Grace Armstrong1,2,3

(31 December 1821 - 6 February 1905)
FatherJohn Armstrong2,4 (cir. 1778 - aft. 1841)
MotherMargaret Nicol2,4 (cir. 1782 - aft. 1841)

BMDB data

     Grizel Armstrong was born on 31 Dec 1821 Canonbie, DFS, SCT.4,5,3 She was baptized on 9 Jun 1822 Canonbie, DFS; 9th of 10 siblings (if all are shown on FamilySearch.)4,6 Some sources show Grace as born cir. 1829 Canonbie, DFS, but even though both ancestry and fmp transcriptions agree the 1851 census shows Grace as 22, methinks it's really 27, not that the image has been checked.3,7,6
     Grace Armstrong married Walter Fairbairn, son of Walter Fairbairn and Agnes Robinson, on 25 Feb 1848 Stow, MLN, SCT, entry reads: Fairbairn Walter, Farm Servant in Cathie, and Grace Armstrong in the Parish of Canonbie gave in their names in order to marriage, and after due proclamation they were married 25th Feb 1848 (cf 18th May date from original info.)8,9,3,10
     Grace Fairbairn died on 6 Feb 1905 Grindstone Head, Dist of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, at age 83; cert. shows Grace as 82, pauper, widower Walter Fairbairn labourer, d/o John ARMSTRONG (no occ. shown) & Margaret m.s. NICOL, both dec'd; d. 9:30am of old age, (certified); Inf. Inspector of the Poor, reg. 9th Feb.2,11,12,1,13

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Grace Armstrong appeared on the census of 1841 Notkeswoods Lleas, Par. of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, as Grace ARMSTRONG 15 ag lab, in hsehold of WAUGH: William 25 farmer; Cathrine 20 ; George 2, Rosina 5 Mo ; Also Jane GRINDLEY 7, Mary JOHNSTON 85 ; (best candidate to date given the only other Grace of an age was with James and isn't this lass. No Grizels obvious) (NB enumerators were instructed to round ages down to the nearest multiple of 5.)14 Grace Fairbairn appeared on the census of 30 Mar 1851 as wife of Walter Fairbairn Tinnishall, Par. of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, enumerated as FAIRBAIRN (FAIRBURN on fmp): Walter 28 ag lab b Morebattle, wife Grace, 22 (on both fmp and ancestry, should be 27?) b Canonbie; Children (all b Canonbie): William, 5, scholar; Margaret, dtr, 3; Agnes, dtr, 1.3,15
     The census of 1861 showed Grace with her husband Walter, their dtrs Agnes and Margaret Old Tinnieshall, Par. of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, household enumerated as FAIRBURN: Walter 37 farm labourer b Morebattle, ROX; Grace 38 b Canonbie; Children: Agnes 11, Margaret 8 both scholars b Canonbie, DFS.16
     The census of 1871 showed Grace with her husband Walter, their son Walter, their dtr Margaret Old Tinnishall, Par. of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, household enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: Walter 47 cattle feeder b Morebattle, ROX; wife Grace 49 b Canonbie; Children: Margaret 18 dom serv, Walter 9 scholar both b Canonbie, DFS.17
     Grace Fairbairn appeared on the census of 3 Apr 1881 Milltown, DFS, SCT, with Walter Fairbairn, enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: Walter, 57, ag lab b Morebattle, ROX; wife Grace, 59, b Canonbie, DFS.5 Grace Fairbairn appeared on the census of 1891 as wife of Walter Fairbairn Grindstone Head, Dist of Canonbie, DFS, SCT, enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: Walter 64 ag lab b Kelso, ROX; wife Grace 68.18,19
     Grace Fairbairn appeared on the census of 1901 Grindstonehead, Canonbie, DFS, SCT, with Walter Fairbairn, enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: Walter 77 retired ploughman b Newcastleton, ROX; wife Grace 79 b Canonbie DFS; (dtr Agnes 2 hses away.)20

Names

     As of 1822, Grace Armstrong was also known as Grizel Armstrong when baptized - Grace and Grizel being synonyms.4

All the other info

     A letter Grace Armstrong sent to John Little in 1891 Grindstone Head, Dist of Canonbie, DFS, SCT: Headed: Grindstonehead March 6 1891, transcribed above from the original, spelling and punctuation as written
My Dear Nephew ...
Walter has been ill since the autumn and not able to work he is very frail...
Agnes and family is all well James is much the same John her son is at school yet he is a good learner and will soon be put frrot [forward assumed to be meant] for something
Grace is hired and Mary the youngest got bussery 60 pounds so she had the Langholm School to go to be put forret in learning John and her is both in french and latine they have to go to school 2 years and a half yet the prize she won is to edicate her Adam and Maggie is at Netherby their son is in Glasgow on the railway and Maggie at longtown learning the dressmaking William is in Hants yet and start for him self a flowerest and Walter is in a box at a station a East Kilbride near hammelton
... and the old people her is all dead there is very few left and I am 70 and my hand cannot writ as I wanted to do ....
your
Affct Aunt Grace Fairbairn
(transcr. omits other than the family of Walter and Grace ARMSTRONG.)21
     Grace outlived her husband Walter Fairbairn who died on 13 Nov 1903.12

