2. FINDLAY-HANNAH: 1677–1909
by Alan Craig Download the PDF for this page (10.5 MB)
Note: To help with the following story, all names in purple are my direct ancestors. Any BLUE text [inside square brackets] has been inserted to provide additional information, or corrections to the records — that text did not form part of the original documents. Copies of all records are kept in the Cloud and can be made available to interested parties.
PART A: By the Banks of Loch Lomond
Bonhill, Dunbartonshire (1677–1725)
My paternal 3g-grandparents were John Craig and Rachel Hannah (Heny). John’s ancestors were descended from families in Rutherglen and Hamilton, but Rachel had lineage on her mother’s side that takes us back to families that lived and worked in farms and villages on the eastern side of Loch Lomond, and even earlier to farms in Dunbartonshire (to the south of the loch). Her father was John Hannah, a weaver — his background is essentially unknown, but he was probably Irish Catholic (more about him later). However, we can start Rachel’s family tree with a marriage at Bonhill in 1677:
1677 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Bonhill, Dunbartonshire 1Source: ALLAN, John & McALPIN, Kathren; 1677 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 493/ 10 305; Bonhill, Dunbartonshire.
June 12 1677
Allan & John Allan & Kathren NcAlpin
NcAlpin
This very simple entry in the Bonhill Parish register is one of only a handful of records we have for our family from the 17th century. The record is early enough for the female version of “Mac/Mc” (‘son of’) to be still in use: “Nic” or “Nc” is Gaelic for “daughter of”, and this marriage entry and the baptisms of three of their children are the only examples of its use in our family tree. The ‘McAlpin/MacAlpine’ name is a very old one in Scotland, going back to the 800s when Kenneth MacAlpin was King of the Dál Riadan Gaels and conqueror of the Picts (it’s doubtful, however, that we would be descendants of that royal family!).
Over the next 16 years, John and Kathren had at least four children: Janet (1687) and William (1684), both born at Auchencarroch farm; John (1686) born at Blairvault; and my 8g-grandmother, Margaret, born at Napierstown in 1693:
Napierston Farm c.1950
1693 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Bonhill, Dunbartonshire 2Source: ALLAN, Margaret; 1693 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 493/ 10 75; Bonhill, Dunbartonshire.
March 3
Margaret daughter to wright John Allan & Kathren
NcApin in Napierstown was baptised the child’s grand father John
Allan undertaking for the child. Witnesses Donald McAlpin &
Robert Allan.
This record has several interesting pieces of information. Firstly, we find out that John Allan was a “wright”, which in those days meant a ‘skilled woodworker’, and we also find out he had the same name as his father, which gives us another generation. Donald McAlpin and Robert Allan are likely to be Margaret’s uncles, as this was a common practice at baptisms. We are also given the place they now lived: “Napierston”. Like Auchencarroch and Blairvault, Napierston is a farm holding just north of Bonhill proper and within the parish (see the map here). These all lie less than 3 km (1.8 miles) south of Loch Lomond. Margaret was still living in the Bonhill parish when she married James Cunninghame in 1714:
1714 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Bonhill, Dunbatonshire 3Source: CUNNINGHAME, James & ALLAN, Margaret; 1714 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 493/ 10 361; Bonhill, Dunbartonshire.
Febr. 5
Cunninghame James Cunninghame in the parish of Kil-
& -maronock & Margaret Allan in this
Allan parish gave up their names to be proclaimed
in order to marriage. Married.
We know nothing of James Cunninghame, but he and Margaret had at least six children between 1715 and 1725, all of them at Bent Farm, which was about 10 km (6 miles) to the northeast in Kilmaronock parish. Although the parish entries are now almost unreadable, their children were: James (i) (Jan 1715); Janet (Nov 1715); Marie (1717); James (ii) (1719); John (1721; and Christian (1725). Like her mother, Christian (my 7g-grandmother) was the youngest child in the family:
1725 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Kilmaronock, Dunbartonshire 4Source: CUNNINGHAME, Christen; 1725 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 497/ 10 82; Kilmaronock, Dunbartonshire.
[Novr. 4]
James Cunninghame & Margaret
Allan had a Lawfull Daughter Baptd
Called Christen.
