Where to begin looking?

[crayspond]

Hi all at TS,
Apart from years ago when i searched on Ellis Island for ancestors, i haven't started a search from scratch for a while. My search for my McFarlane's has taken me to Ireland and back again. my gggg grandfather Dugald died in 1856 and after that i traced most of his children and wife Margaret to Ireland and then my ggg grandfather returned to the Partick area circa 1882.
His sister Isabella - the first born child to Dugald and Margaret was born in Perth circa 1837 she married William Thomson in 1857 and had 5 children from 1858 - 1866 (as far as i know) The last child also Isabella was born in Partick in 1866.
After this date i can find no trace of them in Scotland - and i did as good a search as i could in Ireland - still nothing came up.
I do not have ancestry and wondered how to go about looking at Ships records easily - i know it's a long shot but it is odd that i cannot find any trace of them.
Thanks for any advice given,

Ailsa

[crayspond]

I will post this again as it didn't show on new posts -

Hi all at TS,
Apart from years ago when i searched on Ellis Island for ancestors, i haven't started a search from scratch for a while. My search for my McFarlane's has taken me to Ireland and back again. my gggg grandfather Dugald died in 1856 and after that i traced most of his children and wife Margaret to Ireland and then my ggg grandfather returned to the Partick area circa 1882.
His sister Isabella - the first born child to Dugald and Margaret was born in Perth circa 1837 she married William Thomson in 1857 and had 5 children from 1858 - 1866 (as far as i know) The last child also Isabella was born in Partick in 1866.
After this date i can find no trace of them in Scotland - and i did as good a search as i could in Ireland - still nothing came up.
I do not have ancestry and wondered how to go about looking at Ships records easily - i know it's a long shot but it is odd that i cannot find any trace of them.
Thanks for any advice given,

Ailsa

[AndrewP]

I will post this again as it didn't show on new posts -

Hi Ailsa,

It was no longer a new post for you. It showed up as a new post for me, and hopefully the same for all others.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Alan SHARP]

Yes doubly so, but better that than lost in space, as sometimes happens, when we think we have successfully posted, and invariably when we have no saved copy, to re-post. With my slow equipment, I find it safer not to skip preview. Any way if we get to o o o o many double ups Andrew can rationalize the posting with a little editing.

Alan SHARP.

[crayspond]

Andrew sorry about that - feel free to delete me. (I mean delete my copy post!)
Alan, I tend to copy the text i have written then submit - then if i have timed out i haven't lost it all.

Ailsa

[nelmit]

Hi Ailsa,

A search at the IGI brings up a marriage of an Anne Thomson parents William and Isabella McFarland - might be worth investigating at New York.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6Q1-BNQ

The 1910 census index shows that Anne was born about 1869 at New York and both her parents were born at Scotland

Regards,
Annette

[crayspond]

Hi Ailsa,

A search at the IGI brings up a marriage of an Anne Thomson parents William and Isabella McFarland - might be worth investigating at New York.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6Q1-BNQ

The 1910 census index shows that Anne was born about 1869 at New York and both her parents were born at Scotland

Regards,
Annette

HI Annette,
That does look interesting - although i have no record of a child Ann born in Scotland - it is not impossible for Isabella to have had another child c.1869 when she was still in her 30s.
I would need a kind soul who could look at the 1910 US census for me maybe i should move this discussion to another site?
Thanks again Annette,

Ailsa

[carlineric]

They may have arrived in America via Canada. This was a popular way to emigrate to America, as until the early 1890s you did not need to go through the formalities which were in place at New York. The railway companies organised package deals - the crossing of the Atlantic by ship then the onward railway journey. Not sure of the earlier records as all of my ancestors using this route did so in the 20th Century. Unfortunately the Ancestry border crossing collection does not start until 1895.


Eric

[SarahND]

Hi Ailsa,
Were the children Margaret, William, Lizzie, Bulter(?) and Annie?
If so, the family was living in the 12 Election District, 22nd Ward of New York City in 1870. All born in Scotland except Annie. William was a stone cutter.

All the best,
Sarah

[crayspond]

Hi Sarah,
You have managed to help me again with the US census
I have been dwelling on this for a while - especially after a last bout of Irish searching. I managed to find most of the McFarlane family except Isabella.

Their children were
Margaret Christie Thompson b.19/7/1858
William Thompson b.18/01/1860
Elizabeth Lang Thompson b.19/10/1861
Robert Thompson b.31/01/1864
Isabella Thompson b.06/04/1866

Husband William was a Mason on the 1861 census - looking like them i think. I wonder when they arrived in New York? If Isabella was last the last born in 1866 - they must have left UK or Ireland between 1866 and 1869 when Ann was born (kindly found by Annette). Does it say whether the Bulter? is male or female ? Either Robert or Isabella didn't survive
Thanks Sarah - don't know how you find things so quickly!

Eric - Thanks for the info it may come in handy when looking for them as passengers.

Ailsa