On This Day in FEBRUARY ...

[Seoras]

On January 15th 1915 Samuel Mons McEwan died from pneumonia aged 3 weeks at Crosscroes, Muiravonside. His mother was Agnes Shearer, the daughter of William Shearer and Christina Thompson. She was the wife of my great grandmother's eldest brother Samuel Greer McEwan and I think this death probably took place at my 3xG grandmother's house. Agnes had married Sam in May 1913 and at the beginning of August 1914 as a lance corporal in the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders he left for the Front leaving his pregnant wife behind. This would be the last time Agnes saw her husband. He was killed in action just two weeks later. The baby's names come from her husband and from Mons, the place where he fell. Samuel was their first and only child.

I've often wondered what became of Agnes, I may have to try and chase her up at some point.

[stonechat]

John Cunnington(Conington) was born today at Thorpe Achurch, NOrthants to John in 1647

My 7 X great grandfather

[genjen]

On January 15th 1915 Samuel Mons McEwan died from pneumonia aged 3 weeks at Crosscroes, Muiravonside. His mother was Agnes Shearer, the daughter of William Shearer and Christina Thompson. She was the wife of my great grandmother's eldest brother Samuel Greer McEwan and I think this death probably took place at my 3xG grandmother's house. Agnes had married Sam in May 1913 and at the beginning of August 1914 as a lance corporal in the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders he left for the Front leaving his pregnant wife behind. This would be the last time Agnes saw her husband. He was killed in action just two weeks later. The baby's names come from her husband and from Mons, the place where he fell. Samuel was their first and only child.

I've often wondered what became of Agnes, I may have to try and chase her up at some point.

I have a similar situation on my mum's side of the family, with my great uncle dying at Ypres just after his first child was born. But in that case, the baby survived, married and had a daughter. The daughter, searching aimlessly for her grandad's name on Google last year, came across a post from me in RootsChat and in August, we met for the first time. 

[Seoras]

A happy outcome for you gengen 

On January 16th 1870, Margaret Currie Laing Brown was born in Kilconquhar, Fife. She was the 5th child and 4th daughter of my GG grandmother Rachel's brother, Charles Shearer Brown and his wife Jessie Herd. Her father was named after a sailor and family member lost at sea one month before his birth.

On January 16th 1902 my GG grandmother Elizabeth Pate died at 1 St. John Street, Stirling. At the time she was the widow of my GG grandfather James Stein. Her parents were John Peat ( all his offspring use Pate as a spelling ) a shoemaker and Isabella Scott, a farmer's daughter. Her husband was most likely working for her father when they met, they married in 1854 and I do wish they had waited just one year so I could have an 1855 cert.
Elizabeth was born in Linlitgow in 1832, the 7th child and 4th daughter. Her elder siblings were George, John, David, Isabella, Janet and Marion and younger brother William. She and her husband moved to Stirling sometime in the 1870's probably due to the decline in the tanning and shoemaking industry in Linlithgow where it had once been dominant. Two of her brothers also made the move to Stirling and opened shop in Baker Street as Pate Brothers.
Her children were James, Isabella, James, John, Jane, Elizabeth ( my great grandmother ) and James. As can be seen she had three children named James, the first two died in infancy and are buried in Linlithgow, where all her children were born.

[genjen]

February 16th 1637, Margrett Waller was baptised in Brough under Stainmore, Westmorland. An 8 x great grandmother, daughter of Robart Waller. Robart, consistently spelled this way, is one of my earliest known ancestors on this side of the family, born around 1600. Every time we drive over Stainmore and past Brough, I wonder where my family lived. B.u.S. covers a huge area so I shall almost certainly never know the answer.

February 16th 1778, William Crichton was baptised in Methlick, Aberdeenshire. A 4 x great grandfather, son of John Crichton and Christian Miln.

[GrahamSimons]

16th February 1902 my great-uncle Charles Edward Glascodine Simons died in Merthyr Tydfil.

