Cambusnethan Cemetery Grave Search - Part 1

[Lodger]

The Cambusnethan MIs were actually transcribed in 1982 and freely donated to LFHS much later. They cover all the old churchyard but not the adjacent "private" burial ground which was opened about 1860. Nor do they cover the modern cemetery, opened about the same time.
So there is almost 30 years of erosion and vandalism since the MIs were transcribed and it is incredible just how much of the information has been lost in that time.

Lodger

[EDCBA]

Thanks LWLen & Lodger

I know that my 4xG grandfather, John Rodger (from Overtown) and Janet Lindsay (from Wishawtown), had an illegitimate daughter in 1807, called Isabella (my 3xG grandmother).  I have a copy of Isabella's birth/baptism record from Cambusnethan OPRs. If I have identified the right John Rodger from the headstone, he would be about 20 when Isabella was born which sounds about right to me.

I know what happend to Isabella and most of her family, in that  she and four of her children emigrated to the USA in 1868/9. I also know from burial records that her husband Alexander McCormick (1866), daughter Sarah (1919)  and son Edward (1881) and other family members were all buried in the Cambusnethan cemetery grounds.

I am now looking to find out what I can about the previous generation hence my interest in John Rodger and Janet Lindsay.  I don't have verifiable BMD info for either of them, hence I'm trying to work my way back from burial records, pre compulsory registration in 1855.

[jnelso18]

Hi Lodger,
I'm new to this forum, and find that you're being hugely helpful on Cambusnethan gravestones.
I'm looking to trace my GGGG grandfather, Alexander Neilson, born around 1781 I think (according to age in 1841 census), married Martha Boyd (b 7/6/1790).
Also his oldest son William Neilson (b 8/5/1818) and any other children (Grace, Alexander, John, Hugh, Margaret). His 2nd son James emigrated ot NZ and is my GGG Grandfather
Many thanks

[Lodger]

Hi Jnelso18,
Welcome to Rootschat. I am not at home this weekend but should be back on Monday so I'll check the records I have then. Do you know the names of any of the childrens spouses? Neilson is quite a popular name in the Lanarkshire area, so it would help if you knew who they were married to.

Lodger

[jnelso18]

Lodger,
Unfortunately I don't know any names of Alexander Neilson's other children's spouses.
I have birth/christening dates though:
William Neilson (8/5/1818), James (21/2/1820 - died in NZ), Grace Paterson Neilson (13/4/1823), Alexander (17/5/1825), John (5/7/1827), Hugh (4/10/1829), Margaret (5/1/1832) - all born either Bogside or Cockedhatt, Cambusnethan
I notice you have Paterson in your list of names. The mother of Alexander's spouse, Martha Boyd was Grizel Paterson, b. in Douglas Lanarkshire (19/3/1758) and I think her parents were John Paterson and Janet Hamilton.
Martha Boyd (b. 7/6/1790) and her siblings were born in Abbeygreen, Lesmahagow. Her father was James Boyd.
That's about all I have.
There was a rumour I heard from my father that my Neilson ancestors were originally McNeils from Barra.
We are now Nelson - my GG Grandfather apparently changed it to that when he came to NZ.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

[LWLen]

Hi jnelso18,

I've checked the MI booklet for Cambusnethan and don't really see anything on the people you've got mentioned there. There is one for a daughter of a William Neilson which is around the same time, but don't know if that's a match or not; also, there's a Margaret Neilson who died in 1925 but the age is out by about three years so possibly not a match there either. As Lodger has mentioned earlier though, these MI are just a small part of the burials at Cambusnethan.

Lodger may be able to help with more of the burial records, but I can definitely tell you that Alexander's son, also named Alexander (who you mention in your post) was married to Margaret Dalziell and appears to have been buried in Cambusnethan cemetery in layer C16-4 (his death was 30 Sept 1891, burial is given as 2 October). I have absolutely no idea where this is though, as I've not been back to Cambusnethan of late. There may well be more of their siblings in the burial records, I was just concentrating on my direct ancestors to begin with.

Which brings me to my last point - please feel free to contact me privately to exchange notes as it appears we have a connection (glad I'm still reading this thread!). Alexander Neilson and Martha Boyd were my g-g-g-grandparents. Nobody in my line emigrated (all still here in Scotland) but ours changed to Nelson a couple of generations later too.

Regards,
Alan

[greenpaula]

Hi
I've recently found the death of my husband's GG grandmother and have reason to believe her son may have bought a lair at Cambusnethan for her, altohugh she died at her daughter's home in Coatbridge.
Her name was Mary Hoey or Hoy and she died 26 January 1883 aged around 75 years.
 Her husband was Patrick, although he had disappeared off the scene after 1861 so he is unlikely to be in the same grave.
I'd be very grateful if you could check graves and MIs for Cambusnethan when you have time in case she is there.
Many thanks
Paula

[Lodger]

JNELSO18 & LWLen,

The "C - 16 - 4" quoted in the previous post refers to a plot in the old churchyard, not the cemetery. The records for this plot only begin in 1884 but there would have been burials in it before then. (With the records all kept in the gravedigger's head no doubt!).

The owner of this plot is listed as James Neilson, Greenhead. There is no way of knowing which generation he belonged to as the family usually neglected to change ownership as the years went by and the current owner died.
Here is the list of burials (all dates are dates of internment) and the plot is divided into 3 lairs - North, Centre and South.

DAVID DALZIEL. 10 months, 20th March 1884.
JAMES NEILSON. 1 year 8 months, 31st August 1889.
WILLIAM NEILSON. 3 months, 23rd July 1894.
MARGARET NEILSON. 70 years, 25th October 1897.
ALEXANDER NEILSON. 66 years, 2nd October 1891.
- - - - -     NEILSON, no age stated, 24th November 1884.
JAMES NEILSON. 8 days, 22nd February 1886.
MARY NEILSON. 22 months, 12th January 1895.
MARY DALZIEL, no age given, 6th February 1894.
GRACE NEILSON. 14 months, 5th October 1887.

------------------------------

From the day book of internments in public ground in the old churchyard (but in these 3 cases probably interred in the family plot by the parish)

ELIZABETH NEILSON. Overtown, aged 1 year.
Parents - Alexander Neilson and Margaret Dalziel.
Interred old churchyard 7th May 1861.

DANIEL NEILSON. Waterloo, aged 8 days.
Parents - Alexander Neilson and Margaret Dalziel.
Interred in old churchyard 19th February 1872.

MARTHA NEILSON. Wishaw, aged 83 years, widow.
Maiden surname Boyd.
Interred in old churchyard 1st May 1874.

I saw the following and wondered if she could be the child of Alex and Martha wrongly registered? The age isn't too far out and the informant may have been a son-in-law or a grandchild with poor knowledge of her family -
MARGARET THOMSON. Abode Hamilton, aged 74 years, widow.
Parents - James Neilson and Margaret Boyd.
Interred in public ground, new cemetery, 19th August 1908.

That's all I could find.
Lodger.

[Lodger]

Greenpaula,
No sign of your Mary Hoey, sorry. you should contact the Cemeteries Dept of North Lanarkshire council, they have all the records for Coatbridge (Old Monkland cemetery etc) and Cambusnethan and should be able to help you.
Lodger