FORREST / NAPIER family

[Laurenbailey1]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can help me as i am very stuck! I am researching my step dad's biological family. I know I can not post about the living to I will start abit differently and to where i know!

(My stepdad was born and put up for adoption in 1968 by the way, Ross Hospital, Paisley)

from what I know:
His Grandma is Jean Weir Forrest 1899
His Grandad is Alexander Napier 1900
Can anyone find where it is that they lived? Or if they had children? (I know they must of, but i can't find records at all!) Or where they are buried?

His Ggrandma is Christina Forrest 1881, She married James Herd but I don't know if James is Jean Weir Forrest's Father!? And i'm struggling for information on that as well and if they had any other children.

And then his GGgrandma is Agnes Watson 1844 who married Alexander Forrest 1840... and so on!

I think alot of the family were brought up on a farm or some left the country!? I don't know why and when i search for the farm i'm struggling to find any information that way either. This is one of the hardest mysteries i've had so far and i'd appreciate anyones help!!!

thank you x

[AndrewP]

Hello "Laurenbailey1",




There is quite a lot of information on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk about the grandparents. One thing to be aware of is variations in spelling or variations of names. The ones that I saw with a look at the ScotlandsPeople index are as follows.

Jeanie Weir Forrest :: birth :: 1899 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jeanie Forrest :: 1901 census :: age 1 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jean Forrest :: 1911 census :: age 11 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jeannie Weir Forrest or Napier :: death :: 1980 :: age 81 :: Stirling
Alexander Napier // Jean Weir Forrest :: marriage :: 1925 :: Blythswood, Glasgow

A search for Alexander's death gave 6 possibilities for a birth year of 1900 ± 1 year and an adult age. One noticeably nearer to Jean's death place than any of the others, so I gambled on that one and took a look at it - it was the right one.

Alexander Napier :: death :: 1963 :: age 62 :: Dunblane

That led to the following index entries that I strongly believe to be him. As his mother's first name is uncommon, I was able to confirm the 1901 census place to be the same as one for Alexander. From the index references for that census, it looks like the family is split across two pages (unlucky - it will cost you more to see the full family group).

Alexander Napier :: birth :: 1900 :: Dunblane
Alexander Napier :: 1901 census :: age 0 :: Dunblane
Alexander Napier :: 1911 census :: age 10 :: Dunblane

From all of the census pages listed above, you should see listed brothers or sisters for both Alexander and Jean. The birth, marriage and death certificates should all give names of parents, so should take you back to the next generation older; and hopefully their information given on their certificates can take you back another generation. And so on. That should work well back to 1855 when statutory registration was introduced in Scotland. The church records, primarily the Old Parochial Registers (OPRs) for pre-1855 are a bit trickier, but may take you further back.

All the best,

AndrewP

[speleobat2]

Hello,

I had a look at Ancestry.com for Christina's family and there are as Andrew said quite a few records available. On the 1901 Census, she is living at Auchloy Farm in Perthshire with her parents and a bunch of children. There are at least 10 children showing on the census records from 1871 to 1901. In 1901 Christina is 19 and single. There is a Jeannie Forrest age 1 living there and she is a granddaughter. There is also an Alexander Forrest age 14 who is a grandson and a David Nicol age 5 who is another grandson. One of the early census records shows Christina's father Alexander as having a brother David.
Another record available is the senior Alexander's gravestone. It shows him as buried in Ford Road Cemetery, Crieff, Perthshire in 1919. It says he was the husband of Agnes Watson, parents were Robert Forrest and mother Margaret Kerr. He was born in Wiston, Lanarkshire.

Do you know if the name Weir is a family name? If not, it might be Jean Weir Forrest's father's name. I have had this happen with a couple of illegitimate children in my own family tree.

Carol

[Laurenbailey1]

Hello "Laurenbailey1",



There is quite a lot of information on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk about the grandparents. One thing to be aware of is variations in spelling or variations of names. The ones that I saw with a look at the ScotlandsPeople index are as follows.

