Family Mystery - African American in Scotland 1870s?

[goldie61]

Edward Haig and Wilhelmina Smith were apparently married 25 Mar 1870 at Coylton Ayr Scotland (transcript on ancest..ry).
And….
Since he married in Scotland after 1855 his marriage certificates should have the names of both his parents. There is no guarantee that this would be the case for Edward but the only way to find out is to order one or both certs. This is done through the scotlandspeople (SP) website…they would not be on line. It is free to join. Link….

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Transcription of this 1870 marriage on familysearch gives his father as John Haig, and his mother as Caroline McEwan Haig. .
Edward is a 'labourer', 'aged 26'.
Wilhelmina Smith is 25 years old and a house servant.
Her parents John Smith and Jane Murdock Smith.
Both given as single.

[polarbear]

Super. I didn’t know familysearch had those now.

PB

[Ashtone]

One of the other men charged in the 1884 street preaching incident (see Reply #5) was a John M'Ewan.

Could be just a coincidence, but Edward's mother was a Caroline McEwan Haig (according to his marriage record).

Could that John M'Ewan be a relative? Perhaps he needs following-up.

Also, the Civil War database has Edward's record under HIGGS.  So, is Higgs his actual name?

These two names match the Pension document for him (which says Higgs is the alias).

Higgs, Edward
BATTLE UNIT NAME: 25th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry
SIDE: Union
COMPANY: C

[polarbear]

There is a lot of info on the internet about the US Civil War that Edward fought in.

The familysearch wiki has some about the regiment Edward was in…

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/25th_Regiment,_United_States_Colored_Infantry

PB

[ecksdochter]

     1881 Scotland Census. Western Infirmary, Glasgow.
          Williamina Haig. Age: 37. Relationship: Patient. Born: Dundonald, Ayrshire.
          William Haig. Age: 4mons. Relationship: Son (of) Patient. Born: Glasgow, Lanarkshire.
     Census taken 3rd/4th April, 1881. Wilhelmina/Williamina Haig ms Smith died later in 1881.

     Joshua Haig, born 31st May 1870, Ayr, Ayrshire.
     John Haig, born 3rd Sept. 1872 at Glasgow.
     Edward Haig, born 12th July 1874 at Glasgow. Died 1876 at St Rollox, Glasgow aged 3yrs.
     William Pearson Haig, born 1880, Anderston, Glasgow.

     Children, Joshua Haig (20), John Haig (17), and Wm. P. Haig (10), are with their father Edward
     Haig (44), on 1891 Scotland Census. Edward married widow Magdaline Ballantyne ms Merchant,
     in 1887, but she is not listed with the family on 1891 Census. Magdaline died 1916 at Gorbals,
     Glasgow, age 66yrs.

          Apologies if repeating some information already given.
               Regards, Dod.

[polarbear]

In the 1891 census Magdeline Haig is at a different address than Edward with 2 of her Ballantyne children.

PB

[carolineasb]

@flowers2912 my several Greats Grand Uncle was Robert Tannahill, the Paisley Poet, 1774-1810 and his friend was an American, a black American, who came over and ended up working with the Tannahill family in the weaving industry. He was apparently a very imposing sight and was always very well dressed. His name was Peter Burnett and his nickname was Black Peter (it was a different time). Sadly, my relative drowned in a culvert and Peter dived in and lifted him out of the water. I'm not sure how far anyone has got in finding Peter's descendants.

[J.J.]

Not sure if you want more on the children...
 12629 Private WILLIAM PEARSON HAIG 1st. Bn. Royal Scots  d. Oct 3, 1916
 STRUMA MILITARY CEMETERY - GREECE   (Served as PEARSON)
 Brother of John Haig, of 18, Edmund St., Dennistoun, Glasgow.
 https://www.everyoneremembered.org/profiles/soldier/333221/

adding: I saw that there was a William Haig teaching in Guiana
Not saying this is where the family began, but something to look into.
https://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/index.asp?pageid=302766

[flower2912]

Hi everyone

Thank you for your research and help on this as you can see it is a fascinating story.

I have been able to find out plenty about Edward and Wihelmina's children thanks to ancestry and cousin matches I have also.

The newspaper articles found are a great find I am wondering if this John Mcewan is related to his mother in some way?