George Steven/Stiven/Stephen

[ladybird]

I haven't been on here for such a long time but had something of an epiphany while watching Outlander (again ) and I'm hoping some of you lovely people might have some suggestions.
I have a George Steven (no birth date) who married Spencer Gilchrist in 1773 (Banns Dalziel, Lanark) Her approx. birth date 1739 this taken from her burial in 1819. No other info on her.
George was noted as a butler on his daughters burial cert dated 1815.
I have now found this...
1777-78 Aberdeen Burgh historical tax rolls
30 June 1778 Master - Capt (Captain) George Symen
Servants name - George Stephens, house servant
duty paid £0.15.0

Now I am not sure if Capt Symen (Simon?) would be a sea captain or an army captain but it seems to me that George is a very English name and I really can't see good Scottish families naming their sons George given the time period!!
And what happened to the lovely Spencer Steven (nee Gilchrist ) while her hubby was being a manservant??
Oh dear so many questions...any thoughts please
Sylvia

[Moray_Lass]

Hi Sylvia

Could be Captain Symon - in the Doric that does sound like Symen(Simen) - there is a gathering of Symon at Crathie and Bremaer, assuming Aberdeen is his home area and not just someplace he was posted or ship landed.

I have a 3xGAunt who was married to a manservant to a Minister - I've never found them together in a Census, but he fathered 3 children. So I guess these men maybe got days off to visit their wives. And possibly they weren't that far away - where did the daughter and wife die? If it was Lanark I'd think it unlikely they were moving around with him and back there to die.

[ladybird]

Thanks Maggie
Some interesting points there. George and Spencer Steven had at least 2 children, David born 1775 in Barony, Glasgow and my 3x g/grandmother Isabella. I have never been able to find birth or baptism dates for her, but she married and died in Glasgow. Spencer Gilchrist died in Glasgow too. It seems a long way for George to go to visit family from Aberdeen
Do I gather that your Symon connection are Scots? Is George one of the family names? Sorry just trying to work out if my George Steven might have been posted to Aberdeen from England with George Symon. In other words was he English or Scottish?
Sylvia

[Moray_Lass]

Hi Sylvia

Yes my Symon are Scots, I've hit a brick wall c1770 and haven't made a connection back to Crathie, but there could be a link to there. Symon is a sept of the clan Fraser which is one of the Norman clans.

I have George as a name in my Symon line, c1836, and a my 3xG Granddad was a George Thomson born 1800 (brother-in-law to the manservants wife) Fairly sure witnesses on his baptism were George's as well, so that is back another generation. So George looks like it was used. Mostly I have James, John and Alexander.

[Moray_Lass]

Don't know if this is connected at all but I found this on the National Archive - only one things comes up for a Captain Symon, wish there was a clear date.

http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrso ... earch.aspx

GD406/1/8283

[ladybird]

Thank you again Maggie, I think I can safely say that my George was a Scot
You did get me all excited with your mention of the Fraser clan as my mother always said that was our clan, but I have never been able to link the surnames I have with them. But then the penny dropped for your George....oh dear, put it down to being too early in the morning
I have a lot of John, George and Davids going back a couple of hundred years! Very confusing at times
Sylvia