Scotland Heritage

I am Judith Elaine McKee and married David Boswell Burns he was born in Kilmarnock, Ayr county, Scotland and his parents were James Easton Burns and Agnes Maxwell Thomas. This is a picture book sort of presentation of the first generation in America. (non-TNG)

His birth is recorded as: David Burns, 1909 March twenty eighth 9h30m p.m. H2 Old Mill Road Kilmarnock; M; James Burns Bricklayer (Jouryneyman) Agnes Burns M.S. Thomas 1909 February 5th Muirkirk; (Signed) James Burns Father; 1909 April 14th at Kilmarnock (Signed) Wm. Osborne Assist. Registrar (Initd.) H.W.S.;

above is a picture of the place of birth [in documents - his nephew delivered them at the funeral home during visitation for him] as it was in 1990 when a nephew visited Scotland; whether the family lived there or not is unknown; as Agnes parents resided in Muirkirk; and there is 1910's picture and a 1990 picture of the parish church in the document section also.

David and his mother in 1912 sailed from Glasgow, Scotland on the U.S.S. Hesperian [picture of it in documents] and entered the Port of Quebec, Canada on 29 July 1912 and then took the Grand Trunk Railway to Port Huron, St. Clair county Michigan entering there on 31 July 1912 where they entered the United States going to Mrs. Ashcroft 6453 St. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago Cook county Illinois David always related how his brother Edward Mullin Thomas was taken off the boat by Agnes parents just before it sailed, alsi it was said his father was a coal miner who died in a mining accident and that they were engaged to be married.

James by what has been found left his family behind in Scotland, sailing from Glasgow on 29th November 1909 aboard the he arrived in the united States at the Port of Boston we has to have joined his brother William burns at s 22 Ball_ St. Saylesville Rhode Island. there has been no accounting of his time in America until mention is made of the family joining him at Mrs. Ashcroft 6453 St. Lawrence Ave Chicago, Illinois the family then removed to Culver, Marshall, Indiana some time in 1914 by David's petition for naturalization; where they all spent there remaining days.

James' parents were: David Burns and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith and the rest of their children: David Boswell Burns, William Millar Burns, Lillian Elizabeth Burns and Jessie Easton Burns also came to America settling in Pawtuckett, Rhode Island. The parents ended up at Chelsa, Massachusetts.

David's grandfather David Burns died in Providence in 1939 which is near Central Falls and Pawtuckett, Rhode Island where the daughters were living. When he came over in 1914 he listed her as the closest living relative in Scotland - living at Union Infirmary at Berwick on the Tweed and at his death by his she was still alive living in Paisley, Scotland. Jessie Burns was to have been a nurse; by what little is found indicates she has a half-sister to David and of his father's second marriage.

Family tradition is the Burns' ancestry goes back to Robert Burns, the poet; but isn't that the "family Tradition" of anyone who bears the name Burns? Several generations between last unknown ancestor of this line and the poet exists - so even begin to know a possible connection between the two Burns families is impossible and venturing a guess at it is impossible. These two families resided in the same areas of Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire county, Scotland but that is the only connecting force at this time - locality.

Who would not like to say that Robert Burns the poet as a direct ancestor or cousin - but it has to be proven documented in black and white not just hearsay, family legend... OH I know I am a prude :-)

I had David's family lines professionally researched by the Scots Ancestry Research Society from late 1977 to 1979 and then and some extra done in 1986. This is what this site comprises of except of some items I found on the IGI, Scotlands census of 1841-1901, and the British Vital Records Disks (birth, christenings & marriages) and confirmed some of research hired done. They did not give full citation as to title of book and page; film nos. etc that they used etc." Also they only done a direct line unless other family members were listed in the census records.

There has been several things added over the years. I am grateful to have this much and would appreciate any help that can be provided.

I m having trouble with some of the great-grandchildren wives who are manufacturing the name "Joseph" as a Burns family name - the comment made on a facebook post just recently was:

"Our youngest of our 4 is named Roan Joseph Boswell Burns. Kev's family on the Burns side hired someone in Scotland to help them research family genetics. Kevin's aunt left the original copies of all the research to Kevin when she died. So we used that. Both Joseph & Boswell were used every generation until the last one or two. So we brought them back. Kevin wanted Boswell, but I would not agree with it unless we included Joseph"
NOTE _ I was the one who hired the research done - and the Aunt did not have the originals only copies she had made without permission - I was the only one to have the original letters/reports from Scotland until I marked them up to send back to Scotland for more research... I entered all the info into 'My Ancestral File' and then converted to PAF (Personal Ancestral File), then to Rootsmagic7 besides sending off to familysearch back in the late 1980's

and the other comment from same person"

" I know the names David & James were used the most. We choose to bypass those. For several very personal reasons. Joseph is present as both a first & middle name on the Burns side as well as in my own family tree. I say this knowing you are collecting the histories & have done a ton of homework. I'm certainly not disputing your hard work. I do think its safe to say that next to you, my husband has probably shown more pride, interest, & done more research, then anyone else in the family. As I myself have. Not only because of my husbands passion, but also because my children share that history. We speak to large groups of ppl everyday who live in Scotland & research familial lines as both hobby & income."

