Margaret Robertson

(5 February 1824 - 23 February 1895)
FatherWilliam Robertson (say 1795 - bet. 1833 - 1841)
MotherElizabeth Gray (cir. Feb 1800 - May 1867)
Relationship3rd cousin 5 times removed of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     Margaret Robertson was born on 5 Feb 1824 Freswick, Par. of Canisbay, CAI, SCT.1 She was baptized on 24 Feb 1824 Canisbay, CAI, SCT; entry reads: "Margaret lawful daughter of Willm Robeson & Elizabeth Gray Freswick born 5 bap24 Feby."2,3,1
     Margaret Robertson married Andrew Donaldson on 6 Jul 1860 Freswick, Par. of Canisbay, CAI, SCT, cert. shows Margaret as 27 (sic) dom. worker resid. Freswick, Canisbay d/o William ROBERTSON farmer dec'd & Elizabeth ROBERTSON (sic, no m.s. mentioned); Andrew as 25 fisherman resid. Sarclet, Par. of Wick, s/o James DONALDSON, farmer & Isabella m.s. MOWAT, dec'd; Wit: Donald ROBERTSON, Donald GRAY.4,5
     Margaret Robertson died on 23 Feb 1895 Sarclet, Par. of Wick, CAI, SCT, at age 71; cert shows Margaret DONALDSON as 68, illegitimate, marr. to Andrew DONALDSON, fisherman, no parents shown on cert. reputed or otherwise; d. 6am of chronic bronchitis 2 yrs 8 mths duration; Inf. son-in-law John TAYLOR, Sarclet; Reg. 23rd.6
     One Margaret or two?
Or possibly two Elizabeth GRAY/ROBERTSONs?
I've assumed for now that the Margaret ROBERTSON shown as born/baptized to Willm ROBESON and Elizth GRAY in 1824 is this Margaret, with her varying ages.
1824 baptism records her as lawful daughter of Willm ROBESON and Elizabeth GRAY, Freswick
1841 15, presumably rounded down according to instructions for enumerators, with mother E ROBERTSON
1851 26 which fits, with mother Elizabeth GRAY
1860 marriage 27, which doesn't, but as she is older than husband Andrew that could be the reason.
Parents are shown as William ROBRTSON and Elizabeth ROBERTSON, no mention of GRAY as maiden surname
1861 29, well 2 years older in 1 year isn't too bad - and the census entry does include her mother Elizabeth ROBERTSON with the family
1895 died at age 68 - creeping back up to the actual 71. Parents not shown on cert. which explicitly states "illegitimate" - which doesn't gel with the "lawful daughter" on the baptism entry.
On balance I believe there probably is only the one Margaret although the baptism of younger brother James, whose Freswick 1909 death cert. shows his parents as William ROBERTSON & Elizabeth GRAY, has a baptism entry showing him as lawful son of James ROBESON and Elizabeth GRAY, Freswick!7,8,9,1

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Margaret Robertson appeared on the census of 1841 Skirza, Par. of Canisbay, CAI, SCT, in the household of Elizabeth Robertson and is assumed to be a dtr.10 Margaret Robertson appeared on the census of 1851 Mitten, Freswick, Par. of Canisbay, CAI, SCT, in the household of Elizabeth Gray as daughter of Elizabeth.11
     Margaret Robertson appeared on the census of 1861 Lochside of Sarclet, Par. of Wick, CAI, SCT, with Andrew Donaldson, enumerated as DONALDSON: Andrew 25 fisherman b. Wick; wife Margaret 29 b. Canisbay; Son James 1 b. Canisbay; Father James DONALDSON 74 formerly fisherman b. Wick; Mother-in-law Elizabeth ROBERTSON 59 formerly fisherman's wife b. Canisbay.4

Family

Andrew Donaldson (cir. 1836 - )
ChartsGRAY
Last Edited8 Aug 2017

Citations

  1. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Birth 5 Feb Bap. 24 Feb 1824 Margaret d/o Willm ROBESON & Elizabeth GRAY (in Freswick), Canisbay, CAI, 035/20 29, copy d/loaded Aug 2017.
  2. Brian GRAY, "Corres. CAI GRAY families", 'The Caithness Connection: A history of one Gray family'; plus fam tree of Alexander GRAY/Mgt BREMNER, Birth 5 Feb 1824 Bap. 24 Feb 1824 Margaret Ann d/o William ROBERTSON & Elizabeth GRAY, Canisbay, CAI, rcvd Dec 1994.
  3. Scotland: OPR index, "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", Birth 5 Feb Bap. 24 Feb 1824 Margaret d/o Willm ROBESON & Elizth GRAY, Canisbay CAI, from https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYD3-HSZ, extracted Aug 2015.
  4. 1861 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Lochside of Sarclet, Wick, CAI Reg. 43/2 ED 4 Sched 149, hsehold of Andrew & Margaret DONALDSON, extracted Aug 2015.
  5. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Marr. 6 Jul 1860 Margaret d/o William ROBERTSON & Elizabeth ROBERTSON (sic); Andrew s/o James DONALDSON & Isabella MOWAT, Freswick, Canisbay, CAI, 035/00 #12, copy d/loaded Aug 2015.
  6. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 23 Feb 1895 Margaret DONALDSON marr. to Andrew DONALDSON, no parents shown, Sarclet, Wick, CAI, 043/00 #38, copy d/loaded Aug 2015.
  7. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Aug 2015.
  8. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 5 Jan 1909 James s/o William ROBERTSON & Elizabeth GRAY, singles, aged 74, reg. Canisbay, CAI, 35 #2, copy d/loaded Aug 2017.
  9. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Birth 1 Jun Bap. 15 Jul 1833 James s/o James ROBESON & Elizabeth GRAY (in Freswick), Canisbay, CAI, 035/20 86, copy d/loaded Aug 2017.
  10. 1841 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Skirza, Wick, CAI Par. 35 ED: 5; Page: 14; hsehold of E ROBERTSON, extracted Aug 2015.
  11. 1851 Census transcripts, Scotland, via Ancestry.com, Mitten, Freswick, Par. of Canisbay, CAI, Par. 35 ED: 5; Page: 21; Sched. 86, hsehold of Elizabeth GRAY, extracted Aug 2015.

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.