Barbara Thomson - Different family?

Started by Private User on Tuesday, December 13, 2022
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It appears that Barbara Thomson was born in December 1837 in Scotland, after the Thomson family she is currently attached to, arrived in Australia December 1837.

She married in Scotland and emigrated to Queensland 1865. She is not named in Death Certificates for 'parents' Alexander or Mary.

Jean Thomson, also currently in this family as a sister of Barbara, was born in Scotland 1830 and died in Scotland 1909. Other children in this family born after her were brought out from Scotland to Australia.

One of the Matches on Jean's profile states that her parents are in Scotland in 1861.

So could Barbara and Jean belong to another Thomson family with the same or similar parents' names.

Barbara was born in December 1833 as evidenced by the sources on her profile.

Thank you for your reply. I'm concerned that the parents are a different set of Alexander and Mary Thomson, as per my conclusions below. Could those be considered please?

9 Matches to her profile state that Barbara Thomson was born 7 Dec 1833 Ayshire Scotland.

12 Matches state that birth was 7 Dec 1837, which would obviously be incorrect as Alexander and Mary Thompson arrived in Australia on the "Portland" 3rd December 1837.

Also, if Barbara was born December 1833, why was she left behind in Scotland when younger children than her were brought out? i.e. Mary Ann, 18 January 1835; and Alexander, 25 September 1836. (And, Barbara is not named in the Australian parents' Death Certificates).

Most Matches to her profile say that she died as Barbara McGill, 8 Dec 1918 Qld Australia. Some have her parents as Alexander Thomson and Mary Clark.

The newspaper Obituary says she died aged 81 in 1918, therefore born c1837.

What sources do they provide?

All the Matches on Geni are from My Heritage, and not available to me to view the records.

On Family Search, there are similar matches, using source materials that appear to mix families:

Alexander Thomson, Vital • Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910

Name Alexander Thomson (is also linked to Jean Thomson born 1830)
Sex Male
Spouse's Name Mary Clark
Spouse's Sex Female
Marriage Date 7 Apr 1826
Marriage Place Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Marriage Place (Original) Stevenston, Ayr, Scotland
Event Type Marriage

and also

Alexander Thomson
Sex Male
Spouse's Name Mary Clark
Spouse's Sex Female
Marriage Date 12 Nov 1830
Marriage Place Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Marriage Place (Original) Kirkoswald, Ayr, Scotland
Event Type Marriage.

There are many entries with what looks like children mixed across these 2 families (NSW family and Scotland families), complete with sources.

Alexander 1861:

Alexr Thomson
Census • Scotland Census, 1861
Name Alexr Thomson
Sex Male
Age 53
Event Date 1861
Event Place Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland
Event Type Census
Enumeration District 7
Registration District Kirkoswald
Age 53
Occupation LABOURER
Birth Year (Estimated) 1808
Birthplace Ayrshire
Relationship to Head of Household HEAD
Schedule Type 29
Registration Number RG09
Piece/Folio 0
Affiliate Publication Number 2
Piece 601

Mary 1861

Mary Clark
Census • Scotland Census, 1861
Name Mary Clark
Sex Female
Age 52
Event Date 1861
Event Place Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland
Event Type Census
Enumeration District 7
Registration District Kirkoswald
Age 52
Occupation LABOURERS WIFE
Birth Year (Estimated) 1809
Birthplace Ayrshire
Relationship to Head of Household WIFE
Schedule Type 29
Registration Number RG09
Piece/Folio 0
Affiliate Publication Number 2
Piece 601

Alexander (and Mary same) 1871

Alexr Thompson
Census • Scotland Census, 1871
Name Alexr Thompson
Sex Male
Age 64
Event Date 1871
Event Place Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland
Event Type Census
Enumeration District 1
Registration District Kirkoswald
Occupation ROAD MAN
Birth Year (Estimated) 1807
Birthplace Ayrshire
Relationship to Head of Household HEAD
Schedule Type 26
Registration Number RG10
Piece/Folio 1
Piece/Folio 1
Affiliate Publication Number 2
Piece 601

Most of the matches on FamilySearch have death for Alexander Thomson as 1881 in NSW Australia, with no sources for that, but he is the same person in the 1861 and 1871 Scotland Census.

We know that 'our' Alexander died NSW 1866.

Also, Mary Clark has a death of 1877 in NSW, and she is the same person in the 1861 and 1871 Scotland Census. We know that Mary died NSW 1880.

They have 20 children listed, born from 1828 (Charles) to 1849 (Ann), including those from the NSW family. Obviously any after 1837 born in Scotland (including the last one Ann) are not of the NSW family, however Ann and others are included in the Matches from My Heritage.

There does seem to be a question (to me) about which Alexander Thomson and Mary Clark are being used to be the source for any of the NSW entries, which is why I asked.

Thanks very much,

Ros

Further investigation into BDM Scotland, and with assistance from Scotland researchers:

Alexander Thomson married 7 Apr 1826 in Stevenston, Ayrshire to Mary Clark.

Children baptised in Largs, Ayrshire
-   Charles 1/06/1828
-   Margaret 25/7/1830
-   John 21/10/1832
-   Mary Ann 18/01/1835
-   Alexander 25/09/1836

This family as stated emigrated to Australian in 1837 on the Portland and lived in NSW.

...

Not to be confused with :

Alex Thomson (b 1808 Cumnock Ayrshire) married 12 Nov 1830 Kirkoswald, Ayrshire
to Mary Clark (b 1809 Straiton). They lived in Girvan in 1841 and in Kirkoswald 1851-1871 census.

Children born Kirkoswald:
Jean 1830, John 1832, Barbara 1833, Agnes 1835, Alex 1839, Sarah 1841, Margaret, 1843, Mary 1844, William 1846, Elisabeth 1849, Ann Dick 1851

Note: daughter Barbara married John McGill in 1862 Scotland, and emigrated in 1862 to Queensland.

As further assistance to separating these families, the Census details for the family in Scotland, showing Jane/Jean and Barbara:

1841 census, in Girvan: Alex, 30; Mary, 30; Jane, 10; John, 8; Barbara, 6; Agnes, 4; Alex, 2; Sara, 0.

1851, Kirkoswald: Alex, 43; Mary, 43; Barbara, 17; Agnes, 15; Alex, 12; Sarah, 10; Margaret, 8: Mary, 5; William, 3; Elizabeth, 1; Ann Dick, 0.

Therefore, Jane/Jean and Barbara do not belong to the Australian Thomson family.

Thank you.

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