Stevensons of Cullen / Keith / Rathven

[Fordyce]

Just to add that although I'm not tracing these Stevensons *, I have noted that Catherine Forbes (bn 1847) had an illegitimate son William Strachan bn 30-4-1869 Cullen by James Strachan who was illeg son of William Strachan & Helen Garden then Gardiner. William Strachan was clearly brought up by his mother. He married twice, lived at Lintmill and Ellieside, and died in 1953.

James Strachan leads back to my 5xgtgdparents James Clark & Elspet Andrew. Helen Garden is sister to Elizabeth Garden then Gardiner who married George Geddes s/o of my 3xgtgdparents Peter Geddes & Margaret Reid. And yes, the surname did change from Garden to Gardiner throughout the family - it happened sometime between 1825 and 1841.

* Margaret Stevenson d/o Alexander Stevenson & Helen McKenzie married my gtgduncle shipmaster James Watson 15 Jun 1881 at Lintmill where they stayed, latterly at Ellieside, until at least his death in 1928. Alexander Stevenson was a mason at Lintmill so I expect that's another connection. James Watson's ship Jane Shearer foundered in 1894; its remains can still be seen at very low tides outside Cullen Harbour wall right in the corner by the shore.

[Loobs]

Hi Fordyce
Oh the plot thickens!
Just to clarify that this is Catherine Forbes born 21/4/1847 to Wiiliam Forbes and Helen Stevenson?
I have recorded that Catherine married John Thom in 1866

[Fordyce]

Loobs, Yes.

Catherine Forbes married John Thom not in 1866 but in 1872 (it's in the IGI). ScotlandsPeople's Index ref: M-1872-167(Seafield)-4.

Catherine Forbes married a second time, to John Innes Allan in 1899. ScotlandsPeople's Index ref for her death D-1925-150(Cullen)-16 shows her as Catherine Forbes and Thom and Allan.

William Strachan's Birth Registration has him born 30 Apr 1869 Deskford St, Cullen.
He appears with his still unmarried mother (Kitty Forbes) and her father in the 1871 census and again with his mother now married (Catherine Thom) and her father in 1881 and again in 1891 as John Thom's 'wife's son'.

[Loobs]

Hi Fordyce
Thanks for this. I don't know how I got the date wrong!
I descend from Catherine's brother William Forbes

[Fordyce]

Loobs, you're welcome.

As a slight aside, I had a look a Alexander Stevenson h/o Helen McKenzie, and easily enough found he was the son of James Stevenson & Margaret Stevenson. But I also found there were two couples both names James Stevenson & Margaret Stevenson! One was 'our' mason in Lintmill/Cullen and the other was a farmer in Boyndie/Banff. Several Stevenson researchers have got two families mixed up.

Mason James Stevenson (h/o Margaret Stevenson) was born in Keith and was with his son Alexander at Lintmill in both 1851 and 1861 censuses. It's fairly obvious he died there - I haven't looked that up. Farmer James Stevenson (h/o Margaret Stevenson) was born in Boyndie and farming in Oldtown of Ord, Banff in 1851 and 1861, thus proving there were two different families.

A trap laid that caught several out!

[Loobs]

Hi Fordyce
I wonder if I am way off track. I need to look seriously at my tree

Joseph Stevenson married Janet Strachan 7/3/1776. They had 7 children including Helen Stevenson (9/6/1809)

Maybe I need to populate the children to get this correct?

[Forfarian]

Joseph Stevenson married Janet Strachan 7/3/1776. They had 7 children including Helen Stevenson (9/6/1809)

That seems a long time after the marriage - 33 years between marriage and birth of a child.

[Loobs]

I have taken a wrong turning!!
I need to return to this and refigure. You have been a great help. Thank you

[Fordyce]

Loobs, I agree with Forfarian.

Earlier in the thread, 'muckypup' lists seven children to Joseph Stevenson & Janet Strachan from 1777 to 1794. Both 'Magian' and 'Seonaid C' show Helen Stevenson born 9-6-1809 to their son Alexander Stevenson & Elspet Sim.

You've skipped a generation. Most of the information about these families is in the IGI so I suggest you verify the structure of your tree against the current RootsChat thread as an initial step and then against the IGI.

I've picked up more than enough to establish the relationship between Catherine Forbes (b 1847) and Margaret Stevenson (b 1854) the two who married relatives of mine, so I have no need to follow through these Stevenson further. Others in the thread clearly have far more information - you could always contact them via a PM.

Actually, you maybe have a bigger issue. You said that you are descended from Catherine's brother William, namely William Forbes s/o William Forbes & Helen Stevenson. But I've just spotted a death registration attached to an Ancestry tree that shows that Catherine's brother William died 4 Apr 1856 age 15! ScotlandsPeople Index ref: D-1856-Cullen-13 refers.   

Happy hunting!