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Hello Mary, Great to hear from you.
I have put together quite a lot about Jane. She is the one person in the centre of my family tree who I find the most interesting and if I could turn back time, she would be the one person I would love to sit and ask questions of. The more I find out about her, the more I need to know. She had an eventful life to say the least and it has taken me years to put what I know together. I've also had some professional help to cross ckeck things out and so interesting and difficult was she to trace that she is now a case study for a senior lecturer in genealogy in Salt Lake City!
Sorry, she has caused me so many sleepless nights, just to see that she is known to someone else has made my year already!
I am guessing that your husband is the son of either Anne Milne or John Stevenson. I visited the farm that William Stevenson and Jane lived in a few years ago in Aberchirder and also by accident passed the home where she died in 1950. (The Rose Innes Hospital).

I would be really excited to see a photo of them both as I have virtually no photos of anyone.

I'd be happy to share what I have with you on Jane and the Robertson side of the tree (even though she was born a Norrie, changed her name to Robertson then had three illegitimate children by three different fathers (one of whom I believe (although not yet confirmed) was a William Robertson, father to the William you originally posted about!)

I've got more but it's late and work beckons in the morning.

Kind regards

Gordon

Forfarian,

many thanks for the response.

I have sent an e-mail to the registrars office this morning asking if they have anything in 1839 so will wait for their response.

I had hoped that someone local to Whitehills may be able to tell me which graveyard (of the two I believe) would have been used for the burial.  Even to know that would be progress.

Thanks again

Gordon

Hello all,

I have just discovered that my GGG Grandfather James Robertson, was buried in Boyndie graveyard in June 1839. It followed a fishing accident in which three out of the four men in the boat died. This is a report from the Edinburgh Caledonian Mercury in June of 1839:

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—THREE LIVES LOST.—On Thursday last, the 30th ultimo, a coble, belonging to the salmon fishing station of Messrs Hogarth, adjacent to Whitehills, left the harbour at Blackpots, about eleven o'clock forenoon, for the purpose of bringing on shore their bag-net, which, owing to the violence of the surf, was apparently driving among the rocks, where it would have been soon torn to pieces. The coble was manned by four men, Charles Maclean, James Robertson, and two lads from Rosemarkie, near Cromarty, who, proceeding towards the net, the boat swung round broadside on to the wave, and was struck by a heavy sea, and three of the men precipitated into the water. One of them regained the boat, which had (relieved of the men) again righted, but was full of water. This young man being an excellent swimmer, rashly resolved, by the assistance of the boat, to clear himself of the incumbrance of his clothes, and swim on shore, which, having partly effected, the boat being then sunk to the gunwales, he left her to make the attempt; but the tide then running strong, and the surf very violent, he was soon exhausted, and with much difficulty reached the rocks, where he was dashed by a tremendous wave upon the very first rock he reached, and killed on the spot; his body has not yet been recovered. The two others, for a very brief space, were seen struggling violently in the surf, but soon disappeared. One of them kept hold of the boat, and drifted with her on shore, but so exhausted that up to this day (Monday) his recovery is doubtful. The two bodies recovered were decently interred in the church yard of Boyndie. Charles Maclean and James Robertson have left widows and families, in poor circumstances, to deplore their sudden and untimely fate. In the end we deem it fair to state, that the fishermen of Whitehills, on learning the catastrophe, hastened to the spot, boldly facing the raging surf, to afford assistance, so far as practicable; but we are sorry to say the fate of the unfortunate sufferers was sealed before their arrival.

Would anyone in the area know any more about where he is buried? I visited the Whitehills village last month but this was unfortunately before I knew anything about this accidental death.

Apart from the fact that James married Jane Urquhart in june 1837 and fathered a son, William in 1838, this is all I know about him. Any help would be most welcome.

Thanks

Gordon