SCOTTISH CASE STUDY FC.qxd 30/11/2011 1:54 PM Page 1 Case Study Scottish Case Study: The Nelson Family Diane L. Richard chronicles her search for her Scottish ancestors MYGRANWASALWAYSvery proud of tish records and, essentially, find her Scottish ancestry and she George with his mother in 1861 always considered us to be part of and then work backwards through the Gunn Clan as a sept. Through 1851 and 1841 to find the family research, I identified that “lone” and learn its composition (e.g., Scotsman in our tree, though he what siblings did George have). appears to be a lowland Scotsman Here is a summary of the records and not a highland one (the group found. associated with tartans). And, I have suspicions that his heritage 1841: Penningham, 13 Old Bridge might be Irish, but that’s another End story for another article. Mary Nelson 24 not born in county This Scottish story starts in Jane 2 born in county Lancashire, England, though it Jefsie 1 born in county could just as easily start anywhere, including the US or Canada. 1851: Penningham, Gorbals Despite having stories from my Mary Nelson 34 Sewing Agent gran that her maternal grandfather Kirkcudbright, Minnigaff was Scottish, it was going to take Jane Nelson 12 Sewer Wigtown, more to convince me. See, Gran Newton-Stewart was an only child and her mother Jessie Nelson 11 Sewer Wigtown, didn’t have close connections with Newton-Stewart her parents, siblings or the Mary Nelson 8 Scholar Wigtown, extended Gunn “Clan” and so Newton-Stewart what she knew was limited; but Hamilton Nelson 3 At Home this small amount of information George Nelson, the author’s Scotsman Wigtown, Newton-Stewart was not to be discounted and gave ancestor! Margaret Nelson 3 At Home me clues to get started. Wigtown, Newton-Stewart born in county or not born in John Nelson 10 mos At Home Wig- Family Lore county was documented. This can town, Newton-Stewart As with many genealogy projects, be very helpful indeed! we often start with some family After finding George in the 1861: Penningham — Main St - lore. Please see the box which Lancashire census records in 1881 Newton-Stewart summarizes the family lore I was and 1891 and eventually 1901 Mary Neilson 44 Midwife Minnigaff, told by my gran about her grand- (more recently available), I was Kirkcudbrightshire father and his family. then able to jump back to the Scot- John Neilson 10 scholar Penning- The Beginning: Census Records Family Lore Fortunately, England, like the US, • Part of the Clan Gunn and entitled to wear the Gunn Tartan. took a decennial census — some • George born in Newton-Stewart or Minnigaff. differences are: • George entered the family trade of saddler. The family shop in • England’s started in 1841 versus Newton-Stewart only changed hands in the 1970s and there are still 1790 • The 1841 census did list the Nelson’s Saddlers’ shops in other parts of Scotland. names of all householders and • After serving his apprenticeship in Newton-Stewart, he went as a relationships were stated journeyman to Dublin where he worked for a few years and then • The 1891 survives (unlike the went to Hollinwood. mostly missing 1890 US census) • George had a brother John who married an Irish girl and went to • The census entries typically, live in Ireland and of whom nothing more is known. except for 1841, included “county” • George had two sisters, Jessie and Maggie (or Margaret) who never of birth (e.g., Lancashire) or some- married and became cooks at big mansions in the area. times the exact parish of birth (e.g., George’s mother was a local midwife and was named Hamilton. Newton-Stewart). In 1841, only 36 Family Chronicle • January/February 2012 SCOTTISH CASE STUDY FC.qxd 30/11/2011 1:54 PM Page 2 hame, Wigtownshire also found out that George Neilson 8 scholar Minnigaff, there was a probate file Kirkcudbrightshire for him. For all the By the time of the 1861 census, great detail that English two of George’s sisters (Margaret birth and marriage and Jessie) are working at local records can provide, area mansions as servants and by this is a case where the the 1871 census, we only find death certificates are George still in Newton-Stewart less than informative, (aka Penninghame), suggesting compared to Scottish that his mother has died and his ones. It only lists date brother has moved or died. of death, name, sex, • 1871: Penningham [living with a age, occupation, cause Christie family] of death, informant and George 18 Saddler Minnigaff, when registered. Note Kirkcudbrightshire that no information on A few observations about parents is included on these Scottish census results: an English death certifi- • They consistently list birthplace cate. • Penninghame is a “parish” So, next was located in Newton-Stewart (notice obtaining George’s