Family Search's Timeline ~ Thomas Thomson

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2022: Week 34 (TIMELINE)

In considering the prompt TIMELINE I remembered seeing a timeline clickable tab on Family Search. 

Family Search is a fantastic FREE source of documents and records. 

This is my X2 great grandfather's timeline from Family Search. 

THOMAS THOMSON

The details become pretty obvious when you follow the timeline. 

Thomas & Isabella's first child (Mary who lived to 103 years old) was born 4 months after their marriage.

I have observed these 'premature' babies many times while looking at historical records.

Realizing that what happened in the past is no different than today!!!

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:

Thomson, Thomas. Map & Timeline photos. Clipped from Family Search. Retrieved August 22nd 2022 from 
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7LR-JYZ

Links:

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

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!

______________________________________________________________

Scottish Naming Patterns ~ Finding Your Ancestor in the Records

 

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021: Week 3 (NAMESAKE)

Not so long ago I was thinking about how confusing it is when families reuse the same name generation after generation. 

In looking at the ancestors in our Bramble Bush I was surprised to find when a child died the next born of the same gender was given the deceased child's name. I had no idea why that would be, and honestly thought it creepy. 

I wondered how it was that our ancestors were so lacking creativity that they couldn't come up with unique names for all of their children.

As I got further and further back in our Bramble Bush I realized the list of names narrowed dramatically. As each generation opened up I felt that I could just fill in the same 8-14 names randomly and have a good chance of them being correct. This left me wondering how I could be sure the record I found was the right one.

Then I discovered Scottish naming patterns , and the repeating of names made sense.

1st boy - named after father's father
1st girl - named after mother's mother
2nd boy - named after mother's father
2nd girl - named after father's mother
3rd boy - named after father
3rd girl - named after mother
4 or more children were named after the siblings of the parents or great grandparents depending on which tradition the family subscribed to.
*** For more information about Scottish naming patterns see SOURCES below ***

Once I understood the tradition it made researching our Scottish lines much easier.

That being said there were some anomalies.

The first relative I found to corroborate with resided in New Zealand. 
His ancestor had immigrated there when my ancestor immigrated to Canada. 

Our ancestors were brothers.

My ancestor was Thomas Thomson. 
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada
One of what looked like thousands of Thomas Thomsons with no middle name in our Bramble Bush. Ensuring the Thomas I was looking at was my Thomas gave me tension headaches as I tracked records back. 

His ancestor was Thomas' brother James Devlin Glass Thomson. 
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand
Named after their maternal grandfather, James Glass, was obvious.
I was left pondering Devlin as the second middle name.
Definitely an unusual naming pattern.
James Devlin was their mother's brother in law. 

I realized that I should be pleased that my relative carried the family tradition with the name Thomas Thomson, but honestly that didn't make me feel any better James Devlin Glass Thomson is a super cool name - Thomas Thomson, not so much.

The photo above is Thomas, James, and their sister Mary

Mary Thomson
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

The other Thomson siblings were:

Isabella (Bella) Thomson
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Henry Thomson
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

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

Laura Edward Thomson
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • Someville's Court, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH Unknown

Their father was:
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

The mother was:
Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT 1848 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland

Making sure the commonly used name is YOUR relative!

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:

Forenames, Guides, Scotland's People. Retrieved January 17th 2021 from
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/guides/forenames

McKiven, Carol. The traditional Scottish naming system. Scottish Kin. Published February 15, 2016. Retrieved January 17th 2021from 
https://scottishkin.com/the-traditional-scottish-naming-system

Robb, John Barrett. The Scottish Onomastic Child-naming Pattern. Published 4Jul2020 Retrieved January 17th 2021 from 
http://www.johnbrobb.com/Content/TheScottishOnomasticPattern.pdf

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!

________________________________________________________________

 

3 Bricks in the Wall ~ Thomas Thomson (Stonemason, Brick House, Genealogical Brick Wall)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 14 (Brick Wall)

#8 Clifford Road, backyard,  retrieved from Google Maps Streetview April 1, 2019

My great grandfather Thomas Thomson (jr) was a stonemason. He lived in the brick houses pictured below. He is also my brick wall for researching. I think he nicely covers this week's prompt of BRICK WALL

The reason he is my genealogical brick wall is that he belongs to a family full of Thomas Thomsons from Scotland. His hometown of North Berwick is full of Thomsons, and his grandmother's married and maiden name were both Thomson. Further complicating online searching is that he shares a name with a famous Canadian artist. Searching for a connection between my family and the artists family is for another time.  

Back at the beginning of my searching journey I found a 2nd cousin X1 removed in New Zealand who had paid for genealogy researching in the relevant areas of Scotland. His research and details assisted me greatly in my confidence of my tree searching. When I first met Murray I expressed my disappointment that his ancestor had a very cool unique name (James Devlin Glass Thomson) whereas mine was boring (Thomas Thomson). It didn't take me long to realize both carried family history that we both could be proud of.

