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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Dunbartonshire => Topic started by: mintymoo on Sunday 06 September 09 22:57 BST (UK)
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I'm trying to find out more information about the Mealyea's of Old Kirkpatrick and the Cuthbertson's from Duntocher.
I've been researching my family tree for a number of years now and have now come to a complete dead end on my mothers maternal side.
I have just found out that my gran Mary Helen (Mamie) Mealyea b 1913 (who married Paddy McCool) and her sister Elizabeth Annie (Lizzie) Mealyea b 1909 (married William Gill) where illigitimate. Their mother was Annie Mealyea b 1889 in Ireland. She later married Paddy Duffy - details on other post http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,331261.0.html
I believe they stayed in 7, 20 and 35 Veitch's Court in Old Kilpatrick from around 1909 to 1924 at least.
So my reasearch really ends there, which is very dissapointing, unless of course there is someone out there that can help me. Any information that could help me would be greatfully received.
The only info I have on the person that could be my gran's dad is that he his name was Cuthbertson. The story all seems a bit far fetched but my mother believes that Cutheberson was from Duntocher and she thinks that his family were quite comfortable (in relative terms) as they may have owned a shop / grocers perhaps in Clydebank.
The interesting bit is that apparently Cuthbertson left Duntocher to work in America in Vaudeville shows. I don't know if this meant he was a performer or a writer, but the rumour has it that he would write to my great granny requesting that she send Harry Lauder songs for his shows.
If true, it must have been quite a scandal as the family was staunchly catholic and having 2 illigitimate children with a Vaudeville entertainer was not really the done thing.
Hope someone out there can help.
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Hi Mintymoo,
I have no idea if this is of any interest to you, or in any way connected, but ....
my grandfather's brother, Alexander Cuthbertson went to Philadelphia, in 1909 and he was a vaudeville entertainer,
(although his real trade was patternmaker). I have some great info on his life in America.
His father Robert was known as "Candy Bob" and had a sweet shop in Duntocher.
Helen
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Mintymoo, I've just read the dates again, and my great uncle may indeed be the culprit! He emigrated to the USA in 1909, but made a return trip to Scotland. I have him leaving there and going back to America in November 1912. What month in 1913 was your Gran born? ;)
Helen
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Hi Helen,
thanks for replying, I was very excited to read your message!!
My Gran was born April 29th 1913 and Annie Elizabeth was born in 1909 - May again I think, I don't have the birth line to hand.
The story goes that the mysterious Mr Cuthbertson did go to America and then indeed made a return trip.
Also the sweetie shop would tie in with the story....can't wait to tell my mum.
Do you think the dates are right?
Regards
Pam
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Hi Pam,
The dates I have are correct, I have details of both trips to America.
He was the 6th child of Robert Cuthbertson & Bridget (m.s. Ryan) and was born 14 Oct 1883, Glasgow. He died 12 Jun 1964, Easton, Pennslyvania.
According to the 1930 US Census he was a widower, aged 46 who married at the age of 40. He married again later in life, and the union had no children.
If you think he's your man I have his obituary, and also a photo.
Helen
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Hi Helen,
I spoke to my mum today, the dates and the sweetie shop connection definately tie up. I had actually seen Alexander on the Ellis island records but the occupation of 'pattern maker' threw me. Mind you I had no idea how a vaudeville entertainer would describe himself on the immigration records. But there were plenty of pattern makers either in Singers or in John Brown's and it was one of the more skilled jobs.
I had actually looked at the family on the 1901 census, and looking at the entry again it says Bridget was a shopkeeper, which I didn't notice first time round. My mum is going to take a visit to the family history centre in Clydebank and see if she can find out anything else. I would love to see any info you have, especially a picture.
Okay I will never know for sure if Alexander is my g grandfather, but everything seems to tie up. I was really downheartened as I've managed to trace back all the other strands of my family tree, and this was the 'missing link'.
It just makes you wonder what happened between my g gran and Alexander, apparently she was a very strong willed lady!! Also my mum said she did not want to leave Duntocher to go America. You would have thought though that the families may have pressed them to get married? Ultimately she married Paddy Duffy (her step brother and widower) when she was 36 - it was not a happy union let's say.
Please get in touch I'd love to hear more about Alexander.
Pam
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Hi Helen,
just thinking, you said Alexander was married twice, did he have any children from his first marriage, did he marry in Scotland or USA.
Also what was it he actually did as an entertainer?
