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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Fife => Topic started by: lynnd08 on Thursday 07 November 13 02:16 GMT (UK)
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I am researching for a friend on her Beveridge line, who emigrated to America in 1868. Her ancestor was Walter, who lists his parents as James and Margaret. His wife was Catherine, b. abt 1829 in Scotland. The children that I find listed are James b. 1844 and Robert b. 1845 (both came to America) and Elizabeth b. 1848.
Does anyone have more on Walter when he was in Scotland - wife's maiden name, parent's information and ancestry? He was a coal miner in America, is there any information on where he worked in Scotland?
Thank you very much!
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Hi lynnd08
Welcome to RootsChat :)
Not that many Walter Beveridges showing in the earlier censuses which hopefully makes it easier. This Walter, on the 1841 census, fits well with what you have so far. Likely before his marriage:
Margaret Berridge 60
Janet Berridge 20
Walter Berridge 17, coal miner
Address: Terrace Row, Dalgety Fife
There are a number of excellent sites on Scottish mining for that period. I have added a couple below - but many more if google for more links:
www.scottishmining.co.uk/
www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/maps/scotland/index.html
Monica
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Hi lynnd08 and welcome to Rootschat.
There is a Walter Beveridge on the 1851 Scottish Census in Dunfermline, Fife.
His address is given as Halbeath Colliery,
Walter Beveridge M Head 27 Coal Miner Fife Dunfermline
Catharine Beveridge F Wife 42 Wife ditto
James Beveridge M Son 7 Scholar Fife, Dalgety
Robert Beveridge M Son 6 Scholar Lanarkshire, Monkland
Betsy Beveridge F Dau 3 ditto
This looks like the couple you are researching although Catharine/Catherine's age is older than your info indicated . Of course this could be a mistranscription. I copied the info from Freecen's website.
The area around Monkland in Lanarkshire where the younger children were born was also a major mining area so Walter must have worked there too.
Looby :)
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Hi again,
I wonder if Catherine was a second wife and stepmother to the children - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTPD-1M5
Marriage of Walter Beveridge to Catharne Spowart at Dunfermline 24th Feb 1851.
I found a birth of a Robert Beveridge at Airdrie which would fit in with Walter's son- https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY98-7VC
This Robert was born to a Walter Beveridge and a Janet Beveridge :-\ 21st Dec 1845 at Free High Church , Airdrie. Airdrie is part of the Monklands District. Don't know if this means the mother of this child had the same maiden name as her married name or whether her married name has been recorded instead of her maiden name :-\
Maybe worth digging deeper with that one!
Looby :)
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I would go with that too, Looby ;)
Eldest son, James, is showing on some trees as having married a Mary Simpson in Scotland https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTP8-BZ5 His marriage cert would hopefully let you confirm his mother's name.
Robert, brother of James, is showing as having married an Isabella Lowe before like James heading off to Iowa. His Scottish marriage cert is also available to view online on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - indexed here https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTPD-YP5
Monica
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You are all so amazing! Wow, thank you so much. I've been researching my own families for over 20 years and had never happened on this site.
Yes, her line is Robert who m. Isabella, and I have biographies on his brother James who states wife is Mary Simpson. I'll check this all out when I get back from work, thanks again!!!
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Hello lynnd08
There is a death certificate 14 January 1881 Halbeath Dunfermline for Catherine Beveridge, widow of 1st Allan MacLean and 2nd Walter Beveridge. It's possible that loobylooayr is correct to suggest she was Walter's 2nd wife. She was listed as 76 years old which tallies reasonably with the age given on the 1851 Census quoted above but not with birth year you quoted. She was the daughter of George Spowart and Christian Wilson. Not sure if your friend's ancestor, Walter, was dead by 1881 as intimated in this death certificate.
Dod
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Hi lynnd08,
Could this be Walter's first wife and the mother of his children?? https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT5W-GYT
Walter Beveridge married Jean Fenton on 3rd Dec 1842 at Torryburn Fife.
The names Jane/Jean/Janet were interchangeable so this could be the Janet Beveridge recorded on son Robert's birth :-\
Looby
Amended- Not so sure about above now as I've discovered (although there were not many Walter Beveridge's about) that there was a Walter Beveridge age 20 Agricultural Labourer at Torryburn on the 1841 Census. Probably him who married Jean Fenton!!
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Trying to make amends for wrong info in last post :-[
Found a marriage in the Old Parish Records on www.scotlandspeople.go.uk for a Walter Beveridge to a Janet Beveridge on 4th Feb 1843 at Dalgetty, Fife. Scotlands People is a pay to view website where you can search for results at no cost (like I did) but charges you to view the record.
