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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: Wilmac on Monday 26 July 10 22:42 BST (UK)
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Hello. I'm a beginner and I'm looking for info. about Robert Falconer born 1827 who married Janet Isabella Porteous on 27th. Sept 1850 in Glasgow. I've been doing a bit of research for a while now but don't seem to be getting anywhere so I hope someone will be able to help me.
I know from the info. I already have that Robert's parents were Robert Falconer and Mary McArthur but I don't know the date of their marriage. I would like to know where they originated from. After Robert jnr. and his wife Janet were married they must have moved to Perth as they had a daughter Williamina who was born on 27th Aug. 1865. She was an ancestor of mine and I always remember an aunt telling me Williamina had 7 brothers and yet the only record I can find is of her birth. I think that possibly the others in the family might have been born in Glasgow.
I would be really grateful if anyone could help me find more information.
Thank you, Wilmac.
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Hi and welcome to Rootschat
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SEE REPLY NUMBER 6
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From the same website
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SEE REPLY NUMBER 6
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JANET PORTEOUS Spouse: ROBERT FALCONER Marriage: 27 SEP 1850 Glasgow, Lanark
Follow these instructions for details of their children
PARENT SEARCH ON IGI
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true
Input fathers name and surname and mothers christian name and maiden name
REGION – select British Isles from the menu
COUNTRY – select Scotland
COUNTY (will appear when you select COUNTRY) – select All
Click SEARCH
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REPLY NUMBER 6
This is where it all starts to go a bit pear shaped!!
Robert Falconer b 1827 was not born in Lanarkshire as you said
The 1851/61/71 census (which all confirm the children shown on the IGI) show his birthplace as Perth and Janet's as Edinburgh Midlothian
This then throws doubts on the parentage you gave. In 1851 his brother Francis aged 20 was living with him and Janet in Glasgow
FRANCIS FALCONER Birth: 04 APR 1830 Christening: 08 APR 1830 Perth Father: FRANCIS FALCONER Mother: JANET ANDERSON
ROBERT ANDERSON FALCONER Birth: 01 SEP 1828 Christening: 07 SEP 1828 Perth
Father: FRANCIS FALCONER Mother: JANET ANDERSON
Robert and Janet named one of their children Robert Anderson Falconer (born 1867)
Where did you get the info from that his parents were Robert & Mary?
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See above
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Hi Falkyn
Please see my reply above - strong doubts re: parentage
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Re parentage doubts - the water just gets muddier the deeper you dig into this family.
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I notice Wilmac has now gone offline so will wait for his comments before digging any deeper
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Hello Carole. First of all, thank you for welcoming me to Roots and thanks so much for going to all the bother of finding out all these facts for me. Wow, I must admit my head is reeling trying to sort all these out.
As you said, Robert Snr. was first married to Jane Easton and then to Mary McArthur and I'm wondering if Jane must have died as I don't think there would be many divorces in these days.
The records I have all come from the website of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. They start with Williamina born on 27 Aug. 1865 and this states that her parents were Robert Falconer and Janet Porteous.
The next IGI indivual record is of their marriage on 27 Sep 1850 at Glasgow.
Next is IGI individual record of Robert's birth on 13 Jul 1827. It doesn't state the place of birth but gives the date of the christening as 29th July 1827 at Gorbals, Lanark. Parents are Robert Falconer and Mary McArthur.
Janet's birth record shows her christening was on 27 dec. 1833 at Lesmahagow.
I'd be really grateful to hear your further comments.
Thanks so much, Wilma.
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Hi Wilma
I suspect some assumptions may have been made that because he married in Glasgow and was living there - he was also born there. He was born in Perth.
I don't think his parents were Robert Falconer and Mary McArthur but the only way you will be able to prove that is from his death cert which will have his parents names
These are the censuses and if you check the children on the IGI you will find that parents were Robert Falconer and Janet Porteous
1851 - Glasgow
Robert Falconer 23 b Perth brass founder/finisher
Janet 22 b Edinburgh
Francis 20 brother b Perth
Glasgow St John ED 45 Page 5
1861 Glasgow - children all b Glasgow
Robert Falconer 32 b Perthshire - brass founder
Janet 31 b Edinburgh
Margaret 9
Janet 7
William 4
Isabella 2
James 20 boarder b Perthshire
Glasgow Barony ED 14 Page 17 Line 22
1871 for Perth - last 3 children b Perth
Robert Falconer 43 b Perth brassfounder
Janet P 42 b Edinburgh (assume the P = Porteous)
Janet 17
William 15
Isabella 12
Robert 4
Minnie 5 this is Williamina
George 1
Perth Burgh ED 28 Page 9 Line 5
1881 Perth - all children b Perth
Robert Falconer 52 b Perth brass founder
Janet P 52 (shown as Jennet) b Edinburgh
Minnie 16
George 12
Jemima 9 (indexed as Jammie)
Andrew 6
Perth St Pauls ED 29 Page 6 Line 23;
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Hi again Carole,
I can't thank you enough for all the info. you sent. I really do appreciate it. As you suggested, I'll try to access the death certificate of Robert to see who exactly his parents were. The info you sent about all the siblings of Williamina (Minnie) is so interesting.