Parish of Buchanan, Stirlingshire (1725–1800)
When Christian Cunninghame married Archibald [2] McNicol, a blacksmith, in 1752, she moved to his home village of Buchanan in Stirlingshire. Archibald had been born there in 1725:
1725 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 5Source: McNICOLL, Archibald [2]; 1725 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 474/ 10 154; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
March 2 . 1725 Arcd. [1] McNicoll
at Buchanan and Jean Bryce spouses had a son baptized
called Archibald.
Kirk of Buchanan. Built in 1764 to replace the older church.
I haven’t been able to find a record of his parent’s marriage, but I assume it is likely to have been in Drymen, Stirlingshire, around 1721, because that’s where Jean Bryce and Archibald [1] McNicol had their first child, Daniel, in 1753. Archibald [2] was their second child, and like his four younger siblings, he was born at the Kirk of Buchanan (picture right), and his father seems to have worked at the Kirk given the occupations recorded for the various witnesses to these births. As mentioned above, he married in 1752 (exactly 197 years before I was born!):
1725 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 6Source: McNICOL, Archibald [2] & CUNNINGHAM, Christian; 1752 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 474/ 20 121; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Novr. 18th 1752
Archibald [2] McNicol in this parish & Christian
Cunningham in the parish of Kilmaronock
Listed their names to be proclaimed in order to marriage.
The Buchanan Smithy.
Archibald [2] and Christian moved about a bit before settling back at the Kirk of Buchanan. They had at least six children between 1753 and 1765, and their first child, William (1753), was born at Buchanan Smithy (pictured left), 2.5 km (1.5 miles) east of the Kirk; however, their second child, James (1755), was born 10 km (6 miles) northeast at Borland Farm. The next four children were born back at the Kirk of Buchanan, the first of these being my 6g-granny Jean (1758); then Archibald [3] (1762); Margaret (1763); and Anne (1765).
Nothing else is known of their lives, and there is no record of ‘McNicol’ burials at the Kirk. However, when Jean McNicol married in 1775, she introduced another major branch to my paternal lineage: the McFarlane family.
McFARLANE of Cashel Farm, Loch Lomond
As we saw above, Jean McNicol was born in 1758 …
1758 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 7Source: McNICOL, Jean; 1758 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 474/ 10 310; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Janr. 15th 1758
Archibald [2] McNicol at Buchanan and Christian
Cunningham spouses had a lawfull Daughter
Baptized called Jean. Witnesses Archibald [1] McNicol
& John McKoune in Borland.
… and her future husband was born a few years earlier at Cashel Farm, which lies a bit over 5 km (3 miles) northwest of Buchanan, overlooking the east bank of Loch Lomond:
1753 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 8Source: McFARLANE, Andrew; 1753 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 474/ 10 292; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Novr. 2d 1753
Robert Mcfarlane in Cashel, Janet Hunter
Spouses had a Lawful Son Baptized called Andrew
witnesses Andrew Mcfarlane in Solochy & Humphrey
Sagen in Blair.
Andrew’s father, however, was working a bit further north along the loch at Blairvockie Farm when he married Janet Hunter in 1733 (this is still 12 years before Bonnie Prince Charlies’ Jacobite Rebellion):
1733 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 9Source: McFARLAN, Robert & HUNTAR, Janet; 1733 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 474/ 20 95; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Married at Blarvoc- | Also the sd day Robert Mcfarlan in Blairvockie and Janet
-kie decemr 3 | Huntar alias Campbell gave up yr names to be proclaimed in order
1733 | to marriage both parishioners.
This couple’s first two children, Anna (1735) and Walter (1736) were born at Blairvockie, and from Anna’s baptismal record we discover that Robert had a brother Andrew working at Craigenturie (on the opposite side of Loch Lomond). Walter’s witnesses include a Malcom Hunter (possibly an uncle), and someone from Half Merk, near Balmaha. The four remaining children were all born at Cashel Farm: Katherine (1739); Malcolm (1741); Janet (1744); and my 6g-grandfather Andrew (see above).
