Grassick/h family Strathdon/Corgarff/Wester Chappelton

[tishgibbons]

My 3g.grandmother was Margaret Grassick who married William Mitchell on the 26th of September 1845. She died on the 7 March 1906 in Glenbuchat and her parents' names are recorded on the death certificate as Alexander Grassick, Crofter and Mary m.s. Farquharson, both deceased. DoB 1822/23?? (Reasons to believe mother was actually Ann)
I think this person is her sister:
Helen Grassick, Strathdon/Corgarff, married William Cameron on the 25th January 1852. She died on 21 February 1863 in Strathdon aged 45. DoB 1818??. Parents given as Alexander Grassick, Crofter and Ann m.s. Farquharson.
Checking the OPR I can find no such couple as Alexander Grassick and either Ann or Mary Farquharson and can find no births for either of the above. Are they sisters? Who are the parents? Were there other siblings?
Can anyone here suggest a way around this brick wall?
Happy New Year to one and all - lang may yer lums reek!
Tish

[WilmaM]

the 1841 census has a Helen Grassick 20 with Alexander 80:

Piece: SCT1841/240 Place: Strathdon -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Strathdon Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 6 Page: 3
Address: West Chappleton

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
GRASSICK Alexr M 80 Farmer Aberdeenshire
GRASSICK Helen F 20 Aberdeenshire

maybe her sister here?

Piece: SCT1841/201 Place: Glenmuick Tullich + -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 3
Civil Parish: Glenmuick Tullich + Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 3 Page: 2
Address: Dorsencilly

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MITCHELL Patrick M 40 Farmer Aberdeenshire
MITCHELL Penelope F 30 Aberdeenshire
MITCHELL Helen F 9 Aberdeenshire
MITCHELL Patrick M 5 Aberdeenshire
GRASSICK Margaret F 25 Independent Aberdeenshire
GRASSICK Margaret F 19 Female Servant Aberdeenshire
TAYLOR Elspet F 40 Female Servant Outside Census County (1841)
WEBSTER William M 30 Agricultural Labourer Aberdeenshire
SHAND Mary F 20 Female Servant Aberdeenshire
TYRIE Barbara F 50 Female Servant Outside Census County (1841)
GORDON Keith M 40 Independent Outside Census County (1841)
EWAN John M 20 Agricultural Labourer Aberdeenshire
STEWART Jas. M 20 Agricultural Labourer Aberdeenshire
STEWART Charles M 15 Agricultural Labourer Aberdeenshire

though it begs the question- who is the other one?

1851 census is intriguing - a couple of candidates for Helen but though they have the surname Grassick and are noted as Daughter the occupation is a wife.

[AndrewP]

1851 census is intriguing - a couple of candidates for Helen but though they have the surname Grassick and are noted as Daughter the occupation is a wife.

.
One, which I hope is an Ancestry transcription error, shows for the 1851 census, Helen Grassick, wife, age 7, scholar.

Two from the 1851 census which fit well for a birth year around 1818 are:

(1) Helen Grassick, age 32, daughter of James and Jane, Gartly (born Strathdon)
[looks unlikely by parents' names]

(2) Helen Grassick, age 33, head of household, crofter, Wester Chapeltown, Strathdon
[also in household: Penelope Grassick, niece, age 11]
[looks to be a good match for the 20 year old (age rounded down) that Wilma listed above in the 1841 census]

All the best,

AndrewP

[tishgibbons]

Oooh - these look good! I hadn't access to SP for a bit while they merged two accounts into one new e-mail address and I have an enquiry in to them about illegible census entries regarding this same family. Meanwhile I had a look at Deb O'Reilly's info on RootsWeb - she has done a lot of work on Grassicks - and it seems that Alexander Grassick had two other 'families' apart from Margaret and Helen - so many Grassicks though she also records Helen and Margaret as full sisters and accepts that the mother was indeed Ann Farquharson (who also had other liaisons - overnight I've found a whole batch of new families to investigate). I think there must not be anyone from Strathdon not connected to this family!
Thanks Wilma and Andrew - and if there are any Grassick connections out there I'd be delighted to hear from you!
Tish

[WilmaM]

I looked at that one again Andrew!
The note in the margin of Freecen says :
" wife's -----" can't read last part of relation

Which is a relief

[tishgibbons]

though it begs the question- who is the other one?
Wilma - I think the other one is a daughter of James Grassick and Jean Forbes, another Margaret Grassick also born 1818 the same year as Helen Grassick and also in Strathdon.
Tish

[tishgibbons]

Andrew - just coming back on this one from over a year ago.

Helen Grassick, age 33, head of household, crofter, Wester Chapeltown, Strathdon
[also in household: Penelope Grassick, niece, age 11]

This looks very good now as there is a Penelope Grassick born 1839 to Hary Grassick who I believe to be a half-brother of both Helen and Margaret, so 'niece' would be correct. Also Helen Grassick wasn't married until the following January.
Thanks again - still on the trail!
Tish