The point is they are not producing the documents, to show the connections they are saying exist and trying to push down onto me "hearsay" just does not wash with me .... since I was the one who paid for the research that was done back int the late 1970's and early 1980's

All census records, BMD's are listed in my Burns' profiles - None of the other male children in the first three generations have been proven to have married and have families

1) James Burns abt 1778-bef 1851 m. Sabina McQualter
2) David Burns m. Jessie Boswell
3) James Burns m. Jessie (Janet) Easton
4) David Burns m. Elizabeth Millar
5) James Easton Burns m. Agnes Maxwell Thomas his 2 males siblings married but had no offspring.
6) David Boswell Burns m. Freda Marquise Reed

There are no "Joseph" in the documented research done by the Scots Ancestry Research Society - and I have re-checked all work with the BMD's on Familysearch.org and all the census record indexes that are available on Ancestry.com and on Scotland's People I have attached in one way or another all the actual copies from the registers or actual certificates if the person is deceased I have fond possibly there could be another 4 generations beyond James Burns abt 1778-bef 1851

1 James David Burness and Margat. Burns (Anderson)

2 Andrew Burns Andrew Burns and Agnes Burns (Whyte)

3 John Burns, (1716-) Ancestry Questionable Anaple Burns (Smith)

4 David Burns, (1758-1817) & Ann Burns (Curry or Currie)

they did have a son James Burns Birth: October 11, 1780 Ayr, Ayr, Scot. which would "Match our last ancestor to a "T" is we could find an actual brith/baptism or death record

The given name Joseph was never used in the Burns/Thomas lineage until they migrated to America and after 1950!

The name Joseph has come into the Burns family through his brother Michael's son and grandson - Mike wife was Mary Ann Carroll and he father was Thomas Joseph Carroll so the son was named "Tommy Joseph" (I believe Thomas but no documentation as yet) and the his son is Thomas Joseph.

Also the same with the name Boswell as a given name - It is an allied female Surname The use began as follows Boswell is a Surname

David's uncle took it as a middle name after he came to America a
David took also when he was naturalized in 1942 - the only others in the family to use "Boswell" as a Burns is

David's (1909) grandson Richard Boswell Burns father Rickey Allen Burns;
my son & David (1909) - David Boswell Burns
my grand son is Boswell Michael Burns & the Michael being the Maiden name of my sons wife Elizabeth "Liz" Michael

I am constantly having to defend the Burns research done by the Scottish Ancestry Research Society - as they want to add to it without proof and documentation. and not including more than that has been entered into GENI I have tried over the years to find new data but its been impossible - maybe one day I can afford to hire it out again or join Scotland's People.

At least I can actually say me and my children are related to the "Rabbie"

Well at least me and my  kids Susie and David  can  actually and factually claim to be related to the "Rabbie" ;-)  distantly

Robert "Rabbie" Burns is your 11th cousin 6 times removed.
Judi → Alvin Robert McKee your father → James Garfield (Jim) G McKee his father → Martha Ann Mckee (Dye) his mother → George Dye her father → John Ely Dye his father → John A. Dye, DAR his father → William Dey, Sr. his father → Anne Duyts (Browne) his mother → William Browne her father → Rev. Richard Browne his father → John Browne his father → Francis Browne his father → Anthony Browne his father → Francis Browne his father → Christopher Browne, Esq., of Stamford & Tolethorpe his father → John Browne, IV, of Stamford his father → John Browne, lll, of Stamford & Rutland his father →
→ George Broun/ Brown (Broun) his son → Richard Brown his son → Robert Brown his son → Sir John Brown his son → Johnne Brown his son → John Brown, I Priesthill his son → Thomas Brown his son → John 'Covenanter' Brown, "The Christian Carrier" his son → John Brown his son → Gilbert Broun (Brown) his son → Agnes Jean Burness (Brown) his daughter → Robert "Rabbie" Burns "The Poet" her son

Now it would actually be nice to see if the Burns Side connected to Robert "Rabbie" Burns "The Poet" since it is "pure Scotland" David & his father being born there.