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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Jane Eden on Saturday 06 January 24 22:31 GMT (UK)
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Hi I am looking for Agnes R Simpson born 1902, Midlothian, Scotland. She may have been born Agnes Ritchie as illegitimate and then adopted to a family called Simpson.
Unfortunately adoption records are not available for this era, they may have been charities or even unofficial. Legal adoption was much later, 1930.
She emigrated to Portland, Oregon, USA, in 1923-25, and married Joseph Harold Comery from Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Died Oregon 1986.
She was a direct relative but having trouble finding her between when she was born either as Ritchie or Simpson from 1902 to 1925. I met her in the 1960s and 1970s as she was the wife of my granny’s husband’s brother. I’m in touch with her grandchildren and would like to close the gaps. I suppose things like this were not spoken about.
Any ideas on the way forward would be fantastic.
Thanks so much
Jane
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Have you looked at this birth record on ScotlandsPeople
Agnes Ritchie in 1902 Colinton
Ref 677/47
Also available on ScotlandsPeople
In the 1911 census, there is an entry for Agnes R Simpson, age 8 in Leith South, Midlothian. Ref 692/2 27/25
The index shows in the house:
Alexander Simpson age 57
Janet Simpson age 25
Annie Simpson age 23
Alexander Simpson age 12
Agnes R Simpson age 8
You need to see the original to know relationships and all other detail.
If this is the correct person, then her father was possibly RITCHIE, and her mother was SIMPSON – might be Janet Simpson, who would have been about 17 in 1902.
I can’t see an entry for Agnes R in the 1921 census in Leith, but she may have moved away or emigrated by then.
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Well, I am sure now that I have the correct family posted above in the 1911 census. I am thinking that Agnes Ritchie Simpson’s mother might have been Janet Simpson …..
Janet Simpson (born 29 Aug 1886) was the daughter of Alexander Simpson and Janet Anderson Penman (married 1874 Leith)
Janet 1st married Robert Page in Leith on 7th April 1911 (just 5 days after the 1911 census)
She then 2nd married Thomas Mitchell in Leith on 24 July 1914.
Then there is a third partner named George Barnett
and Janet died with that surname in Cardiff in 1968.
(There is a tree for Janet on Ancestry which includes a photo. There might be similarities with the photo of her daughter that you posted here?) :)
Janet Simpson/Page/Mitchell had an older brother named George Simpson who was born 1882 and died in 1963 Michigan.
His wife was Helen Reid Kerr (married in Leith in 1910) – they had a son named Alexander Russell Simpson, and a daughter named Jeanie.
The family emigrated to USA in 1926.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZQWF-JLPZ
The 1920 & 1925 valuation rolls for Scotland show George living at 5 Stanwell St, Leith. He is there in 1921 census too.
This is your Agnes R Simpson on her Canada Border Crossing - emigrating in 1923.
Agnes Simpson, age 20, from Leith, going to Portland, Oregon
She gives her “brother” George Simpson as nearest contact- 5 Stanwell Street Leith.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99D9-4RNN?i=1004&cc=2185163&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQK3T-FQLH
In reality, George would be her uncle, but she may not have been clear about who were her parents or grandparents. She may have lived with her grandfather, Alexander Simpson, until he died in 1917, and thought he was her father.
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Have you looked at this birth record on ScotlandsPeople
Agnes Ritchie in 1902 Colinton
Ref 677/47
I think you should get this birth certificate in the chance that it is the correct person, and might give you information about the parents.
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Re Agnes Ritchie born in 1902 in Colinton
SP Ref 677/47 - details as follows:
Agnes Ritchie (illegitimate) born 21 April 1902 at Poorhouse, Craiglockhart, Parish of Colinton, to Margaret Ritchie, domestic servant. (No father's name given.) Informant = Eliz. F. Lawrie, Matron.
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21 April 1902 matches the date of birth for Agnes Ritchie Simpson seen on American documents.
I wonder if “Margaret Ritchie” was a made-up name, or a real person.
Agnes was certainly living with the previously identified Simpson family by the 1911 census.
When Janet Simpson married in 1911 her occupation was domestic servant.
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1901 Census: Alexander Simpson, 48; wife Janet, 47; son Alexander, 17; daughters Janet, 14; Annie, 13; Christina, 11; "relative" John P Simpson, 50; grandson Alexander, 2.
