James Clarke retired farmer Aberdeenshire

Question

Help !

James Clarke   (about 1831?)is my Great Grandfather  and on his daughters marriage certificate he is down as a widower-  retired farmer with his wife Elizabeth Glass ( Black).

I cannot seem to find his birth or relations to complete my immediate fore fathers/mothers or his marriage sources.

Help please ...Im frustrated?

Brian Robertson

Answer 1

Hi Brian,  Family Search has:-

Name James Sandilands Clarke Sex Male Father's Name Alexander Clarke Father's Sex Male Event Type Christening Event Date 14 Sep 1833 Event Place St Nicholas, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom Event Place (Original) Saint Nicholas, Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland James Sandilands Clarke's Parents and Siblings OPEN ALL Alexander Clarke Father M

I've added a profile for Edith Robertson too child of his daughter.

There is also a tree on Family Search for the Robertson side.

Comments

Thank you very much. I was getting nothing on Scotlands people.

Answer 2

Hi Brian

I took a look at this for you and it’s certainly not a straightforward search. I found a marriage of a James Clark to an Ann Glass in Aberdeenshire in 1843

* '''Marriage''': "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910"<br/>{{FamilySearch Record|XTN8-7MC}} (accessed 12 May 2023)<br/>Ann Glass marriage to James Clark on 5 Feb 1843 in Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.

They had a daughter Elizabeth born in 1860.

Census records show him to have been born about 1820 and occupied as a ploughman. No birth record found on Scotland’s people but that’s not overly surprising for 1820.

* '''1861 Census''': "1861 Scotland Census"<br/>Parish: Strathdon; ED: 4; Page: 6; Line: 5; Roll: CSSCT1861_33; Registration Number: 240; Roll: CSSCT1861_33; Household schedule number: 29<br/>{{Ancestry Record|1080|2265619}} (accessed 12 May 2023)<br/>James Clark (41), Ploughman, head of household in Fumossach in Strathdon registration district. Born in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire.

Sorry for the ancestry link of you’re not a member but you should be able to find him on frecen.

Ann died in 1877

* '''Death Registration''': "Statutory Register of Deaths"<br/>National Records of Scotland, Ref: 240/22<br/>[https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople] (accessed 12 May 2023)<br/>Ann Glass death registered 1877 in Strathdon (age 57, mother's maiden name McHardy).

I know the details don’t quite match your information but maybe it’s an avenue to explore. I certainly can’t find any records for Elizabeth Glass. The record you currently have for her death is for a different person.

Comments

Thanks

I also looked under Black Mothers Maiden name.

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Hi Brian

Sorry if I’m overstepping on your research here. But your question got me intrigued. I love a puzzle!

I started by looking for a birth record for Elizabeth Clark with a mother’s maiden name of Glass. The record you currently have attached is for an Elizabeth Glass with a mother’s maiden name of Abel. So that can’t be her. I also think your death record for Elizabeth is for someone else too. She was married twice and one of the great things about Scottish death records is they record all the surnames a woman has had in her lifetime. Also she appears to be still alive in 1939 and living at 41 Thomson street with her second husband Graeme Johnston.

The only scotlandspeople record for an Elizabeth with the surnames Clark, Robertson and Johnston that I could find died in 1949 in Penicuik age 89

That’s probably worth checking out. I didn’t buy the full copy but it’s a good lead. If she was born in 1860 Ann is a good candidate for mother.

Eliza Glass who has the mother’s maiden name of Black had her death also registered under the surname Fraser rather than Clarke.

It’s certainly a puzzle sorting out these common names sometimes.

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Gillian

Many thanks

Ihad also lost previous stuff when i "deleted old Bio!!"

Any more greatfully received!

Brian

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Certs confirm the details .  We are back on the trail of James Clark(E) and Ann Glass.

 BTW Daughters death cert says "Mary Glass" and "Robert Clark". With Cert info I think  Robert and Mary are more accurate which puts question on the Birth details. Still think 1860 could be right.

Strathdon could be right as the later Robertsons were from that area as well.

To be continued.