If I do manage to access the death certificate, I'll let you know.
Once again, many thanks and kindest regards,
Wilma
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This may help to narrow the search for his death
Robert & Janet were still alive in 1901 - both aged 72 but had moved to Renfrewshire and were living in the Greenock East registration district
I bet his parents were Francis Falconer and Janet Anderson
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Children of Robert Falconer and Janet (Jane) Porteous who were born in Perth.
Helen Crawford Falconer born 11th July 1863
Williamina Falconer born 27th Aug 1865
Robert Anderson Falconer born 25th May 1867
George Crawford Falconer born 23rd February 1870
Jemima Waterson Falconer born 29th May 1872
Andrew Mitchell Falconer born 21st Oct 1874
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If this is the same couple
Robert Falconer Janet Porteous with a Glasgow connection
Margaret Poynter Falconer baptised 27th October 1851 in Glasgow
Janet Marion Anderson Falconer born 3rd January 1854
William Falconer born 28th July 1856
Mary Stone Falconer born 1st January 1859
Isabella Heugh Falconer also born 1st January 1859
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Hi Falkyn
Childrens details are already known from the IGI
The main issue at the moment is establishing whether Roberts parents were Robert and Mary (McArthur) as per opening post or Francis and Janet (Anderson) as per my replies
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Hi Carole,
I'd gone to bed last night when your message came through about Robert and Janet having moved to the Greenock district.
This is great to know and as you said, it should narrow the search for his death certificate. I'll keep trying and let you know how I get on.
Many thanks,
Wilma.
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Hi Falkyrn,
Thanks very much for all the info you sent me. I appreciate it very much.
Kindest regards,
Wilma.
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Hi Carole and Falkyrn.
I don't know where I am now and need your help so much. Carole, I managed to get Robert's death certificate as you advised me. According to the certificate, he died aged 77 at Greenock on 28th. Jan 1907 and his parents are stated as being = father = Robert Anderson Falconer and
mother Janet Anderson. Robert's full name on the certificate is listed as Robert Anderson Falconer too
The death was recorded by son George who appears in the census lists.
The mother, Janet Falconer(nee Porteous) died 11th May 1918 aged 88 and her parents are listed as James Porteous and Janet Crawford not George Porteous and Janet Scouler as I previously had a note of.
According to this info. now I think it must have been another Robert Falconer who was born in 1827 as this Robert Falconer must have been born about 1929 or 1930 and Janet Porteous must have been born around these years too. What do you think? Hope you can help me a bit. I'd be so grateful. Wilma.
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The information on the death record is unfortunately only as good as the knowledge of the person supplying it. It's possible that George did not know his grandparents details but "had a guess" - the same may be true of the ages.
The best move would be to confirm what you definitely do know and work out from there.
For example, you said that you are descended from Williamina Falconer - if you confirm the details you have for "your" Williamina you can work outwards from there - if they match the details we have found for Williamina Falconer daughter of Robert & Janet then the odds are that the rest of the information here regarding the family is also fairly accurate. If the two Williamina's don't match then we must start again.
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Hi Falkyrn,
It was actually the son George Crawford Falconer who recorded the death at Greenock. I should have stated this more clearly but as I say everything seems such a mix-up. George is on the census lists as being born 23rd. February, 1870 so I imagine he would have the details of his grandparents from his father's birth certificate.
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This is now rather a problem as there is nothing on the IGI for:
A marriage between Robert Falconer and Janet Anderson or any children born to them
A marriage between James Porteous and Janet Crawford or any children born to them
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Thanks Carol
Everything seems to be more complicated now but I'll keep trying to see if I can find any more information on these marriages. It seems so strange that there's no record of them. If I do make any headway I'll let you know.
Thanks again for all your help , Carole.
Wilma.
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Hi Falkyrn,
It was actually the son George Crawford Falconer who recorded the death at Greenock. I should have stated this more clearly but as I say everything seems such a mix-up. George is on the census lists as being born 23rd. February, 1870 so I imagine he would have the details of his grandparents from his father's birth certificate.
Given that his father was born circa 1827 there would have been no Birth Certificate for George to get the details (Civil Registration did not start in Scotland until 1855)