Elisabeth (Turpie) Balfour (1815 - 1898)

Born 24 May 1815 in Cameron, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Alexander Balfour — married 8 Dec 1855 in Forgan, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 27 Oct 1898 at age 83 in Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jim Turpy [send private message]

Biography

Elisabeth was born in 1815, a daughter of Robert Turpie and Helen Scott.

Elizabeth had an illegitimate son, Henry, who seems to have used the surname Smith; this was most likely the surname of his natural father, although no father was named on his records.

She married Alexander Balfour on 8 Dec 1855 at Maryfield Cottage, Newport; both she and her groom gave their residence as Craighead - presumably a farm, as Elizabeth was a spinster farm servant and Alexander a ploughman and widower (the site is today a care home). There is no record of any children of their marriage. The 1861 census, some six years after her marriage, for some reason records Elisabeth with her maiden surname Turpie, although she appears to be residing with both Alexander Balfour and her son Henry - who was styled Henry Smith Balfour.

Her home in 1881 was Flass Cottage, the home of her son Henry (Smith) and his family; then described as Woodhaven, Forgan, it still exists today, above the small town of Wormit at the south end of the Tay railway bridge.

Research Notes

The 1855 marriage record for Elizabeth (or Betsy) gives her father as Robert Turpie and her mother as Agnes Rodger, both deceased; however, Elizabeth's death record states that her father was John Turpie and her mother Betsy Roger (which was, perhaps coincidentally, the name of Alexander's first wife). In no combination of those or similar names have I found any credible record for a parental marriage or the birth of any sibling.

The informant on her death certificate was Henry Smith, her son; that record also confirms that Alexander's children were born some years before his marriage to Betsy Turpie.

Sources

• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Old Parish Registers (accessed 09/05/2021), Births, ref 412/10 271 Cameron, entry for TURPIE, ELISABETH, 24/05/1815, ROBERT TURPIE/ HELEN SCOTT FR219 (FR219)

• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Census 1851; accessed 30/08/2021; ref : 420/ 4/ 59 Cupar; Entry for : TURPIE, ELIZABETH, age: 37, Occupation: -
• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Census 1861; accessed 30/08/2021; ref : 431/ 2/ 1 Forgan; Entry for : TURPIE, ELIZABETH, age: 48, Occupation: -
• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Statutory Registers (accessed 20/03/2022), Marriages, ref 431/ 9 Forgan, entry for TURPIE, ELIZABETH, 1855, ALEXANDER BALFOUR
• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Census 1871; accessed 20/03/2022; ref : 431/ 1/ 6 Forgan; Entry for : BALFOUR, ELIZABETH, age: 59, Occupation: -
• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Census 1881(LDS); accessed 20/03/2022; Source : FHL Film 0203523 GRO Ref Volume 431 EnumDist 1 Page 16, Reference Number : 274364, Census Place : Forgan, Fife, Scotland; Dwelling: Flass Cottage; ; Entry for Betsy BALFOUR; Mother ((In Law)), W, 69, F; Birth Place: St Andrews, Fife, Scotland [In household of : Henry SMITH, Head, M, 42, M, Mason, b Cupar, Fife, Scotland; and Jane SMITH, Wife, M, 37, F, b Leuchars, Fife, Scotland].

• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Statutory Registers (accessed 20/03/2022), Deaths, ref 431/ 40 Forgan, entry for TURPIE, BETSY, age 86, 1898, mmn ROGER
• National Records of Scotland (Online Database “Scotland’s People”), Statutory Registers (accessed 20/03/2022), Deaths, ref 431/ 40 Forgan, entry for BALFOUR, BETSY, age 86, 1898, mmn ROGER
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193974914/betsy-turpie : accessed 20 March 2022), Find a Grave Memorial ID 193974914, citing Forgan Cemetery, Forgan, Fife, Scotland; Inscription reads : “1886 / Erected By / Hendry Smith. / In memory of his son Andrew / Who died 13th. March 1885, aged 13 years. / Also his Father-in-law Alexr. Balfour / Died 16th. July 1874 aged 66 years. / Hendry died 21st. March 186[?] / Aged 24 years. / Betsy Turpie / Died 27th. October 1898 / Aged 86 years. / Alexander (died) 1st. January 1902 / Aged 37 years. / The above Hendry Smith / died 26th. May 1915 aged 77 years. / Also his wife Jean Smith / Died 11th. April 1929 aged 85 years. / Betsy Turpie Smith / Died 21st. February 1946.”