Watt - Is this a brick wall?

[Monkeyhanger]

I have traced the Watt branch of my family back to Manfield in Yorkshire (it's just South of the Yorkshire/Durham border - the river Tees). The Manfield parish records show a marriage between James Watt and Margaret Oustan in 1770, both 'of this parish'. There don't appear to be any other Oustan entries and the only other Watt entries are their children. I have no idea how to get any further back with this, does anyone else?
I would appreciate any advice.

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Have you looked in neighbouring parishes for any Oustan entries?


Nanny Jan

[The Mc]

Have you tried searching for a variation of the name? Familysearch.org has her marriage and it is spelt Ouston. Other possibility spelling is Owston.......

You can also buy this CD which contains Manfield parisg records.......
http://pages.123-reg.co.uk/lac247-75119/onegenecouk/id135.html

[Redroger]

"Of this parish" could mean as little as three weeks residence; however, it was the norm for the bride to marry in the parish of her birth.

[Rudbyite]

I have been looking at the Watt family for a Hartlepool Watt friend
I cannot find where James Watt who married Margaret Ouston in 1770 came from.
However a Margaret Ouston was born in Gainford, just over the Yorkshire boarder in Durham on 4th October 1747.
She was one of four daughters of Antony Ouston and Hannah Brass who married in Gainford on 15th June 1738.
The line goes back through William Ouston born 1699 to John Ouston.
Several of the Watt family were Toll keepers  west of Darlington ( Staindrop, Greta Bridge and Croft ) before a move to the Hartlepool area.

[Redroger]

Our ancestors moved around much more than we tend to give them credit for, usually for reasons that are not unusual today,employment, marriage etc. etc. If your ancestor was in domestic service then it is quite likely she found her employer at a local hiring fair, known as a mop fair in the case of domestic staff.

[Monkeyhanger]

Many thanks Rudbyite.
This is excellent, just don't know how I missed Margaret from Gainford.
I have a great deal of information, much detail, on James Watt and his decendants (I'm one).
I'm quite happy to share it but will require an e-mail address via PM.
For amusement : James' son James was summoned to Barnard Castle petty sessions on March 27th 1844 for demanding (and receiving!) 6d toll from the County Constable at the Eggleston tollgate. He was fined the 6d and costs. He turns up next in Seaton Carew in 1851 aged 71 living with his youngest daughter Margaret. 

[Rudbyite]

Monkeyhanger.
Very happy to send data by email but am not allowed to send PM messages yet since I have not sent the required number of messages. Can you send me a PM with your email address? There is, I am afraid, an assumption for Margaret Ouston since in the Gainford parish records on Family Search there are records for Anne Ouston born 26th November 1738, Eleanor born 1st March 1741 and Jane born 7th October 1750 but there is no christian name ( presumably illegible ) given for the Ouston born 4th October 1747. I have assumed this is Margaret but no proof. I have also found marriages for Anne and Jane Ouston.

I have a Watt family tree on Ancestry which I am happy for you to see. I have not published it widely since it is not my family!

 

[Redroger]

Unless the rules have been recently altered I believe you can neither send or receive personal messages until 3 postings have been made. So one more is needed.