Catharine (Deas) Thomson (bef. 1729 - 1792)

Born before 17 Nov 1729 in North Leith, Midlothian, Scotland

Descendants

Died 5 Jun 1792 after age 62 in South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland

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Biography

Catharine Deas is conjectured to have been born in Leith in 1729 to parents David Deas, a merchant in Leith, and Catharin Dundass. She was baptized on 17 Nov 1729 in the Church of Scotland in Leith North parish^[1].

Catharine, aged 32 years, married John Thomson in the Church of Scotland Dunfermline parish on 6 Sep 1762^[2]

Katharine (as her forename was recorded) and John had three children (all sons) whose baptisms are recorded in the Church of Scotland parish records. A fourth son, John Deas Thomson was born about 1763 probably in Fifeshire (no record of his baptism has been identified, he later went on the be a significant naval officer in Leith):

1. John Deas Thomson, born about 1763
2. William, born 1Oct, baptized 9 Oct 1764 in Aberdour, Fifeshire^[3]
3. Alexander, baptized 24 Nov 1766 in Aberdour^[4]
4. Petter, baptized 3 Apr 1769 in Beath, Fifeshire^[5]

Aberdour was a small port over the Firth of Forth from Leith. Sometimes John Thomson's surname is spelled Thompson.

"Catharine Deas Spouse to Mr John Thomson His Majesty's Naval Officer Leith, aged 62 years, died 5th buried 8th June 1792 in the Bakers ground 7 paces N. from John Johnston Baker in Leith's headstone"

Research Notes

Catherine's brother, John became a wealthy planter in Charleston South Carolina. In his will, written on 25 Jan 1782, he bequeathed a ring "of five Guineas Value" to his "Brother-in-Law Mr John Thomson of Edinburgh", as "a Token of my Regard", and "unto my beloved Sister Katharine Thomson of Edinburgh a Diamond Ring of five Guineas Value 7 twenty Pounds Sterling for Mourning" ^[7].

Catherine was John Thomson's first wife, he had two further wives: Janet Middleton (married 30 Jun 1793 in South Leith^[8], (daughter of George Middleton, Esq., and sister of the late Admiral Lord Barham, First Lord of the Admiralty) and Anne Fyres (married 7 Sep 1796 in Edinburgh^[9], sister of Major-General Fyres, of the Royal Engineers)

Catharine's son, John Deas Thomson, like his uncle John was a slave owner. John Deas Thomson had responsibility for 172 enslaved persons in St Kitts^[10]

John Deas Thomson was a Commissioner and Accountant-General of the Navy and formerly Naval Store-keeper at the Cape. He was knighted 24 August 1832 (becoming a KCH [Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order, also known as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order]). He was also a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

An extensive discussion of the contribution of John Deas Thomson to government accounting practices is in the article "The liberal contest for double-entry booking in the British Government"^[11]

Catharin's grandson, Edward Deas Thomson, named his home in Sydney, Barham presumably after his grandmother's brother Admiral Lord Barham.

Sources

1. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Catharine Deas born or baptised on 17 Nov 1729, daughter of David Deas & Catherine Dundass, in Leith North, Edinburghshire, Scotland; citing Parish Number 692/1, Ref 30/7, Frame 2433.
2. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Catharine Deas marriage to John Thomson on or after 6 Sep 1762 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland; citing Parish Number 424, Ref 100/29, Frame 3031.
3. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), William Thomson born or baptised on 9 Oct 1764, son of John Thomson & Kathrine Deas, in Aberdour, Scotland; citing Parish Number 401, Ref 20/99.
4. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Alexander Thompson born or baptised on 24 Nov 1766, son of John Thompson & Katharine Deas, in Aberdour, Scotland; citing Parish Number 401, Ref 20/108.
5. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Petter Thomson born or baptised on 3 Apr 1769, child of John Thomson & Kathrine Deas, in Beath, Fife, Scotland; citing Parish Number 410, Ref 10/234.
6. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Deaths and Burials," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Catharine Thomson death or burial (died age 62) on 5 Jun 1792 in Leith South, Edinburghshire, Scotland; citing Parish Number 692/2, Ref 160/24.
7. ↑ South Carolina Wills and Miscellaneous Probate Records, 1671-1868 Database with images https://www.familysearch.org/en/ Citing Will of John Deas 25 Jan 1782. Wills Charleston County. Will Book-B 1786-1793, Vol. 023 page 721-725 online in FamilySearch
8. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), John Thomson marriage to Janet Middleton on or after 30 Jun 1793 in Leith South, Edinburghshire, Scotland; citing Parish Number 692/2, Ref 110/191, Frame 528.
9. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages," database, National Records of Scotland, (ScotlandsPeople : accessed 17 January 2024), Anne Fyers marriage to John Thomson on or after 7 Sep 1796 in Edinburgh, Edinburghshire, Scotland; citing Parish Number 685/1, Ref 520/220, Frame 2253.
10. ↑ 'Sir John Deas Thomson', Legacies of British Slavery database, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/43995 [accessed 17th January 2024]
11. ↑ Mann, Ian; Funnell, Warwick; Jupe, Robert (2016). "The liberal contest for double-entry bookkeeping in British Government' Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal Bradford Vol. 29, Iss. 5, 739-766. DOI:10.1108/AAAJ-04-2014-1682 online Kent Academic Repository (accessed 17 Jan 2024)