mar- that both forms are used) riage record. It tells us • Kircudbrightshire and Wigtown- that George Nelson shire are the counties of Kircud- married Sarah Ann Above: Gunn Clan tartan. bright and Wigtown Torkington 28 August Below: 1891 Census —George Nelson & family • NO father is ever found with the 1875 at Union St. at 409 Manchester Rd., Hollinwood, Lancashire, family on census night! England. Geography You probably are wondering where these towns are? These are two towns on either side of the river Cree and were located in two different jurisdictions in Scotland. Newton-Stewart and Penningham parish were in Wigtownshire and Minnigaff was in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (also called Kirkcudbrightshire). Both are now part of Dumfries and Galloway. Nothing like multiple jurisdictions to add some excitement. Basically, Mary was born on one side of the river and ended up marrying and having her children on the other, as shown by the census records and will be con- firmed by found church records. This reminds us that, as in the US, Chapel, Oldham, according to the Oldham and no father was listed. it’s important to get a sense of the rites and ceremonies of the Inde- This tells us that George’s geography — knowing where pendents [this would be consid- mother and father are deceased by people lived and where churches ered a non-conformist church — 1875. The former is consistent with and markets were located, can tell see sidebar on Nonconformists on the 1871 census entry and we now you a lot about their lives and the next page]. At the time, George know that his father had been where to look for records. Nelson was 23 years old, a Bach- named John and had been a elor, Saddler, lived at 51 Lee St, weaver (one presumes a jour- Vital Records Oldham, his father was John neyman weaver based on the Given that George lived much of Nelson (deceased) who had census records!). his life in a country where worked as a Woollen weaver. His Unfortunately, though George country-wide civil registration was wife was Sarah Ann Torkington was married and died in a country established in 1837, I easily who was 30 years old, a Spinster, that started civil registration in obtained his death certificate and Cotton Weaver, lived at 51 Lee St 1837, Scotland did not start civil Family Chronicle • January/February 2012 37 SCOTTISH CASE STUDY FC.qxd 30/11/2011 1:54 PM Page 3 Case Study registration (where all births, mar- riages and deaths had to be regis- tered at the register office in the district where the event took place) until 1855, about three years after George’s birth. And, since George was the youngest of the family, this precludes any birth vital record being found for any of his siblings. Church Records Though vital records may not have been required at the time of George’s birth in Scotland, most church denominations kept their own records of baptisms, mar- riages (when applicable) and burial records. Next was to see if we could find any church records for George, his known siblings and his parents. A drawing of what was the old chapel at Union Street, where George and Sarah I knew that the Church of Ann married in 1875. Latter-day Saints had the Old Parish Records (OPR) collection by the IGI Scotland, the OPR Gordon Johnson, KinHelp which covered the “established” Index or the LDS CD, “Scottish Genealogical Services, Aberdeen (or “conformist) churches for Eng- Church Records”, many people in a reply dated 4 February 1997 to land, Scotland and Wales — I born between 1843 and 1854 are soc.genealogy.uk +ireland news- could not find George or any of not normally findable, except in group). the family listed in these records the 1851 census. Surviving Free Corresponding with the — searching on Penningham, Min- Church registers are mostly held National Archives of Scotland, nigaff and the surrounding in the Scottish Record Office in which holds many of the non-con- parishes. What was going on? Edinburgh, but are not indexed, formist church registers, I was able They are incomplete, were these and not microfilmed …” (source: to acquire the entries for George’s parishes not covered? Subse- quently, I learned that the cov- erage for these parishes was as Nonconformists complete as the extant records The situation was a little more complicated than that individuals allowed. I did a bit more research either “conformed” or were deemed “non-conformist” or a “dis- into these records and then senter” with regards to the Church of England, Scotland or Wales remembered the mention in the (each a different denomination). These two articles tell you about marriage record of “according to Scottish non-conformists and also the impact to your research of the rites and ceremonies of the having non-conformists in your tree.