strachan and Martin of Hamilton, Scotland

[Forfarian]

James Strachan (B. 16 Feb 1804) who married Margaret Harris - I just can not find a death for him anywhere - Now I'm wondering if he died in service overseas?

He could have done, but the overwhelming likelihood is that he died in Hamilton some time between 1830 (when Peter was baptised) and 1834 (when his widow remarried), and that he was buried there, but that no record of his death has survived. Before 1855 only a minority of deaths were recorded, and those are generally either burial records or records of payments for the use of a mortcloth. You may just have to settle for knowing that he died between 1830 and 1834, though depending on what the original of Elizabeth's baptisms says, you may be able to narrow it down a little.

There could be a record of a mortcloth payment in the Hamilton Kirk Session records, but as these are not online I cannot look at them to check.

Why are you so determined that your James is the son of James Strachan and Margaret Smith, born 16 February 1804 in Forres? As you do not know when your James Strachan died, or how old he was when he died, you cannot be sure of his date of birth, and you must not assume that he is the James Strachan born in Forres in 1804. It is quite a long way from Forres to Hamilton! Unless and until you have some specific and definite evidence to link your James Strachan to Forres, I strongly suggest that you forget about the Forres one and his date of birth, as the chances are that he is a complete red herring.

(For the benefit of other RootsChatters and avoidance of duplication the Forres thread is at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=718479.9)

I note that James' mother-in-law's given name was Ann(e), and that his first daughter was named Ann(e). This matches the traditional naming pattern. If James and Margaret were following the traditional pattern, it would suggest that James' father was Peter, not James.

The IGI lists two births of James Strachans with father Peter. Neither is especially close to Hamilton, but both are a lot nearer than Forres
- son of Peter Strachan and Elisabeth Ker, born 14 March 1795 in Forfar, Angus. This James Strachan would have been aged 30 in 1825, which is of an age to be married, and Forfar was well known for its shoemakers
- son of Peter Strachan and Katherine Stewart, born 18 June 1806 in Dunfermline, Fife. This one would have been just 19 in 1825 - old enough to be married, though it is a bit unusual for a tradesman like a shoemaker to be in a position to marry and support a family by the age of 19.
There may of course be other James Strachans whose birth and baptism records have not survived.

[paul_mc]

Hi Forfarian & anyone else helping.....

3rd of February 1831

Since I began compiling my family tree, some twelve years ago, the final fate of my Great Great Great Grandfather James Strachan has eluded me.

I've finally broken down that brick wall almost by accident. I feel elated and sad all at the same time.

James was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire in 1800. He lived with his family in New Wynd. A slum by todays standards but probably a pretty normal standard of living back then. He was a shoemaker to trade just like his father.

I knew already that he died young. His wife Margaret brought up their son Peter alone before eventually remarrying. There is no death certificate for James. Death registration wasn't a legal obligation in the UK until 1855 and it cost money. The Strachan's had none.

Tonight, while looking through old digitalised newspapers online I accidentally came across his story. I guess this is his gift to all of our long frustrated family. He's fed up being forgotten and wants his story to be told.

While severe winters and snow storms are common in Scotland, the Winter of 1830/31 was characterised by no such storms. At the time 'Gardeners Societies' started springing up in Scotland. The purpose was a general need amongst working men to secure sickness benefits, pensions and provision for their dependants. Non-gardeners could join most lodges. They were called 'free gardeners' and soon they out-numbered working gardeners. All through the 19th century they continued to found lodges and made up their own rituals and practices, which helped unite the brethren of each lodge.

On the 3rd of February 1831 four men left Hamilton with the intention of travelling to New Cumnock to inaugurate a lodge of free gardeners there. James Wright and George Henderson were weavers to trade and James Strachan and his younger brother Peter were shoemakers, then all members of the Hamilton Olive Lodge.