Perhaps Agnes was the daughter of Alexander, who was 17 in 1901, or even of George? Or of one of their older brothers Robert and James, who are in the 1891 census?
The birth certificate of grandson Alexander might also be interesting.
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I think George was in the military and “out of the way” in 1901-02, but I did wonder about Alexander.
He was a carter by occupation, and married in 1907 to Nellie Banks.
Robert and James and John Simpson were all married before 1900, so less likely to be them (but not impossible).
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I wonder if “Margaret Ritchie” was a made-up name, or a real person.
I doubt it.
As she gave birth in the poorhouse and Margow did not find another address for her on Agnes' birth certificate, she must have been resident in the poorhouse.
The parochial board would have made extensive enquiries to find out where she was born and who her parents were. This was standard practice before taking anyone into a poorhouse, because if the parochial board could find evidence that she did not have 'settlement' in their parish they could charge any expenses incurred on looking after her to the parish where she did have 'settlement'.
So if she had given a made-up name it would pretty soon have been revealed that she wasn't telling the truth.
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The birth certificate of grandson Alexander might also be interesting.
Alexander, born 1898 in Leith, gave his father's name as John Simpson. He made an application for a US passport (photo of him with wife and child is included). He looks to have made his life in Michigan, USA. Various documents support his details in the US.
From SP, the birth entry gives his mother's maiden name as Cameron. Not seeing a John Simpson/Cameron marriage that could fit so far.
Monica
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I think John Simpson married Catherine "Kate" Cannon in 1897.
John Simpson died in 1933. His probate confirms his son John in Michigan.
Birth certificate for his Alexander in 1898 has mother as Cannon (image is available on an ANC tree). I think SP has mis-transcribed Cannon for Cameron.
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Back to George Simpson and looking at his military record.
He attested in March 1900 in Edinburgh. As far as I can see, he did not go abroad until 9 Nov 1901 when he was sent to South Africa until 1904, and then to India, before returning home in Jan 1908. (He also served in WW1). In the 1901 census, he is in military barracks in Newcastle on Tyne.
I suppose he could potentially be the father of Agnes, if he had home leave during August of that year.
However, it seems more likely that Alexander Simpson born 1884 might be the father.
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Thank you all for your help. I think we may have made a breakthrough as to where she was born and the story that she was illegitimate and adopted.
She and (Joseph) Harold Comery (B 1904) did emigrate to America via Canada in 1923 to Oregon and they married in Multnomah in 1925.
The next stage is I don't know how they met. Agnes worked in a distillery in Edinburgh (Mackinleys) and Harold was brought up in Long Eaton, Derbyshire in a wealthy family. He would not have served in the army as his brothers did, and one died at the Somme, as he was just too young.
Thanks again thanks for solving this infuriating problem I was totally stuck.
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She and (Joseph) Harold Comery (B 1904) did emigrate to America via Canada in 1923 to Oregon and they married in Multnomah in 1925.
The next stage is I don't know how they met. Agnes worked in a distillery in Edinburgh (Mackinleys) and Harold was brought up in Long Eaton, Derbyshire in a wealthy family.
There are separate immigration records for these two.
Joseph Harold Comery (age 15) arrived in Canada in January 1920. This is confirmed by his presence in the 1921 Canada census. In 1923 he then emigrated from British Columbia by railway to Eastport Idaho in Feb 1923.
Agnes Ritchie Simpson arrived USA July in 1923. (see previously posted link)
I think you can assume they would have met in USA.
Added - Note that on Agnes Ritchie Comery's death certificate, her mother is named as Margaret Ritchie. This would indicate that she knew her mother. Her daughter was the informant on her death.
Her father is recorded as unknown, so Agnes was unaware of the significance of the Simpson family.
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I have found Agnes in the index for the 1921 census in Leith South, at 5 Stanwell St.
She is in the same house as George SIMPSON (39), Helen SIMPSON (36), Alexander R SIMPSON (9) and Jeanie S SIMPSON (6)
She is recorded as Agnes RITCHIE age 19
As for the 1911 census, you would need to access this document from Scotlands People to see the exact detail.
That adds some weight to the possibility of George Simpson being her father, although she thought / had been told that he was her brother.
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That is great, Neale1961. Helps with overall timings that you have found Agnes still in Scotland at the time of the 1921 Census :)
Also, finding husband to be Joseph Harold Commery already in Canada by 1920 and his move to the US in 1923 would point to the meeting of Agnes and JH being in the US.
Monica