James Shiells1

(circa 1802 - 26 January 1883)
FatherAndrew Shiel2 (cir. 1761 - Dec 1820)
MotherElizabeth Cleugh2 (cir. 1761 - Dec 1817)

BMDB data

     James Shiells was born cir. 1802 Westruther, BEW, SCT.1
     James Shiells married Margaret Wight, daughter of George Wight and Margaret Lauder, on 5 Dec 1825 Westruther, BEW, entry dated "27 Nov & 4 Decr": reads: "James Shiels Tenant Hindsidehill & Margt Wight dr of George Wight Newbigging Walls Par. of Lauder."3,1,4
     James Shiells died on 26 Jan 1883 Colmsliehill, Par. of Melrose, ROX, SCT; cert reads: James Shiells, farmer, married to Margaret Wight, died 11:30pm aged 81, of phagademic ulcer of leg, 1 yr duration, cert by John Meikle MRCPB etc, s/o Andrew Shiells, farmer and Elizabeth Cleugh, both dec., inf. son James Shiells, present.2

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     James Shiells and Margaret Shiells appeared on the census of 1841 Hyndesidehill, Par. of Westruther, BEW, SCT, and are assumed to be husband and wife. They were enumerated as SHIELS: James 35 farmer; Margaret 35; Margaret 12; Elizabeth 10; George 8; Mary 6; Beatrix 2 all b BEW; Also Elizabeth WALKER; William VALLANCE & Christian MELROSE.5
     James Shiells appeared on the census of 1851 Colmsliehill, Par. of Melrose, ROX, SCT, with Margaret Shiells, enumerated as SHIELS: James 49 farmer of 700 ac emp 10 labs; wife Margaret 47 both b Westruther, BEW; Children: Elisabeth 19 (no occ), George 17 (no occ), Mary 15 (no occ), Beatrice 11 scholar, all b Westruther, BEW; James 7 scholar, Jane 2 (both FreeCen and Ancestry have age 2, but by 1861 there's a 17 yr old Janet, and the IGI has 1842 for Janet as an extracted record, so I don't know how many Janes and Janets there are in the family, or what their real ages were) both b Melrose, ROX; Also servants Jean GIBSON, 28 farm serv b Kelso; LEVEN; NELSON; Elizabeth WALKER (b Ladhope), George WILSON 16 ag lab b Westruther.6
     The census of 1861 showed James with his wife Margaret, their dtrs Beatrice and Janet at Colmsliehill, Melrose, household enumerated as SHIELS: James 59 farmer b Westruther, BEW; Margaret 58 b Lauder, BEW; Children: George 27, Beatrice 20 b Westruther, BEW; Janet 17 b Melrose, ROX; Also servants CHARLES, HAIR *2, Helen HALL 21 dom serv b Melrose, ROX; RODGER.7
     James Shiells appeared on the census of 1871 at Colmsliehill, Melrose, with Margaret Shiells, enumerated as SHIELS: James 48 farmer emp 5 m b Westruther, BEW; wife Margaret 66 b Lauder, BEW; Children: Eliza 31 b Westruther; James 27, Jane 21 both b Melrose; Servants: JOHNSTON, HUNTER, BRUCE.8
     James and Margaret Shiells appeared on the census of 1881 at Colmsliehill, Melrose, as SHIELLS: James, head, Farmer Of 700 Acres 600 Arable Employing 5 Men 1 Boy 4 Women, b Westruther, BEW; wife Margaret 77 b Legerwood, BEW; Children (both unm, b Melrose, ROX): James 35; Jane 25; Visitor: Margaret Runciman farmer's dtr 25 b Lauder, BEW (their niece); Servants: Joan Ramsay, gen serv domestic, 21 b Liberton, Edin; Catharine Scott, farm serv 23 b Coldingham, BEW; David Pollock, ploughman 23 b Eccles, BEW; Robert Thomson, 20 b Smailholm, ROX.1

Wills/bequests

     James Shiells was named in the will of James Runciman on 27 Dec 1867 Wantonwalls, Par. of Lauder, BEW, SCT, as father of an executor.9