In the modern day of Family searches for Family Tree (Genealogy) Google Street View is amazing. I think Google Street View is a fabulous tool for reference as noted in the scenario below – this time mine, but it could be anyone’s family. I was able to input the address of the old family home in Scotland where my Grandmother was born, and see it standing today as it was when my grandmother was a baby.The second photo had the house name CRAIGIELEA on the back with Great Auntie Maisie standing in front of it, and the note on the back said that it was down the street. My dad and I sat at my computer in Canada, and 'walked' the street looking at each house while holding the photo until we found the correct house and noted that the address was #20 Clifford Road. Online searching found a listing for Craigielea at #20 Clifford Road. Those brick houses were built to last. 

Both houses on Clifford Road in the photos were designed and built by James Glass who was Thomas's uncle. James was the brother of Isabella Glass married to Thomas Thomson (sr). Thomas & Isabella (nee Glass) Thomson were parents of Thomas Thomson( (jr.) married to Elizabeth Young Slicer. Elizabeth's brother, Peter Slicer, assisted in building Craigielea. 


My great grandfather's British Army WW1 Service Record records the family's residence as #8 Clifford Road, North Berwick in 1915. My grandmother was born in December 1915. She was born at #8 Clifford Road. I believe her older sister Marion (known as Maisie) was born at their grandparents home, Craigielea #20 Clifford Road. Their grandparents were Peter & Marion (nee Jack) Slicer. Both the Thomson & Slicer families were residing at Clifford Road in North Berwick by 1901 according to the census records. Thomas Thomson (jr.) & Elizabeth Young Slicer were married the 31st of December 1908 when he was 28 and she 26. They had been neighbours for a minimum of 7 years prior to their marriage.  

Clifford Road, #8 on the left, #6 on the right, retrieved from Google Maps April 1, 2019

  Craigielea, #20 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved from Google Maps April 1, 2019

Recorded on back as Craigielea, Marion (nee Jack) Slicer & one of her daughters

I haven't yet found the records of when Thomas (jr.) & family originally arrived in Canada, and built their house in Calgary. My grandmother told me that her parents had difficulty conceiving and carrying children so when Elizabeth got pregnant in 1913 the couple decided to return to Scotland for family assistance for the impending birth. They rented their house in Calgary out to a young couple, and went home to Scotland by ship to await their first child. The first daughter was born in Scotland in May 1914, and before they could head back to Calgary World War 1 broke out in July of 1914, and they were trapped in The United Kingdom (Scotland) until after the war. Their second daughter (my grandmother) was born in December 1915. 

Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson with daughter Marion & Mary
note on back: "Dad had this picture in France during WW1" as recorded by daughter Marion

After the war the family returned to Canada via ship in 1920, and returned to their home in Calgary where the couple who was still caring for their home moved out, and grandma and her family moved back into the house. She resided in the home her father built (Thomas Thomson jr. - the Stonemason) in Calgary until she married my Grandfather in 1942. 

While growing up in Canada my grandmother and her family traveled to the United States where her father's mason skills were sought. There are buildings in several places in the United States that feature his stone gargoyles & others. He also carved and created in many places in Canada and Scotland. Sadly I have not seen any of his public work, and don't know exactly where his pieces are located. I have only seen two small stone carvings he did for his two daughters.

Many of the old census records list the residence address which makes looking the address up fairly easy. Many of the old residences are no longer as they were, but some are still - as I found in North Berwick for my ancestors.

Take a walk down memory lane with Google Street view.

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:

Robertson, Mary Elizabeth (nee Thomson), as recorded by her granddaughter, the writer of this blog. 

Craigielea listing retrieved April 1, 2019 fromhttp://www.192.com/address/details/north+berwick/eh39+4pw/craigielea+20/

Google Street View, #6/8 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved April 1, 2019 from
https://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=6+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick%2C+UK&aq=0&oq=6+cl&sll=49.137236%2C-121.949857&sspn=0.308625%2C0.610428&vpsrc=0&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq&hnear=6+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick+EH39+4PW%2C+United+Kingdom&ll=56.054534%2C-2.719738&spn=0.008232%2C0.019076&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.055216%2C-2.721033&panoid=s3F-gj79mqOdtLZaQXTvpA&cbp=12%2C6.82%2C%2C0%2C0

Google Street View, Craigielea, #20 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved April 1, 2019 from
https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=22+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick%2C+UK&hl=en&ll=56.055277%2C-2.722678&spn=0.008232%2C0.019076&sll=56.055277%2C-2.720318&sspn=0.008279%2C0.019076&t=h&hnear=22+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick+EH39+4PW%2C+United+Kingdom&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.055266%2C-2.722477&panoid=3HiDS3eXH6W0h-tP2D-Q8g&cbp=12%2C12.28%2C%2C0%2C0

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!