The journey would be taken by foot and a route was planned from Hamilton via Strathaven and Muirkirk. The journey was estimated to be around 18 hours. Before they reached Strathaven several showers of snow had fallen and it was beginning to gather. They pushed on. They reached Haws Toll and enquired about the safety of continuing but were assured that the 'shillers' (snow plough/road clearers) were out in front of them. The road towards Muirkirk runs southward and is bleak and unforgiving. An ice cold wind attacked them directly with its full force. Henderson and the younger Strachan became ill and both cried out for water. They were given some spirits to drink from a bottle. They continued to walk for 7 miles. It was pitch black and the snow was heavy. It was too late to go back and too late to forge forward. They stopped to rest, hoping they could continue shortly but the darkness overcame them all.  Wright was woken some three hours later by James Strachan who had become delirious, his legs heavy with fatigue. The moon was rising and Wright saw that it was 1am. He found Henderson lying on his back breathing heavily, his pet terrier pressed against his body, sharing their heat. He looked up and saw the light of a fire in the distance - a farmhouse - and he made his way to get some aid. John Gibson and his wife owned the farmhouse - Linnburn. John dressed and fetched a neighbour to go to the aid of the men. They arrived back some time later with an unconscious Henderson and both of the Strachan's bodies. When Henderson awoke some time later, three days of his memory were gone. Never to return.

The news of the deaths spread like wildfire and people came from all over to offer help. The bodies were coffined and prepared for return to Hamilton. However it wasn't until the Sunday afternoon that news reached Hamilton - A man travelling from Cumnock to Airdrie carried the message. Amongst the first enquirers he met was Margaret Strachan and to lessen the blow she was about to receive he told her that it was the two weavers who had died and that the two Strachan men were alive.

Henderson and the two dead bodies were brought to Hamilton by cart while Wright made the journey back by foot. The Strachan brothers were buried in the Old Church Yard in Hamilton and a stone erected by their 'brother' gardeners bearing an inscription explaining the circumstances of their deaths.

James and Margaret's son Peter (my great great grandfather) went on to enlist in the 71st Regiment and fought in the Crimean War as well as the Indian Mutiny.

George Henderson never fully recovered and died two years later.

James Wright lived a long life in Hamilton but never forgot his friends. He went to the spot his 'brothers' died every year on the anniversary. He did this for a full fifty years. His last visit being 3rd of February 1881. The Gibson family left the farmhouse but their son became land lord of the Eglington Arms Hotel in Muirkirk.

Margaret Strachan went on to marry Robert Martin in 1834, a shoemaker and friend of her late husband.

Finally James Strachan and his brother Peter are remembered 194 years after their death.

[Forfarian]

Well done for solving the mystery but what a sad tale.

Death registration wasn't a legal obligation in the UK until 1855 and it cost money.

Civil registration was introduced in England and Wales in 1837, but, surprisngly,  it didn't become obligatory there until the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1874 (37 & 38 Vict. c. 38).

In Scotland registration was introduced in 1855, and it was compulsory from the start. There was no charge or fee for registering a birth or death in Scotland, but there were penalties for late registration and for some other services such as searches and issuing additional certificates.

[paul_mc]

Thank you very much for all your help

Now I have a birth and death date for him - I just need to work out who his parents really were - Nothing listed about his little brother Peter either and no approx age for him which would have been helpful. If I could have found parents that matched both....

[paul_mc]

Would anyone be able to help me finish off this puzzle.

I now have a confirmed death date for James Strachan. When he died Robert Martin was married to Elizabeth Wright (they married 1829) and had 3 kids

Mary Lucan Martin - I have all her details. No Idea where the Lucan part came from.

John Martin - Born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire on the 7th of November 1830 - He appears on the 1841 Census in Hamilton but then I can't find him.... can anyone help?

Elizabeth Martin born in Hamilton on 3rd of June 1832 - She wasnt on the 1841 census so assume she died young - can anyone help?

Robert Martin married james's widow margaret Strachan (maiden name Harris) in 1834. But what became of Elizabeth Wright. The logical thing to think would be that she also died between 1831 and 1834 however she later turns up on on eof the granchildren's death certificates (which i now can't find)

Any help would really be appreciated

Paul

[Forfarian]

Mary Martin or Lees, mother's surname Wright, died in Hamilton in 1902 aged 70.

[paul_mc]

Yes I’ve traced her and her husband and kids but can’t find an ending for her mother or her brother or sister