Matheson-Ewing-Plowman-Steven

[Monk]

I am trying to build a family tree but I cannot get very far as quite alot have passed away. Please look below and if you know of any siblings, parents, grand parents or children please let me know. I have my family names below.

(William Matheson-Muriel Plowman-Sheona Matheson-Marc MacDonald), (James Lyon Steven-Julie Plowman-James Lyon Steven-Douglas Steven), (Alex Matheson, Doris Durrand), (Alistair MacDonald-Marion/Morag MacCeachron-Alexander MacDonald-Colin MacDonald-David MacDonald), Colin MacDonald-Calum MacDonald-Iain MacDonald)

[htwood]

Hi Monk,
Approx which years are you looking for? I have a William Matheson in Spittal in 1834, but perhaps that is too far back in time. Thanks, H

[Monk]

My Grandfather was born in 1932 and he passed away in 1974.

Thanks for the reply

[marionq]

Monk, can I suggest that you are making the classic mistake in genealogy of jumping too far and too fast.

Start with yourself, your parents, your grandparents - build up a tree of birth marriage and death dates and places. Each marriage and death certificate will give you the next step to go to. Plan it out - lay it out - look at which strand you are going to follow first.

Use the IGI indexes once you get back into the 19th Century and if you can afford it use the scotlandpeople website to fill in the gaps that the IGI and Freecen which are both free, cannot tell you.

At this stage you will have a clearer picture of what it is you know and what is missing. Instead of giving people a battery of names to unravel you will then have probably a few strands outstanding which of course will then lead you to more missing people. This could well take years to complete but you will have a picture of where you are going. My guess is that at present you are spinning about without direction. Is that fair comment?

Marion