This marriage looks a better option for Walter's first wife.
Looby :)
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Reply#1 - Monica - yes, this fits well with what I have and am sure it is the same family. Thanks!
Reply#3 - Dod - Walter was still alive in 1885, living in Boone County, Iowa, age 61 with son, Robert and family. On Oct 23, 1882, there is a marriage record, Boone County, listed on Family Search for Walter m. Euphema Japp, where he lists his parents as James and Margaret. In the 1885 census he lists as widowed, but another researcher has Euphema Japp still living and never has him married to Walter. Perhaps they were married only a short time and divorced? I see the Japp name ties in many years before to a Beveridge line in Scotland.
Looby - thanks for these replies - it does appear that perhaps Jean/Janet was Robert's mother (and other children) and Walter's first wife, as you say would take more research. Interesting there was a Janet Beveridge listed in the 1851 census with Margaret and Walter, but perhaps his sister's name was Janet also.
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The SP marriage certificates for James Beveridge (30th March 1866) and Robert Beveridge (12 July 1867) quoted by monicaL give conflicting names for parents. In James's case parents are listed as Walter Beveridge and Catherine Beveridge m.s. Spowart whereas Robert's are Walter Beveridge and Janet Beveridge m.s. Beveridge. It is interesting that Janet is not listed as "deceased" on Robert's certificate if this is the same Walter who married Catherine Spowart in 1851.
Dod
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Dod, with what you are confirming, what a pain, eh! Still the conflict on names, although given James is eldest born, you would think he gave step mother's name in error.
There is certainly enough there with what everyone has found to build up a good picture (although it is always nice to have it all neat and 100% ;)).
Dod, from the marriage entries, what were the addresses and witnesses for the brothers James and Robert?
Monica
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Hi everyone,
Equally painfully, it looks like poor little Betsy aged 3 on the 1851 Census could well have died in 1854 just a few month prior to compulsory registration. There is a death on OPR's of a Betsy Beveridge on 21st Sep 1854 at Dunfermline. Would that entry perhaps have parents names recorded?? Maybe ...maybe not ::)
Looby
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Monica
Witnesses to the marriage of James Beveridge and Mary Simpson were Richard Simpson and Helen Simpson, which are also the names given for Mary Simpson's parents.
Witnesses to the marriage of Robert Beveridge and Isabella Low were Thomas Adamson and Betsy Beveridge. No addresses given for the witnesses. Both sets of brides and grooms have "Halbeath" listed as addresses.
If, as is likely, Robert's witness is his sister Betsy then that would mean that the death of Betsy found by Looby would be a different Betsy. On SP I have found only one death for a Betsy Beveridge of approximately the correct year of birth and 8 Elizabeth Beveridges.
Dod
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There is a birth for the eldest child of Robert Beveridge and Isabella Low in Dunfermline on 1 June 1868 on Family Search named Walter. This ties up with the Iowa census which shows he was born in Scotland. His birth cert will be on SP.
William
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I don't think anyone has mentioned this. Is this the family in 1861? Or is it coincidence.
Walter Beveridge 37 Coal miner
Catherine Beveridge 32 (this ties up with age given at the outset but is different to 1851)
James Beveridge 17
Robert Beveridge 15
Elizabeth Beveridge 13 (Betsy?)
The address is Halbeath but it states on A*y that they were all born in Inverkeithy. ( Do they mean Inverkeithing?)
William
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Hi William
I had looked at this entry and the age for Catherine could be 32 or 52 in my opinion. The first digit is not quite the same as the 3 in Walter's age 37. It looks like it might have been altered.
Dod
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Hi,
Would agree that the age of Catherine on 1861 Census is 52.
Which adds 10 on to previous Census age, as does the age of 37 for Walter.
Found a marriage for a Catharine Spowart to an Allan MacLean (which ties with Catherine Beveridge's death cert) on 8th Mar 1829 at Dunfermline, Fife. This wedding is 33 years earlier than the 1861 Census and must make Catherine around at least 50 years old.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTP6-DJ9 :)
Looby :)
P.S. Pleased to see little Betsy didn't die and was still alive 1861. Finding her marriage or death could enlighten lynnd08 to her parentage.
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As some background reading I thought this may have been of interest to you.
http://www.burntislandnet.plus.com/family-history/the%20japps%20of%20dalgety%20parish%203.htm
A bit before the period you are looking at however a Robert Beveridge (1774) the son of David Beveridge and Christian Jaap is mentioned.
I am connected to a Walter Jaap and Elizabeth Beveridge who where married at Coaltown in 1755.
