James Mackison - Stirling

[catherine1951]

Hi Sheila and Steven,
Thoomas Finlayson Mackison is my greatgrandmother Jessie Finlayson's cousin. I'd be very interested in more information on his descendants as I am researching descendants of his grandparents Thomas Finlayson and Annie Henderson. I have a copy of his obituary from the Stirling newspaper that may interest you.
Steven, I have been researching the Canadian census and there seem to be three older children with James and Mary Jane Mackison that weren't on the list you sent me. I'm wondering if they are stepchildren or just ones that you didn't know about?

[1946sheila]

Hello Catherine

It was great to get your message and to find that we are distant cousins.  My grandmother (Caroline Louisa Mackison) was the daughter of Thomas Finlayson Mackison by his second wife Emily Anne Mackison (nee Atkinson).  She was born in 1887 and died in Feb 1969.  Granny married my grandfather, Arthur Frederick Walter Cullingworth, in 1913 (I think) and they had three children, Frederick Arthur, Louie (my mother) and Thomas Mackison.  My mother married Robert Cameron MacIntosh from Glasgow and I was born in 1946.  My uncle Fred didn't have any children but my uncle Tom had two children Sally and Simon Cullingworth.  I have two daughters, Caroline and Rowan.  Caroline has two sons, Oscar and Lucas and Rowan has one son, Elliot.

I don't know if you have any info about my granny's half sisters (Thomas' daughters from his first marriage) but I know little more than their names - Connie and Kate.  I think Connie married a Mr Collen and Kate married a Mr Ashworth.  I think Kate had two children and until about ten years ago we believed Connie had no children.  We were then informed by the official solicitor that she had a daughter (Patricia) who had been in an institution since the age of 10.  They were trying to trace her relations.  This came totally out of the blue to my mother!!

I would be delighted to have a copy of my great grandfather's obituary as I had been thinking of trying to get a copy from the Stirling newspaper.  Would you be able to e-mail it (*) or if not, I will let you have my address?

Great to hear from you.

Sheila

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[Kevin Malley]

Hi jimmax,

I've been researching the Mackisons for my wife, who's surname is Mackison.
I've traced the surname back to James Mackison and Janet Forfar (her 4xgreat grandparents) they lived in Bannockburn I think and he was a Tartan Weaver.
Do these names look familiar to you if so have you got any further back?
I have quite alot of info on James and Janet's decendants if that interests you aswell.

Regards
Kevin

[jimmax]

Hi Kevin.  James Mackison and Janet Forfar were my 3xgreat grandparents.  They married in 1813 in Bannockburn (although the register gives his name as Thomas).  Unfortunately I have not been able to absolutely trace James' ancestry further back even though I have been trying for over 30 years!  There are two or three possibilities but I have never managed to find a definite link.  The best clue I have is that James had a brother John, who also lived in Bannockburn.  John left a small plot of land and a house to James' eldest son James Mackison.  I don't think that they were from Bannockburn originally.  The most likely candidates are a James and John Mackison who were born in Kilbryde near Dunblane.  If the Bannockburn brothers are the Dunblane brothers then we could add another three generations to the family tree.  Going further back the Mackisons (or MacKessans) were predominantly from the parishes of Kilmadock (Doune) and the Port of Menteith but by the 19th century a lot had emigrated to America (where the older version of the name is more common) or were to be found in the surrounding parishes in Stirlingshire and South Perthshire.  Kilbryde in Dunblane is geographically very close to Mid Lundie in Kilmadock where there was an older Mackison family for many generations.  Probably the two were related.  There is a link between Mid Lundie in Kilmadock and Rednach in Port of Menteith.  There is a Gilchrist Mackison recorded there in 1490.  All tenuous connections and a bit fanciful, but as I say I have had over three decades of concocting.  I will collect some information and send it with my next message.  Jim Mackison

[Kevin Malley]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that insight into the family origins. Think my wife may be a bit disappointed the Mackisons weren't originally from St Ninians Parish as we live there. I had read somewhere however that they were from South Perthshire and your info confirms that. Is it true the name relates to followers of a St Kessog?
Also I think I came across that record of a Thomas marrying in 1813 it totally threw me off the scent! I'll  look forward to your next message.

Thanks
Kevin

[jimmax]

Hi Kevin, I have attached a 'family history' of the Mackisons that I wrote back in 2003 for my father, which will give you an overview of my research.  Later on I can send you notes of the records that I did uncover so that you can build up the picture yourself, spot the gaps and maybe work out some new lines of enquiry.

I had more luck with Janet Forfar's family history as the Forfars left a trail in the Sasine records.  I will send you that story later on.  They were from St. Ninians.

There is another Mackison connection with St.Ninians - an 18th century testament.  I couldnt see how it linked with the Bannockburn Mackisons so I have never followed it up.  Maybe I should have done and I shouldnt have got so fixated on the Kilmadock/Dunblane Mackisons.  I will dig out the reference.

I hope you are able to read the attachment which I have put in Rich Text format

[Kevin Malley]

Hi Jim,
Thanks for sending your Mackison Family History we found it very interesting.
Was intrigued by the whole Maxwell alias thing, very bizarre?
Will definately take a wee walk down to Bannockburn to check out the ancestral home.

Thought I should show you my wife's Mackison line:
Dad-                      Thomas
Grandad-               Thomas 1932-2003 m Elizabeth Watson
Great Grandad-     Thomas 1897-1973 m Marjory Lamond
2xGreat Grandad-  Thomas 1867 - 1934 m Helen Spence
3xGreat Grandad-  James 1818-1892 m Helen Snadan
4xGreat Grandad - James 17XX - 18XX m Janet Forfar
 
Regards Kevin

[jimmax]

Hi Kevin.  Thank you for your wife's Mackison line, although you dont give her first name.

Did you know that James Mackison (b1816) married twice and that Thomas (b1867) was married three times?

I have some rough family trees that I hand-drew (back in 1985! -pre Internet) which I will scan and send to you to give your wife some idea of the various branches, in case you arent already aware of them.

In the meantime the testament that I referred to was for John Mackison, tenant at Newhouse, parish of St.Ninians, 1st July 1743, Stirling Commissary Court.  Now of course it is available on the Scotlands People website for £5 so I think I will have a look at it.

I have attached a similar 'family history' written for my father about the Forfar family in Bannockburn.  It has my Mackison ancestry appended.  If you would like the back up details then please let me know.   Jim

[Kevin Malley]

Hi Jim

Sorry my wife's names Dionne.
Yes I was aware of the marriages of James (1816) and Thomas (1867).
Didn't find a marriage cert though for James first wife.
Thomas lost 2 wives but did see out his days with a young bride.
Thanks for Forfar info
 
Kevin