British Medical Journal, Volume 1(2148);  March 1, 1902: We regret to announce the premature death of Dr. CHARLES E. G. SIMONS, of The Hollies, Merthyr. Born in Merthyr in 1868 he received his early training there, and later at Bedford County School. Subsequently he was a student at University College, Cardiff, and at the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He obtained the M.B., C.M. Aberdeen in I891, and in the following year the D.P.H. of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. He soon settled down to practice in Merthyr first with the late Dr. Dyke and subsequently with Dr. Pechell. For some time he was a member of the Merthyr District Council. After Dr. Dyke's death, the then medical officer of health for Merthyr, Dr. Simons, who had acted as his deputy for some years, was appointed, the appointment being changed to a whole time one. After a few months, owing to differences with some of the members of the Council, he resigned the appointment and returned to private practice. For some time he had been in weak health, being a sufferer from diabetes, and on February 16th he succumbed to an attack of pneumonia. Dr. Symons, who was well known in the town and neighbourhood, was only 34 years of age. A keen worker and especially interested in all public health matters, the resignation of the appointment of medical officer of health was a great disappointment to him. He leaves a widow and two children.

Charles had married Wilhemina Elizabeth Barrett; her sister Nora Penelope Barrett married his brother Frederic Dyke Sydney Simons. Two more Barrett sisters married a pair of brothers from the Cardew family.

[LizzieW]

Eliza Stanton my 3 x g.g.aunt died this day in Heckington, Lincolnshire in 1809.  I don’t have a date of birth for Eliza but she was baptised on 11 February 1809, so I would imagine she was only a few days old when she died, the burial record just shows her as an infant rather than giving an age like the other people listed.

John Chorley my 3 x g.g.uncle died in Egremont, Cumberland in 1841 aged 21.  The cause of death was Scrofula and diseased knee.  John was a son of my 4 x g.grandmother who was born 4 years after her husband (my 4 x g.grandfather) died.  There was a bastardy order made for the upkeep of the child.

Honor Collett my g.g.aunt was buried at St Mary’s Church, Halesworth, Suffolk in 1850.  She was 10 years old.

Thomas Pemberton my g.g.uncle was buried in a non conformist grave at Manchester General Cemetery in 1915

Elizabeth Harley my 4 x g.grandmother married James Willsworth at All Saints Church, Holbeach, Lincolnshire in 1827 about 13 months after my 4 x g.grandfather had died leaving her with 6 children.  Elizabeth had 8 children, but three of them died, one aged 2 weeks and one aged 1 week and one who was no more than 6.  Elizabeth died 9 years after this marriage and James 10 years after the marriage.

[stonechat]

Susannah Arnsby of Oundle and Matthew Wyman of Harringworth married at Oundle Northants in 1762.
Took me a while to find Matthew as he and most siblings baptised in Thorpe Achurch

From at least this year Matthew was a wheelwright in Oundle
This business was to continue for nearly 100 years.
Susannah and Matthew were my 4 x great grandparents

Mary Pierce Boyce was born today 1807 in Egham to George Boyce , a baker and Martha nee Pierce
She married William Giles of Egham in 1829 at St George's Hanover Square, they had one child George Giles b 1830. William died 1832 and Martha 1844. I suspect Martha was ill in 1841, she did not appear on the census and young George was with his grandparents
They may not have lived long but their grave has survived.

[nanny jan]

3 births today:

James Bailey in 1818 in London;  son of James and Hamutal (nee Page). My 3xgt. uncle, he was baptised in St. Luke, Old Street a few weeks later and no confirmed sightings after that.

Jane Kingsman in 1887 in Acton;  daughter of Richard Charles and Rachel (nee Greenwood). Richard's first wife, Bridget, had died in 1875.  Jane is my 2xgt. half aunt as I descend from her her half brother John. She married William Bryant in Acton in 1910 and died in 1973.

Winifred Violet Rainer in Dartford in 1921; daughter of Albert Henman Arthur and Edith Kate (nee Coleman).  The family moved to Devon where Winifred married in 1952 and died in 1999.  She was 1st cousin, 2 removed.