Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt. 1812 - 1890)

Born about 1812 in Minto, Roxburghshire, Scotland

Wife of Archibald Fairbairn — married May 1835 in Roxburghshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Died 24 Feb 1890 at about age 78 in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland

Biography

Elizabeth Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt.1812-1890) or Betty ^[1]as she is often listed in the records, was born in 1812 to John Houd John Houd (abt.1792-abt.1889) and Agnes Minto Agnes (Minto) Houd (abt.1790-abt.1889). She married Archibald Fairbairn Archibald Fairbairn (abt.1808-1867) in 1835.^[2] She died in 1890 in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland. ^[3]

Early Life

The Houd family abode in 1814 was Denholm village in the Cavers Parish of Roxburghshire, Scotland.^[4] John Houd John Houd (abt.1792-abt.1889)], Elizabeth's father, listed his occupation as 'Flaxdryer'^[5]and 'Lint Heckler'^[3], which is dressing the flax with a toothed comb-like instrument before spinning.^[6]

Family

"Betty Houd" Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt.1812-1890) married Archibald Fairbairn Archibald Fairbairn (abt.1808-1867) in May 1835 in two locations in Roxburghshire; Cavers,^[2] and Bedrule.^[7]We can only conjecture why a bride would have two marriage records in one month, however these two parishes share a common border.^[8] Elizabeth aka 'Betty' gave birth to 4 sons and 3 daughters; Walter Walter Fairbairn (abt.1838-), John John Fairbairn (abt.1839-), Agness Agness Fairbairn (abt.1841-), Mary Mary Fairbairn (abt.1843-), Andrew Andrew Fairbairn (abt.1846-), Archibald Archibald Fairbairn (abt.1848-), and Helen Helen Fairbairn (abt.1850-).^[9]

Occupation

Elizabeth Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt.1812-1890) was listed as a Hedger's wife^[10] in one census. Not until age 59, do we have a record of Elizabeth stating her occupation as 'formerly servant'. Her husband, Archibald Fairbairn Archibald Fairbairn (abt.1808-1867) was an 'Agricultural Labourer', except for one census listing his occupation as 'Hedger', which was a person who tended the hedges commonly used to contain livestock.^[9]

Residences

The Fairbairn-Houd family lived in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland according to the 1841 through 1881 censuses, with only one ‘place name’ move within Jedburgh indicated between 1851-61--that of Walkersknow to Bongate.^{[11] [9] [12] [13][14]} Interestingly, the birthplaces of the children reveal more short-term movement in the early years: the first child was born about 1838 in Dalton, Dumfries; the second about 1839 in Cavers, Roxburghshire; the third about 1841 in Wilton, Roxburghshire; 1843 and all remaining children in Jedburgh,Roxburghshire. ^[9]Betty's husband, Archibald died at age 59 in 1867.^[1]

Death & Legacy

Betty Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt.1812-1890) died at home, 9 Old Bongate, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland at age 78. The death certificate reads: "Betty FAIRBAIRN, widow of Archibald FAIRBAIRN, shepherd, died of bronchitis of 10 days duration, aged 78, 24 Feb 1890 6:30pm, dtr of John HOUD, lint heckler and Agnes m.s. MINTO, both dec. Reg. 26 Feb by son Walter, present." ^[3]

Research Notes

1. No baptism record was located for Elizabeth (aka Betty) Hood (aka Houd/aka Howd) in the 1810 to 1815 period in Roxburghshire, Scotland. Elizabeth's birth year calculates to 1812 on most censuses and lists Minto, Roxburghshire as her birthplace.

2. Birth records were found for Elizabeth’s (Betty’s) siblings, including Mary Houd Mary Fairbairn (abt.1843-) in 1814 Cavers parish, Roxburghshire.

3. The death certificate of Betty Fairbairn Elizabeth (Hood) Fairbairn (abt.1812-1890) provides her parents' names.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Jedburgh, Roxburghshire (Dist 792 #82), Death certificate, 4 Nov 1867 Archibald FAIRBAIRN husb. of Betty Houd, image available via ScotlandsPeople
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQG-QWB : 11 February 2020), Archibald Fairbairn, 1835.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Death certificate 24 Feb 1890, Betty FAIRBAIRN, wid. of Archibald FAIRBAIRN; Dtr of John HOUD & Agnes MINTO, reg. image available via ScotlandsPeople
4. ↑ Sir John Sinclair, "The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-1845", Cavers Parish, p435 (https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/viewer/nsa-vol3-Parish_record_for_Cavers_in_the_county_of_Roxburgh_in_volume_3_of_account_2/nsa-vol3-p435-parish-roxburgh-cavers?search=Cavers)
5. ↑ Roxburghshire : Cavers : The Parish Church : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG baptism 1914, Mary Houd. (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/581869b5e93790eca30d60ed: viewed 20 Aug 2021)
6. ↑ Scottish National Dictionary, definition 'heckle' (https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/heckle_n1_v1).
7. ↑ I"Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYWD-Z3J : 11 February 2020), Betty Houd in entry for Archibald Fairbairn, 1835.
8. ↑ Borders Family History Society, Roxburghshire Parish Map, (http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/r_shire.asp) accessed August 2021.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} Free Census, UK, 1851 Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland (Piece 792, EnumDist 4, P13), "Archbald Fairnbairn" (https://www.freecen.org.uk/) viewed 20 Aug 2021.
10. ↑ World Through the Lens, , Old Obscure English Census Occupations, 'Hedger', Accessed 2Sept2021.
11. ↑ Free Census, UK, 1841 Jedburgh Roxburghshire, Scotland (Piece 792, EnumDist 6, P9), "Archbald Fairnbairn" (https://www.freecen.org.uk/) viewed 20 Aug 2021.
12. ↑ Free Census, UK, 1861 Jedburgh Roxburghshire, Scotland (Piece 792, EnumDist 5, P6), "Archibald Fairnbairn" (https://www.freecen.org.uk/) viewed 20 Aug 2021.
13. ↑ “1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census”, Find My Past, Schedule 45, ED 1, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Elizabeth Fairbairn. (http://www.findmypast.com)
14. ↑ 1881 Scotland Census (792/1/2) Jedburgh, Roxburgh, National Records of Scotland. (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk) Image accessed 20Aug 2021.