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Would have thought that Catherine Beveridge should be able to be located in 1871 census if she died in 1881. I cannot see an entry. However there is an entry in 1871 for a Catherine Spowart b 1813 Townhill Fife living on her own in Morningside, Dunfermline Landward District. Under occupation it states" husband in America". Dod do you have the details of her address and informant from the death cert?
William
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William
Her address on the death certificate is "Halbeath" and the informant was her brother George Spowart (1827-1899) Woodmill Street Dunfermline. I haven't checked the 1871 Census entry but Catherine's address then was almost certainly Morningside, Halbeath, Dunfermline.
By the way, from the Dunfermline OPR, I have Catherine (Spouart) born 1804 and christened 23 Sep 1804
Dod
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I think there might be two Catherine Spowarts. Which is what is causing the confusion, or adding just to the uncertainty.
There are shipping entries for I think Walter and his son Robert going over to the US, together in 1868:
Walter Beveridge, 45, miner and Robert Beveridge, miner, aged 22 both b. Scotland. Arrived NY on the 'Caledonia' on 3 Aug 1868. Departure port Glasgow.
There is also a further entry for a Walter Beveridge, miner, also arriving in NY on 15 Jun 1869 also aged 45. Departure port Glasgow.
Toddler Walter, son of Isabella and Robert, also shows as travelling with mother Isabella, arriving into NY on the 'Iowa', from Glasgow on 13 Jul 1869. Departure port Glasgow.
By 1885, Walter Snr., widowed and aged 61, sonns Robert and his family, James and his family are all showing as living side by side, the men miners by occupation in Marcy, Boone, Iowa.
Lynn, the second marriage for Walter that you mentioned shows here https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJC9-LTH
Monica
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Very interesting about the parentage conflicts on records. It does appear from these details that Catherine was his second wife, but why was she listed as Spowart on the 1871 census when he was in America? Did she revert to her maiden name because of him being away? Would be interesting to know why she didn't go to America. I do think the 1861 census is the right family. This is a great collection of wonderful details and clues, great to have this info!
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Yes, I was wondering that also if there are two Catherine Spowarts. I need to print out these details and look at them closer.
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1841 Census
Halbeath Dunfermline
McLean Allan M 40 Coal Miner Fife
Spowart/McLean Catherine F 36 Fife
Hunter Christian F 8 Fife
The above is as transcribed on Freecen. It looks like Catherine Spowart lived for most of her life at Halbeath. Note both her maiden and married names are used.
This might explain a little about the maiden /married name question.
http://scottishgenealogyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/use-of-maiden-surname-in-scotland.html
Quite often widowed women reverted to their maiden names. Perhaps Catherine didn't want to go to the USA and never expected to see Walter again :-\ You may never know why she was left behind.
I couldn't find any children born to Catherine and her first husband or to Walter. I don't know who Christian Hunter is or what relationship she has to the couple.
There was another Catherine Spowart living in Dunfermline on 1841 and 1851 Census who confusingly married a Thomas Spowart. This couple had children, at least 5 between the two Census years,
Looby :)
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I have Christian Hunter McLean as Allan and Catherine's daughter. Allan's mother was Janet Hunter. I'll recheck the Census entry.
Dod
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I think the Thomas and Catherine that Spowart that Looby found are also in the 1871 census living in Dunfermline (1861 they are in Beath).
Also noticed in 1851 census living in Halbeath are a Joseph Spowart married to a Sarah Beveridge. Among their children is an Allen McLean Spowart. Another connection between Spowarts and Beveridges or a coincidence?
William
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The Thomas and Catherine Spowart that Looby found were members of the Mormon Church and moved to USA in the 1870s. Catherine's maiden name was Spowart also. Thomas was the brother of Catherine, wife of Allan McLean and Walter Beveridge. Thomas and Catherine's daughter Christina shared a Mormon husband with Jane Beveridge, also from Halbeath. Yes, there are many Spowart/Beveridge connections.
Dod
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Thanks Dod. There seems to have been quite a lot of migration from the Fife coalfield to Utah during the mid 19th century. The Mormon Migration site is an excellent way of finding shipping records for the migrants.
Googled Thomas Spowart Utah, Dod and the death of his daughter Catherine in Dunfermline came up in Google Books.
William
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Hi William
Yes, Thomas and Catherine lost 3 daughters in Dunfermline between 1869 and 1873 in Dunfermline. Thomas was the informant at daughter Margaret's death in 1873. Remaining daughter, Helen, emigrated to USA in 1874. His son, William, remained in Dunfermline until he died in 1908.
Joseph Spowart, who married Sarah Beveridge, was another of Catherine's brothers.
I rechecked the 1841 Census entry for Christian Hunter and I was wrong in my belief that she was listed as McLean. No relationship was mentioned - she could have been a niece.
