who inherited her land.

My husband's 5th great grandparants:
Elizabeth Schram
BIRTH 28 FEB 1782 • New York, USA
DEATH Sometime after 1840 • Ontario, Canada
and 
William Havens
BIRTH 20 MAY 1764 • Jefferson, Gloucester, New Jersey, USA

DEATH 20 DEC 1836 • Gore, Erin, Ontario, Canada
They had 9 children: 5 daughters & 4 sons.

My husband descends through their daughter Mary (4th born child) who married Benjamin Vannatter.



Putting flesh & bones to the names of our ancestors!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***








Footnotes:

1 Livingston, Mildred R. Upper Canada sons and daughters of United Empire Loyalists, M.R. Livingston; 1st edition (1981), front cover

2 Livingston, Mildred R. Upper Canada sons and daughters of United Empire Loyalists, M.R. Livingston; 1st edition (1981), Page 276.

3 Livingston, Mildred R. Upper Canada sons and daughters of United Empire Loyalists, M.R. Livingston; 1st edition (1981), Page 276.



Sources:

Canadian Encyclopedia, Loyalists in Canada, Wilson, Bruce G. Last edited December 4th 2019. Retrieved May 11th 2020 from
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/loyalists

From Germany to North America Our Schram Family Genealogy, Schram, John A. rivately Published in Canada, March 2016. Retrieved May 11th 2020 from
http://www.nornet.on.ca/~jcardiff/submissions/!_!/schram/Schram%20Family%20History.pdf

United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, Loyalist Directory, S, Schram, John (Johannis on his father's will in 1784), Detail, Retrieved May 10th 2020 from
http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/detail.php?letter=s&line=115





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Gentle Riding Beast and a Side Saddle ~ John Buchner's Will

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 18 (WHERE THERE'S A WILL)


There is no part of our Bramble Bush that has more originally sourced records than the Buchner line. 


When I decided that I wanted to feature an authentic will for this weeks blog I chose my husband's X5 great grandfather John Buchner.


If you are asking yourself if you just heard about John -  you aren't wrong.
Johannes Theis (John) Buchner has made an appearance two weeks in a row. 
It seems I have changed my own rules! 


Johannes Theis Buchner, who was known as John. He was born in Unnau, Westerwald, Hessen, Germany. He died in Hardwick, Sussex, New Jersey, United States. 


John's wife was Catharine who was born about 1730 somewhere in Germany, and died in New Jersey, USA at some point. That is all we know about X5 great grandmother Catharine. 


I have found very little sourced information for her. It's possible her maiden name was Mueller, but that isn't sourced adequately even though it's rampant on Ancestry and other web based genealogy sites. 


The only real proof I find of Catharine's existence is in John's will.

Below you will find the same will in what I believe is it's original spelling and writing style. 


I have failed as a researcher. 


I saved the document below to my ancestry tree back in January. I found it originally via another who saved it in 2013 to their Ancestry tree.


The original source is unknown at this time. 


"In the Name of God Amen I John Buchner of the County of Sussex, Township of Hardwick and State of New Jersey...do Constitute and order this my Last will and Testament...I give to my Dear and Loving wife Catharine Bucher Her (Dict) and Apparels in as Decent a Manner as She Requires Likewise one Good and Gentle Riding Beast and Side Saddle two Good milks Cows he Bed and agreable Bedding of Covering to ot Six pounds of Woll and a Good agreeable (Bd)room in the House on the Premises one Iron pott one Large Brass Kittle one Chest for (uses) and I give to my Ten Children now Living or to their heirs The (Real) and Remaining Part of my Estate to be Equally Dividied, Namely Philip Mary Margaret John Henry Jacob Christopher Daniel Frederick and Peter Buchner allowing Such Sums as have been paid unto any of them to be Deducted out of their part of Divided unless it be one Good Milk Cow (Her) Bed Bed and Bedding one Heifer Cow one Good Hunting Side Saddle to be Given to my Daughter Mary which is Not to be taken our of her Dividend one Bay Horse Colt which John Claims to be his property Likewise one Brown Mare and Colt which Federick Claims to be his property the choice of Two Colts now Living (and my) Property to be Peters and the other Daniels which is Not to be(deducted) of their Dividend Likewise Sex pounds (Good) money to be paid to my Son Cristopher and Six Pounds of Like Currency to be paid to my Grand Son John Son of Philip Buchner and if the Child Lives they Shall as Soon as Convenient after the Sale of the (place ) buy or purchase with the Sd. Six pounds one Mare Colt for the use and property of the Sd. boy...and Lastly I constitute and appoint My True and Trusty Sons Philip Buchner John Buchner and Christopher Buchner Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and Trustees for my wife and Children in Witness whereof I have hereunto settmy hand and Seal this Eleventh Day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand and Seven hundred and Ninety one 1791..."


Even if we don't know it's original source it does make an interesting read. The details in the summarized are the same - just a little less flowery. 


It was this document that I was able to add more members to our Bramble Bush. Now that I have them in our tree I will be able to source the documents to back it up. For now the details in my tree are noted as unsourced, but not in question. 


Wills and obituaries have a wealth of information just waiting to be mined.





Finding your ancestors document by document!




This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***









Sources:

Ancestry trees & search




Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________