Hi! I'm Bonnie Parker-Duke from Magnolia, Arkansas,USA...well, originally Sacramento, California but moved to Arkansas where my husband teaches criminal justice at Southern Arkansas University.
My grandmother was born Clover Elaine Farquhar to Alexander William Farquhar and his wife Mary Wave Cuson. Alexander Wm. Farquhar (b. 1881, London, Ontario, Canada) was son of Alexander Farquhar (b. 13 June 1855, Wick, Caithness, Scotland) and Jane Christina Weir (b. 17 September 1859, Wick, Caithness, Scotland). Jane C.Weir was the daughter of John Weir (no birth date or place) and Catherine Meiklejohn (b. 5 July 1829, Watten, Caithness, Scotland as far as we know). John Weir and Catherine Meiklejohn's wedding date was 21 December 1855 (Watten, Caithness, Scotland).
John Weir and Catherine Meiklejohn's children were: James, born 1856; Mary, b. 1858; Jane Christina, b. 1859; Donald "Dan", b. 1861; Catherine, b. 1863; John, b. 1866; and Robert, b. 1868.
I am in possession of a letter from Jane Weir's sister Catherine (b. 11 December 1863, Wick, Caithness, Scotland) who later married James Hamiltion, to her brother Donald "Dan" Weir (b. 6 October 1861, Wick, Caithness, Scotland), written from Aqua Vitae Meadows, 5 September 1887 which reads in part:
Our latest loss was our grandfather who died on the 25th of August at the good old age of 97. Our two Uncles Dan and Will came home and he was burried in the new cemetery. Dan and Will went away on Monday. The funeral was on Saturday and it was generally supposed or understood amongst their brothers and sisters that it was for their share of the money that they came home, but they were gloriously disapppointed as Uncle Jim had previously secured it all and entered it all in his own name, farm, stock, money and everything and when they saw how the land lay, they quietly swallowed their disappointment to hide their blushes and made the best of their way back to canny New Castle where they will doubtless remain until the last trumpet shall sound its awful mandate in their ears.
Another letter in my possession from Catherine and Jane's brother-in-law Will Ireland (who married their sister Mary Weir b. 9 February 1858, Wick, Caithness, Scotland) is written to Dan from Swanscombe, Kent, England on 27 November 1887. It reads:
I believe Jeandy and [Uncle] Dan is making a great set out about Grandfather's money. They say he left over£700 and Jim stuck to it all except £50 your father got for holding his tongue about it.
My question is whether anyone might have some idea who the grandfather is who died on 25 August 1887? One of their grandfathers is Donald Meiklejohn (no birthdate but he married Mary Meiklejohn on 14 April 1826 in Watten, Caithness, Scotland).
I believe the other grandfather to be James Weir (no birthdate) who maried Jane or Jean Sutherland but I have no proofs of this yet.
I also do not have a complete list of the children of either set of grandparents.
Does anyone know who the unidentified grandfather is? We know from his date of death and the fact that Kate said he was 97 that he must have been born in 1790. And I have a partial list of his children: Will, Dan, Jeandy. His brother's name was James or Jim.
I have a partial list of the children of Donald Meiklejohn and Mary Meiklejohn; William, b. 1828; Catherine, b. 1829; John, b. 1831; Janet, 1833; Donald, 1836; and Robert, 1842.
I would appreciate any assistance or leads you might be able to share.
Thank you in advance.
Bonnie Parker-Duke
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