Nothing else is known of the family until Andrew McFarlane married Jean McNicol in 1775:
1775 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 10Source: McFARLANE, Andrew & McNICOL, Jean; 1775 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 474/ 20 184; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Decr. 16th 1775
Andrew McFarlane & Jean
McNicol both in this parish gave
up their Names to be proclaimed
in order to marriage. – – | £ | 8s | d
Present-day Cashel Farm looking west to Loch Lomond (Luss can just be seen over Inchlonaig).
Between 1776 and 1800, Andrew and Jean were to have at least 10 children, all of them born at Cashel Farm: Christian (1766); Duncan (i) (1778); Archibald (1778); Jean (1781); Duncan (ii) (1782); Agnes (1785); James (1787); Janet (1790); Andrew (1793); and Margaret (1800). As you can see, my 5g-granny Christian was, for a change, the first-born child of the family:
1776 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 11Source: McFARLANE, Christian; 1776 Scotland O.P.R. Births, 474/ 10 350, Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
Decr. 19th 1776
| Andrew Mcfarlane & Jean McNicol spouses in Cashill
Christen | had a Daughter Baptized called Christian
As with all her younger siblings, there was no information regarding witnesses, so we know nothing more until Christian married in 1794:
1794 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 12Source: FINLAY, David & McFARLANE, Christian; 1794 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 474/ 20 217; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
febr. 22. 1794 David Finlay & Christian Mcfarlane both in this parish gave
up their Names for proclamation in order to marriage on two Sabbaths
FINDLAY Connections
David [2] Findlay was one of five children born to David [1] Findlay and Ann Stevenson. Their first child, Alexander (1763), was born in Hillhead, Kirkintilloch. The next two were both called Ann (1767 & 1768), so obviously the first one had died, and the name re-used for the third child. Both of these girls were born at Falkirk in east Stirlingshire. By the time our David was born, the family had moved to the parish of Old Kilpatrick in Dunbartonshire:
1770 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire 13Source: FINDLAY, David; 1770 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms, 501/ 20 99, Old or West Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire.
David Son L to David [1] Findlay and Ann Stevenson born
Septr 20 Baptized 23. They live at Dunnoter Iron Works
“Dunnoter” should have read “Dalnottar”, and these Iron Works were established in Duntocher in 1769 by Glasgow merchants, the name being taken from an earlier works at Dalnottar in Old Kilpatrick. They made a wide range of agricultural implements and small tools including hammers, chisels, spades and axes, mainly for export to America. David [1] and Ann were still there in 1772 when their last child, John, was born.
Somehow, David [2] had made his way to Buchanan by 1794, because that’s where he was when he married Christian McFarlane (see above). They had four daughters, the first being my 4g-grandmother Catherine Findlay, who was born at Gartincaber, just north of the Milton of Buchanan:
1794 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Buchanan, Stirlingshire 14Source: FINLAY, Cathrine; 1794 Scotland O.P.R. Births; 474/ 10 370; Buchanan, Stirlingshire.
October 10th. 1794. David Finlay and Christian
Mcfarlane Spouses in Gartincaber had a la[w]ful
Daughter Baptized Called Cathrine.
The second daughter was Christian (1802), born at the Spittal of Drumakill, just north of Drymen village, while Jean (1805) and Margaret (1807) were born at Dalnair, a few hundred meters south-east of the village. David was obviously working on farms in the district. The story for this family will now follow the daughter Catherine, who lived into the time of Scottish statutory and census records, and whose own daughter connects directly to my Craig ancestors. The only other information we have of David [2] Findlay is that his daughter Christian married Duncan Turner in 1827, and we find from their marriage record that David was already deceased, and had been working as a weaver at Gartness:
1827 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Drymen, Stirlingshire 15Source: Findlay, Christian & Turner, Duncan; 1827 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 477/ 20 113; Drymen, Stirlingshire.
Duncan Turner Servant at Gartness in the Parish of Killearn and Christian Findlay
daughter of the deceased David [2] Findlay late weaver at Gartness in this Parish,
listed for proclamation of Banns this 8th of Decr. 1827
PART B: I BELONG to GLASGOW
Findlay, Hannah and Craig connections (1826–1909)
Sometime before about 1826, Catherine Findlay moved from the Loch Lomond district to the booming metropolis of Glasgow. We originally discovered that she hailed from Buchanan, Stirlingshire, from the 1851 census, when she was already a widow with three adult children and two grandchildren. Finding that census record (and, later, the births of her children) required some deep research and, in the end, some luck. It didn’t help that we already knew our Craig family in Rutherglen had strong connections with another, but unrelated, Catherin Findlay, so the original search for our Catherine started completely in the wrong direction — but more about that later.