External links

     Click here to see Grace's page on WikiTree, a (free) collaborative on-line tree.22

Family 1

William White (say 1820 - )
Child
  • William White (Jun 1845 - say 1905)

Family 2

Walter Fairbairn (cir. 1823 - Nov 1903)
Children
  • Margaret Fairbairn10 (cir. 1848 - Apr 1852)
  • Agnes Fairbairn (Feb 1850 - Oct 1907)
  • Margaret Fairbairn (Aug 1853 - aft. 1911)
  • Walter Fairbairn+23 (Jun 1861 - May 1918)
ChartsFAIRBAIRN
John & Bessie (FFLINT) FAIRBAIRN
Last Edited23 Jul 2017

Citations

  1. Alan TEAGUE, "Corres. re FAIRBAIRN/MURRAY ex Alan T," e-mail to Lorna HENDERSON (1), Dth 9 Jun 1881 Grace d/o James ARMSTRONG & Margaret GRAHAM, from GR tree, (subsequently disproved), extracted Dec 2006.
  2. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 6 Feb 1905 Grace wid/o Walter FAIRBAIRN, d/o John ARMSTRONG & Margaret NICOL, Canonbie, DFS, 814 #6, copy d/loaded Mar 2013.
  3. 1851 census transcriptions, Canonbie, DFS, Dumfries & Galloway FHS.
  4. FamilySearch Labs Record Search (LDS) online at http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/, Birth 31 Dec 1821 Bap. 9 Jun 1822 Grizel d/o John ARMSTRONG & Margaret NICOL, Canonbie, DFS, from Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 batch C11814-4 film 1067957, extracted Mar 2013.
  5. 1881 Census transcripts, UK, via Family Search/LDS CDs, FHL Film 0224046 GRO Ref Volume 814 EnumDist 8 Page 3, rechecked Jan 2004.
  6. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Mar 2013.
  7. 1851 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Canonbie, DFS, Par. 814, ED: 10; Page: 8; hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN, extracted Mar 2013.
  8. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Marr. 25 Feb 1848 Walter FAIRBAIRN, (farm servant, Cathie) & Grace ARMSTRONG (Par. of Canonbie), Stow, MLN, 699/00 0050 0242, copy d/loaded Sep 2014.
  9. FAIRBAIRN, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Marr. 18 May 1848 Walter FAIRBAIRN & Grace ARMSTRONG, Stow, MLN.
  10. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Marr. 23 Dec 1873 Margaret d/o Walter FAIRBAIRN & Grace ARMSTRONG; Adam s/o Adam & Margaret (YOUNG) YOUNG, Canonbie, DFS, 814/17, transc. ex BFHS rcvd 2006.
  11. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 1905 Grace FAIRBAIRN nee ARMSTRONG, index searched Dec 2006.
  12. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1903 Walter FAIRBAIRN, transcr. Stuart H, ?pre 2000?
  13. Online search: assorted surnames, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Dth 1881 Grace ARMSTRONG, post 1991 patron submission, extracted Dec 2006.
  14. 1841 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, "Nether Woods Llias (ancestry)" Notkeswoods Lleas (fmp) Par. of Canonbie, DFS SCT Par. 814 ED 9 Pg 5, hsehold of William & Catherine WAUGH, extracted Dec 2006.
  15. 1851 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Canonbie, DFS, Par. 814, ED: 10; Page: 8; hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN, rechecked Mar 2013.
  16. 1861 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Canonbie, DFS SCT Par. 814 ED 6 Pg 8 Sched 39, hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBURN, extracted Dec 2006.
  17. Census image, SCT, 1871 Census Canonbie DFS Dist 814 ED 6 Folio 2 Pg 7 Sched 34, hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN, copy d/loaded Dec 2006.
  18. 1891 census, DFS, SCT, Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN.
  19. 1891 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Grind Stonehead, Canonbie, DFS, Reg. 814 ED 6 Sched 41, hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN, extracted Mar 2013.
  20. Census image, SCT, 1901 Census Canonbie, DFS Dist 814 ED 6 Sched 40, hsehold of Walter & Grace FAIRBAIRN, copy d/loaded Dec 2006.
  21. Joan Ellswith, "FAIRBAIRN/ARMSTRONG Corres.," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, Letter 1891 from Grace FAIRBAIRN nee ARMSTRONG to John LITTLE, rcvd via Ancestry Msge Sep 2014.
  22. WikiTree online at http://WikiTree.com/, http://WikiTree.com/wiki/Armstrong-1334 ">WikiTree link, uploaded Oct 2011.
  23. FAIRBAIRN, International Genealogical Index (IGI), FAIRBAIRN/ARMSTRONG births, batch C118141-?-6035516 R, rechecked Apr 2004.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.