Looking for Catherine Burgess

[rdarby]

My gg grandmother, Catherine Burgess was born in Dumfries, according to her death certificate. She married Kenneth McKenzie in 1829, in Kirkcudbright and later emigrated to Canada then Australia, I believe.
She would have been born about 1810, and I believe her father's name was John Burgess (or Burges) and he was described as a victualer.
She and Kenneth McKenzie had several children, most born in New Brunswick before coming to Australia. In 1853 she remarried to a John Weston, in Sydney, Australia. She died in 1882 in Terang, Vicxtoria, Australia.
I have not been able to find her birth in either Scotlands People or the IGI. Any suggestions?

[kojak]

hi rdarby,

You may already have tried this, but using scotlandspeople website - have you tried using catherine spelt with a K?  Or Burgess spelt using soundex?  I know of a Burgess that is spelt burggess !! It's worth a flutter.

I would also broaden the search away from just Dumfries - have you tried searching for your Catherine in the County of Kirkcudbright.  When I was searching my paternal dumfriesshire based side I couldn't find the birth of my great grandfather for awhile as he wasn't showing on any dumfries county birth record - lo and behold he was found to be born at new abbey, county of kirkcudbright - which in mileage terms is not far from the outer boundary of Dumfries Town, and in fact, in the 19th century, the southern side of the town of Dumfries (Maxwelltown side) was not in the county of Dumfries at all ! It was instead in the County of Kirkcudbright.  The river which passes through the town defined the boundary.  So, try expanding your search parameters.

If you are local, it may prove worthwhile popping into the Ewart Library in Dumfries and heading to their archive section and looking up the old microfische records...If you aren't local, perhaps a kind soul who is local may pop in for you when they are next going (and have a spare moment).


Good luck with your searches,

Kojak

[JoMC]

See also this posting:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,415684.0.html