What we were eventually established from her children’s death records was that Catherine had married a John Hannah, weaver, probably around 1827 (before their first child was born), but we have never found any records for him. As you will soon see, John Hannah must have died somewhere between 1833 (birth of his third child) and the 1851 census, in which Catherine declares she is a widow — and, despite valiant efforts, we have never found any members of that family in the 1841 census. To add to our research difficulties, we had to contend with several spelling variations of the name ‘Hannah’: Heny, Hanna, Haney, Henie, and even Kinny (which turned out was an indexing error for Henny!) However, it was a serendipitous wildcard search that discovered the 1851 census for our Catherine and her three children:
1851 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 7 Burn Road, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire 16Source: HANNA, Cathrin [Findlay]; 1851 Scotland Census; 654/ 5/ 2; Rutherglen, Lanarkshire.
Cathrin Hanna [Findlay]; Head; Widow; 57; born Buchanan, Stirlingshire
Rachal Hanna [Craig]; Daur; Mar.; 24; Factory Weaver; born Tradeston, Glasgow
Catrin Hanna; Daur.; Unm.; 16; Factory Weaver; born Tradeston, Glasgow
Mathew Houston; Lodger; Unm.; 21; Labourer Coal work; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thos. [4] Craig; Orphant [?]; 1; Parochial Relief; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Edw. Harrigan; Lodger; 10; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Harrigan; Lodger; 5; Parochial Relief; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Sarah Harrigan; Lodger; 3; Parochial Relief; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Agnes Crawford; Lodger; 9; Scholar; Parochial Relief; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Name;James Crawford; Lodger; 8; Scholar; Parochial Relief; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
//
David Hanna; Head; Mar.; 22; Labourer; born Tradeston, Glasgow
Mary Hanna [Houston]; Wife; Mar.; 22; born Kilbride, Lanarkshire
John Hanna; Child; 11 months; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Bingo! This document is one of the most providential and informative records I have for this family — it gave me a number of important clues that led to other amazing discoveries — but first: what about married Rachal’s husband? Where is he on census night? Well, it turns out he was further along the street with his parents and six siblings:
1851 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 15 Cathcart Street, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire 17Source: CRAIG, Thomas [3]; 1851 Scotland Census; 654/ 5/ 14; Rutherglen, Lanarkshire.
Thomas [3] Craig; Head; Mar.; 58; Quarry man; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Margaret Craig [Campbell]; Wife; Mar.; 56; born Partick, Renfrewshire
Archibald Craig; Son; Unm.; 27; Labourer; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
John Craig; Son; Mar.; 25; Carter; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Agnes Craig; Daur.; Unm.; 21; Power-loom Weaver; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Mary Craig; Daur.; Unm.; 18; Power-loom Weaver; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
William Craig; Son; Unm.; 16; Servant; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Robert Craig; Son; Unm.; 14; Servant; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 8; School; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Jean Craig; Grand Daur.; 9; School; born Kilbride, Lanarkshire
So, what’s going on here!? Well, Burn Road was basically just an extension of Cathcart Street, so these families were living within yards of each other. Just why Rachel and baby Thomas [4] were with her mother while the husband, John, was with his parents on census night is open for suggestion — perhaps they’d had a tiff! Who knows? But Rachel and John had only been married for nine months, and had married three months after the birth of their first child, Thomas [4] (my great-great-grandfather) — these records tell that story:
1850 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Rutherglen, Lanarkshire 18Source: CRAIG, John & HENY [Hannah], Rachel; 1850 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 654/ 40 161; Rutherglen, Lanarkshire.
John Craig and Rachel Heny both of this Parish
were thrice several Sabbaths lawfully proclaimed in the
Parish Church here in order to marriage and no objections
offered and married at Rutherglen the 21st day of June 1850
by the Rev Peter Brown, Minister of Rutherglen
1850 SCOTLAND KIRK SESSIONS: Rutherglen, 30 June 19Source: CRAIG, John & HENY, Rachel; 1850 Rutherglen Kirk Sessions; CH2/ 315/7–185.
