Begg of Canisbay

[Begg]

My maternal link is back to John Begg=Margaret Moodie, the miller at Gills, Canisbay- married 13/7/1780 Canisbay.

I am seeking a birth date for John and his death date which should be between 1841 and 1851 - Margaret died pre 1841.

There is another Begg family, Robert Begg=Isobel Matheson that may be related being neighbours at Gills - Robert is listed as a farmer at Gills and there is a christening IGI of 9/9/1753 at Watten with parents Alexander Begg=Isobel Cormack.

Are they the parents of both John and Robert????

Any information on these families would be most welcome.

[Pauline]

My 3rd great grands are John begg and Margaret Moodie. Have no death date for John, do have info about his brother, Robert, b. 1795. Do you know signicance of 2521 London st.?. His parents are John Begg and Catherine Brock, both Caithness.

[Begg]

Hi Paline, John and Margaret are my 4th Great grandparentsand my link is through Robert Begg and Elizabeth Sutherland a shoemaker in Wick.

Am interested in your thoughts on johns birth date?

Not sure I understand "his brother Robert born 1795"? Would have thought his brother was more likely to be born 1753 +/- as John married to Margaret Moodie on 13/7/1780 Canisbay (IGI M 110355).

Reference John Begg and Catherine Brock as his parents - not sure! There is also a site proposing Alexander Begg and Isobel Cormack as parents and they have a son Robert with an IGI christening of 9/9/1753 at Watten, Caithnes. But there is no supportive IGI for John?

Which link to John and Margaret is yours?

Regards Jim

[Mamie_2]

I have the parents of John Begg married to Margaret Moodie as Alexander Begg and Isobel Cormack - also the parents of Robert Begg who married Isobel Mathison/Matheson.. while aware of the posssibilty of John and Katherine Brock being his parents they really don't fit with the traditional naming pattern for John and Margaret's children....no Catherine/Katherine is the child list. Nor can I find a marriage for John and Catherine Brock or other children - one website has two of John and Margaret's children attributed to John and Catherine.

John born 1749 in Watten, Robert born 1753 also in Quoybray, Watten ..only real evidence I have found is Robert's baptism
Alexander their father was possibly born 1715 in Wick to Robert Begg c 1680 and Elizabeth Adamson c 1685 and Isobel Cormack c 1725 probably in Watten- they married in 1749 in Watten or 1748 in WicK*Banns?? )so perhaps John is listed as John Cormack?? although I can't find a a suitable birth for a John Cormack either

The 1795 Robert is John and Margaret's son Robert.

[Begg]

Sorry for the slow response - I was waiting for a reply to an email I sent prior to your posting regarding OPR for John 1750-1756 based on 1841 Census -85yrs (85/89) - Result no record.

I note, for me , the new factor "Quoybray", Watten does this location take the John/Robert relationship any closer? Who else lives in the Quoybray area? Is it as big as Gills? How did you find this address?

We obviously have the same view on the two Begg families. Another contributory element is that there is no marriage between the first generation of these families offsprings. It is three generations before we come across an inter marriage ie John's great grandson marries Isabella Matheson great granddaughter of Robert. Yes, there is also Margaret Begg daughter of John who has two children with no marriage record -George MacKay and Diana Williamson. Diana married a David Dunnet who was a nephew of Christian Dunnet married to Alexander Begg son of Robert.

It is a great pity John has no OPR or IGI to confirm a linkage.

Jim

[Rosemary Skea]

John Begg - Gills - married Margaret Moodie - Gills - 13/7/1780 in Canisbay.
Lair no 136 in Canisbay churchyard.
Mgt Moody 30.3.18(?) (5/6)0, husband John Begg, miller Gills.
Inscription on gravestone worn so date and age are unclear.

I have used the free to view web sites FREECEN and FREEREG as well as GROS for the following information.

OPR has the following children:
Mary 31.10.1784, Alexander 8.7.1786, Margaret 24.11.1788, John - 27.2.1791, George 12.4.1793
Robert 30.11.1795
Go to the 1841 census and you will find John aged 85, George, plus two sisters Margaret, and Elizabeth born @1800. Remembering that ages could be rounded off to the nearest 5 or 10, John's birth date could be around 1755. Unfortunately the 1841 census does not give the parish of birth - only the country, so verification of John's birthplace and parentage will be extremely difficult.

Follow on to the 1851, 1861,1871 where you will find George, Margaret and Elizabeth. Father John obviously died 1841-1851. From GROS, I think that George died 1873 aged 79, Margaret in 1887 aged 99 and Elizabeth 1893 aged 93. ( You can find their death certificates on GROS) I have just finished transcribing the 1891 Canisbay census and Elizabeth is living alone in Hall of Gills and enumerated as an unmarried stocking knitter John married Elizabeth Gerry 13.2.1820.You will find the family in the 1841,1851, 1861,1871. John died in 1873 aged 81 and Elizabeth in 1887 aged 97.(death certs at GROS and that will verify their parents).

