McKenzie's of Cumbernauld

[granitelady]

 I am searching  for my great grandfather's James McKenzie name of his parents and there place of birth. I am pretty sure that at he was born around 1811 in Falkirk.

James married Jean Gray in Cumbernauld in 1839 where they raised their 8-10 children, including my grandfather, Robert McKenzie. according to James's death certificate of Nov of 1869 in Cumbernauld, it list his father as James also, mother unknown. They were stonecutters. My grandparents, Robert and Grace Smith immigrated to Maine in the U.S in 1887. And some of Robert's siblings  went to Australia and New Zealand soon after. William and John McKenzie stayed in Cumbernauld area.
 
Thank you for any help with this brick wall.     Dorothea McKenzie   http://www.stonecuttersonline.org

[merryhow]

Hi, James and Jean married on 25th Nov 1839 in NEW MONKLAND LANARK. This is an extacted entry, the C/nauld one is submitted and most likely the location was assumed.

Sorry but I can not see your James' birth. What makes you think 1811 in Falkirk?

Better news on Jean, I think this may be her:-

   JANE GRAY b 26th Jan 1818
           
                    ch 15th Feb 1818 New Monklands Lanark

  Father - ROBERT GRAY

  Mother - ELIZABETH SHANKS 

On the IGIs there is a James ch 31st Mar 1816 in Kilsyth which is only about 5 miles from C/nauld. Worth considering.

          Val

[MonicaL]

Hi Dorothea

You have an 1855 birth for Robert, son of James and Jean, on 06 JAN 1855 Cumbernauld.  If you haven't viewed it already, it would be worthwhile having a look at.  The first year of official reg. in Scotland, and for one year only, the entries for BMDs ran over two pages of the register and included a wealth of additional info.  For births, you should get age and place of birth for parents and marriage.  It will also include details of all children - alive or deceased - to the parents.

Given the names and order of their children, Val's entry for Jean Gray is looking good 

Regards.

Monica

[granitelady]

Thank you Monica for info on the birth certificates of 1855 and of my grandfather, Robert McKenzie. I have looked at the birth listening at the IGA at the Mormon Church and it listed only the name of my great grandparents and place of birth and date of grandfather. However, I haven't asked for a copy from the Scotland Registration, thinking that what was in the files of the Mormon Church would be all that is listed. In other words, you are saying that the actual birth certificate would have more info on it, such as the birthplace of my great grandfather? If so, I will have to get a copy of the birth certificate. I have seen in person at the town office in Cumbernauld, Scotland,  my grandparents marriage certificate which listed the names of my great grandparents.   Thank you again,  Dorothea

[granitelady]

Thank you Val,

Yes, that is the correct marriage certificate, as I have viewed it at the Mormon Church records, but I didn't realize that they probably had the wedding in New Monkland and it was registered at Cumbernauld, possible. I know they moved to Cumbernauld and Croy as all of their children were born between those two places, as my great grandfather was a quarry worker/stonecutter.

I have a copy of my great grandfather's death certifcate, he died late Nov of 1869 in an explosion of the Croy quarry. The death certifcate states that he was born in Falkirk in 1811 and his father was James McKenzie (my great great grandfather), mother unknown. I am thinking that James Sr. was probably born around 1790 or earlier, not sure if he was born in the Falkirk area or not.  I am thinking that if I could get someone to go to the Glasgow Main library that they might have a copy of the accident in the newspaper from 1869, as Cumbernauld don't have any copies of the newspapers going back that far, they told me to contact the Glasgow library, which I did, but I have to go in person to look it up and as I am across the big blue pond, living in Maine, USA, that will be somewhat difficult for me to do. I am thinking that maybe the newspaper article might list something about his early life, possible???

I am not sure if that is my Jean Gray's parents, as somewhere I was told that Jean's parents were James and Mary Gray.  But, that could be wrong, as I don't believe I have seen anything official of that, so it could be Robert Gray, naming patter does seem similiar.  Thank you so much.   Dorothea 

[MonicaL]

Hi Dorothea

IGI at LDS is a phenomenal aid to research, particularly as it is free  However, it is only an record from the original with just key info. A standard birth cert. post 1855 will also include:

Child's forenames
Sex
Date, Place, Time of birth
Mother's full and maiden name
Father's full name and occupation if married to the mother
Date and place of parents' marriage (post 1861 birth certs.)
Name, address and relationship to child of the person who registered the birth.

The 1855 certs. however will also include additional info as discussed.

In respect of the marriage/banns entry that Val found. It could well be that banns or the marriage itself took place in either New Monkland or Cumbernauld but only the New Monkland entry is available today as an existing record.

Couldn't easily see the family in 1841, but this look like them in 1851:

James McKenzie    40, Whinston Quarrier, born Cumbernauld (later census states Falkirk)
Jean McKenzie    35, b.  Glasgow
Elisabeth McKenzie 11
James McKenzie    8
Jean McKenzie    6
William McKenzie    4
David McKenzie    1

Address: Condorrat, Cumbernauld

Regards.

Monica

[MonicaL]

This looks to be wife Jean Gray's death cert entry:

1889   MCKENZIE   JANE       GRAY   F   71   CUMBERNAULD   /DUNBARTON   495/00 0056

This would confirm her parents' names.  In her census entries, Jean shows Barony/Glasgow as her birth place so not sure who parents are. There  is an IGI entry for a birth in Barony to a James Gray/Mary Kirkland in 1816. Hopefully, her death cert. will confirm details.

Regards.

Monica

[merryhow]

Hi Dorothea, I'm at the Mitchell Library right now, they have nothing about the explosion at Croy Quarry. Perhaps there was a newspaper in Kirkintilloch which covered the incident.

I've used C/nauld archives before and found them very helpful,I'll give them a phone for you.

Also checked the OPRs for Falkirk, there are no James Mckenzies listed between 1749 and 1787, 1 in 1787 and the next one 1824. He may still have been born in Falkirk but not christened or christened at a later date.Maybe his parents didn't belong to the Church of Scotland.The options are endless.

I'll let you know if I find anything
                       Val

[claddaghgirl]

Hi Dorothea!  Just wondering what your connection is to Robert Gray and Elizabeth Shanks?