Voluntarily compeared John Craig and Rachel Heny Spouses and acknowledged
themselves to have been guilty of the Sin of Antenuptial fornication, the Session
being satisfied with their signs of Contrition agreed that they be rebuked and absolved which
was done accordingly by the Moderator, and also agree that their Child be baptized.
1850 SCOTLAND O.P.R. BAPTISMS: Rutherglen, Lanarkshire 20Source: CRAIG, Thomas [4]; 1850 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms, 654/ 30 413, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire.
John Craig labourer residing in Rutherglen and
married to Rachael Heny had a lawful Son their
1st child, born the 14th March 1850 & baptised the 30th June
Named Thomas [4]
So, baby Thomas [4] was born 14th March, but his parents weren’t married till the 21st of June. They confessed their guilt to having had pre-marital sex and were absolved of the sin by the Church on the 30th of June, and were then allowed to baptise wee Thomas on the same day … well, thank goodness for that! So, let’s get back to the 1851 census records above:
We can see that two families lived at 7 Burn Street: Cathrin Hanna with two daughters, a lodger, and six children; and, in the same house, David Hanna with his wife and a baby. It didn’t take long to discover that David was also a child of Cathrine’s, and his wife was Mary Houston, who was only 16 when he married her in 1849. Presumably, Mathew Houston, the lodger, was a brother to David’s wife. The two daughters were Rachel (now married to John Craig with a baby Thomas [4] ), and 16-year-old Catrin (Catherine), who didn’t marry until 1856.
So, who are the other five children, all receiving “parochial relief”. Well, after some research, it seems these were orphaned children, and we might guess that Cathrin was running a ‘foster home’ for parish orphans, or something of that ilk — and was she claiming her grandson Thomas as an orphan for additional parish funds? Hmm? However, the information that Cathrin was 57 and born in Buchanan, Stirlingshire, gave us the clue that led to the discovery of all the records in the first part of this story — without that, we would would never have known about our McAlpin, Allan, McNicol, McFarlane and Findlay connections.
The “Hannah” children
So, having the names of Cathrine Findlay’s three children, you would assume it would be easy to find their baptisms and her marriage — but in genealogy, you can often be gazumped by assumptions. Knowing the ages for Rachel, Catherine and David, I spent hours searching the old Church of Scotland parish records using every wildcard trick I could imagine. I looked for surnames (for example, with “H*n*a*” or “H*a*”) in Glasgow, Stirlingshire, Dunbartonshire, and eventually everywhere in Scotland — but nothing! After six generations of her family having a baptismal record for every child, did Catherine Findlay not baptise her own!? I had hit the infamous ‘brick wall of genealogy’ … or had I?
Staring forlornly at my search page on ScotlandsPeople, my eye suddenly focussed on three check boxes on the form I had never previously used: ‘Church of Scotland’; ‘Roman Catholic Church’; ‘Other Churches’. Every Scottish parish record I had ever found for my family (and Robyn’s) had been a Church of Scotland record — we had always been good Scottish Presbyterian stock, right!? But ‘Hanna’ … that sounds kinda Irish, no? Perhaps I should try the Catholic records … nothing to lose … and with a few more wildcards — bingo!
1827 SCOTLAND R.C. BAPTISMS: St Andrews, Glasgow 21Source: HANEY [Hannah], Rachel; 1827 Catholic Registers of Births & Baptisms; MP 62 1 2 2 110; Glasgow St Andrews.
Rachel
lawfuldaughter of John Heney & Catherine Finlay born on
the 1st Janry 1827 was baptized by me on this 7th day of Febry 1827.
The sponsors were Thomas McNoch & Rachel Heney. Jas Kyle
Almost the first thing to note from Rachel’s baptismal record is that the word “lawful” had been written in and then crossed out — probably indicating that the priest discovered her parents were not yet married (more ante-nuptial fornication, I’m afraid!). Also of note is that one of the sponsors was also a “Rachel Heney”, and likely to be John’s mother.
St Andrew’s Catholic Church, Glasgow c.1890. It was the first place for Glasgow’s Catholics.
