George Alexander Mitchell .....

[Hil]

Hello, I am only just finding my way around this site so apologies if this is in the wrong spot. My g-grandfather, George Alexander Mitchell is my elusive rellie, I just can't find his birth abt 1870. In the 1881 Census he is living with his mother Christina (ms Ross) & her husband Donald Ross at balintraid farm. He is listed as a boarder, so I assume boarder is the one with a family connection, opposed to a lodger who could be a anyone.
I can trace George from 1881 on, right through his marriage & the birth of 16 children in Saltburn, up until his death.......... but his birth is a blank. He was supposedly born in Tarbat but there is no record of this. So PLEASE if anyone can help, I'm up for any suggestions
Thanks
Hil

I am only just finding my way around this site so apologies if this is in the wrong spot.

message split from "boarder / loger" topic. AndrewP - TalkingScot admin

[WilmaM]

Hello, I am only just finding my way around this site so apologies if this is in the wrong spot. My g-grandfather, George Alexander Mitchell is my elusive rellie, I just can't find his birth abt 1870. In the 1881 Census he is living with his mother Christina (ms Ross) & her husband Donald Ross at balintraid farm. He is listed as a boarder, so I assume boarder is the one with a family connection, opposed to a lodger who could be a anyone.
I can trace George from 1881 on, right through his marriage & the birth of 16 children in Saltburn, up until his death.......... but his birth is a blank. He was supposedly born in Tarbat but there is no record of this. So PLEASE if anyone can help, I'm up for any suggestions
Thanks
Hil

Hello and Welcome to Talking Scot Hil

Perhaps you could answer a few questions to help us on the trail of George Alexander Mitchell.

Have you his marriage and death certificates? if so where and when did they occur and what where his parents and spouses names on those ?

There are a few Tarbets in Scotland [ confusingly ].

Do you know if his mother was married when he was born ? could be under a different surname.

And why do you think he's with his mother in 1881 ? if he's down as a border ? or is he as 'son' as well.

I know Questions questions but the more information we hav theeasier it will be to steer you in the right direction .

[AndrewP]

Hi Hil,

From a web search for Balantraid, I take it you are referring to Tarbat, Ross and Cromarty (as opposed to the many other Tarbet / Tarbert / Tarbat places).

The nearest birth that I can see on the IGI is 24 Sep 1867 in Fearn, Ross & Cromarty, parents: John Ross and Christina Mackay. I am making the tenuous assumption that Ross was her previous married name rather than her maiden name. Hence this birth is for GEORGE ALEXANDER ROSS. The only other possibilities that I saw were much further away, or not with a Christina for a mother.

Is the term boarder meaning unrelated to the head of the household. Is he the stepson of the head?

What do you think?

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

[nelmit]

Hello, I am only just finding my way around this site so apologies if this is in the wrong spot. My g-grandfather, George Alexander Mitchell is my elusive rellie, I just can't find his birth abt 1870. In the 1881 Census he is living with his mother Christina (ms Ross) & her husband Donald Ross at balintraid farm. He is listed as a boarder, so I assume boarder is the one with a family connection, opposed to a lodger who could be a anyone.
I can trace George from 1881 on, right through his marriage & the birth of 16 children in Saltburn, up until his death.......... but his birth is a blank. He was supposedly born in Tarbat but there is no record of this. So PLEASE if anyone can help, I'm up for any suggestions
Thanks
Hil

I am only just finding my way around this site so apologies if this is in the wrong spot.

message split from "boarder / loger" topic. AndrewP - TalkingScot admin

Hello Hil,

What does it say on George's marriage entry about his parents? Is this how you know that his mother was Christina Ross?

Have you tried to find him on the 1871 census?

Questions, questions but where are all the answers.

Andrew,

According to the IGI Christina's maiden name was Ross when she married Donald in 1875.

