Euphemia LAING, died Coull 1835

[Seaton Smithy]

Hi everyone - back again looking for some more of your wonderful assistance.

William Smith and Euphemia Laing died 20 days apart in Coull in 1835.

I have found the following children of William and Euphemia, all born in Leochel-Cushnie: George (1804), Arthur (1808), Francis (1810), Sarah (1812), Elspet (1814), Alexander (1817) and Samuel (1819).

I descend from George and so far have found some family details for both him and Arthur.

I believe William was born in Leochel-Cushnie in 1784.

I have not been able to locate a record for the birth of Euphemia or for the marriage of Euphemia and William.

Any assistance greatly appreciated as always.

[ruthhelen]

Not sure if this is of any help or not, but might be worth exploring.

Also can't find anything for Euphemia Laing, but there is a Francis Laing, farmer, in both the 1841 and 1851 censuses in Leochel-Cushnie. He died in 1855 (fortunately for us!) at the age of 83. Given one of Euphemia Laing and William Smith’s children was called Francis, it’s at least possible this Francis Laing is related to Euphemia Laing somehow - perhaps a brother?

His age at death is a little out with the age of 81 given in the 1851 census, but it puts his birth around 1770. According to the death registration, he was the son of William Laing, farmer, and Mary Fraser. There are two baptisms in Leochel-Cushnie in the right timeframe, both with father William Laing - one in 1769 and the second in 1771 - unfortunately, the mother is not named, but a look at the records on Scotland’s People may help to work out if this is actually the same family, and the first Francis died in infancy.

Francis Laing married one Isobel Harper (nee Adam) - who looks like she may have been the widow of an Alexander Harper. She must have died before 1841 (and certainly before 1855), but her children by her first marriage are with Francis Laing in both the 1841 and 1851 census. The death registration doesn’t suggest Francis had any children of his own with Isobel - his death was registered by his nephew, George Laing - who might also be worth exploring...

EDIT: Just found a marriage for Francis Laing and Isobel Adam in 1806 in Leochel-Cushnie - she married Alexander Harper in Leochel-Cushnie in 1792.

Ruth

[Seaton Smithy]

Thank you, Ruth.  This is helpful.

The address recorded for the deaths of William and Euphemia is a croft called Loanhead of Corse which is still lived in today.

On the 1841 census there is a George Laing (b abt 1764), his wife Isobel (abt 1774), his son George (abt 1806, but abt 1802 on the 1851) and 3 minors are living at South Loanhead in Corse.

Scotlandspeople show George senior was born in Leochel Cushnie in 1764 to William Laing.

From someone else's research (not yet confirmed), children of William Laing & Mary Fraser of Leochel Cushnie were: William (1757), Peter (1761), George (1764), James (1767), Mary (1768), Francis (1769) and Francis (1771).

Scotlandspeople shows George Laing born 1802 in Leochel Cushnie to George Laing and Margaret Emslie who also have Peter in 1812.

There are children born to in Leochel Cushnie to George Laing and Isabel Emslie: John (1803), Martha (1805), Isabel (1807), Mary (1808), Elizabeth (1810), Martha (1814) and Charles (1816).    There is also William Laing born to George Laing no mother shown in 1800.

Could Margaret and Isabel be the same person?

George Laing (1802) and his wife Elizabeth (maiden name may be Lawson) are living at South Loanhead in 1851 with infant daughter Elizabeth and stepson Alexander Copland.

On the 1861 there is a George Laing shown as born about 1812 with wife Elizabeth and daughter Elizabeth now 10 living at Loanhead with other children and a neice  Isabel Laing born about 1825.  It appears George dies at Loanhead in 1874.

The seems to be a connection with George Laing living at Loanhead and William Smith and Euphemia Laing dying there.  Could Euphemia be the daughter of William (1757), Peter (1761), or possibly James (1767) Laing?  I'll need to see what more I can find for them.

[ruthhelen]

George Laing (1802) and his wife Elizabeth (maiden name may be Lawson) are living at South Loanhead in 1851 with infant daughter Elizabeth and stepson Alexander Copland.

