Soldiers' lives

[Phoenix]

Roderick Fraser, a serjeant in the 66th regiment of foot, made his will in 1798, naming his wife Ann, who proved his will in 1810, and children David, Bridget and Roderick.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5111/images/40611_311026-00415?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=2bea09f62a698ea625eed212649d6fb3&pId=351746


Bridget married Edward Holland, of the 40th regiment of foot in 1803 in St Thomas Portsmouth when she was a minor, with consent of father:


https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FGBPRS%2FPORTSMOUTH%2F008064650%2F00 229&parentid=GBPRS%2FPORTSMOUTH%2FMAR%2F00098497%2F1


When Roderick was discharged from the army, aged 54, being worn out after 42 years service: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO121%2F0086%2F000_276&parentid=GBM%2FWO121%2F121026144 he said he had been born in Kiltarlity, near Inverness.


As he had joined as a boy aged about 12, he might have had a father also in the army. David was born in Ireland and son Roderick in the West Indies.


I cannot find Roderick senior's marriage, or what happened to Bridget after marriage.



Can anyone suggest where I should look?

[kiterunner]

There is a couple Edward and Bridget Holland on the 1841 census in Girton, Nottinghamshire:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8978/images/NTTHO107_861_862-0875?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=dNx102728&_phstart=successSource&pId=9214088

Both age 60, not born in county. Edward is a publican and there is a Samuel age 20, miller, also not born in county.

[kiterunner]

Never mind, they are probably the couple who married in Stapleford, Lincs, also in 1803.

[kiterunner]

Have you looked on FMP to see if they have any army papers for Edward Holland?

[kiterunner]

Also can you give any dates, such as approx when was Roderick sr born, and when his children were born, please?

[Phoenix]

Sorry. Roderick was born c 1754 in Inverness. I don't have baptisms for any of the children.
David born c 1782
Roderick junior is born c 1785
Bridget born c 1783-1785 if she is the middle child and a minor at marriage.

I do wonder if Ann is the mother of all the children: I'm impressed that three children apparently born close together all survived.

[kiterunner]

Roderick Fraser married Anne Mclinan 2 Feb 1776 at Urquhart and Logie Wester, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. I haven't found any baptisms for children of that couple on Scotland's People.

There are some children of a Rodrick Fraser baptised at Kiltarlity around 1797-1804 but the mother is called Christian. That Rodrick could be the one baptised in 1762, son of Alexander. There seem to have been a lot of Frasers at Kiltarlity. There was a David Fraser who had children baptised there in the 1740's but no son named Roderick comes up.

[Phoenix]

Bridget sounds an Irish rather than a Scottish name, so I wonder whether Roderick married while he was stationed in Ireland?

[kiterunner]

Some trees have your Bridget as this one, the mother of a Stephen Holland who was born about 1824 in London:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/MDXHO107_1525_1525-0515?pId=2899583

Maybe we can find Stephen's marriage to see whether his father's name was Edward or not.

[kiterunner]

Those trees also have Bridget as the one who died Oct-Dec 1867 Strand, London, age 78. I expect that death is the Bridget who was Stephen's mother, but as for whether she is your Bridget, still to be confirmed or not.

[maggie_4_7]

Snap I just found him with Bridget in 1851.

On that tree they have Bridget's mother as Ann Dann.

[Phoenix]

The surname might actually be Halloran for that family: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1841%2F0727%2F0109&parentid=GBC%2F1841%2F0008038882


In 1841, the family was James & Biddy, both born Ireland, Stephen and Martin.

[Phoenix]

Ann is buried as Ann, widow of Roderick Frazer, barracks serjeant, aged 85 in January 1825. https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=s2%2fgbprs%2fportsmouth%2f103772381%2f00 057

Either she was born in 1740, and had three healthy children in her forties, or her age at death was slightly (!) out, or she was a second wife.


I cannot see anything in those ancestry trees to substantiate Dann as a surname, but David's middle name is Gunn. Perhaps this is a mistranscription from a paper tree?

[maggie_4_7]

The surname might actually be Halloran for that family: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1841%2F0727%2F0109&parentid=GBC%2F1841%2F0008038882


In 1841, the family was James & Biddy, both born Ireland, Stephen and Martin.

So that tree may have some bits right but have mixed up Bridget''s family.

I spotted a Bridget Holland marrying in 1820s somewhere can''t remember where will have go look again later to see if it mentions widow.

[Phoenix]

As a soldier's daughter, it's entirely possible that Bridget followed the drum and died abroad. The 40th foot was involved in the Peninsula War.

[kiterunner]

Phoenix, I don't think you answered my earlier question - did you look on FMP for Edward Holland's army records?

[Phoenix]

I have the problem that there are over 600 references, and you cannot sort by regiment at that date.

[kiterunner]

Googling for Edward Holland 40th foot came up with a snippet from a book: "Sergeant Major Edward Holland of the 40th Foot was appointed an ensign and made adjutant; in 1812, he was promoted captain and given command of a..."

I can't get the full page to load to see the end of the sentence. Of course it might not be the same Edward Holland.

[maggie_4_7]

Doesn't tell you much other than he is alive Edward is mentioned in 1832

War Office
Memoranda

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000045%2f18320130%2f012&stringtohighlight=edward%20holland%2040th%20foot