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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Mr. Story on Thursday 01 January 26 21:51 GMT (UK)
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Hello, All!
This is my first post on this forum, do forgive me if this isn't the best board for my queries. I've been working diligently on my family tree for a little over a year now, and have hit the ULTIMATE snag. No matter what I do, which rock I look under, I cannot seem to trace the ancestry of my 3rd Great-Grandfather on my mother's side, the Postmaster of Arundel, QC. His name was William Thomson, he was born in Glasgow and married to one Margaret Currie. He also left a career as a teacher in Belle-Riviere to develop some land which would eventually become Arundel. Back when he served as Postmaster, the hamlet was known as Fitzalan. I'm hoping to get in contact with anyone who might know more about this man's family, his Scottish origins, or the origins of his wife Margaret Currie.
Many thanks!
- Mr. Story
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Welcome to RootsChat.
Could you indicate some possible dates for this couple, please? Do you know when they married and perhaps where? Their children's names might also provide clues for their parents' names.
Am I right in thinking that he and his wife lived in Canada?
Nell
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source ancestry tree - Are these William and Margaret ? Married 1833 -
20 April 1833 - Montréal (Presbyterian Saint Andrew), Québec
William Thomson
Birth 1801 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, , Scotland
Death 29 December 1873 - Quebec, Canada.
and Margaret Miller Currie - Birth 1812 -Greenock, Renfrewshire, , Scotland
Death 7 JUL 1885 - Quebec, Canada.
Sandra
Added - a variation to the death according to Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968
William Thomson
Record Type Enterrement (Burial)
Death Date 13 déc. 1874 (13 Dec 1874) - Burial Date 2 janv. 1874 (2 Jan 1874)
Burial Place Lachute, Québec (Quebec), Canada
Burial Church Lachute
Place of Worship or Institution Presbyterian Church
Religion Presbyterian
Spouse Margaret Currie
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Not a lot of detail to go on - A possible, Glasgow 1801 birth ??
William Thomson - Baptism Date 7 Jun 1801
Baptism Place Great Hamilton Street Reformed Presbyterian, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Residence Place Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Sandra
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Hey Nell,
Yes, my research suggests that they lived in/near Belle-Riviere until close to the mid 1850s, when William uprooted the family to start a homestead in what would become Arundel.
William Thomson married Margaret Currie on April 20th, 1833, at the Presbyterian Church of St. Andrew. I've been able to confirm Mary, William, and John as definite children for this couple, but the majority of historical records referencing this family of Thomsons says there were six. To that end, I've added to the list Elizabeth, Margaret (Maggie), and Agnes Thomson as most likely to be the other children.
Ancestry keeps giving me suggestions for a Margaret Currie who was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland between 1810 and 1813, but I can't seem to corroborate these suggestions with any records available on ScotlandsPeoples.
Any help is appreciated!
- Mr. Story
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Hey Sandra,
These facts mirror what I have in my family tree thus far. As I said in my previous reply, however, I'm slightly doubtful of Greenock as the place of Margaret's birth. She never appears as Margaret Miller Currie in any of my other collected records.
A head-scratcher, to be sure!
- Mr. Story
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Background info
The son ?? William Thomson Jnr (1846 - 1916) took over as postmaster 1/1/1874 ?
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=posoffposmas&idnumber=4522&ecopy=
FIND A GRAVE
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61468948/william-thomson
William and spouse Mary Drennan Thomson (1846 - 1945)
Sandra
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Is this a coincidence - a Currie buried Arundel Public Cemetery. Might he be related to Margaret ?
Did you have a look at James B Currie born 1831 - 1905 buried Arundel Public Cemetery
Arundel, Laurentides Region, Québec ? Initial B is "Browning" One of the signatures was Jemima Thomson ?
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64470952/james-b-currie
James B Currie - Record Type Enterrement (Burial)
Death Date 15 mars 1905 (15 Mar 1905)
Burial Date 16 mars 1905 (16 Mar 1905)
Burial Place Arundel, Québec (Quebec), Canada
Burial Church Arundel
Place of Worship or Institution Methodist Church
Religion Methodist
Father Daniel Currie ????
The signature of Jemima Thomson (on the burial of James B Currie) was the spouse of John Thomson - John Thomson, born 1858, son of William Thomson and Margaret Currie, farmer of Arundel, and husband of Jemima Morrison. Died on Sunday November 9, 1919, in his 82nd year. Remains were interred in the Methodist Cemetery at Arundel November 11, 1919. Witness: W.R. Thomson.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65283666/john-thomson
Sandra
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Hi and Welcome to Rootschat,
There is a small history of Arundel that mentions William Thomson, Postmaster, Crown Land Agent and Captain of the Militia (pg .6) There is a photo of his first house built in 1856 with Mr. and Mrs. William Thomson (II) with their daughter Nellie (Mrs. S. MacArthur) and Elizabeth (Mrs. Porter) daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Thomson (I).
Pg. 13, mentions that William's brother John acted as a carrier for mail and walked 35 miles once a week to Lachute, Quebec ....yikes.
https://arundel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Arundel-1856-1954-part-I.pdf
DB
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Hi,
I think this is your Elizabeth's obit. from the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper, Brooklyn, New York 01 May 1919. Wife of William H. Porter. She took up residence in New Jersey with her uncle John L. Currie. There is a marriage in Newark, New Jersey for Elizabeth Thom(p)son 24 Aug. 1864 to Wm. H. Porter.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01u53/
Her Find A Grave entry,
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01u54/
Gives her date of death as 1910, an error I believe as I can see her Brooklyn, NY death cert. b.24 Nov. 1834, Canada, age 84, widow, d. 30 April 1919, burial date 3 May 1919, father William Thomson, mother Margaret Thomson. Son George, executor.
1851 Canada census, Deux Montagnes (Two Mountains), Quebec for Elizabeth with her parents and her 4 siblings.
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&IdNumber=23791036&ecopy=e002320575
William is missing, but Sandra found him.
DB
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Brilliant dbree, another Currie link
1840 census Cape May. Essex.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01u55/
1850 Newark South Ward, Essex, New Jersey.
John L Currie 32 - tailor.
Sarah J Currie 32 (passed1873)
Frederick D Currie 11
Theodore Currie 7
Margaret A Milvin 57 mother in law.
Sarah J Bosher 14
FIND A GRAVE
Presbyterian Cemetery Springfield, Union County, New Jersey.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138259063/john-l.-currie
Sarah Milven Currie
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138259001/sarah-j.-currie
Sandra
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Making a note incase these may have some relevance.
Reply 7 James B Currie born 1831 mentioned a father Daniel Currie.
Then we have John L Currie born about 1818 - ???
John Currie - Baptism Date 1 Feb 1818
Baptism Place Greenock East, Renfrew, Scotland
Father John Currie Mother Christian Currie
There was also baptism entry for John Currie - Select Counties, Scotland, Church of Scotland, Baptisms, 1615-1854
Baptism Date 21 Nov 1814 Greenock Middle, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Father Daniel Currie Mother Elisabeth Taylor
Sandra