On the 1861 there is a George Laing shown as born about 1812 with wife Elizabeth and daughter Elizabeth now 10 living at Loanhead with other children and a neice  Isabel Laing born about 1825.  It appears George dies at Loanhead in 1874.

There's an MI for a George Laing in Leochel kirkyard, d. 2 Jun 1874 - Elizabeth Lawson is on the same MI, d. 2 Jan 1903. Elizabeth Lawson married William Copland on 21 Oct 1844 at Tough - which fits with her son Alexander appearing in the 1851 census as being born in Tough (although I can't see a baptism for him). There is a Laing/Lawson wedding showing in Leochel-Cushnie on 27 May 1849, although the couple's first names don't seem to have been recorded.

Elizabeth Lawson seems likely to be the daughter of James Lawson and Elizabeth Tytler, b. 19 Jun 1824. Her parents are also buried in Leochel kirkyard.

While we're on the subject of MIs, there is an MI in Coull kirkyard for a family of Laings, who might be connected to this story - four members of the same family, all died within two weeks: James Laing, 15 May 1836; Isabella Laing, 18 May 1836; Martha Laing, 24 May 1836; and Mary Laing, 31 May 1836 - there's also an Elizabeth Laing, d. 30 Jul 1832; James Laing, 23 Nov 1853; Helen Laing, 17 May 1879; and Jane Laing, 9 Oct 1892.

Ruth

[Forfarian]

On the 1841 census there is a George Laing (b abt 1764), his wife Isobel (abt 1774), his son George (abt 1806, but abt 1802 on the 1851) and 3 minors are living at South Loanhead in Corse.

The originals of the available UK censuses never give a year of birth. They tell you the age people said they were on the day of the census.

In 1841 the census was taken on the night of 6/7 June, and the enumerator was supposed to round adults' ages down to the nearest 5 years.

George is down as 77, so if this is accurate it means he was born between 7 June 1763 and 6 June 1764. It should have been recorded as 75. Similarly with Isobel, ten years younger.

George, aged 35, would therefore have been born between 7 June 1801 and 6 June 1806. This is entirely compatible with his age being 49 in the 1851 census, when ages were not rounded down, indicating that he was born between 31 March 1801 and 30 March 1802.

[Seaton Smithy]

The originals of the available UK censuses never give a year of birth. They tell you the age people said they were on the day of the census.

Thanks, Forfarian.  I accept everything you say about the census.  I admit I was extrapolating which is why I wrote "abt".  I find the rounding in the 1841 census to be inconsistent.

[Seaton Smithy]

There's an MI for a George Laing in Leochel kirkyard, d. 2 Jun 1874 - Elizabeth Lawson is on the same MI, d. 2 Jan 1903. Elizabeth Lawson married William Copland on 21 Oct 1844 at Tough - which fits with her son Alexander appearing in the 1851 census as being born in Tough (although I can't see a baptism for him). There is a Laing/Lawson wedding showing in Leochel-Cushnie on 27 May 1849, although the couple's first names don't seem to have been recorded.

Thanks again, Ruth.

I am finding a lot of conflicting information published about the mother(s) of William (1757), Peter (1761), George (1764), James (1767), Mary (1768), Francis (1769) and Francis (1771).

I may have to create a Laing tree over the Christmas break to try and get things straight.

[Forfarian]

I am finding a lot of conflicting information published about the mother(s) of William (1757), Peter (1761), George (1764), James (1767), Mary (1768), Francis (1769) and Francis (1771).

Don't believe any of it unless and until you have proved it by viewing original documents. There are online trees that are meticulously researched and accurate in every detail. There are also trees that can best be described as wishful thinking.

(I found one today in my own family - a man with an ambiguous given name listed as a woman, with a husband called Elizabeth Jane! So of course the surnames of all their family are wrong.)

[Seaton Smithy]

I thought I may have found an interesting possibility in my search for Euphemia LAING.

In 1802 William Smith and Euphemia REID had a son named Peter in Leochel-Cushnie.  This birth fits in with the pattern of births for William Smith and Euphemia LAING commencing 1804.

Unfortunately I can't find any more inforamtion about Euphemia REID other than the birth of Peter.