Alexander possibly married Christian Dunnet 10.8.1811 and you will also find that family in the 1841, 1851 1861 census and then in 1871 Christian as a widow. She died in 1879 aged 89. Alex. died 1861-1871 and at the moment can't find his death , so this may not be the correct marriage
Robert, I think married Elizabeth Sutherland in Canisbay and had a family there before they are found in the 1841 census in Wick. Elizabeth died before 1851 , but Robert is found in 1851 and 1861 census. He died 1867 aged 71. Again his death certificate will confirm parents.

Margaret and Elizabeth died unmarried but in the 1851 census you will find George Mackay and Diana Williamson who are enumerated as nephew and niece of George i.e.children of his sister/s.

Enjoy trawling through the free to view web site FREEREG and FREECEN which are transcripts directly from GROS - the General Register of Scotland.
Rosemary
Caithness co-ordinator for FREEREG and transcriber for FREECEN Caithness

[Maccy]

What happened to the reply by joboco, i thought it was interesting.

[Begg]

Rosmary,
Thanks for the information - it is pleasing to know that John and Margaret are interred in Canisbay churchyard. Does anyone know what the inscription was?

John and Margaret had 7 children Isabela Begg 14/8/1782 married Alexander Matheson and Elizabeth Begg 1797 unmarried, both born Canisbay.

Alexander Begg married Christian Dunnet of the Robert Begg and Isobel Matheson family.

Alexander Begg of John and Margaret married twice - 1 Catherine Manson m 1809 - 9 children 2 Elizabeth Gray 1857 - 3 children ( Not bad in a 96 years innings)

Robert did marry Elizabeth Sutherland and had 7 of a family he married Isabella Munro 1864 and he died 1867.
George MacKay and Diana Williamson were Margaret's children.

I have found Freecen a first class tool particularly for Caithness.

Jim

[Rosemary Skea]

Afternoon Jim

Re Canisbay churchyard. The inscription was as I quoted in my previous post and only mention of Margaret but it is likely that her husband was interred with her. Thank you for your positive comments about FREECEN - working on the 1891 census data now.

Regards

Rosemary

[Mamie_2]

I am afraid I don't know anything about Quoybray. It may be a very small place.

I found it on Robert 1753's baptism record on FreeREG. Another first class tool for most of Caithness.

Just to clarify Alexander Begg that married Christian Dunnet d/o of James Dunnet and Margaret Coghill is the son of Robert Begg and Isobel Matheson.

David Dunnet who married Diana Williamson is my 2C3R. A number of John and Margaret and Robert and Isabella descendants married various members of my extended family.

Mamie

You have 3 children for Alexander Begg and Elizabeth Gray? I only have two George and Charles.

The Isabella who married Alexander Matheson is Robert and Isabella's daughter and was born in 1783 not John and Margaret's. This is from her death record in 1869. Her husband Alexander likely died before 1841 and she and her three children are in Seater in 1841.

Mamie

[spittalhill]

Quoybrae is 2 miles east of Watten on the B870. Quoybrae Farm is now the base for the auction mart.

[Begg]

I agree with you ref Alex Begg and Christian.

Regarding the third child - it is Jane /Jean Begg born 18/3/1862 at Auckingill, C110351 and 1871 and 1881 Census. In 1871 census she is listed as Jean whereas on 1881 she is Jane. Old Scottish custom set to confuse! Now you have three?

Appreciate the correction on Isabella from john and Margaret to Robert and Isabella. The death cert is a strong card. Could I have details for my records. Do you know whether the other Isabella married and to whom?

Jim

[Begg]

Spittalhill,

Appreciate info - would you know whether in 1750's it was "ay" and when was the change to"ae"?

Jim

[Mamie_2]

I would be happy to send you Isabella Matheson nee Begg's death record but you will need to send me your email in a PM.

I don't have a marriage for John and Margaret's Isabella but then I haven't really looked everywhere for one either. I was looking more at Robert and Isabella's family rather than John and Margaret's when I did the original research as they are more closely connected to my own family.

Mamie

[Begg]

Mamie,
Can't get pm to you Your file is full.

Jim

[DBEGG]

My 3rd Great Grandfather is John Begg, born Feb.28/1791 in Scotland and emigrated to Canada prior to 1840. Could this be the John Begg, son of John Begg and Margaret Moodie? I can find birth and death records for the other children of John and Margaret, but not for John.

[Begg]

Hi DBegg,
Don't think so!
John Begg, son of John Begg & Margaret Moodie was born 27/2/1791 at Canisbay ch 30/2/1791 ad died 28/3/1873 at Gills, Canisbay. He married Elizabeth (Betty) Geary on 11/3/1820 at Canisbay. They have Census 1841, 1851 and 1861 and John took over the miller roll in Gills from his father and they had 7 children. They had a son John who was born 27/2/1823 Canisbay and he appears in 1841 census with parents at Gills and disappears after that.
There is a John Begg born 26/4/1790 at Bower parents John Begg and Anne Gunn.?
Regards
Jim

[DBEGG]

Thanks Jim
I'll persue that line.

Dave