Thanks again,
Pam
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As far as I can see he had no children in the USA. Here's his obit:
Alexander's Obituary:
Name: Alexander F. "Scottie" CUTHBERTSON Given Name: Alexander F. "Scottie" Surname: Cuthbertson Sex: M Birth: 14 OCT 1883 in Glasgow,Scotland Death: 12 JUN 1964 in Easton,Northampton Co.,PA Burial: 15 JUN 1964 Hillside Cemetery,Effort,Monroe Co.,PA Note:
"Scottie" Cuthbertson was a vaudevile entertainer.
"Express-Times", Easton, PA, 12 June 1964, pg. 1:
'SCOTTIE' CUTHBERTSON DIES
Noted For Entertaining At Hospital, Prison; Former Soccer Coach At Lafayette
Alexander F. (Scottie) Cuthbertson, a jaunty little Scot who devoted most of his waking hours to entertaining shut-ins of all kinds, died at 9:05 a.m. today at Easton Hospital. He was 80 years old.
A well-known and beloved figure in the Easton area for more than 50 years, he spent three days a week at Easton Hospital, distributing baloons and gifts to youngsters in the pediatrics ward and cheering up other patients throughout the building. He had produced a variety show for inmates at Northampton County Prison every Christmas since 1948, and was honored by the prisoners in 1952. They presented him with a watch and a testimonial letter. And his volunteer work did not go unnoted elsewhere. He was named Optimist of the Year by the Easton-Phillipsburg Optimist Club in 1953 for his "efforts to spread cheer among children and adults."
The Easton Sertoma Club gave him its Service to Mankind Award in 1959, and he was named a life member of Easton Eagles Aerie 111 in 1962. The Rice-Elmer and Lester Pfeffer posts of the American Legion both awarded him citations of honor for his charitable programs for veterans groups. He took an active part in the International Ladies Garment Worker's annual March of Dimes Show and was sought frequently as an entertainer by other organizations in the area.
A native of Glasgow, Scotland, he was born in 1883, a son of the late Robert and Bridget Ryan Cuthbertson. Before moving to the United States in 1909, he was employed in a shipyard and had a hand in the construction of the Lusitania. He worked for 18 years as a patternmaker at Ingersoll-Rand Co., Phillipsburg, and later was employed as a salesman for several electrical firms.
He once recalled that "when he first moved to Easton, someone told him he could "watch a strange game for 10 cents." The game turned out to be soccer, at which he was adept, and he joined a team from the Standard Silk Mill to play it instead of simply watching it. He coached the Lafayette College soccer team from 1920 until 1926 and again from 1938 to 1942.
Mr. Cuthbertson was married to the former Eva Serfas, a matron at the Easton Home for Aged Women. They lived at 1136 Northampton St.
He began his program of visits to Easton Hospital during the polio epidemic of 1949 and until he was hospitalized himself last fall for surgery, had missed only 100 days of visits over the years. He celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary while he was recovering from an operation at Easton Hospital last October. The nurses and staff honored him at a party in his room and in a "turn-about" move, sent a child from the pediatrics ward, Francine Shultz, to visit him and bring him a baloon. He entered the hospital again last Tuesday, this time as a medical patient and until his condition worsened several days later, he continued to entertain the nurses and other patients from his hospital bed.
It was at the fourth annual Scottie Cuthbertson show at Northampton County Prison in 1952, that the veteran entertainer encountered an instance of reverse giving. He had a stern rule that he was never to receive anything for arranging this show, but on this occasion, it was broken. At an uneasy point in the program, Erwin C. Gackenbach, then the warden of the prison, braved the stern little man and presented him with a wristwatch on behalf of the inmates. Scottie accepted the watch with a mixture of appreciation and indignation, and threeatened to call off the annual show if anything like this ever happened again. The happy (and relieved) inmates listened carefully.
The Christmas show went on as usual until 1963. At the time of the 1963 show, Scottie was out of the hospital, but not strong enough to serve as master of ceremonies. His veteran performers reported to the prison as usual. The show was arranged and run by Parke Frankenfield. So far as the prison was concerned, the Christmas show was the big event of the year, but it was not the only one.
Scottie, Warden Paul Bertrand, said today, could be expected to provide at least two formal shows a year, and he provided less elaborate benefits between shows. He might turn up at the prison anytime. "Like", said Warden Bertrand, "tomorrow. He would come to the front door, and the door was always open to him. Every door in the prison was open to him. Sometimes he would have song sessions. Sometimes he would go through the rug factory and into all the cells talking to the fellows. He had the freedom of the institution, and he was the only person I ever knew who had that freedom."