St Andrew’s Catholic Cathedral is in Clyde Street, Glasgow, just north of the Clyde River. It was completed only 11 years before Rachel was born, and met some resistance (including sabotage) from Protestant Glaswegians during its construction. However, congregations from other Christian denominations donated money for its completion in a gesture of ecumenism, and it was raised to cathedral status in 1884. Further wildcard searching in the St Andrew records found Catherine’s second child:
1829 SCOTLAND R.C. BAPTISMS: St Andrews, Glasgow 22Source: Henie [Hannah], David; 1829 Catholic Registers of Births & Baptisms; MP 62 1 2 2 312; Glasgow St Andrews.
David son of John Henie & Catherine Finlay born 29th Decr. 1828
was baptized by me on this 24th day of April 1829.
The godmother was Jane McMahon. Jas Kyle
The third child was found by another researcher (distant cousin), and how he found her is a mystery, as it was incorrectly indexed under “Kinny” :
1833 SCOTLAND R.C. BAPTISMS: St Andrews, Glasgow 23Source: Kinny [Henny/Hannah], Catherine; 1833 Catholic Registers of Births & Baptisms; MP 62 1 2 3 300; Glasgow St Andrews.
Catherine daughter of John Henny and Catherine Findly born on the
1st. Oct. 1833 was baptized by me on the 21st. Nov. 1833. Sponsor
Margaret Burns. Peter Forbes
So, I had Catholic ancestors in my paternal line after all (and, of course, there are my Lithuanian forebears from my mother’s side) — and I learnt some useful lessons about doing family research. However, despite their Catholic baptisms, all three ‘Hannah’ siblings went on to marry in Presbyterian churches, and all their children born before the introduction of statutory records (1855) were baptised in the Kirk — and by the 1860s, the whole family had adopted ‘Hannah’ as the preferred spelling of their surname. Presumably, John Hannah was Catholic (probably Irish), and although he had married a woman with a Protestant lineage, had wanted his children baptised in his faith; this is not an uncommon situation in families by any means. This is all we know about John Hannah, and hopefully, one day, I will find his family records in Irish registers.
The 1861 Census, and two final curtains
We saw above that Rachel Heny [Hannah] married John Craig in 1850, but her brother, David, had married Mary Houston the previous year — both in Rutherglen, and both in the Church of Scotland.
The younger sister, Catherine, had tied the knot with Thomas Stewart in March 1856, and their only child, George, was born in September — and those three were living with her mother in 1861:
1861 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 15 Sydney Street, Calton, Glasgow 24Source: HANNAH [Findlay], Catherine; 1861 Scotland Census; 644/2 76/ 10 ; Calton, Glasgow.
Catherine Hannah [Findlay]; Head; Widow; 66; born Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire
Thomas Stewart; Son-in-law; Mar.; 32; Labourer; born Ireland
Catherine Stewart [Hannah]; Daur.; Mar.; 27; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
George Stewart; Grandson; Unm.; 4; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Catherine Hannah was given here as being born in “Dunbartonshire”, but we know from earlier records it was Buchanan in Stirlingshire. The eldest daughter, meanwhile, was living with her growing family on Glasgow’s notorious south side:
1861 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 73 Commercial Road, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 25Source: CRAIG, John; 1861 Scotland Census; 644/10 5/ 7 & 8; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
John Craig; Head; Mar.; 36; Carter; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Wife; Mar; 36; Carter’s Wife; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thomas [4] Craig; Son; Unm.; 11; Scholar; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
John Craig; Son; Unm.; 8; Scholar; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Archibald Craig; Son; Unm.; 6; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Catherine Craig; Daur; 4; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
William Craig; Son; 2; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
However, for both Catherine and her son-in-law John Craig, the 1861 census would be their last. Catherine died of bronchitis just before Christmas in 1867, and John less than a year later; he died of a heart-attack only two-and-a-half years after his last child, David, was born:
1867 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: High Church, Glasgow 26Source: HANNAH [Findlay], Catherine; 1867 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/2 1912; High Church, Glasgow.
