Swanston(e)/Beck family

[SusanJane]

Hi , I'm working on my family tree.  I am looking for information on my ancestors John and Elizabeth (Beck) Swanston.  We
know very little .  They were born and married in Scotland.  their oldest children were born in Scotland before emigrating to Canada.  their oldest  child Nicholas was born May 24, 1842 in Scotland.  She is female.  We noticed on line that there are several Swanston families buried in cemeteries in The Berwickshire area.  They emigrated to Canada between 1850 and 1855.  Census records show a child born in 1855 as being born in Canada while a child born in 1850 was recorded as being born in Scotland.  I don't know where to go from here and was hoping for any information regarding this family or any tips on how to approach searching for a family if you don't know where they were originally from.

Susan

[ysabeau]

Hi

Found the following births on IGI/SP, all born @ Galashiels, Selkirk :

24/04/1842 - Andrew, parents John Swanston/Betty Beck

24/05/1843 - Nicholas, parents John Swanston/Belly Beck (transcription error perhaps)

15/02/1845 - James, parents John Swanston/Betty Beck



Ysabeau

[SusanJane]

Hi

Thanks so much.  I was at the family history center and their IGI was down so I could not use it.  I strongly suspected that Nicholas had an older brother Andrew  as he was living with his Uncle on the 1861 census in Canada.  I have also managed to confirm that there were in fact 4 brothers who immigrated to Canada in the 1840's .  Are you familiar with the Galashiels?  On the 1841 census the census taker listed all  the regions he was doing and Mosilee was one of them listed.  On the census where I found the 4 brothers they were listed under Mofsilee.  Are these the same and which is the correct spelling/region?

Do you have access to deaths.  On the 1841 census the four brothers and a sister are in a household by themselves with no parents.  The mother is listed on the 1861 census in Canada living with one of the brothers.  Not sure where she is in 1841 but I suspect that Dad died young leaving the kids with the household.  Could you search for an Andrew Swanston .  He would be grandfather of the birth registration you found.  Last child listed on the 1841 census was 15 so he must have been alive in 1826.  I suspect he was from the Galashiels since the children were born their.

Thanks.

P.S.  Not sure when he was born since I have no census record of him.  Are there census records ealier than 1841?

Once again Thanks for the help

Susan

[ysabeau]

Hi

Galashiels, as far as I know is a town on the Scottish borders about thirty miles south of Edinburgh....

There were no deaths recorded officially in Scotland prior to 1855.

Found an Andrew Swanston in 1841 census, aged 60ish years @ Stitchell, Roxburghshire. He was a grocer, living with I assume wife Euphemia and daughter Agness.

Stichell, from multimap, is also on the Scottish borders south of Edinburgh, but whether this Andrew is related or not I cannot say....



Ysabeau

[Malcommon]

Hi Susanjane,  My great grandfather was John Swanson born 1850/5 in Ancroft Northumberland, His father was William Swanson who was born at Lowick which is about 1 mile to the east of Ancroft towards the coast,  His father was Charles Swanson and he was born in Scotland but I do not Know where,
Ancroft and Berwick are only a few miles south of Berwick on Tweed.
I also went to school with a brother and sister called Beck who from New Hartley in Northumberland.
regards Malcolm

[Mr Stripey]

Hi,

I was brought up in Galashiels and Mossilee is an area on the edge of town. I suspect that in the 19th Century this would be farm land (and Mossilee Farm still exists).

I think that Mofsilee is an incorrect transcription of Mossilee.

Mike

[excel]

Hi Susanjane,
Perhaps you could write a new message asking if someone has the pre 1855 M.I's for Galashiels to look for your Andrew Swanston.
Rae