Jeanie Weir Forrest :: birth :: 1899 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jeanie Forrest :: 1901 census :: age 1 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jean Forrest :: 1911 census :: age 11 :: Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
Jeannie Weir Forrest or Napier :: death :: 1980 :: age 81 :: Stirling
Alexander Napier // Jean Weir Forrest :: marriage :: 1925 :: Blythswood, Glasgow

A search for Alexander's death gave 6 possibilities for a birth year of 1900 ± 1 year and an adult age. One noticeably nearer to Jean's death place than any of the others, so I gambled on that one and took a look at it - it was the right one.

Alexander Napier :: death :: 1963 :: age 62 :: Dunblane

That led to the following index entries that I strongly believe to be him. As his mother's first name is uncommon, I was able to confirm the 1901 census place to be the same as one for Alexander. From the index references for that census, it looks like the family is split across two pages (unlucky - it will cost you more to see the full family group).

Alexander Napier :: birth :: 1900 :: Dunblane
Alexander Napier :: 1901 census :: age 0 :: Dunblane
Alexander Napier :: 1911 census :: age 10 :: Dunblane

From all of the census pages listed above, you should see listed brothers or sisters for both Alexander and Jean. The birth, marriage and death certificates should all give names of parents, so should take you back to the next generation older; and hopefully their information given on their certificates can take you back another generation. And so on. That should work well back to 1855 when statutory registration was introduced in Scotland. The church records, primarily the Old Parochial Registers (OPRs) for pre-1855 are a bit trickier, but may take you further back.

All the best,

AndrewP

Hello!

I have done abit of research on scotlandspeople but never been able to find much on the grandparents! I think the variety of names has always thrown me abit. I know they definitely married in 1925 but i never knew when Alexander Napier had died so THANK YOU so much! I know Alexander had parents called Sophia and William and Jean had a mum called Christina but rather go back further and further, i wanted to try and find information on the "immediate" family, any as close as possible. Do you know how i can find Alexander Napiers gravestone?

Thank you so much for your reply,
Lauren

[Laurenbailey1]

Hello,

I had a look at Ancestry.com for Christina's family and there are as Andrew said quite a few records available. On the 1901 Census, she is living at Auchloy Farm in Perthshire with her parents and a bunch of children. There are at least 10 children showing on the census records from 1871 to 1901. In 1901 Christina is 19 and single. There is a Jeannie Forrest age 1 living there and she is a granddaughter. There is also an Alexander Forrest age 14 who is a grandson and a David Nicol age 5 who is another grandson. One of the early census records shows Christina's father Alexander as having a brother David.
Another record available is the senior Alexander's gravestone. It shows him as buried in Ford Road Cemetery, Crieff, Perthshire in 1919. It says he was the husband of Agnes Watson, parents were Robert Forrest and mother Margaret Kerr. He was born in Wiston, Lanarkshire.

Do you know if the name Weir is a family name? If not, it might be Jean Weir Forrest's father's name. I have had this happen with a couple of illegitimate children in my own family tree.

Carol

Hello,

thank you for the information, i have tried to look for "Auchloy farm" on previous searches and i can't find it, i thought it would have come up on google but I'm presuming it might not be a family farm anymore?! Christina comes up as being Jeannie's mum but there is no father that comes up, so that makes abit more sence now if shes still living at home. Thank you for confirming Alexanders parents, i had them on my family tree but wasn't 100% if Margaret was the mum.

I have no idea where the "Weir" has come from, i did wonder that myself! Is there any way i can find out if that could be Jean's fathers surname? Or is there any way i can find Christinas or Jean's date of death/gravestone?

thank you for the help!
Lauren

[Currie]

The Courier and Argus (Dundee), Tuesday, June 26, 1906

MILTON OF ABERCAIRNY.

MR A. FORREST.

