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Dear Swanny

My husband and I have seen the original log house that Andrew built.  A gentleman from Burlington bought the property and restored the log house, barn and blacksmith shop.  One of Andrew's sons became a blacksmith.  If you ever get to Holstein you should visit him.  we just stopped in and ended up chatting for an hour and a half.  We also drove by the James Swanston brick house.  It is still standing.  It is huge.  Went to the family history center today and did some research.  It is going to take me a few days to sift through the information.  I am not retired yet so I have to be careful not to spend too much time at it and neglect my family.  We have four children, three still at home.  I call it my cheap addiction. 

Isabella, Andrew's daughter married William Horsburgh.  The two boys, Andrew and William moved to California.  Margaret never married and John lived with Margaret until he tragically drowned in 1915.  I think it was Andrew Jr that was the blacksmith.  John's obituary is as follows:

The story of the tragic death of Mr. John Swanston is told by our orchard correspondent.  Coroner c. a. Jones, M.D., of Mount Forest was notified, but on enquiring into the circumstances he decided that an inquest was unnecessary.  The report of this death under such terrible circumstances, was a great shock to the whole community where he was widely known and universally esteemed for his probity, piety and kindliness.  deceased was a son of the late Andrew swanston and was born some sixty years ago on the homestead near Holstein where he lived until he retired a few years ago to live in Holstein.  He later took over the mill at Orchard from mr. Dodds and only last fall he removed to Orchard.  The reatest sympathy is extended to his sister, miss Swanston, who had been his life asociate.  He leaves another sister, Mres. Wm. Horsburgh, Egremont and two brother, andrew andWilliam in California.  etc...  the rest is about the funeral.

Found an entry today, but have to research it futher

Dumfries: Annan-Parish censuses 1801 - 1821

Marriages
Populationof the Parish of Annan
Bent
County:  Dumfries
Country:  Scotland
336 Peter Graham I margaret irving Joseph Graham Nicholas Graham (fem)

Suspect this is the right family since Nicholas for a female name is so rare. 

SusanJane

Dear Swanny

Thanks for the reply.  My great great grandmother was Nicholas, James' older sister.  She was born in 1843 in the Galashiels.  Unusual name but Elizabeth Beck's mother was Nicholas Irving.  1841 census in Galashiels reveals the four brothers and a sister living in a household.  John, Andrew, George, Walter and Sibblea.  George and Walter and Andrew emigrate sooner than John (1845).   Andrew also settled up in Egremont and George and Walter stayed in Eramosa.
1861 census reveals John and Elizabther Swanston in Egremont but Andrew James' older brother) and Nicholas are not listed in the household.  Andrew I have found living in Eramosa with one of the uncle's.   Nicholas is also living down in Eramosa way with relatives because she marries a man from Nassagaweya the next township over in the Fall of 1861.  I can not find her anywhere on the 1861 census(have checked Egremont, Eramosa, Nassagaweya).  Do you have any information about Nicholas?  I would love to know more about her.  Do you have any pictures of John and Elizabeth Beck?  I have a great picture of James and Susan Swanston that came out of the Egremont Historical Book. 
They are shown with all their children.  Big family and very
propsperous looking.  Which one are you a descendant of?
Have been to Holstein (Reid's) Cemetery.  Your great grandparents tombstones still stand there.  John and Elizabeth are also buried there however their tombstones no longer stand! 
We drove past the brick house that James built on the home farm.  It was huge; three stories high.  A local lady told us that the people who live there now have just removed the third storey from the house.  It used to be a cistern for collecting water.  The Swanston's would catch water in the nice weather and when it froze they would skate on the roof.


Anything you have (stories, pictures) would be appreciated.

SusanJane

Hi again

went to the Laterday Saint church today and looked on their computer as they subscribe to ancestry.com.  Plugged in Nicholas Swanston and she came up right away as being born in Galashiels, Selkirk  on May 25, 1843.  Her father John Swanston also shows up as being born 8 May 1808 in the Galashiels region of Selkirk.  His parents are Andrew and Isabel Swanston.  Her maiden name is Beck.  She often went by Betty Beck and is from the Dumfries area.  Would you be able to check the 1841 census for Andrew and Isabel Swanston in the Galashiels region of Selkirk and if John wasn't married yet he would show up in their household as a young man.  I am hoping that possible brothers may be Andrew, George and Walter.  These are the other families that lived in the same area and George and Walter list their father as Andrew on their respective marriages.

Thanks for your time

Susan

Hi , I'm working on my family tree.  I am looking for information on my ancestors John and Elizabeth (Beck) Swanston.  We
know very little .  They were born and married in Scotland.  their oldest children were born in Scotland before emigrating to Canada.  their oldest  child Nicholas was born May 24, 1842 in Scotland.  She is female.  We noticed on line that there are several Swanston families buried in cemeteries in The Berwickshire area.  They emigrated to Canada between 1850 and 1855.  Census records show a child born in 1855 as being born in Canada while a child born in 1850 was recorded as being born in Scotland.  I don't know where to go from here and was hoping for any information regarding this family or any tips on how to approach searching for a family if you don't know where they were originally from.

Susan