Ross of Dumfries?

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Andersonic
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:48 pm
Location: England

Ross of Dumfries?

Post by Andersonic » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:44 pm

I'm not even sure if this is the right forum for this, as it's a Dumfries area query:
I have a couple of likely parents for a Thomas Ross, an innkeeper in Dumfries with his wife Janet in the period 1840s -1870s. He died in about 1872, his wife survived him by some years. His parents are given then as William Ross, and Janet Martin. However, I had understood his parents to be a Robert Ross, born about 1801, and an Elizabeth. He may have had a sister Jane, a few years younger than him.
My especial interest in Thomas is that he married a Janet McLachlan, daughter of James, a farmer, and had two children at least, Mary and Jessie. I have a feeling that Janet McLachlan may have been a second wife, and that there may have been an older half brother to the girls, William.
How might I go about finding Thomas' parentage? Just buying loads of certificates is a possibility, but there are such a lot of people named Thomas Ross who seem to be in the Dumfries area at about the right time that I'd like some idea how I might be able to narrow it down a little before getting my piggy bank out!
Any guidance will be gratefully received. Thank you.

WilmaM
Posts: 1870
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

Re: Ross of Dumfries?

Post by WilmaM » Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:23 pm

I think you may have to give us a bit more of what you do have.
Not that we doubt you, just if we know what info you have and where you've looked we can suggest other ways.

I did have look at 1841 on freecen but the 2 there are a clogger aged 20 in Annan and a 36 yearold Ag. labourer. at Kirkmahoe.

Do you have the census records for him/them?

You say he died 'in about 1872 ' have you looked on Scotlands people for his death cert. ?

*later*
1861 was more fruitful on freecen
Piece: SCT1861/821 Place: Dumfries -Dumfries-shire Enumeration District: 2
Civil Parish: Dumfries Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: New Church
Folio: 0 Page: 2 Schedule: 12
Address: 7 Bridge St

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
ROSS Thomas Head M M 48 Inn Keeper Dumfries-shire - Dumfries 5 windows
ROSS Jannet Wife M F 41 Kirkcudbrightshire - Irongray(Orig: Dumfries-shire - Irongray)
ROSS Mary Dau U F 9 Scholar Dumfries-shire - Dumfries
ROSS Jess Dau U F 7 Scholar Dumfries-shire - Dumfries
GLENCORSE Sussanah Servnt U F 19 General Servant Dumfries-shire - Dumfries
So Thomas was born around 1813 and married 1846:
ROSS THOMAS JANET MCLAUCHLAN/FR2153 (FR2153)
27/03/1846 821/90 96 Dumfries
The only other Thomas Ross marriages showing in the Dumfries area are Jane Affleck in 1832 and Mary Adamson in 1829 .

There is a William but the records show him as a full brother to the girls in the 1861 census :
ROSS WILLIAM parents THOMAS ROSS/JANET MCLAUCHLAN FR2022 (FR2022)
M 26/07/1846 821/ 80 198 Dumfries
Wee Mary was born 20/11/1851 in Dumfries
the Jess of the census was registered as Janet in 29/12/1853

There was also a Joseph born to the same parents 16/10/1848 and a Thomas 13/11/1850 [from the OPR index on Scotland People]
but where they are on census night ? if they survived to that age.

I'll maybe look more in the morning - it's getting too late to think straight!
Wilma

Currie
Posts: 3924
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:20 am
Location: Australia

Re: Ross of Dumfries?

Post by Currie » Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:04 am

Dumfries and Galloway standard and advertiser, Wednesday, July 23, 1851
DEATHS.
Here, on the 17th inst., Joseph, youngest son of Thomas Ross, Nithsdale Inn, Bridge Street, aged 2 years and 10 months.

ScotlandsPeople has a Will for Thomas. Not sure what the date signifies.

Ross
Thomas
1/5/1874
Spirit Dealer, Residing in Nithsdale Inn, Dumfries
Dumfries Sheriff Court
SC15/41/15

SP has a death.

ROSS
THOMAS
57
1872
821/ 380
Dumfries

Dumfrieshire newspapers for 1872 at British Newspaper Archive etc apparently not yet online.

Nithsdale Inn still operating 1911.
https://archive.org/stream/dumfriesdist ... ale+inn%22

Alan

WilmaM
Posts: 1870
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

Re: Ross of Dumfries?

Post by WilmaM » Tue Aug 14, 2018 1:26 pm

I've had another wee scout about.

Currie answers the question of wee Joseph.

the SP index for the 1851 has Thomas 34, Janet 33, William 4 and Joseph 2 in Dumfries - so looks as if baby Thomas didn't live long.

I can't scare up Thomas in 1841, was he south of the border in 'Englandshire' ? Janet's maiden name has too many variations to find easily but there is a Janet/James McLachlan in Kirkpatrick Durham

Scottish naming pattern would suggest Thomas' father was a William .

What should you do?
get all the census records, Thomas's death and Will and have a look at the 1846 marriage record in the OPR records - all available on Scotland's People.
and see what additional information they all hold.

Look at the town plan of Dumfries https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=1 ... ers=65&b=1 more pubs and inns than I can count - none of them being Nithsdale That I can spot
Oh wait there it is in 1893 : https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=1 ... ers=66&b=1 down by the river across from the old bridge
Seems to have been the New Bridge Inn in 1850?

And whats more it's probably still standing! [as an Italian takeaway]
Wilma

Andersonic
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:48 pm
Location: England

Re: Ross of Dumfries?

Post by Andersonic » Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:40 pm

Thank you so much. I'm afraid that I've been firmly informed - again, by the family member who knows more than I do, - that the correct parentage for Mary Ross, who I was convinced had Thomas as father, was not in fact, Thomas Ross, but the Robert Ross, b 1796, and Elizabeth (possibly Carruthers).
I'm so very sorry, I've set you off on a red herring hunt, by taking the wrong parentage. He apparently like so many others in my Scottish forebears, was not even a publican, refreshing the workers, but a shoemaker and mender, comforting their feet.
I can only apologise for wasting your time. thank you again ..... I'll "Awa' and boil ma head".

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