Thomas Ross - Where did he come from, where did he go?.....

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:49 pm

David

I think it must have been something like that - I've not traced all the children, notably the eldest, Jean, and the one who was with her father in 1851, Mary so it could easily be that they moved to be with one of them.

There is no sign that Jean married and she may have died young(ish) - her brother David died of phthisis (which I understand is TB) at 35. Mary is supposed to have married someone called Henderson & the only marriage I've found with that name in Scotland isn't the right one so she may well have moved away & married elsewhere. However, there is a note that she had no children so she might have been the one who had the ability to look after ageing parents.

It's just so annoying not to be able to prove the link!

Muriel

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:24 pm

Well, I've still not found where Thomas & Isabella went but I've discovered that they weren't afraid of a bit of travel. Having left Thomas & daughter Mary in Gatehouse of Fleet in the 1851 census I've now found Isabella & some of the children in the census in Hawick! They are shown as a family group with no head with:

Isabella Wife Married Aged 43 born Glasgow
Isabella Dau Unmarr Aged 16 born Glasgow Woollen powerloom weaver
William Son Unmarr Aged 9 born Glasgow (I didn't have him confirmed before & I think he must have died before 1861)
Thomas Son Unmarr Aged 6 born Glasgow
Agnes Dau Unmarr Aged 3 born Kirkcudbrightshire

All the ages match & I think Agnes' birthplace clinches it that it is the right family. Doesn't get me where I want to be but all grist to the mill or something!

Can't see them anywhere in the 1871 census & Thomas, unmarried aged 26 & a commercial traveller is lodging with his sister Agnes & her husband David May in Rutherglen at that time - I wonder if he emigrated with them as I've not found him subsequently.

Muriel

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:15 pm

Hi Muriel

I wonder if you have seen this 1880 US Census entry on www.familysearch.org

Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Thomas ROSS Self M Male W 76 SCOT SCOT SCOT
Isabella ROSS Wife M Female W 72 SCOT Keeping House SCOT ---
Lizzie HOWITH Other M Female W 36 SCOT Silk Mill SCOT SCOT
Source Information:
Census Place Ward 6, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts
Family History Library Film 1254536
NA Film Number T9-0536
Page Number 299C

Of course I've absolutely no idea how one might link these two with yours

- are our US specialists around ?

Sally

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:23 pm

Hi Muriel
Good for you - You've made some progress there.

I wonder why Isabella & Thomas were apart at that time? I wonder if his spinning work took him away from the rest of the family? But then, I wonder why he had his daughter with him?

Oh dear, I'm not doing too well here...lots more questions!

Best wishes
Lesley

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:23 pm

Sally I love you

! Agnes & her husband David May emigrated to the USA in the 1880s and guess where they went - Springfield, Mass $\:D/$ I think this is a real breakthrough. They went before the Ellis Island records started but I've records for Agnes returning after coming to Scotland to visit on a couple of occasions, which is how I know where she lived.

David & Agnes were still here in 1881 because I've got them in the census but perhaps some of the other children had gone before - & Mum & Dad too.

As far as the family being separated in 1851, I think Thomas & the whole family probably went to Gatehouse in the early 1840s when there were 3 cotton mills, but by 1850 they were closing down. I guess Mother Isabella & the younger children went to keep daughter Isabella company in her new job in Hawick while Dad was left to finish up in Gatehouse (he is recorded as being a spinning master on the census) with daughter Mary for company. There's no sign of the older children but one of the sons, David, married a girl from Gatehouse, Margaret Munro in 1853 so I'm guessing that at some time all the family were there. However, they all ended up back in Glasgow as that was where David married, as did Isabella & Agnes & their oldest brother, Alexander. Thomas & Isabella are in Bridgeton in 1861, with Thomas & Agnes still at home.

Moving forward. Thank you TS =D>

Muriel

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:18 am

Hi Muriel

Way to go

!!! I love it!!!

Sally......<ahem>......Pssst.....you are one of the US experts

! Well done girl!!

Best wishes
Jean

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:12 pm

Aw you made me

Well if Agnes and hubby were there , then it certainly makes me hopeful that they are your Thomas and Isabella. Perhaps there were other members of the family there too ?
I wonder if a Massachusetts death record would give parents ?

Sally

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:33 pm

My GrGrGrandfather's death in Massachusetts in 1894 only states given names for his parents so no mother's MN. My GrGrandfather's DC in 1896 states full names of parents. So I think it was up to the talkative nature of the informant as to how much got pried out of them!

There is an index to MA deaths from 1841 - 1910 found here...but sadly it's only an index!

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/vitalrecords ... earch.aspx

Best wishes
Jean

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:38 pm

Sally - I've been wandering about all morning wondering about the death records and who else in the family might have been there - there's a number of the children I haven't traced who could have emigrated. Unfortunately, apart from Thomas the younger, they're all girls so probably aren't named Ross. I did have a quick look at the census for a Mary Henderson as my information is that Mary married a J. Henderson, but no luck. The fact that Thomas & Isabella were there in 1880 while Agnes & David May were still in Scotland indicates that they may have gone to family already there.

Haven't a clue who Lizzie Howith might be. She's not described as a relative, so perhaps a lodger because she's a Scot. I see she's described as married so then you start wonder where hubby is.

Off to find out more about Springfield!

Muriel

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:35 pm

Muriel,
Did Isabella Ross ( b 1834 ) marry a Walter Gay by any chance ? .
This marriage took place on 29th Dec 1854 - why couldn't they wait 3 days !

Children born to above couple:
WALTER GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 11 NOV 1855 Bridgeton, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

ISABELLA MCDOUGALL GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 06 NOV 1857 Cathcart, Renfrew, Scotland

THOMAS ROSS GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 11 MAY 1860 Cathcart, Renfrew, Scotland

FLORA GLEN GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 08 APR 1862 Cathcart, Renfrew, Scotland

JEANIE GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 01 JUL 1864 Cathcart, Renfrew, Scotland

CATHERINE GAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 09 DEC 1866 Tradeston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

I can't see a death for an Isabella Ross/Gay on Scotlandspeople

I did find on www.castlegarden.org =

First name Last name Occupation Age Sex Arrived Origin Ship
Flora Gay Child, Youngster 11 F 17 Jun 1874 Scotland Australia
Mrs. Gay Unknown 39 F 17 Jun 1874 Scotland Australia

Port Glasgow & Londonderry
Last Residence
Destination United States
Plan Unknown
Ship Australia
Passage Unknown

and then on the 1880 US Census Again:

Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Levi DANFORTH Self M Male W 46 NY Pistol Shop --- ---
Isabelle DANFORTH Wife M Female W 46 SCOT Keeping House SCOT SCOT
Flora G. DANFORTH Dau S Female W 19 SCOT Button Shop NY SCOT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts
Family History Library Film 1254536
NA Film Number T9-0536
Page Number 282B

No Flora Danforth born in Scotland that I can see - so I'm guessing that Mr Danforth has adopted his wife's child ?

Perhaps this last bit is just coincindence . Wha Kens ?

Sally