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yes, the Somervilles / Sommervilles / and a lot more variations are truly an interpreting family. From what little bit I have been able to dug up and from conversations with some family members it does appear that our branch of the family (John) is a younger brother in a large family. I know that the original de Somerville was one of the knights that came over with William the Conqueror. The family then split up with part going to Ireland, Part to Scotland and the rest stayed in England. John and Mary's oldest daughter and her husband and family live for awhile in Westsidewood which is a part of the old Somerville property. I got from a family member that it was because of her family connection they were able to live there. From what I found it would appear that the family had s problem with drinking... the were supposed to have lost the lordship because  of their drinking...

Have been stuck on this individual for several years. What is known and documented for him:

From the record of his American Naturalization, Franklin County Indiana, in Book 1 dated September 23, 1826 thru March 11, 1839. na October 18, 1836 he states that to the best of his memory hr was born in County Armagh about 1780. He migrated from Belfast in the Spring of 1817 and arrived in Baltimore Maryland in the fall of 1817. He and his wife, Mary Carruthers, arrived finally in Franklin County Indiana in October 1819.

He married Mary Carruthers in Baltimore on June 25, 1819 in the Associate Reformed Church in Baltimore City, Baltimore, Maryland. Source: FamilySearch Maryland Marriages 1666 to 1970.

Isaac is found in Franklin County on the 1820 census.

Isaac is fairly well documented up till his death in Franklin County on February 20, 1843.

What is 'known' of his pre-immigration life is taken out of a pamphlet that was written a few years ago on one of his decedents. None of this has been interdependently proven.

Isaac was one of at least three children. A older brother named Jacob and a sister that was called Betty. Jacob and Isaac went from County Armagh to Hamilton Scotland to start a Linen business prior to Isaac coming to America.

I have searched the Flax growers list and found several Hart names that were in the industry but nothing to connect Isaac of Jacob. I have searched several city directories and they also list several Hart names thaat are in businesses close to the linen industry. Again nothing to connect Jacob or Isaac though.

From Isaac's marriage in a Associate Reformed Church we know that he was Presbyterian.


We suspect that Mary Carruthers was Irish also as there have been little bits that seem to mention her 'irishness'. Nothing has ever been fount on her prior to her marriage though. I did fine on name on a passenger list a few years before the marriage date. It must be noted that passenger lists were not mandated until 1820 though. So any list before then was open to either the ship master or the port master. Any data is very doubtful.

Any ideas or comments? I know trying to find Irish genealogical records is very hit and miss.

Bob

The John Somerville I think is correct died in Carnwath on September 20, 1845 at the age of 78. His age would be about right. He and Mary's first child, Agnes, was born August 3 1801 and baptized on August 9, 1801 in Carnwath and their last child, Isabel, was born July 15, 1819 and baptized July 26 1819 in Carnwath.

None of the Birth/Baptism OPR's have the fathers occupation.

I do have the death record for Mary. There is some issues with it though. It is definitely the 'correct' Mary. It lists her father and mother as John Watson and Agnes Hastie, that is correct. It lists the informant as William Chalmers, Mary's son-in-law, that is correct. The part that is really odd is that it states that Mary was the widow of William Somerville. William is identified as a deceased farm servant. Other information from earlier sources had John as a weaver rather than a farm servant. Also, I wonder where this 'William' came from. All of the birth OPR's have John and Mary, not William and Mary. This death record lists her death as at Throughburn which checks.

I have what I suspect is the correct death record for John. It gives a date and lists that he died of old age. That is all the info.

Nothing has been found on 'William'

Have been trying to tie this loose end for years. I have the Parish Record for the birth of John Sommerville in Carnwath in 1812. From the OPR I know his parents were John Somerville and Mary Watson. I have been able to take Mary's line back a couple of generations further but absolutely nothing of John Somervilles. I have tries various sites and methods but nothing. Using the old Scottish naming convention I did find a couple of 'possibilities but nothing confirmed. The 'possibilities' are a James and Barbara Somerville and a John and Janet Somerville. There are a few discrepancies with both sets of possible parents though. There have been several people over the years that have tried this line but none have gotten past John Somerville and Mary Watson. One person even went to Carnwath and went thru the records there without luck. There are several tantalizing pieces that seem to tie them to Ampherlaw House but again nothing absolute. One of the researchers has some old family notes that saw that John and Mary's oldest, daughter named Agnes Somerville who married William Steele, was able to live at Jenna Field Farm because of her relation to the owner.

We know that John and Mary had the following children: Agnes Somerville born August 3, 1801 died (at sea) August 7, 1856; James H (possibly) Somerville born October 30, 1803 died unknown at this time; John Watson Somerville born October 5, 1805 died in possibly Linlithgow on January 24, 1812; William Sommerville born April 17, 1807 died in Carnwath August 25, 1873; Barbara Somerville born December 2, 1809, she married William Chalmers date of death unknown at this time; John Sommerville born July 11, 1812 immigrated to America and died January 17, 1894 in Nebraska; James Somerville born January 15, 1816 and died December 31, 1894 in Blantyre Scotland; Robert Somerville born Junje 22, 1817 date of death unknown at this time and Isabela Somerville born July 18, 1819 she married James Bryce and died in 1851.

What I have on John Sommerville is this:

He immigrated to America, arriving in New York on August 29, 1832. On board the ship was a Janet Armstrong age 18. She and John went on to marry and have several children before her death in 1860. John remarried, Sophia Zabel, and they have several children before he died in Nebraska in 1894. 

Welcome any advice or information that would help me go back farther on John Somerville and Mary Watson.



Bob