John Fairbairn

BMDB data

     John Fairbairn was born on 9 Jun 1812 ROX, SCT, (place from Civil War pension application, date from tombstone and FAIRBAIRN bible).^4,5
     John Fairbairn married Elisabeth Miller, daughter of Francis Miller and Mary Kerr, on 13 Jan 1841 at Bovina, Delaware Co, NY, USA.⁶
     John Fairbairn died on 3 Apr 1896 at Seager, Hardenburgh, Ulster Co, NY, USA, at age 83; mother's name 'not known' on death cert, father given as Walter (Year on cem. transcript is 1895, Ed says 1896, results of re-check yet to be advised, but can add pension card index says 3 Apr 1896).^1,7,8,9 He was buried in the Lake Hill Cem., Slade Rd, off Dry Brook Rd, nr Arkville, Delaware, NY, USA, John Jun 9, 1812 - Apr 3 1895; Jane H 1847-1925; Jarvis B 1846-1926.¹⁰

Migration

     John Fairbairn left from Liverpool on the "Fairfield" arriving New York on 16 May 1840 the manifest showing John Fairbern (or possibly Fairburn), as 28, labourer. Others also travelling in steerage, with Scottish Borders sounding names, included: MURRAY, HALL, INGLIS.^11,12,13

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     John Fairbairn settled at Bovina, Delaware Co, NY, USA, Bovina being settled largely by Scots from the Border counties, particularly Roxburghshire, between 1800 and 1850. John seems to be the only FAIRBAIRN (not counting any invisible married females).⁴ By 1849 John and Elisabeth Fairbairn were living at New Kingston, Middletown, Delaware Co, NY, USA, when son James born (the previous son, Jarvis, having been born 1846 "on the Atlantic Ocean", according to the family bible, en route to Texas for some reason or other).^14,4
     Fr 1850 - 1862 John and Elisabeth Fairbairn were living at Shandaken, Ulster Co, NY, USA, Ed states that they were living in the part of the Town of Shandaken that would later become the Town of Hardenburgh, namely in the Dry Brook and Millbrook Valleys (the implication is they didn't move, the placenames changed). The FAIRBAIRN bible shows John F 1852, Nelson G 1854 and George G 1856 as being born Shandaken and William H 1862 as Hardenburgh. Ed adds, now the site of the current Kingdon Gould estate.^15,4
     John Fairbairn appeared on the census of 3 Oct 1850 at Shandaken, Ulster Co, NY, USA, with Elisabeth Fairbairn, enumerated as FAIRBURN (might be FAIRBAIRN): John 38, Elizabeth 28, (assumed sons) Walter 9 all b SCT; Francis 6, Jarvin 5, James 2 all b NY.¹⁶
     John Fairburn appeared on the census of 2 Aug 1860 nr Margaretville PO (Del Co), Hardenburgh, Ulster Co, NY, USA, with Elizabeth Fairburn, enumerated as FAIRBURN: John 47 farmer $800 real estate/$400 personal, b SCT; Elisabeth 40 b SCT; Assumed children: Jarvin B 14 birthplace unknown; James 11, John F 8, Nelson 6, George D all b NY.¹⁷
     The census of Aug 1870 showed John with his wife Betsey, their sons Jarvis, James, George, William, Walter, John and Nelson at Hardenbergh, Ulster Co, NY, USA, household enumerated as FARBIN (#29): John 50 farming $2000/650 b SCT; Betsey 45 b NY; Watson (hard pushed to turn the entry into Walter, but that's who it is) 26; Jarvin 24; James 22; Francis 19; George 14; Nelson 17; William 7 All b NY (living next door to Nelson's future wife and her parents). Then again, later in the same film as:
FARBARN (#112): John 63 farming 800/400; (wife) Betsey 53; (Children): Jarvin (sic) 23, James 21, George 13, Willie 8 all b NY.
How can we ever expect to get our ancestors' lives right! Both were enumerated in Aug, but as you can see, with wildly varying ages and wealth for John and Betsy, and with different sets of children, including once with son Nelson, once with Nelson on the next page with a Kelly family).^18,19 Nearby in the census of Aug 1870 were Abraham Delameter and Lydia Delameter and their dtr Emma, a future dtr in law.²⁰
     The census of 1880 showed John with his wife Elizabeth, their sons Jarvis, William, George and James, their dtr-in-law Mary , Frank a son nearby at Hardenburgh, Ulster, NY, USA, household enumerated as FARBORN: John 68 wife Elyzabeth 60, both b SCT; Children: Jarven (sic) 34, William H 17, George 23 all laborer b NY F/M b SCT; James 30 F/M b SCT, Mary 24 wife F/M b NY, both at home b NY; Rachel 5 dtr b NY F/M b NY; Francis 3, Nelson 1. (Near neighbour, son John Francis as Frank).²¹ Nearby in the census of 21 Jun 1880 were S M Seager and Ada Seager son Frank's wife Lila's parents.²²

Military

     John Fairbairn began military service on 4 Jan 1864 at Elmira, Chemung Co, NY, USA, Pension application attests he was mustered at Elmira, and became ill with typhoid fever from having to sleep on a cold floor without bedding, and subsequently lost an eye to that illness. He had dark complexion and eyes. The army attests he was discharged as he said he was 40 when he enlisted but was actually over 50. Pension application shows he was living at Belleayre, (Hardenburgh, Ulster Co) at the time. A record of soldiers enlisted since 1863 and "credited to other places" however shows he enlisted Kingston and was discharged at Elmira.
Footnote's "Civil War and Later Pensions Index" shows the John FAIRBAIRN who enlisted at 4 Jan 1864 was in an unk(nown) Coy. of the 80th NY Inf., pension application"class invalid" (as opposed to widow, minor) 358496, filed 14 Apr 1880, "died Apr 3, 1896".^23,24,9 He ended military service on 29 Apr 1864 at Elmira, Chemung Co, NY, USA, the entry showing that John was born 9 Jun 1812, Scotland, to Walter FAIRBAIRN, farmer, and Agnes ROBINSON; "Discharged from service on account of over age", P O ?Wen? Shandaken Ulster Co, NY.²⁴

All the other info

     John Fairbairn belongs to a DNA tested line. Click here for further information.