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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Kirkcudbrightshire => Topic started by: Candolim_Imp on Friday 27 May 05 14:13 BST (UK)
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I'm looking for the Blair family of Kirkcudbright (many thanks, by the way, for the link on this board for the 1851 returns).
There were 2 Blair families in Kirkcudbright town in 1851, both headed by Davids... the one I'm particularly interested in is the older David... who I believe was a shoemaker (tho retired and not listed as such in 51). He was 78 in 1851, with wife Margaret (60) and they were living with daughters Jane (30) and Charlotte (28). All were born in Kirkcudbright.
I would expect to find Elizabeth Carson Blair in the household at this time, as she was born 1826-1831... by 1851 she and her sister, Mary, were in Liverpool (but we have a baptism match in 1811 for Mary as daughter of David Blair & Margaret McMonies. Though we don't have Elizabeth's baptism, we know she was Mary's sister and she named her father as David at her marriage).
I've already discovered that this David Blair was the grandson of Hugh Blair of Borgue, whose marriage was annulled by his brother's court action after Hugh's wife became pregnant.... because Hugh was deemed to be unfit to manage his affairs or mentally competent to understand his own marriage... a book was written on the case and the life of the family in 2000, in which Hugh was diagnosed as autistic. The brother wanted to avoid Hugh's expected child inheriting the family estate... which annulment achieved, by rendering the child legally illegitimate.
After the court case in 1748, Hugh moved to Kirkcudbright with his "wife", where they baptised 2 children, the eldest being David, father of the David I mention above.
Any help at all on this family would be much appreciated, or any links to sites I might search.
Impy
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Not sure if you have found the following yet: http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/acatalog/shop.html
You can purchase copies of documents for a fair price there that may help you.
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Hi,
This might be of interest to you.
This is the Land Owners of Scotland 1873....
The name is first then where they are living at the time, and then the number of acres and then the earnings for the year of the property.
regards
kenjo :)
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I have the transcript of the 1841 census for Kirkcudbright and have found the following family living in Castle Street
BLAIR David 65 precentor & shoemaker
BLAIR Margaret 60
BLAIR Charlotte 20
BLAIR Jane 20
BLAIR Elizabeth 15
Another Blair family with 7 children lived in the High Street.
I am not researching Blairs burt they are of interest as I live near Kirkcudbright.
Hope this is of help.
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Many thanks for those contributions. The other Blair family in KK was, I think, descended from Hugh's brother, John (who had Hugh's marriage annulled)... I think both families came out of the years of legal wrangling with little left of the money they'd been fighting over.
The family of 1841 here was my partner's GG grandmother (Elizabeth) and her family.
This is one of only 2 British lines in my partner's family, and I've discovered that it traces back to Robert the Bruce and the Stewarts, through Robert III's daughter (Hugh's mother was descended from the Agnews)
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I'm descended from a John BLAIR who gave his birthplace as "Galway in Scotland", which I presume was either Galloway or Galtway. Either way, it's close to Kirkcudbright.
My John BLAIR was born about 1815. He moved to Manchester, & later to Australia.
As far as I know he had no contact with his family of origin after moving to Australia, & so far we know nothing of them.
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Hi,
Take for granted, that you by now how found that
Hugh Blair of Borgue (1708/09-1765) was son of
David Blair ( -1716) & Grisel Blair of Borgue - he was son of
Hugh Blair [McGuffog] & Margaret Dunbar - he was son of
James Blair ( - aft.1652/bef.1670) Minister in Portpatrick & Jean Power
James had a brother Gavin Blair of Braxfield
Have you perhaps succeded in finding the parents of James and Gavin because here I have a "blind end" - except that they are of the Ayrshire-Blairs.
Grisel Blair was daughter of
John Blair ( -aft.1684) of Dunskey & Jean Agnew - he was son of above ment. James Blair of Portpatrick, and the line of Blairs that I'm researching
hc-hac (Denmark)