Relative in Stuartfield

[flst]

A carpenter has the obvious skills for making a coffin. In rural areas there wouldn't be enough demand for someone to be solely an undertaker.
flst

[Fogmoose]

A carpenter has the obvious skills for making a coffin. In rural areas there wouldn't be enough demand for someone to be solely an undertaker.
flst

Thats what I was thinking. So it wouldn't necessarily entail any preparation of the body itself for burial, as we associate with undertaking today? I suppose that part was mostly done by the family, especially in rural areas?

[Fogmoose]

Just to let you know you can also ask the archivist to check the poor relief records for New Deer. In 1861 census Jean Greig appears as a pauper. There's a good chance you'll find out more about her
flst

Yes, Thats a good idea flst. Might get some clarifying info on the relationship that way. Still haven't heard back from my inquiry about Jane Hutcheon in Buchan poorhouse, but hopefully if I do I will follow up with a query about New Deer records as well.

[Fogmoose]

I have a (perhaps wild) theory that Jean/Jane Fowlie may actually have been the granddaughter (or other relative) of William Greig, who he adopted, and not related to Jane/Jean Greig (nee Yeats) at all.

Jane Fowlie died in 1873 in Methlick, where she is noted as being a sick nurse, unmarried and illegitimate. Her reputed father is one Thomas Fowlie, crofter, and her mother is noted as  ‘? Greig, afterwards married to ? Ferguson, shoemaker’. And just to add to the intrigue, her death was registered by one Alexander Hutcheon, undertaker in New Deer - no relationship given... 

Now, a Christian Greig married an Andrew Ferguson in New Deer in 1827 - which was after the birth of Jane Fowlie who, if her age at death is to be believed, was born about 1823. Unfortunately, I can’t find any trace of Andrew Ferguson or Christian Greig after that.

Back to William Greig - he married Jane Yeats in New Deer in 1816 - which would have made him about 46 (and her 41) - old for a first marriage, so it’s perfectly possible he was married previously. Unfortunately, I can’t find any obvious previous marriage, or a birth for Christian Greig, so this remains, alas, only a theory… 

Ruth

Have found several possible births for Christian Greig, closest one geographically is to a George Greig in Lonmay in 1808, no mothers name listed. Another to Alexander Grieg and Christian Leslie, 1807 in King Edward, which is also fairly close to New Deer. There are also two with Fathers named William Greig, but they are farther away though still in Aberdeenshire, one in New Machar and one in Old Machar. Need to keep searching.

[flst]

If you click on this link you will learn more about the Old Parish Records.
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/old-parish-registers/list-of-old-parish-registers
There is a strong possibility that you may never find the information you seek. You cannot assume that because a person has the same name & year of birth that it is your ancestor.
flst

[Fogmoose]

If you click on this link you will learn more about the Old Parish Records.
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/old-parish-registers/list-of-old-parish-registers
There is a strong possibility that you may never find the information you seek. You cannot assume that because a person has the same name & year of birth that it is your ancestor.
flst

Yes, I do realize that. I didn't mean to sound as if I was. I know that some records/people just can't be found or don't exist. 

BTW heard back from the Archivist re: Buchan Poorhouse records. Sadly, the register from 1869-1912 did not survive. She found no listing for Jane Hutcheon in the records after 1912 either. She gave me a few links to follow in case the application for poor relief survives, which I will follow up on.

[ruthhelen]

So now back to work to see if I can find a marriage for Johan!

Did you find out what happened to Johan Forsyth Hutcheon? I think I have her in 1881 in Methlick, with her paternal grandparents, John and Helen Forsyth (nee Porter) - she’s been enumerated as Jane, but I’m pretty sure it’s her - she’s with them again in 1891, enumerated this time as Joanna.

Looks like she married James Nicol in 1899 in Methlick - by this time she’s going by the name of Joan Forsyth, so she’s dropped the middle ‘h’  Her reputed father is named on the marriage register as John Forsyth, shepherd; mother, Jane Hutcheon, hospital matron. I can see the family in Udny in 1901 with two children: Jane Gray Nicol and Helen Nicol (Jane Gray was James Nicol’s mother). There’s a death of a Johan Forsyth Nicol or Hutcheon in 1957 in Aberdeen.

And the father, John Forsyth - presumably also the father of Donald Forsyth Hutcheon - he went on to marry Margaret Barclay in 1880 in Aberdour. They had eight children that I've found so far...

Ruth

[ruthhelen]

I found a death for a Donald Forsyth in 1961,  so he was by that time using his fathers surname ....the same as my G Grandfather had done.

Have you confirmed that this is the correct Donald Forsyth? There is a death in 1972 in Inverurie of a Donald Forsyth Hutcheson of the correct age. The Donald Forsyth who died in New Pitsligo in 1961 isn't old enough to be your Donald Forsyth Hutcheon - but he is, curiously, the correct age to be the son of John Forsyth (Donald Forsyth Hutcheon's presumed father) and Margaret Barclay - this Donald Forsyth was born in about 1887...

Ruth

[Fogmoose]

Ruth you are a wonder! I did not see the later death Donald Forsyth Hutcheson...but what you say makes sense. I suppose I will have to order the DC for that one to confirm. And no I hadn't gotten around to any further research on Johan (boss has been very sick for a few weeks so I am working A LOT!) but again thats very useful information. Hopefully I can eventually contact some of these distant half-cousins since there appear to be a lot of them.... ;-)

Jane sure must have had a great 'bed-side manner', LOL

I think I may have to inquire re: some of the hospitals where we know Jane worked...perhaps there are employee records?  I still havent found Jane in the 1911 census....in fact I am going to go search a little more as soon as I finish typing this!

Thanks so much!