Regards,
Annette M

[nelmit]

Hi all,

Just found this on the IGI.
Maybe the George came later.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ALEXANDER MITCHELL ROSS
Male

Event(s):
Birth: 04 MAR 1870 Tarbat By Fearn, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland

Parents:
Mother: CHRISTINA ROSS

Annette M

[Hil]

Hi everyone & thanks for your replies, I'll try to answer the questions.
Firstly to Annette, I have also found this "Alexander Mitchell Ross" & I'm leaning strongly toward this being my George as everything except the first name matches, but how do I prove it??
Census records state that George was born in Tarbat, Rosskeen. His marriage cert in 1892 to Annie Munro states that his mother is Christina Ross with no father mentioned. George was living in Northfield & Annie in Saltburn (where they both lived for the rest of their lives). Christina Ross' marriage cert to Donald Ross in balintraid in 1875 shows that Ross was both her maiden & married surname. George's death cert in 1951 shows both parents as "not known" but this has been crossed out & deceased written underneath. His death was reported by his son, James in Invergordon.
I have been in contact with James' son but he is unable to solve this mystery as well.
George really is a mystery & even more frustrating because it's such recent history. I WILL solve this one day
Thanks to all for your help,

[DavidWW]

Hil

You need to do aforward trace on Alexander Mitchell ROSS to see if he turns up in the records as a separate individual.

Unfortunately none of the various elements of the names are uncommon enough to rule out a coincidence.

And then there are two Ross & Cromarty births for a George Alexander ROSS that you should have a look at, one in Tain parish in 1866, and the other in Fearn parish, which are the two neighbouring parishes to Tarbat.........

Curious that he's listed as a boarder. If he was a child of Christina's born befor she married Donald, remember that relationships in the census are shown with respect to the Head.....

BTW "boarder" as opposed to "lodger" cannot be assumed to mean a family connection. The official definition depended on a number of factors, including whether they took meals on their own or with the household; and then it's obvious that not all enumerators understood the distinction anyway.

Davie

[nelmit]

Hil

You need to do aforward trace on Alexander Mitchell ROSS to see if he turns up in the records as a separate individual.

Unfortunately none of the various elements of the names are uncommon enough to rule out a coincidence.

Davie

I had a quick look at the 1881 census and there is no Alexander Mitchell or Ross born Tarbat living with a mother Christina but I know that's not enough.

It would be interesting to see what he is named on the 1871.

Annette M

[Hil]

I have been searching & spending all afternoon (blow the housework, it'll still be there tomorrow)
I've found a George A Ross aged one in the 1871 census. He is listed as a grandson, born in Tarbat & living in Fearn with, amonst others;
James Ross (head) Elizabeth (wife) & Christina 23 (unmarried daughter)
I know from Christina's later marriage to Donald that her parents were James Ross & Elizabeth Sutherland. Have I found him??
If so, why would he not have been listed as Mitchell - maybe the enumerators assumption that he was a Ross??
If he started as a Ross, why had he changed to Mitchell by the next census??
Oh the questions.................they never stop really do they?
thanks again for the help

[DavidWW]

I have been searching & spending all afternoon (blow the housework, it'll still be there tomorrow)

I like it

I've found a George A Ross aged one in the 1871 census. He is listed as a grandson, born in Tarbat & living in Fearn with, amonst others;
James Ross (head) Elizabeth (wife) & Christina 23 (unmarried daughter)

Highly suggestive of "George A ROSS" being an illegitimate son of Christina ............

I know from Christina's later marriage to Donald that her parents were James Ross & Elizabeth Sutherland. Have I found him??

You need to establish the maiden surname of this Elizabeth ROSS

If so, why would he not have been listed as Mitchell - maybe the enumerators assumption that he was a Ross??
If he started as a Ross, why had he changed to Mitchell by the next census??

Ah'm nae sure, but if his (alleged) faither wis MITCHELL ? ..

Oh the questions.................they never stop really do they?
thanks again for the help

They dinna

Davie