Gourlay in Angus

[Johnoz]

My Gourlay family were Ceres, Fife people. Sometime before 1867, my great grandfather David Ferguson Gourlay must have swum the Tay, because he began a family in Angus with his wife, Jessie Urquhart. Being a farm servant and general labourer he appears to have constantly on the move within Angus to find work.

They produced my grandfather, Alexander Gourlay in 1876 and I have traced all of his descendants, which of course, includes me.

I have very little on his 8 siblings and list below what I do know. I hope that Rootschatters may be available to fill in some of the many blanks.

John Urquhart Gourlay b6/8/1867 Kirriemuir, d1950, Dundee
Annie Gourlay b4/4/1869 Tealing
Elizabeth Dewar [Lizzie] Gourlay, b7/7/1871, Inverarity & Methyr
William Gourlay b 27/6/1873, Powmyse. Married Jessie Thomson in 1901
Andrew Gourlay b c1879, Forfar. Married Isabella Langlands in 1899
Mary Jane Gourlay b28/9/1882, Angus
Robert Urquhart Gourlay b25/5/1885 Middle Brighty
Emma Gourlay b c1888 forfar

As you can see, no offspring have been identified. It would be wonderful to learn of any cousins.

John Gourlay

[ev]

hi john 

looks like there may be a james gourlay(born as urquhart) 25th nov 1865
dundee angus mother jessie urquhart(IGI)
there is a son james gourlay age 15 with the family on 1881 census
looks like john gourlay age 14 was in hospital 1881
think annie gourlay died young as there is no sign of her on the 1881 census
and scotlandspeople has a death annie gourlay 1869 tealing angus b c1869

ev

[SARAH K]

1891 census forfar..john gourlay ,wife lizzie,children andrew 13 ,mary jane 8,robert 6,emma 3 ....john and family are living with his parents david and jessie ...living at archies park forfar ....

1901 census murroes. william gourlay ,wife jessie ,children william 6,robina c 4 .james 1..

1901 census forfar ,andrew b gourlay ,wife isabella .children andrew 1 ,william L 4 months ..andrews occupation butcher

[ev]

SP has a marriage 1899 for a john urquhart gourlay and ann ?
forfar angus
could be a second marriage ?
wondering if that 1891 census is a bit mixed up and john is not married to
lizzie as thats his sister 

ev

[SARAH K]

your right ev ..sorry about the mistake johnoz ,was on the phone while writing the post.. trying to multi task lol....

1901 census forfar ...john u gourlay 37 ..wife ann h gourlay 29... no children on census ..johns occ ,railway platelayer

[SARAH K]

1901 census forfar .. ..jessie gourlay age 56... robert gourlay 15 ..emma gourlay age 13.. grandchildren  david duncan 3   ,lizzie duncan 2.. annie duncan 4 months all born in motherwell

[ev]

SP has robert urquhart gourlay death 1908 forfar angus born c1885
deceased online has robert urquhart gourlay buried 29th july 1908 newmonthill
cemetery(forfar) 
possibly never married ?
looks like his parents are buried there as well
david ferguson goulay buried 13th jan. 1896
jessie gourlay urquhart buried 19th feb. 1909

SP has andrew gourlay death 1929 forfar angus born c1879
deceased online has andrew gourlay buried 4th april 1929 newmonthill(forfar)

ev

[ev]

deceased online has john urquhart gourlay buried 16th may 1950 newmonthill
(forfar) cemetery

isabella gourlay langlands buried 26th march 1943 newmonthill cemetery
SP has death 1943 isabella bush gourlay(other surname langlands) forfar angus born c1875
the IGI has isabella bush langlands born 15th oct. 1874 forfar angus parents
alexander langlands and jessie munro

ev

[Johnoz]

Dear Ev and Sarah K

You've both been very busy, while I've been sleeping. I'm in Melbourne, Australia to where my father Alexander Meffan Gourlay migrated in 1921.

I knew about James and left him out of my story to avoid complicating it. James was born 25/11/1865 to an unmarried Jessie  and Alexander Smith. James went on to have children and I have been correspponding with a descsendant who is also in Melbourne.

James was born as an Urquhart, lived as Gourlay and married as a Smith.

I'll deal with your other information seperately.

thanks very much
John Gourlay