Catherine Hannah,
Widow of John Hannah, Cotton Weaver
—
died: 12th December 1867 (2:00 am) age: 64 years
at: 15 Sydney Street, Glasgow
—
father: David Findlay, Cotton Weaver (deceased)
mother: Catherine Findlay M.S. McFarlane (deceased)
—
cause: Sub Acute Bronchitis doctor: James Smellie M.D.
informant: David Hannah, his x mark, son
1868 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Hutchesontown, Glasgow 27Source: CRAIG, John; 1868 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/10 1267; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
John Craig, Carter,
Married to Rachel Hannah
—
died: 28th November 1868 (2:00 am) age: 42 years
at: 43 McNeil Street, Glasgow
—
father: Thomas [3] Craig, Quarrier (deceased)
mother: Margaret Craig M.S. Campbell
—
cause: Heart Disease. Suddenly doctor: Not Certified
informant: Thomas [4] Craig, Son
The Final Years (1871–1908)
When John Craig died, he left Rachel a widow with six children still at home. The eldest, Thomas, had married Sarah Norwood and was, at that time, living with her widowed mother at 115 High Street, Blackfriars. You can read the Norwood story here. Rachel had moved to 45 McNeil Street, and was to spend the next 40-odd years at that address. The following census records show some of the comings and goings of her children and grandchildren:
1871 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 45 McNeil Street, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 28Source: CRAIG, Rachel [Hannah]; 1871 Scotland Census; 644/10 9/ 4; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Head; Widow; 46; Housekeeper; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
John Craig; Son; Unm.; 19; Cotton Dyer; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Archibald Craig; Son; Unm.; 17; Printer’s Assist.; born Camlachie, Lanarkshire
Catherine Craig; Daur.; 15; Yarn Lacer; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Wm. Craig; Son; 13; Message Boy; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Craig; Daur.; 8; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 5; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
1881 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 45 McNeil Street, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 29Source: Thomas [4]; 1881 Scotland Census; 644/11 51/ 4 & 5; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Thomas [4] Craig; Head; Mar.; 31; Brass Finisher; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Sarah Craig [Norwood]; Wife; Mar.; 30; born Ireland
James Craig; Son; 9; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
John Craig; Son; 6; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thomas [ii] Craig; Son; 4½; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 2½; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Rebecca Craig; Daur.; 2 months; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
//
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Head; Widow; 55; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Archibald Craig; Son; Unm.; 27; General Labourer; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Catherine [Kate] Craig; Daur.; Unm; 24; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Craig; Daur.; Unm.; 18; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 14; Van Driver; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
William Devlin; Boarder; Unm.; 23; Shoemaker; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
James Tracey; Boarder; Unm.; 25; Engine Fitter; born Govan, Lanarkshire
1891 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 45 McNeil Street, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 30Source: CRAIG, Rachel [Hannah]; 1891 Scotland Census; 644/11 65/ 6 ; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Head; Widow; 66; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Kate Craig; Daur.; Unm.; 34; Cotton Warper; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Cronin [Craig]; Daur.; Mar.; 28; Kitchen woman; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Rachel Cronin; Grand Daur.; 6; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Daniel Cronin; Grandson; 5; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Kate Cronin; Grand Daur.; 3; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
1901 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 45 McNeil Street, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 31Source: CRAIG, Rachel [Hannah]; 1901 Scotland Census; 644/11 60/ 8; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Head; Widow; 75; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Kate Craig; Daur.; Single; 44; Theatre Asst. (worker); born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thomas [4] Craig; Son; Mar.; 51; Brassfinisher (worker); born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; Widower; 34; Iron Planer; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Rachel Cronin; Grand Daur.; Single; 16; Pastry Packer; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Grandson; 6; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Craig; Grand Daur.; 2; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
When Rachel headed for the Pearly Gates, she had been a widow for a month short of 41 years, and had never remarried. Her death certificate had been the first place in our research to reveal her parents, and all other records we found by working back from this information:
1909 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Hutchesontown, Glasgow 32Source: CRAIG [Hannah], Rachel; 1909 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/15 611; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Rachel Craig,
Widow of John Craig, Carter
—
died: 26th October 1909 (4:55 am) age: 81 years
at: 393 Rutherglen Road, Glasgow
—
father: John Hannah, Handloom Weaver (deceased)
mother: Catherine Hannah M.S. Finlay (deceased)
—
cause: Carcinoma of Liver doctor: J. Alexander Aiken M.B.C.M.
