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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Ayrshire => Topic started by: jimmymac90 on Monday 18 June 12 03:37 BST (UK)
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James Howie (Physician Surgeon) married Margaret Mcvitie in Old Cummnock 1806. They moved to Kilwinning where they had at least six children including Charles, my G.G.Grand Father and his sister Jean. Charles moved to Dundonald where he worked as a Blacksmith’s labourer and Jean ended up dying as a pauper in the Irvine poorhouse. Not what you would expect from the children of a physician/surgeon. I can find no record of the deaths of James or Margaret, which must have been after 1824 when their last known child, Margaret, was born. Nor can I find any records of the other children.
I would love to know what happened to bring this family down to such dire straits, especially Jean, ending up in the poorhouse.
If anyone has come across this family line, any information would be greatly appreciated.
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Margaret McVitie [1785 - 1828] I found this on Family Search.
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Thanks normamac, if that is her that could be part of the answer. I know they had about six children and if Margaret died in 1828 James was left, a widower, with six kids varying in ages from four to eighteen. (This is where the imagination takes over. Did he turn to drink? Or, as a physician, drugs? Ending his life a gibbering wreck and leaving his kids penniless to end up in the poorhouse). :)
Perhaps there was a more mundane reason. I’ll have to keep looking.
Anyway, thanks again.
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Hi.
Are you sure he was a medical surgeon In old occupations a barber/hairdresser was also known as a surgeon.
This may be Margaret born 1824 in the 1851 census
29 Housebank,
Grange St.
Kilmarnock
Ayr
unmarried age 27 born kilwinning occ . cook
7 children born to this couple on Family Search. 2 named John ,1 born 1807 and another John born 1811.James D Howie born 1781 married 9th Aug. 1806.
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Thanks again normamac that could well be Margaret in 1851.
I’m pretty sure James Howie was a medical surgeon based on the OPR on SP. When he married in 1806 he is recorded as James Howie, Surgeon, of Kilwinning, on the births of his various children he is recorded as James Howie, Surgeon, James Howie, Physician and Dr James Howie. On the death certificates of his children Jean and Charles, both after 1855, their father’s occupation is given as Physician/Surgeon.
Again pure speculation, but based on what you’ve given me, Margaret McVitie dying in 1928 and Margaret in the 1851 census, it looks like something happened after his wife’s death to break up the family. My G.G. Grand Father, Charles, was working as a labourer in Dundonald in 1841 and it now looks like his sister Margaret is in domestic service in 1851.
The family you mention is the right one with the two Johns, I’m assume the first one died in infancy. I’m not convinced about the John D Howie born 1781 though, this would make him 25 when he married in 1806 and, as at this time he was a surgeon, it seems a little young, I must admit I don’t know how long it took to qualify in 1806 though. The problem I have is that there a lot of Howie’s living in Ayrshire at this time, as I’ve found when chasing a lot of false leads on SP.
Thanks again, your help is greatly appreciated.
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Can I ask if your Dr. John Howie had any younger brothers? I started researching my family and some of my older cousins have information but have not been willing to share much with me. I do have a note saying that my ancester to emigrated to the US had a brother named Dr. John Howie but I am not sure that the birth dates will line up. My ancestor was born in 1811.
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Sorry Rickcd but it is Dr JAMES Howie. Whether he had any brothers or not I’ve no idea as I’ve not managed to figure out who his parents were, I’ve narrowed it down to about eight couples but not sure about any of them. I would agree about the dates though. My James Howie had a son Robert born in 1810 and another son John born in 1811 so I doubt if he also had a brother born around the same time.
What was your ancestors name and do you know where he came from? I’ve looked at a lot of Howies in Ayrshire over the last couple of years and I might have come across him.
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Jimmymac90
Have you come across John Howie born 1816 in Kilmarnock to James Howie and Elizabeth Crooks? He had an older sister (name unknown) and an older brother James Howie b.1814. Brother James had a son Dr. James Muir Howie of Newcastle, born around 1845.
John Howie was very involved with the Miner's Relief Fund in Co. Durham. He was my gg grandfather. I strongly believe I have the correct parents but would like to verify this somehow.
Janet
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Smidget
I’ve been going through all my old notes but that’s one I don’t have. Very interesting though, another Dr. Howie. I’m beginning to think it’s some kind of family tradition. Oldest son gets the farm and the second son goes into medicine type of thing. I’ll keep looking and if I come across anything I’ll let you know.
Jimmy
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Jimmymac90
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I incorrectly wrote John in place of James. What I received is from a cousin so said Dr. James Howie was a relative but did not elaborate on where he fits in the puzzle. This is what she sent me.
"ARDSHEALACH LODGE in Acharacle: Dr James Howie became a regional doctor in Argyllshire......lived in a town called Acharacle in a house called Ardshelach Lodge which I toured. It was then owned by Mr & Mrs David Smith, local school principal. A local historian called George Fox in STrontian, Argyllshire gave me all this info and helped me. Again dont know if he is still alive. I am sure house is there."
I am looking for Thomas Howie who was born in 1811 in Ayrshire. I've seen it actual place of birth as Drakemyr or Loudoun. He married Mary Morton in 1836. I have their marriage banns and records from the OPR but nothing for either of their births. He left Scotland in about 1837/1838 and went to New York then moved onto Wisconsin by 1842.
He left quite a nice little biography here when he arrived in the States but there is little about his family back in Scotland. I've seen articles here in newspapers where he might have a brother John or David. I am really stuck because both names are common in Scotland and their branches could go a number of different ways.
Any help in a direction to look would be great!
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Rickcd
Looks like you and I have the same challenge, too many Howies in Ayrshire.
The James Howie I’m looking for is listed in Pigot’s directory for 1824/25 but not in 1837, so I’m assuming he either died or moved between these dates. When I read your piece about Acharacle I thought I may have found him. Unfortunately it’s a different Dr. James Howie. The 1868 County Directory lists a Dr. James Howie living at Ardshealach Lodge so I checked the 1861 census and, sure enough, he is there. Problem is that this Dr. James Howie is only aged 31. He was born in Loudon, Ayrshire though so there might be a connection.
The only Thomas Howie I’ve come across was registered in Stevenston in 1810, the son of Robert Howie but that’s all I know about him. I was looking at Robert possibly being a brother of my Dr. Howie but I never got anywhere.
Sorry I can’t help. Looks like we’ll just have to keep searching.
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Rickcd
After posting the above I was having a look again at your post and thought this might be your Mary Morton.
John Morton married Mary Mair in Galston 1810
They had a daughter Mary Morton born 14th August baptised 9th September 1813 in Galston, Ayrshire.
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I have this Thomas Howie as marrying Mary Morton in 1836 and dying in West Virginia in 1858. I have his brother James born c1807 and dying in West Virginia in 1887. Both were the sons of John Howie and Janet Mair and grandsons of James Howie and Agnes Findlay.
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Have found a marriage certificate for a James Howie MD son of John Howie and Janet Mair. In 1863 James is aged 53 (therefore born about 1810) a widower and his bride is a Mary Robertson, a 42 year old spinster.
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Have you tried this link?
http://boards.rootsweb.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=38&p=surnames.howie
my 3 x great aunt Janet Paton married Gavin Howie of Lochgoin.
baird
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I have a Thomas Howie born 1810 married to Jean Lindsay. Thomas was born in stevenston ayrshire.His parents Robert Howie and Margaret Wallace.Robert was born in Kilwinning ayrshire c1780 Thomas Howie (1810) had a son John L . Howie who was also a doctor.
shawsboy