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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Dumfriesshire => Topic started by: margt on Monday 19 November 12 05:30 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone connect to John Richardson, sometime merchant in Reading thereafter kindly tenant or portioner of Hightae, otherwise known as a merchant. His widow was Mary Kennedy and they had six daughters, one being unborn at the time of his death. He died intestate and therefore his oldest daughter was entitled to inherit his estate. Her name was Katharine Richardson (known in the family as Katie) and she married James Richardson, merchant in Lochmaben. Mary Kennedy was able to go to court to obtain support for herself and a share for the other daughters. This is pretty ambitions but I would like to know more about all of these people. John Richardson and Mary Kennedy would be my g g g g g grandparents. Not bad eh?
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Hi Margt,
Have you looked at the Wills on Scotlandspeople? http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search/testament/index.aspx
If you haven't used it before, you will find that searching is free but the Testaments cost 10 credits. It's best to click on 'sort by year' at the bottom of the page otherwise they come up all over the place! There are a few that may or not be relevant to your family but nevertheless tie in with what you have said so far about John & James Richardson.
RICHARDSON JOHN 11/02/1747 MERCHANT IN HIGHTAE, PARISH OF LOCHMABEN TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/13 (3 pages)
RICHARDSON JOHN 14/10/1747 MERCHANT IN HIGHTAE, PARISH OF LOCHMABEN EIK DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/13 (3pages)
RICHARDSON JAMES 24/05/1779 MERCHANT IN HIGHTAE TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/16 (2 pages)
RICHARDSON JOHN 18/10/1809 PORTIONER, RESIDING IN HITAE DUMFRIES SHERIFF COURT SC15/41/1 (3pages)
Regards,
brigau
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Hi brigau. Thanks for your reply and suggestions. I have seen the first two wills and believe they both relate to the John Richardson I am seeking. It was from this information that I got his wife's name. John Richardson seems to have been a very popular name in Hightae! I wonder if or how James Richardson might be related. Since our John Richardson had only daughters, I do not believe John Richardson 1809 to be a direct descendant. Hopefully someone out there might know more.
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There is a mention here of a James Richardson, merchant in Reading - do you think it should have read John from the description (link shrunk from google books) www.rootschat.com/links/0sdu/ It could also be a family member to John?
If Katie/Katherine also married a Richardson, then perhaps some of the later entries (such as those indicated by brigau) could be connected quite closely to your line? Have you followed the family of Katie and husband James Richardson?
Monica
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Hi Margt,
When looking at the Wills, and not knowing if you had been down that path or not, I just picked up on the words Portioner, Merchant, Reading Hightae etc. My initial thinking was that the 1779 Will might relate to James Richardson who married Katie/Katherine and the 1809 one possibly a descendant of theirs.
If, in 1747 Katherine was the eldest of six children she must have been born ~1730 - 1738? Do you have a date for her marriage? A search for births (SP & IGI) in Dumfries with parents James Richardson/Katherine Richardson brings up the following, all born in Lochmaben, but no records for a James, John or Mary as you would expect if the Scottish naming pattern were followed:
Katherine 1769
Margaret 1771
William 1773
Charles 1775
Charles 1776
The book reference Monica found shows that a James Richardson, merchant in Reading made a bequest around 1726, could this be the same man (Riddan = Reading.) It sits well with your John being a 'sometime merchant in Reading':
RICHARDSON JAMES 17/11/1732 LATE MERCHANT IN RIDDAN TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/9 (2 pages)
RICHARDSON JAMES 02/11/1733 LATE MERCHANT IN RIDDAN EIK DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/10
There were indeed a great many Richardsons in Dumfries, but very few Kennedys. A John and a George, both in Halleaths died around 1739, also a William Kennedy died in 1760 in Hightae (SP Wills). He may be worth considering as one of Mary’s near relatives.
It’s all ifs and buts isn’t it!
Another one:
RICHARDSON JOHN 18/03/1758 MERCHANT IN HIGHTAE, PARISH OF LOCHMABEN EIK DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/14
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This Mrs Catherine Richardson died December 28th 1819 (born 1732-3):
The Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany, Volume 85, 1820 http://tinyurl.com/chzm8gw
For a discussion of Richardsons in Hightae you might like to look at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,376946.0.html
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Hello again! I think this is the correct Catherine. Apart from this report, I haven't been able to find her death record or MI. We don't appear to relate to the discussion on Richardsons so far.
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We don't appear to relate to the discussion on Richardsons so far.
:-\ I think we are trying to keep on subject for your line. Where do you think the conversation has gone off topic?
