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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Kirsty01 on Saturday 20 January 24 21:35 GMT (UK)
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Hi I'm new to Rootschat. I've been doing my family tree on my late dads side he was born in Alloa Scotland. His parents were Robert Donaldson & Marion Corsar. I've managed to go back to my 4Th great grandparents Robert Donaldson & Jean/Jane Campbell they married on the 4-11-1798 in Clackmannan I've hit a brick wall as I can't find birth or death records for Robert. I have found their children's birth records Betty? B-1799 D-14-4-1801 , Margaret B-1801 D-19-5-1859 M- Alexander Gifford 26-10-1822, James B-14-1-1803 D-17-12-1877 M- Janet McGregor 22-11-1846, Katharine B-29-8-1805 D-14-6-1819, Henry Scotland B-10-7-1807 M-Katharine Kennedy 25-11-1832, John B-4-6-1809, Janet B-24-10-1811. If there is anyone on here who can help I would appreciate it. many thanks Kirsty
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Hello
Did you consider the only one that is on SP for the correct birth time-slot (1765-1780)?
DONALDSON
ROBERT
ROBERT DONALDSON/MARGT. STUPART
M
04/05/1766
466
30 / 200
Clackmannan
Then there is this from a generation previous:
DONALDSON
ROBERT
JOHN DONALDSON/MARGARET MACULLO
M
12/08/1733
466
20 / 412
Clackmannan
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Hi Alan yes I did look at that one & wondered if it could be but as I don't live in Scotland I don't know the area so I was looking at the Clackmannan area since that was where he married I don't know how far people would of traveled back then sorry.
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Yeah , those records are at the right time and in Clackmannan as well. It's possible these are the right ones but has to be cross-referenced and proven. Getting those docs from SP would be a start. Many times old docs don't lead to clues ...sometimes they do. It's a gamble.
1798 wedding minus about 30 years of age equals probably born 1768ish
I'd say Robert Donaldson and Margaret Stupart who had son Robert in 1766 in Clackmannan would be well worth looking further into.
I had to change likely the right ones to possibly. Just because there is a same-named person born in Clackmannan at the right time doesn't mean it's the correct person...
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There is another candidate ...
DONALDSON ROBERT
JOHN DONALDSON/MARGRET SHORT
M
20/02/1778
465
50 / 59
Alloa
I didn't see this at first on SP site. It's in the area of Clackmannan.
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Yes I’ve been using Scotland’s people I try to find a death record to get the parents details & go back from there. But back in the 1700s when there was no parents details on the death record it makes it harder. I did find a birth record for a Robert Donaldson born in the Clackmannan area to a John Donaldson & Margaret Short he was born illegitimate. The other problem I had was trying to figure out what age people married back then?
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I believe they generally married between age 20 and 30.
The kids of Robert Donaldson were all born at Carnock. A Robert Donaldson died at Carnock.
DONALDSON ROBERT
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52
M
17/10/1824
414
30 / 276
Carnock
Would have been born around 1777.
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Hi Alan I did see that one & thought it’s probably him. But with no other names on the death record it’s hard to verify it. Thanks for your help. I’ve got his kids & managed to find marriage records for some of them. My own direct line comes from his son James born 1803.
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I just saw a local thread here on Rootschat where they mention James...
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=483658.msg5494071#msg5494071
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Yes I’ve seen that & I did reply to it but it was quite a few years ago so I don’t know if anyone will see my reply. That Henry is my great great great uncle.
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If that 1778 Dunfermline one is the correct Robert Donaldson then you can see it's not far to Carnock where he and Jane Campbell had the kids.
Also there is a death on SP for a Robert Donaldson , correct age , at Falkirk (connected on map).
DONALDSON
ROBERT
80
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M
1858
479 / 2 / 85
Falkirk Landward
He had been a farm servant... because it's after 1855 the record should be quite informative as far as parents/occupation/spouse etc. Worth having a closer look.
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Hi Alan yes I did see that death record which has his father as John Donaldson which could mean his mother was Margaret Short? The son who signed the death record also fits in with the kids he had. I'll have to have another look on Scotlands people to see if there are any other records for a Robert Donaldson born to a John Donaldson in that area. thank you.
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Interestingly there is no marriage for a John Donaldson to a Margaret Short (that I can find) ... but there is this:
DONALDSON JOHN
ELIZABETH SHORT/
19/11/1743
421
10 / 214
Dairsie
Could just be a coincidence.
If it is the same John Donaldson and he had a son in 1778 then , if he was born 20 years before this wedding he'd be 55 for the birth. That makes it in the realm of possibility.
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Hi Alan I don’t think they ever did marry there is a bit on the kirk session’s under the minute’s for Alloa on the 20th February 1778 they both went before the church at the time it says John Donaldson an unmarried man so I’m not sure if he married someone else before Robert was born or what? I did look at marriage’s for 1777 to see if he married before Robert was born but didn’t find anything.
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Gotcha.
I wonder if John Donaldson was also the father of the other kids in Alloa that were born at the same time as Robert. One was in 1776 and another in 1779.
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Now that sounds interesting I’ll have a look into those.
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There is a few John Donaldson's around Alloa at the time though. I see at least 4 that marry between 1778 and 1788.
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Yes I saw that too which makes it hard trying to figure out which one he is. There is also no census records for back then either which makes things difficult.