Ferguson/Nairn in Stewarton,Ayr

[thesludge]

Hi there I was wondering if anyone had any links or any information on the above names.

I am back to 1843 but have hit a brick wall. The information i have is as follows

FERGUSON

Mary Laughland married Cuthbert Ferguson april 14th 1843. I cant find anything about their parents or indeed when they were born

Mary and Cuthbert had a son called James Ferguson who married Elizabeth Gillespie. Elizabeth died in 1887 aged 83. Her father was John Gillespie and her mother was Janet Gillespie nee Horns or Horner. [b]I have reached a dead end here.[/b]

James and Elizabeth had a daughter Jessie Miller Ferguson who would be my great grandmother.She married Alexander Graham.Alexanders dad was Andrew Graham who married to Janet Graham nee Mckillan. Also hit a dead end here

Any help or links would be appreciated.

many thanks
Ian

[MonicaL]

Hi Ian

Welcome to RootsChat 

A good place to start is with the censuses as this gives some idea as to places of birth and ages. From 1851 - everyone showing as born in Stewarton Ayrshire:

Cuthbert Ferguson 28, Hand Loom Weaver
Mary Ferguson 27
Mary Ferguson 7
Agnes Ferguson 1

Address: Avenue, Stewarton Ayrshire

Monica

[MonicaL]

Cuthbert and Mary look to be having children into the 1860 according to IGI at www.familysearch.org. Have you tried looking for their death certs on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk These would let you verify their parents' names including mothers' maiden names.

Looking at the names of some of their children, there is a daughter showing as born in 1847, Elizabeth Nairn Ferguson (may have died pre 1851 as she doesn't show with the family in the 1851 entry?) which I wondered if it could be Cuthbert's mother. There is a couple, James Ferguson and Elizabeth Nairn having children in the right time frame in Stewarton to be Cuthbert's parents. I'll check the 1841 census to see if he was still at home.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Looks good for Cuthbert's parents  Have a look at www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl for the 1841 census (make sure you click on the 1841 option) and you will see Cuthbert at home with parents James and Elizabeth (Nairn). He's the only Cuthbert Ferguson coming up on 1841 searches so looks more that hopeful!

Monica

[MonicaL]

Again, for Mary Laughland, if you look at FreeCen you will see a family in 1841 headed up by a James Laughland and Mary (Ramsay) with daughter Mary, age 17, in Stewarton. Given Cuthbert and Mary's first born daughter in 1843 was Mary (after her mother most likely), the family in 1841 for Mary looks promising. Mary's birth shows on IGI at www.familysearch.org

Monica

[MonicaL]

This info points to the same details we have found so far http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=spares&id=I284

There is also a number of Public Member Trees on Ancestry on the family. Mary Laughland shows as having died on 26 JUN 1870 in Stewarton, Ayr and  Cuthbert on 11 NOV 1905 in Galston, Ayr.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Regarding Elizabeth Gillespie, this is her and James Ferguson after their marriage in 1891:

James Ferguson 30, baker, b. Stewarton
Elizabeth Ferguson 24, b. Irvine
Jessie Ferguson 2, b. Stewarton
Cuthbert Ferguson 6 months, b Galson

Address: 18 Orchard St, Galston Ayrshire

With that place of birth for Elizabeth Gillespie, this is the only birth showing in Irvine which would fit:

ELIZABETH GILLESPIE  Birth: 24 APR 1866 Irvine, Ayr
Parents:JOHN GILLESPIE and JANET MILLER

As you can see, mother's maiden name is showing differently to what you have.

This looks the most obvious census entry in 1871 for the Gillespie family (name mistranscribed on the index I am looking at) - all the children showing as born in Irvine:

John Gellespie    34, coal miner b Ireland
Jenet Gellespie 33, b. Kilwinning Par, Ayrshire
Margaret Gellespie 10
William Gellespie 7
Elizabeth Gellespie 5, b.
John Gellespie 3
William Cairne 35, lodger

Address:  6 Square, Irvine Ayrshire

Elizabeth's marriage entry to James F. or her death cert would let you reconfirm her parents' details (I assume the death details you put for her were an error - 1887 age 83).

Monica

[thesludge]

wow you are ace!!! Ive been looking for hours. Thank you.

James ferguson indeed was a baker- i have his birth, death and marriage  from Scotlands people.

I have elizabeth born alos in irvine and died in 1953 aged 83

Jessie ferguson was my great grandmother. Her daughter is my grandmother Elizabeth gillespie ross born in 1925

Cuthbert i had no info on until now.I only have the wedding certficiate from 14th april 1843.

Im dead chuffed as i only strated this new hobby around 6 months ago.

You say there are pictures in those links above???

[MonicaL]

Hi Ian

Don't think I made a reference to pictures in the links I gave, just more informantion.

Lastly, Alexander Graham  Assuming he was born in the same age range as Jessie F., this is a possible census entry for his family in 1891 - everyone showing as born in Glasgow except mother:

Andrew Graham 30, cloth lapper
Jessie Graham 28, b. Busby, Lanarkshire
Jessie Graham 10
Jeanie Graham 8
Marion Graham 6
Alexander Graham 4
Elizabeth Graham 1

Address: 18 Norman St, Bridgeton Glasgow

Jessie is a common variant for Janet. I can't easily see a marriage for parents on Scotlands People with the surname that you have for Janet but on Alexander's birth cert should be the date and place of parents' marriage and also let you reconfirm her maiden name. Does the age above match the approx. birth year you have for Alexander from other documents?

Monica