Monica
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Sometimes it's a process of eliminating those who aren't related in order to narrow the search to those who are. The posters I linked to have evidently done a lot of work sifting through the Hightae Richardsons, and also made kind offers of MI look-ups. It's possible that some have previously come across your line and put them aside as not being relevant, but they still have the knowledge. Regarding the snip - the death notices in the Edinburgh Magazine generally list widows under their maiden name so Catherine does look like a possibility. Following on from that the NAS catalogue http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/ (searching for Richardson Lochmaben) has a record of James Richardson, Provost of Lochmaben & daughter, Jean, both deceased by 1795. Jean Richardson was married to John Wilson, late of Hazelbrae and they had the following seven children: John, Mary, Catharine, Margaret, George, Robert and James. After Jean's death Robert Richardson, merchant, Lochmaben, (likely a brother or uncle) was appointed factor loco tutoris. Realistically, Jean must have been born before 1760.
Do you have any other names and dates for James and Katherine's family?
brigau
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I suppose, also, we have forgotten to ask, which of the children of John Richardson and Mary Kennedy are you following through?
Monica
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Hightae was one of the "Four Towns" of Lochmaben whose "Kings Kindly Tenants" had priveleges going back to the time of Robert Bruce.
Skoosh.
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Hello all, I'm so thrilled with responses! Monica, I think there are definitely two people: James AND John. I am keen to establish their relationship too and trying not to jump to the conclusion that they might be brothers. The James Richardson, native of Hightae and merchant of Reading, who died in 1726 and bequeathed money for schooling, is another very interesting possibility for us to investigate somehow. There is possibly of Thomas Richardson and William Richardson as well but they may be further removed ie a cousin.
From the will and subsequent court rulings of John Richardson’s “estate”, I know that Catherine Richardson and James Richardson were married before 1757. The other daughters of John Richardson and Mary Kennedy are: Jean Richardson who married Robert Wilson of Hazliebrae, Mary Richardson who married Matthew Rae merchant in Ecclefechan, Jannet Richardson who married John Moffat kindly tenant in Hightae, Violet Richardson (my line) who married John Kennedy portioner of Hightae and Ann Richardson.
Brigau – thanks for looking up births for James and Catherine in Dumfries. I have not found them in the Lochmaben fiche. My family didn’t strictly adhere to Scottish naming patterns. Also, RIDDAN could be READING? A good lead.
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Hi Margt,
From post #8 above
<<the NAS catalogue http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/ (searching for Richardson Lochmaben) has a record of James Richardson, Provost of Lochmaben & daughter, Jean, both deceased by 1795. Jean Richardson was married to John Wilson, late of Hazelbrae and they had the following seven children: John, Mary, Catharine, Margaret, George, Robert and James.>>
From post #11
<<The other daughters of John Richardson and Mary Kennedy are: Jean Richardson who married Robert Wilson of Hazliebrae>>
A generation mix-up? I'd go with the NAS
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Hello again! I have just re-read the will relating to James Richardson mentioned by Brigau:
RICHARDSON JAMES 24/05/1779 MERCHANT IN HIGHTAE TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/16 (2 pages)
There is no wife mentioned but his only lawful child is Anne Richardson who is married to John Gardner weaver in Lochmaben. This inventory of money owing by John Moffat Cooper in Hightae, Francis Moffat eldest lawful son of the said John Moffat and James Moffat eldest lawful son of the said Francis Moffat is valued at £23.
Can anyone pick up on this one?
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Can't yet see marriage but some of the children showing on the index (https://familysearch.org) as born to an Ann Richardson and John Gardiner include:
John 1778
Janet 1780
Mary 1781
James 1784
Jannet 1788
John 1792
All entries in Lochmaben. Maybe some clues on family names if sponsors' names included on christenings on the parish registers (original images from SP)?
Monica
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As a winter project and to take my mind of this horrible weather i'm working on an update of http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dfsgal/ndx-4.htm and intend to add Lochmaben,
My photograph archive includes five Richardson gravestone, all quire readable. PM me with an e-mail address that accepts attachments an I will send to anyone who wants them.
Cheers
Sy
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Hi Margaret,
Thanks for your PM.
Glad you liked my photos of D&G graveyards.
You didn't give me an email address that accepts attachments. I can't really put all five of them on the chat forum -- that is greater than the allowable limit.
I've put one up here to show you the quality and let you decide if you want them now or wait until I revamp my website.
Cheers,
Sy
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Hello again, reporting back that I have finally sighted both Wills/testaments of James Richardson, merchant formerly of Riddan who died Hightae in 1732:
RICHARDSON JAMES 17/11/1732 LATE MERCHANT IN RIDDAN TESTAMENT DATIVE AND INVENTORY DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/9 (2 pages)
RICHARDSON JAMES 02/11/1733 LATE MERCHANT IN RIDDAN EIK DUMFRIES COMMISSARY COURT CC5/6/10
I am not at all sure that he belongs to us. His next of kin were nephews John and James Smith. His belongings consisted of hair and chimney cases and a few pounds.
Perhaps this information might be of use to another family? Or maybe someone else might have more information ???