All the other info

     On 3 Jun 1847 Melrose, ROX, SCT, James Shiells was a cautioner at the marriage of Alexander Lee and Margret Shiels; entry (page headed "Booked for marriage") reads: Alexander Lee in the town of Lauder and Margaret Shiels at Colmsliehill in this parish - and married 3 Jun 1847. Cautioner James Shiels her father.10

Family

Margaret Wight (cir. 1804 - 1889)
Children
  • Margret Shiels11,10 (Apr 1829 - aft. 1847)
  • Elizabeth Shiels11 (Jun 1831 - aft. 1871)
  • George Shiels5 (cir. 1833 - aft. 1851)
  • Mary Shiells11 (May 1835 - aft. 1861)
  • Beatrice Shiells11 (Apr 1839 - aft. 1851)
  • Janet Shiells11 (Jan 1842 - )
  • James Shiells1,12 (cir. 1846 - aft. 1883)
  • Jane Shiells1 (cir. 1856 - aft. 1881)
Last Edited27 Dec 2016

Citations

  1. 1881 Census transcripts, UK, via Family Search/LDS CDs, SCT Lowlands: FHL Film 0224042 GRO Ref Volume 799 EnumDist 7 Page 4, extracted Sep 2005.
  2. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 1883 James SHIELLS, copy d/loaded Sep 2005.
  3. Online search: assorted surnames, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Mar. 1825 Margaret WIGHT and James SHIELS, batch M117564, extracted Sep 2005.
  4. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, ?Banns/Booking? 27 Nov Marr. 4 Dec 1825 James (Tenant Hendsidehill) SHIELS & Margt d/o George (Newbigging Walls, Par. of Lauder) WIGHT, Westruther, BEW, 756/00 0020 0060, copy d/loaded (for BIRD * 2) Feb 2014.
  5. 1841 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Hyndesidehill, Westruther, BEW Par. 756 ED 4 hsehold of James & Margaret SHIELS, (indexed as THIDS, at Wyndesidehill on ancestry), extracted Jul 2008.
  6. 1851 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Colmslie Hill, Melrose, ROX Par. 799 ED 6 Pg 12 Sched 39, hsehold of James & Margaret SHIELS, extracted Jul 2008.
  7. 1861 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Colmsliehill, Melrose, ROX Reg. 799/1 ED 7 Pg 11 Sched 11, hsehold of James & Margaret SHIELS, extracted Jul 2008.
  8. 1871 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Colmslie Hill, Melrose, ROX Reg. 799/1 ED 7 Sched 6, hsehold of James & Margaret SHIELS, extracted Jul 2008.
  9. Will: RUNCIMAN, James 1858, 1867, 1872 (Will written Jun 1858 codicil Dec 1867 Inventory 23 Feb 1872 proved 8 Mar 1872) SC60/41/24 (27 pp) & SC60/44/6 (2pp): Copy d/loaded Sep 2005, (SC60/41/24 dated 23rd Feb 1872 detailed inventory, and Trust Dispostion & Settlement of 8th Jun 1858 and codicil 27 Dec 1867 - 27pp in all)
    (SC60/44/6 dated 8th March 1872 confirmed appointment of executors).
  10. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Marr. 3 Jun 1847 Alexander LEE (Lauder) & Margaret d/o James SHIELS (Colmsliehill) Melrose, ROX 799/00 0050 0394, copy d/loaded (for FAIRBAIRN) Dec 2016.
  11. Online search: assorted surnames, International Genealogical Index (IGI), Births/baptisms to Margaret WIGHT and James SHIELS, batch C117564, extracted Sep 2005.
  12. Will: RUNCIMAN, James 1858, 1867, 1872 (Will written Jun 1858 codicil Dec 1867 Inventory 23 Feb 1872 proved 8 Mar 1872) SC60/41/24 (27 pp) & SC60/44/6 (2pp): Copy d/loaded Sep 2005, (SC60/41/24 codicil 27 Dec 1867).

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.