RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: GordonFindlay on Thursday 14 August 25 10:22 BST (UK)
-
George Melvin was a renowned schoolmaster in Tarves for 21 years from 1843. There are many tales about him in local history circles.
Baptised 7 Nov 1796 (often given as 1797) in Aberdeen. Parents were George Melvin and Agnes Stewart. I cannot find their marriage.
There were two other children:
- James bapt 21 May 1794; found with his mother and someone else also named Agnes who might be a wife or sister. in Aberdeen 1841 census.
- Agnes bapt 30 Oct 1802 In Aberdeen
George Melvin the schoolmaster married his housekeeper Jean Angus on his deathbed, so she could get a pension due to schoolmasters' widows! Obviously they had no children. Her parents were John Angus and Isobel Hay.
I want to trace the families of his siblings James and Agnes but no luck: there are far too many George, James and Agnes Melvins and far too few records.
Has anyone encountered these folk?
Slainte
Gordon
-
Presumably no connection to your FH? What is your interest?
Ref James - Whilst not all death entries show mothers maiden name - you could check Scotlands People for those that do & which are a match for his birthyear
In 1841 he was the Rector of a grammer school - is he on the 1851 census or subsequent censuses?
Agnes senior appears to have died 1847 - who reported her death?
Agnes jnr - have you checked later censuses? If not found in 1851 then she perhaps either married or died between censuses
-
George Melvin and Agnes Stewart married 5th June 1793 at Aberdeen. [OPR Marriages 168/A 140 369 Aberdeen] - ScotlandsPeople.
Regards, Dod.
-
I see he left a bequest to Tarves to build a public hall. Was there any extended family named in his will?
-
Family Notice in the "Banffshire Journal" dated Tuesday, 14th December 1847.
".....the 30th *nit.,? (*likely to be ult.), 42, Belmont Street, Aberdeen, aged eighty-two, Agnes Stewart, relict of the late George Melvin, Merchant in Aberdeen."
The above notice is from the British Newspaper Archives - Index. I'm not able to view the full notice.
Regards, Dod.
-
Thanks folks - some leads there which I will follow up.
He is possibly part of my family. I have a GF and GGF named George Melvin, and two more generations of Melvins I can pin down. And there are hints that the schoolmaster's extended family overlap with mine - like "I think there was someone who taught in your father's family". But stories aren't facts!
Slainte
Gordon
-
1841 census
James Melvin, with mother Agnes and sister Agnes
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a140333f4040b9d6ee780be/james-l-l-d-melvin-1841-aberdeenshire-aberdeen-1796-?locale=en
1851 census
James Melvin and sister Agnes Melvin, both unmarried.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5902681ae9379091b1cfb488/james-melvin-1851-aberdeenshire-aberdeen-1795-?locale=en
Aberdeen Sheriff Court Inventories SC1/36/33
Melvin James, Dr. 21 / 11 / 1853
rector of the Grammar School of Aberdeen residing at No. 41 Belmont Street, Aberdeen
-
Agnes Melvin, Age 72. Death in St Nicholas in 1875 (mother’s maiden name Stewart).
1861 census, Agnes Melvin (unmarried)
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59026b82e9379091b1ddc694/agnes-melvine-1861-aberdeenshire-aberdeen-1800-?locale=en
1871 census, Agnes Melvin (unmarried)
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59026f25e9379091b1ece8af/agnes-melvin-1871-aberdeenshire-aberdeen-1800-?locale=en
ADDED
George Melvin and Agnes Stewart also had a son named Robert (Melven) born 22 Feb 1799 in Aberdeen.
-
Many thanks! I had some of those, but not all.
The news about Robert is exciting, and I'll follow it through tonight. I have found four accounts of George Melvin and all say there were only three children. No doubt someone said three and everyone copied.
Slainte
Gordon
-
Well, there is a baptism record for Robert (1799), and a couple of possible marriages for him that you could consider.
I'm not seeing anything obvious in the 1841 census for Robert, so he may have died before then.
However there is a Robert Melvin (merchant) heading from Aberdeen to New York, USA in 1835 with Jean? Melvin & children George (age eight) and James (age 1).
There is a Robert Melvin, merchant, who is listed in the 1832 Poll book for Aberdeen.
May not be the same Robert baptised in 1799. ??
-
I wonder if that Robert died in Canada?
There is this notice a good 2 months after the marriage,
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/8937c929-8194-4a5f-b9cb-76d44a18a1eb
And this seems to be the place mentioned
“ From Smith's Canadian Gazetteer 1846
NICHOL "A Township in the Wellington District; is bounded on the north-east by the townships of Eramosa and Garafraxa; on the north-west by Peel; on the south-west by Woolwich; and on the south-east by Guelph. In Nichol 20,482 acres are taken up, 5,392 of which are under cultivation. This is a long narrow township, it is well settled, and contains excellent land, the greater part of which is rolling, and timbered with hard wood. The Grand River runs across the north of the township, on which are situated the villages of Fergus and Elora; and a short distance west from the latter village is a Scotch settlement, called "Irvine Settlement." There are two grist and four saw-mills in the township. Population in 1842, 1,019, who are principally from Scotland. Ratable property in the township, £16,479."
Death
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/56ae43d0-4cbe-4dc1-bae0-47b4ac10fcd0
-
FindaGrave for that Robert
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01tx4/
-
Daughter of William Tytler and Jane Forbes. Agnes. Born 1837
Is the E. Of E. Forbes in that newspaper cutting an error?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6QR-Z7M?lang=en
Another daughter, Barbara.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMNC-YXD?lang=en
But none of this is finding the Melvins sorry. I wonder what happened to the 8 yr George on the passenger list. And just who he was.
Jane Inglis Forbes Tytler burial
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115966086/jane-inglis-tytler
Finally found a marriage
FORBES
JANE
ROBERT MELVIN/
27/04/1833
168 / B
160 / 527
Old Machar
-
Young George
Could be this one?
If so, who is John Melvin?
MELVIN
GEORGE
JOHN MELVIN/JANE CHRISTIE
M
28/04/1826
168 / A
210 / 310
Aberdeen
-
FindaGrave for that Robert
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01tx4/
The ehadstone has James, 'his only son' dying in New York. The Robert M emigrating in 1835 had two sone George and James?
A bit irrelevant for my problem anyway.
-
Well that fills in the descendants of George Melvin and Agnes Stewart (the Schoolmaster's parents) quite a bit.
But little on the their ancestors, who may be my ancestors. Surprisingly that George Melvin, Merchant of Aberdeen, is hard to locate in newspapers of the time.
Thanks for all the pointers folks.
Slainte
Gordon
-
deleted
-
You possibly have these already:
"DUN, MELVIN - At 41 Belmont Street, Aberdeen, on the 19th inst., John Dun, Esq., Grammar School, to Agnes, only daughter of the late George Melvin, Esq., merchant, Aberdeen."
Monday, Sept. 22, 1856
Publication: Caledonian Mercury
(and various other newspapers including the London Morning Chronicle)
"At 41, Belmont Street on the 16th inst., AGNES MELVIN, sister of the late Dr James Melvin, Rector of the Grammar School, and relict of John Dun, one of the Teachers in that School, aged 72. - Friends will please accept of this (the only) intimation."
Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1875
Publication: Aberdeen Journal
-
Thanks for those - fills in some more detail.
Slainte