informant: Catherine [Kate] Craig, Daughter (present)
The children of John Craig & Rachel Hannah
John Craig and Rachel Hannah were married for only 18 years when he died of heart problems aged 44. Between 1850 and 1866, this couple had seven children, all of whom survived childhood, but two of them pre-deceased their mother:
Thomas [4] Craig (1850–1932) — is my great-great-grandfather, and he married Sarah Norwood in 1870. His family lived with Sarah’s widowed mother to begin with, but as you can see from the 1881 census, they had moved to Hutchesontown on the south-side. Thomas and Sarah separated sometime after 1891 and never reunited. Their story is partly told in the Norwood saga, but Sarah died in 1922 and Thomas in 1932. They had six children, two dying young: Thomas (i) (1870–1874); James (1871–1949); John (1873–1951); Thomas (ii) (1876–1961); David (1878–1938); and Rebecca (1881–1882).
John Craig (1851–1928) — was a slotting machine mechanic and married a twice widowed Margaret Morrison in 1879. They had no children of their own, and lived most of their lives in and around Glasgow. Margaret, who had been born in Thurso, Caithness, died in 1919, but John lived for another nine years and died of heart and lung problems at the Powfoulis Home in Airth, Stirlingshire, many miles east of his native Glasgow.
Archibald Craig (1854–1886) — had been a printer’s assistant, a labourer, and a lamplighter. He never married and died of pneumonia at the family home in 45 McNeil Street. Archibald was just 32, and only his father had pre-deceased him.
Catherine “Kate” Craig (1856–1934) — for most of her 78 years, Kate had been a cotton or yarn weaver, but in the 1901 census, she was a theatre assistant. She never married, and had mostly lived with her mother till 1909. Kate took care of her brother David’s two orphaned children, and was living with them at 351 South Wellington Road in 1911. At the 1921 census, Kate was a patient at the Stoneyetts Institution in Moodiesburn, at that time mostly treating people with epilepsy. She died at 63 Rosebery Street of cardiac failure in December 1934, having outlived all her brothers. She left her estate of £143 to her married niece, Margaret McLeod (David’s daughter).
William Craig (1858–1914) — had been a message boy, a printfield labourer, and a grocery vanman in his 56 years. He married Margaret Cruickshanks on New Year’s Eve 1879, and they had four children at Hutchesontown between 1880 and 1892. He was living near his mother at 60 McNeil Street when he died of bone cancer in November 1914. His wife, Margaret, outlived him by more than 29 years, and was 84 when she died of heart disease at Rutherglen in 1944.
Margaret “Maggie” Craig (1863–1959) — outlived all her siblings by quite some margin. She married Irish-born John Cronin in 1882, and they had eight children between then and 1902. John had been a steamship stoker, and was presumably at sea in 1891 when Margaret and three of her children were living at 45 McNeil Street. By 1901, the Cronin family were living at Falkirk, but were back at 12 South York Street in 1911, John now a soap salesman. World War One came, and John became a Chief Petty Officer on HMS Princess Irene, a minesweeper. However, in May 1915, the ship exploded off Sheerness, near the Thames Estuary, and John was killed. In 1921, the war-widowed Margaret was living at 115 Thistle Street in the Gorbals with just one daughter, but she died on the Island of Rothesay, Bute, in 1959, aged 95.
David Craig (1854–1886) — was an iron planer, and married an Irish lass, Susan Trew, in 1887. This couple had three children, the first dying when only one. Sadly, Susan died of a stroke in 1899; she was only 30 years of age. Widower David and his two surviving children were living with Rachel in 1901, but things went from bad to worse when he died the following year of fluid on the lungs (pulmonary oedema), leaving two orphaned children: David (1894–1973) and Margaret (1898–1976). After Rachel died, the children lived with their aunt Kate. His daughter, Margaret, married John McLeod in 1927, and eventually moved to Ontario, Canada in 1957.
See the relevant maps (maps open in new browser tabs):
- Dunbartonshire and Clyde Estuary
- Strathclyde – Argyll & Bute
- Northern Lanarkshire
- Glasgow City
- Hutchesontown (Gorbals)
- Rutherglen (Glasgow)
- Craig Migrations
References
I would love to put this all on a big enough wall to look at it in one flowing line. Does any of these craigs to america?