June 2005 RootsChat Challenge

[Burrow Digger]

BINGO!!!   

I got a reply from Melinda!!!  Heres what she wrote -

I have a whole book about this family which my
grandfather's cousin wrote.  If you are
interested, I can make a copy for you, although
it could be a little costly with postage.  I have
one of only about 6-8 in existence.  Our problem
is that the James Muir it goes back to says he is
from Orkney Islands and we can't determine which
one he is there.  I do have some of the Barbados
lines quite a ways back.  What you are doing is
such a great idea and I am really interested in
being part of it!  Please let me know how I can
help (also, I am living near Salt Lake City now,
I don't have a lot of time but could possibley
look something up for you at the library).  I
will look forward to hearing from you,
Melinda

So now what do I do?? 

[liverpool annie]

Oh BD that's great !!! good for you!!

Did you give her the thread so she could read through herself ( I assume she has a computer - don't laugh not everybody does....) and then just ask her to tell us what's right and what's wrong -  if there is anything in particular she would like us to find out....... and just go from there........
 
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,62599.0.html

Good hunting by you !!

Annie

[Burrow Digger]

Thank you.

For starters Ann,   

She needs to know which one of 3 James Muir is her James Muir, 
"wot moved from Orkney down to Yorkshire and married the Robinson lassie"   

We can use the IGI and the Cursiter web site that has transcribed a huge number of OPRs from Orkney

http://www.cursiter.com/pages/indices.htm

And below is the starting point. Which I originally posted it back on page 14 of this thread.

I am looking for information on James Muir, who was born 16 Dec 1766 in Sanday, Orkney, Scotland and was christened a month later in London, England (14 Jan 1767). He was a sea captain (as were many of his descendents). He married Ann Robinson, of Whitby, Yorkshire, England. They had 3 children, all born in Whitby.

We now need to find James's parents. I have some knowledge of Orkney but not of Sanday specifically.

BD

[liverpool annie]

BD

I still think she should look through the thread herself and then go from there - you could be doing a lot of work that she already either has or knows...
everybody is willing to do what needs to be done  - as she's the first one to come forward -  we'll just give her first dibs on what she wants - that sounds  pretty fair doesn't it ?

Personally - I know nothing about Scotland and how to go about getting information - but there are quite a few people here who are very knowledgable!!
wait till tomorrow -  give people a chance to look at your posting -  and then we can get going - you know how fast it gets on here - it won't take long !!

So relax tonight and just let things follow their course tomorrow

Still think you did good!!

Annie

[Paul E]

Excellent news to wake up to BD!    Well done!

Lets hope Melinda reads this thread (and the summary) and joins Rootschat and joins in this discussion.  It might help us sort out the Wood from Muirs ... and the Robertsons .... and the Dunbars .... and the Kings etc etc etc

cheers

Paul

[Manchester Rambler]

Our Robertsons:

Allan (starting point) - b. 1872, Camberwell, Surrey.

Siblings: Claude (b. 1867, Peckham, Surrey) and Margaret (b. c1877 Camberwell)
Possibly 2 more siblings b. Scotland

Allan's father - James Robertson, b. c1843 London.  Married Mary Marshall Molison in 1866.  Died before 1881 census.

James had 2 brothers (or half-brothers):

George Robertson, b. c1820, Wapping.  Married Mary Walker Gilkison in Port Glasgow in 1849.  Known children: George Wood (c1851), David (c1853), Chales Moodie (c1855) and John Wood (c1857).  (NB: middle names "Wood" not very clear on census image - may be something else.)  George was a ships chandler, followed into the business by son Charles.  David set up on his own account in London as a sail maker.  George moved from London to Liverpool c1856.

John Robertson, b. c1834, Limehouse, London.  Married Augusta Jane Molison in Worthing in 1858.  (NB: Augusta Jane was Mary Marshall's sister, ie. 2 brothers married 2 sisters.)  Known children: George Douglas (c1860), Augusta (c1861) and Mary Douglas (c1864) - all born Bromley.

These are the only confirmed members of our family, as I have tried to point out several times!  (No, I'm not getting ratty, but I honestly don't see why we should be following anyone else without something concrete to link them to the list above....)

There is, however a Colin Robertson with a very similar background, who might be a brother or cousin to James/George/John.

The Mary M Robertson b. Canada has no proven link with either "our" Robertsons or the Molisons.

I'm sorry if I haven't made the summaries clear enough, but I'm doing my best....

Rambler

[Lesanne]

    Good Morning Everybody,
  A very productive session has been had here. 
            Well done ..Rambler...Annie....Digger....etc

                I'm off to meet our family, just flown in from Canada,
            armed with all my notes...

                         Have a great hunt today.      Lesanne.   
 

[MaryA]

Thank you for that recap MR, especially as Annie I'm confused how the other family have gotten themselves muxed ip with our lot and so which ones to ignore.

Could I ask a question here, and I know I should be able to find the answer somewhere in this 27 pages, but I haven't managed it.  Please could somebody confirm why they think this  "Robinson lassie"  is the same as our "Robertson lassie".

Kathy - the Grandson Alan St. John L (could be son of a son) has so many coincidences to his name I'll see if I can find grandma in censuses further back for other children, again it may be the wrong line but at least it'll hope to rule it out if not confirm.

JoT - if at the end of this somebody connected to the family picks this up I'm sure they would be very interested in any background information, just like the details of the ships that were put in earlier.  It all "puts flesh on the bones" as has been said before.

This whole family seem to have a habit of leaving a son behind somewhere at school, first Paul's Claude and then my George Douglas ...... following which they seem to vanish into thin air.  Could it be in preparation for say ... joining the Navy? I know Claude was found in 1891, but not afterwards. Is there any way we can check whether they did this rather than following/continuing in their own family concern?

Paul, I was wondering whether anybody confirmed that they had emailed John Robertson from Jumbrella with the Wallasey cotton merchant grandfather.  Nobody seems to have mentioned on here that they have, so I'll drop him a line and see whether we get any response during next week.

Email sent

Back later today, have fun all
Mary

[Paul E]

Hi Mary

I think BD did contact Jumbrella but of course it was Friday (though it seems like weeks ago!) and the offices won't open again until Monday I should think.

Strange, isn't it, how the Robertson line is proving tricksier than his wife's?  Established wisdom says that tracing a female line is harder but thankfully we've found a family who seem to thrive on carrying former surnames forward.

I like the idea of the preparation for a naval career.

cheers

Paul