Found Helen McConnachie

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tishgibbons
Posts: 303
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Galway, Ireland

Found Helen McConnachie

Post by tishgibbons » Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:13 pm

Returned to the search again this winter and unravelled another brick wall! Had found my g.g. grandfather's sister Mary Ann or Marian MITCHELL born 1842 Strathdon daugher of William MITCHELL and Margaret GRASSICK. She had several children with her husband Thomas WILSON all of whom I've traced. However she had one other daughter Helen born 1883 (Thomas died in 1875) registered as WILSON. She lost her Poor Relief for this :( . I could not trace this Helen for some time until I discovered she had changed her name to Helen MITCHELL her not being a WILSON anyway. Thereafter things got easier. She married John McCONNACHIE in 1911 and had a daughter also called Helen. This younger Helen got her MA from Aberdeen University in 1934 and taught in Turriff and in Bridge of Don. She lived to 95 years of age in Portlethen, only dying in 2007. I've gone to Aberdeen so many times - how I wish I had 'found' her in time to get in touch - imagine what she might have been able to tell me about the family in Scotland and why there was no contact between her grandmother Marian and my g.g. grandfather Peter. Ah well, so be it - mind you I've been in touch with people she taught since and who were able to tell me how lovely she was. Great to think that her life was good as life was very difficult for all of them in Aberdeenshire for earlier generations.
Tish
Researching Mitchell Grassick Bowman Farquharson Wilson Allanach Leys Coutts Gauld McNerney from Crathie and Braemar, Strathdon and Glenbuchat and who moved on to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Ireland, Australia, India, Canada.

ninatoo
Posts: 1222
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:42 am
Location: Australia

Re: Found Helen McConnachie

Post by ninatoo » Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:20 am

Well done! It's always nice to put some family tree pieces together. It's particularly lively that you got to speak t people who knew her. I've recently come into contact with some long lost cousins who can tell me all about their grandmother, my great great aunt. It makes everything so much more meaningful when you can hear about the lives of the ancestors on a more personal level, rather than just a bundle of facts and census returns.
Researching: Easton ( Renfrewshire, Dunbarton and Glasgow), Corr (Londonderry and Glasgow), Carson (Co. Down, Irvine, Ayrshire and Glasgow), Logan (Londonderry and Glasgow)

tishgibbons
Posts: 303
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Galway, Ireland

Re: Found Helen McConnachie

Post by tishgibbons » Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:01 am

thanks Ninatoo! Glad you've also had some success - such a great feeling!
tish
Researching Mitchell Grassick Bowman Farquharson Wilson Allanach Leys Coutts Gauld McNerney from Crathie and Braemar, Strathdon and Glenbuchat and who moved on to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Ireland, Australia, India, Canada.