Robert Robertson - Alexander Robertson

[NELV]

Don't quite know where to start and hope this is the correct forum! I am searching for information about Robert (L) Robertson born abt. 1798/9 in Markinch Scotland married (abt. 1820) Catherine Tait born 28 Feb. 1799 Markinch Scotland. They had 3 children - Alexander Robertson born 19 July 1821(my g-g grandfather), Christian Grieg born 19 July 1822, and Preston Grange born 10 March 1825. All three were born in Markinch Scotland. Now here is where it gets confusing. There is evidence that Robert and Catherine immigrated to the USA in 1828 taking with them their daughter Preston Grange but not the other children. Preston Grange married Robert Pocock Banfield there and died in New York in 1901. Do not have much information about Christian other than she married someone Black. If it is true that they left their 2 children behind in Scotland would appreciate any information as to where they were living - I know this is probably an impossible task but you never know.

Alexander Robertson married Ann Mill (born abt. 1818) 3 January 1841 in Falkland, Fife Scotland. They had the following children - Alexander 1841, John 1843, James 1845, Marion 1847, William 1850, and Robert 1851 (my great grandfather) who immigrated to the USA in 1902 with his wife Margaret Grieve and family. Robert died there in 1912.

Alexander and Ann appear on the census in Scotland 1841 Falkland Fife, 1851 Falkland, Fife, 1861 Markinch, 1871 Markinch, 1881 Markinch - and then in 1891 Ann appears on the census in Kinglassie now a widow living with her son James. It appears that Alexander died somewhere between 1881 and 1891. Would really like to know where and when he died as there is a great deal of conflicting information such as he died in the USA. Which doesn't match anything I have. Any help would be very much appreciated!

[AndrewP]

Hi NELV,

The death certificate for Alexander Robertson can be found on ScotlandsPeople. If you search the deaths for Alexander Robertson in Fife between 1881 and 1891, age 50 to 120, you get 11 results. One is in Markinch and the details on it match with some of the information that you have given. There is an RCE attached to the death certificate that provides more information about his death and parents' names. On the death certificate, some of the details are unknown as the registration was by a work foreman rather than a family member. Presumably there was more information gathered from the family for the sheriff before the RCE was issued.

All the best,

AndrewP

[WilmaM]

You have given us a very clear post of the information that you have gleaned already.
The time period you are looking at gets a bit fuzzy betimes, as it spans the change between Old Parish Records [OPR] and Statutory Records and the early Census records.

Do you have the death of Ann Robertson nee Mill? I can't narrow that one down on-line. Knowing when and where she was buried may help trace a gravestone that could include her husband's details too.

edit: I see AndrewP has tracked down his birth for you.

[WilmaM]

You have given us a very clear post of the information that you have gleaned already.
The time period you are looking at gets a bit fuzzy betimes, as it spans the change between Old Parish Records [OPR] and Statutory Records and the early Census records.

Do you have the death of Ann Robertson nee Mill? I can't narrow that one down on-line. Knowing when and where she was buried may help trace a gravestone that could include her husband's details too.

edit: I see AndrewP has tracked down his death for you.
and I can answer my own question Ann Died at Buckhaven aged 89 in 1896. She was a good bit older than he was.

[NELV]

Hi Andrew and Wilma!
Thanks so much for your help. I have now looked at both the death certificate and the RCE. Makes for interesting reading at least what I can read of it! The parents noted on the RCE are not the ones I have in my records as I mentioned - Robert Robertson and Catherine Tait. Not quite sure what this means as I have a baptismal records for Alexander and his siblings. Could be I have the wrong parents, information given was incorrect (have seen a lot of this) or he was raised by the couple noted - Alexander Robertson and Catherine Londale or Robertson. But I do believe that this is the death certificate for the Alexander I have been looking for - the death certificate notes wife - Ann Mill. The information about Ann's death has been very helpful - but again not quite sure this is her - I have her DOB as abt. 1818 which would make her 78 at time of death. This matches the census reports I have.

Will have to keep searching.

Thanks again!

[WilmaM]

A point to bear in mind with Death records - the information is only as good as the person giving it, as the subject can no longer provide it.
A child often may not know a grandmother's maiden name for instance. Ages too can be a out as they weren't considered so important back then.

Sometimes, you just need to stop and review all the information you have and see if you've taken a wrong turn somewhere and backtrack. You have the added difficulty of immigration to contend with.

Do ask if we can help further.