Dod
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Thanks again, great research from all of you on clearing up the duplicate Catherines! Really glad there were records to get that all straight. Iowa had numerous coal mines around the turn of the century and many immigrants ended up here for that reason. Interestingly, this friend's parental side (Beveridge is the maternal) were also coal miners, some former slaves from Virginia that ended up in the Iowa town of Buxton which was very unique for its time as there was racial harmony. As soon as I saw Buxton on those family censuses, I immediately was thrilled as I knew what a unique town it was from prior interest in history.
Very glad to have this information I would not have otherwise had access to. I will hopefully get more time tomorrow to look this over and add to the tree now that you have all these facts. Thanks!
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I've got the tree updated with all of this information, thanks! First wife, Janet died between about 1848 (Betsy's birth) and 1851 before his marriage to Catherine Spowart McLean - I'm wondering if she died at Betsy's birth.
This is the last record I have located with Walter is the 1885 Iowa censu, death records were sparse before 1900, but may have the key if we can look at the Boone county records sometime.
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Lynnd08
We've come a long way from your original post asking about Walter's family but I noticed a point about Margaret, his mother. In the 1841 Census she was listed as "Foreign Born" but the box was only ticked - there was no code for location (E = England or Wales, I = Ireland, F=Foreign).
Doesn't add much to information about her I'm afraid.
Given her age or around 60 in 1841 it is possible that she is the Margaret Beveridge who, along with James Beveridge, on July 2nd 1804 were rebuked by Dalgety Church for their "irregular marriage", paid a fine and were recognised then as "married persons". Following that the OPR of Births for Dalgety show Alexander Beveridge b. 12 May 1805 and Thomas Beveridge b. 03 May 1815 the James Beveridge and Margaret Beveridge. Could they be much older sibs of Walter?
Dod
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Yes, this has all added so much more information than I had! These are more good leads, sounds very possible for James and Margaret, as at her age at Walter's birth (about 43), very possible he was the youngest and had much older siblings. Wish I had this many good leads on my own family :)
I also found a record on Find a Grave that I wondered if was possibly James, as fits with him dying before 1841 census - but with no birth date, or other details, can't be sure.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=beveridge&GSfn=james&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GScntry=50&GSob=n&GRid=116906179&df=all&
Birth: unknown
Death: Jul., 1835
Note: Beveridge, James BuriedOn: 30 Jul 1835 Recorded at: Churchyards of Kirkton and St Columbas (Fife) Date of death 30 Jul 1835
Burial:
Saint Columba's Parish Churchyard
Kirkcaldy
Fife, Scotland
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I also found this tree on ancestry which seems to be the same family, without Walter. I also found another tree (but there was an issue with the site's security certificate) which listed Margaret's last name as Penman, but I closed it down with the error so didn't get to view the details. Depending on how well researched these trees are -
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/53045464/family/familygroup?fpid=13447033994
James Beveridge
B:
D:
Parents
Unknown
Unknown
Wife
Margaret Beveridge
B:
D:
Relationship Events
Marriage 22 JUL 1804
Dalgety, Fife, Scotland
Children
Name Birth Death Hints
Alexander Beveridge
Son
15 MAY 1805
Dalgety, Fife, Scotland
Margaret Beveridge
Daughter
ABT 1811
Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland
19 JAN 1888
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland m. Andrew Bernard
William Beveridge
Son
ABT 1811
Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland
11 FEB 1875
Aberdour, Fife, Scotland m. Helen Gibb
Thomas Beveridge
Son
3 MAY 1815
Dalgety, Fife, Scotland
Janet Beveridge
Daughter
ABT 1819
18 MAR 1882
Beath, Fife, Scotland m. John Muir
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Wonder if there is any connection?? I have a Janet Beveridge born circa 1773 who married George Rodger, 20.05.1794 in Dunfermline - children ?Grizel c1796, George c1798 and Margaret c1800.
Thanks
Danishdots
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Hello,
I came across this thread when I typed "Margaret Beveridge Bernard" into google.
Was anyone ever able to confirm the parents & grand-parents of Margaret Beveridge (who married Andrew Bernard) ?
(I see you have her listed in the thread above:
"Margaret Beveridge
Daughter
ABT 1811
Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland
19 JAN 1888
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland m. Andrew Bernard")
Edited incase this helps anyone:
I finally found her death! 19 Jan 1888, Dunfermline, listed as Margaret "Bardner" instead of Bernard.
marriage for her parents: 22nd July 1804, James Beveridge & Margaret nee Beveridge. I think this marriage was mentioned earlier in this thread, and someone said it had been rebuked?
Anymore information or advice for researching this tree would be much appreciated.
Cheers!