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Ashton Funeral Home, 14th and Northampton Streets.
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I am just totally blown away by this obit he sounds like quite a man, it just makes the whole thing so much more intriguing...
I'd love to see a pic of Alexander would you be able to post it?
I believe that Alexander has to be my g grandfather it would be impossible to have 2 vaudeville entertainers with the name of Cuthbertson hailing from Duntocher....with the added connection of the shop and of course the dates my gran and her sister were born.
It's funny when we were kids and acting in a melodramatic way...as wee kids do...my mum would say oh that's the vaudeville entertainer in you...
I can't believe I have found this info out, I actually though...what the heck, I might as well post a message on this forum...I didn't really expect to find out. Thank you so much, I can't wait to show my mum this.
I'm really quite stunned, do you have any info about his parents?
Thank you so much again, this has really made my week :D
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Do I have information on his parents? Absolutely - they were my great grandparents!!
Robert, born 1841 Maybole, Ayr. was the son of Andrew Cuthbertson & Susan Lynch. He was a soldier stationed in Ireland
when he met Bridget Ryan. They married St. Mary's, Limerick on 22nd November 1866.
Robert died 27 March 1921, Larbert Asylum, Stirling - Senile Decay, aged 78.
Bridget was the daughter of Patrick Ryan & Honora O'Connor. She was born abt. 1842, Ireland, and died 13 March 1913, 15 Main Street, Duntocher - Bronchitis & Heart Failure.
I'd like to take the forgiving view (considering that he led such a 'giving' life) that circumstances that we'll never know kept them apart.
If you'd like to pm your email address to me I'll send on what I have on him.
Helen
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The little man in the overcoat & hat - that's Alexander. He coached the Lafayette Men's Soccer Team.
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Hi Pam,
Did you get my email & attachments okay?
I know we should have covered this earlier, but ... have you got your Grans birth cert.?
I'm just wondering if Alexander 'did the right thing' and was named on the certificate.
Helen
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Hi Helen,
I did get the info, thanks for that, some great research!
On both my Gran's and her sister's birth cert it says illegitimate, but if unmarried, the father has to be present at the time of registration in order to enter their name. Alexander would have been in the states while G Gran was still pregnant.
Cheers,
Pam
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There must have been something in the water in Duntocher! My Granny too had one of her two illegitimate children fathered by a Duntocher man whose family owned a Fruit/Grocery shop there.She hailed from Old Kilpatrick.He did put his name on the Birth certificate.
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Great to read you post about Alexander. I have in my tree Elizabeth Cuthbertson 1847, x3 great grandmother, she married James Auld. Her brother was Robert so that makes her Alexander aunt. Any other information on the family would be appreciated . Janet
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Nice to hear from you! Robert was the 4th of 8 children: MARGARET b.abt. 1831, I have no info on her, she was a 9yo in the 1841 census but wasn't with the family in the 1851. MARY b.abt. 1833, married Robert Lang 1st Dec 1854, Maybole, and died 22nd Apr 1915, Glasgow. WILLIAM, b. abt. 1837 & died bef. 1851. ROBERT (my g,grandfather) was born 1841 & died 1921. JAMES b. abt 1845 married Annie McLaren 14th Apr 1868. He died 17th Sep 1926. ELIZABETH b. 1847 I had no other info on her and lost her after the 1861 census. JOHN b. 1850, married Mary Shaw, 31st Dec 1876. He died 18th Jul 1920, And finally, the 2nd WILLIAM b. 28th Feb 1852, he married Helen McLure. They emigrated to the U.S. in 1888 They lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he died 29th Mar 1907.
I hope that helps you, and any further info on Elizabeth (places, dates events) would be gratefully received. :)
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Hi Helen, I'm still new to all this , only started last year. Elizabeth married James Auld 1864 Bridgeton. Only have a daughter so far for her Elizabeth Cuthbertson Auld b.1865/67, m.1887 Camlachie to William Wilson b.1862. Have a son and daughter for them, William b.1890 and Elizabeth Cuthbertson Wilson b.1891, m.1923 Calton to Robert Wilson b.1891. They had two daughters. Elizabeth Wilson who married George Beaver 1945 Bridgeton and my gran Janet Brownlie Wilson b.1930 d. 2006, m.1948 Shettleston to Donald Hood Mcmillan b.1927 d.1997. They had 13 children my mum being the oldest. Thanks for getting back to me. Keep safe Janet
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If I can help in any way just let me know. :)