Mysterious Rachel and father Robert Wilson

[Nanny Ann]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me or point me in the right direction.
I'm looking for a birth record and parents or siblings of Robert Wilson born abt 1817/18 in Auchtermuchty, Fife, Scotland.

Spouse Barbara Hall Robertson Sanderson (Saunderson) born abt 1817 in Penycuik, Midlothian. Robert and Barbara married in Angus, Dundee on 27 September 1839. (A blacksmith at the time of his marriage)

Next appears in Crieff where some of his children were born
Ann Elizabeth 1841 Crieff
John Wilson 1843 Crieff
Rachel 1844 Crieff, not heard of after 1861 Census in Stornoway
William 1846 Crieff
Campbell Reid Watt 1850 Stornoway
Andrew 1853 Stornoway
Christiana 1855 Stornoway
Annie M.P Stornoway
David W 1860 Stornoway
Robert was in Stornoway from 1848 became manager of the Gasworks in 1851, still manager in 1861 and 1871.
The family moved to Middlesbrough abt 1873 all except John who was in London and Rachel who seems to have disappeared. Searched for Rachel without any success. The women in the Wilson family have connection with school teaching. Any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Ann

[Mary from Italy]

You'll need to buy some credits on ScotlandsPeople so that you can download the marriage details, which should include the names of both spouses' parents. Search under "Old Parish Registers" for the marriage.

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

[kiterunner]

The marriage might not give any parents' details as it is an OPR. Sometimes it will give the name of the bride's father but not usually the groom's.

[Mary from Italy]

A Rachel D Wilson of about the right age, born Crieff, is entered twice on the 1871 census: once living alone in Kintail and once visiting the McIntye family at the Manse in Lochalsh. In both cases her occupation is schoolmistress. Can't see her after that, but you could search ScotlandsPeople for a marriage or death from 1871 onwards.

[Mary from Italy]

The marriage might not give any parents' details as it is an OPR. Sometimes it will give the name of the bride's father but not usually the groom's.

Oh sorry, I didn't realise that.

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has the baptism of a Barbara Robertson Sanderson 4 Jan 1817 at Penicuik, parents William Sanderson and Ann Ballantyne. So if that is her, and if there are no early children missing from your list, and if Robert and Barbara followed the usual Scottish naming pattern for their children, Robert's parents should be called John and Rachel. or possibly John and Elizabeth. But I can't see a baptism to fit with this at the moment.

[Mary from Italy]

A Rachel Dick Wilson married Robert Dixon in Middlesbrough in 1876:

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

http://www.teesvalley-indexes.co.uk/search_records.php?step=spouse&ref=M-27-003-0-0039

I haven't found them yet in 1881, but they're in Lofthouse, Yorkshire in 1891. That Rachel was born in Scotland, but it doesn't give her occupation. One of their children is called Barbara.

They're still in Lofthouse in 1901; Robert and children are still there in 1911, but he's widowed, Rachel Dick Dixon having died in 1908.

[Mary from Italy]

I've found Robert Dixon and wife in 1881 now; they're in Lofthouse, and she's listed as Rebecca D Dixon. She's a teacher, born in Scotland, so I would think there's a possibility that she might be the Rachel you're looking for, in view of the Middlesbrough connection.

[Nanny Ann]

Hello everyone, spent a small fortune on Scotland's peopl. The marriage record for Robert and Barbara had no parents recorded. I did see the 1871 census records for Rachael in Stornoway but was confused by what appeared to be 2 records for the same person??

Do you have the census numbers for Rachael and Robert Nixon? Is the Lofthouse in east, West or North Yorkshire??
Many thanks to everyone for your help.
Ann

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has the marriage of a John Wilson to a Rachel Dick 27 Jun 1802 at Auchtermuchty, Fife. I bet they are Robert's parents!

[Nanny Ann]

Kiteriunner I am so excited!! I will follow this up. Thank you so much. Ann

[Mary from Italy]

I did see the 1871 census records for Rachael in Stornoway but was confused by what appeared to be 2 records for the same person??


This does happen occasionally; she was probably staying at the Manse on census night and they included her in their form, not knowing that she'd already filled one in for her own address.

Do you have the census numbers for Rachael and Robert Nixon?

1881: Piece: 4838, Folio: 9, Page Number: 11
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&MS_AdvCB=1&db=uki1881&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=reb*&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=dixon&gsln_x=XO&msbdy=1844&msbdy_x=1&dbOnly=_F00027B9|_F00027B9_x%2c_F0003039|_F0003039 _x%2c_F000303A|_F000303A_x%2c_83004006|_83004006_x %2c_F00032DB|_F00032DB_x&uidh=yc2&msbdp=5&pcat=35&fh=21&h=26415019&recoff=&ml_rpos=22

1891: Piece: 3997, Folio: 6, Page Number: 5
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1891&indiv=try&h=1137796

1901: Piece: 4564, Folio: 10, Page Number: 11
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1901&indiv=try&h=29037602

1911: Registration District Number: 534, Sub-registration district: Loftus, Piece: 29152
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1911England&indiv=try&h=37309085

Is the Lofthouse in east, West or North Yorkshire??

It's the one in the Guisborough registration district near Middlesbrough, also known as Loftus.

[Mary from Italy]

This is Rachel's death:

Deaths Mar 1908
Dixon Rachel Dick 59 Guisbro' 9d 350

Can't see an entry for her in the probate calendar.

[Mary from Italy]

This is Robert's death, and he did leave a will, which might be interesting to get:

Deaths Dec 1920
DIXON Robert 71 Guisbro' 9d 534

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1904/31874_222659-00106/1771463?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dONSDeath93%26r ank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26 gss%3dms_db%26gsfn%3drob*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dd ixon%26gsln_x%3dXO%26msbdy%3d1849%26msbdy_x%3d1%26 dbOnly%3d_F00056EC%257c_F00056EC_x%26dbOnly%3d_F00 05906%257c_F0005906_x%26uidh%3dyc2%26msbdp%3d2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

The executor was his son William Robert Dixon, bank accountant.

[Nanny Ann]

I have found all the census records, thank you Mary. Finding Rachel has found the missing links. It would be great if Roberts parents are indeed John Wilson and Rachel Dick. Once again many thanks. Ann

[Nanny Ann]

Mary, thank you for the information on the deaths and I will check the probate records. Ann

[Nanny Ann]

Hello again, same family this time it is
William Wilson born in Crieff, abt 1846
Appears in the 1851 and 1861 census records from Stornoway
1871 he is a lodger in the McKenzie household in Larnarkshire Occupation Ships Carpenter
1881 Wiliam is visiting his sister and her family in Kinning Park, Glasgow same occupation
After this I can find no record, I have searched for ships etc and maybe he was away at sea on the night of 1891 cencus. No luck on the 1901 cencus or a death record. Can anyone he lp please?? Thank you, Ann