The farm of Milton of Abercairny, on the estate of the same name (Captain Home Drummond Moray's) has for tenant that genial, hard-working agriculturist, Mr A. Forrest-It is a pleasure to have a talk with Mr Forrest, more particularly when practical experience in farming matters is touched upon. Milton of Abercairny extends to about 102 acres, but the adjoining farm—Auchloy—which he also holds, extends to 108 acres. Mr Forrest came to Auchloy ten years ago, but he has only been five years at the Milton. Mr Forrest is a Lanarkshire man, having been born in the parish of Lesmahagow. He did his day's darg at the plough for a considerable period, and his experience otherwise does not necessitate his reference to farming books as to cultural hints or dairying problems.

Mr Forrest came to Crieff in 1891, and has been a well-known dairy farmer since then, but, as he remarked, "I was a 'booer' for twenty years before that." His dairy stock consists of about thirty-five cows, and all the milk is sold in Crieff. A look at the stock showed that quality animals were preferred, and these all home-bred. A rather nice white bull, bought at Perth sake last year, which was bred at Montrave, was in evidence, and another one has just been purchased from Ballig.

The steading has been the home farm "since the remembrance of man," and was never let to anyone before Mr Forrest got it. The well-appointed calf boxes, the accommodation for mares and foals, and the general suitability of other places for rearing stock at once suggests a model farm steading. The dairy is splendidly kept, while the Ayrshire cattle and other milky strains of cows all receive careful attention. A five course shift is followed in cropping. Mr Forrest works hard, but he is ably assisted by his son-in-law, Mr D. Scott, on the farm of Auchloy.


Alan

[AndrewP]

Hi Lauren,

Auchloy can be seen on the following maps:

Current OS map


1890s OS map shown with recent Bing aerial map

All the best,

AndrewP

[Laurenbailey1]

Hello,

where is it you have got this information?

thank you SO much

The Courier and Argus (Dundee), Tuesday, June 26, 1906

MILTON OF ABERCAIRNY.

MR A. FORREST.

The farm of Milton of Abercairny, on the estate of the same name (Captain Home Drummond Moray's) has for tenant that genial, hard-working agriculturist, Mr A. Forrest-It is a pleasure to have a talk with Mr Forrest, more particularly when practical experience in farming matters is touched upon. Milton of Abercairny extends to about 102 acres, but the adjoining farm—Auchloy—which he also holds, extends to 108 acres. Mr Forrest came to Auchloy ten years ago, but he has only been five years at the Milton. Mr Forrest is a Lanarkshire man, having been born in the parish of Lesmahagow. He did his day's darg at the plough for a considerable period, and his experience otherwise does not necessitate his reference to farming books as to cultural hints or dairying problems.

Mr Forrest came to Crieff in 1891, and has been a well-known dairy farmer since then, but, as he remarked, "I was a 'booer' for twenty years before that." His dairy stock consists of about thirty-five cows, and all the milk is sold in Crieff. A look at the stock showed that quality animals were preferred, and these all home-bred. A rather nice white bull, bought at Perth sake last year, which was bred at Montrave, was in evidence, and another one has just been purchased from Ballig.

The steading has been the home farm "since the remembrance of man," and was never let to anyone before Mr Forrest got it. The well-appointed calf boxes, the accommodation for mares and foals, and the general suitability of other places for rearing stock at once suggests a model farm steading. The dairy is splendidly kept, while the Ayrshire cattle and other milky strains of cows all receive careful attention. A five course shift is followed in cropping. Mr Forrest works hard, but he is ably assisted by his son-in-law, Mr D. Scott, on the farm of Auchloy.


Alan

[Laurenbailey1]

WOW! i can't believe you've sent me this. I am so tearful right now, i thought it didn't even exist anymore. THANK YOU <3

Hi Lauren,

Auchloy can be seen on the following maps:

Current OS map


1890s OS map shown with recent Bing aerial map

All the best,

AndrewP

[AndrewP]

i thought it didn't even exist anymore.

Hi Lauren,

I don't see any sign of Auchloy on the Royal Mail postcode website. That most likely means that it is nobody's postal address nowadays. Maybe the house is no longer used, but the farm buildings still stand (as we can see from the aerial view). The Google streetview camera has been along the main road, but did not venture up the farm track, so it has no picture of Auchloy from ground level.

All the best,

AndrewP