james bruce

[magstar]

Hi
i am interested i finding out anyinormation about James Bruce.
His father was alexander Bruce born about 1816.
Alex married Elizabeth budge in 1849 and had three children John, jessie and Diana. unfortunatly elizabeth died and he remarried catherine Sinclair in 1858
they had two children, james and Robertina.
the last info i can find on james is on his fathers death certificate. he was 18 at the time.
after this i cannot find anything.
they all were born around latheron.
jessie married Peter suherland and stayed around latheron.
diana married a mckay and eventually moved to glasgow.
john joined the army.
If anyone knows anything i would love to hear from you as i hate mysteries!!!
magstar :confused:

[Andrew Bruce]

My family is related to John Bruce born 1851 to Alexander Bruce and Betty Budge. John joined the Gorden Highlanders had 5 children of which John Albert Bruce was my grandfather. Alexander Bruces parents were John Bruce and Janet Gunn. John Bruces parents were David Bruce and Janet Campbell. I think Davids father was William born @1690. The old grave yard at Latheron gives good details of their family. I also have information on all their brothers and sisters and mostly what happened to them.I have all the birth, marrage, death certificates and census results from 1841 to 1901.

For some background I looked at the graves around John Bruce and his wife Janet Gunn.

Alexander Bruce grave 306 died
John Bruce grave 307 died 1838
Donald Bruce grave 308 died 1876
William Bruce grave 309 died 1845
Walter Bruce grave 310 died 1906

I looked at the death certificate of Donald Bruce in grave 308. His parents were David Bruce and Janet Campbell. I also found his birth record which shows he was born in Brachungry, Forss. Looking further I see that David Bruce and Janet Campbell have 4 other children. William Bruce 1762, John Bruce 1766 David Bruce 1768 (served in 91 foot Regiment), Donald Bruce 1769 and Isobel Bruce 1773. All these children were born in Brachungry.

I think John Bruce 1766 is the one married to Janet Gunn and in grave 307 next to his brother Donald.

In 1775 David Bruce from Brachungry married Janet Gunn and had at least 4 more children. Robert Bruce 1778, Margaret Bruce 1781, Mary Bruce 1785, Alexander Bruce 1787. Alexander Bruce of 1787 is buried in grave 306 next to his half brother John. Janet Gunn then went on to remarry.

William Bruce of 1762 married Hellen Hay in 1784. There daughter Christina Bruce married John Sutherland. In her death certificate of 1866 it has her father’s occupation as a master miller.

In 1851 in Niend lived Helen Bruce aged 86. Also was her daughter Elizabeth who was married to Daniel Sutherland (down as David but this is wrong. They married 04 April 1834). Helen had been married to Alexander Bruce of 1787. Her parents were Neil Gunn and Elizabeth Bain.

Donald Bruce of 1769 married Christina Forbes. They have 13 children, Margaret, William, David, Donald, Donald (dec), Janet, James, Alexander, Isabela, Ann, Christian, Robert and Walter. Of these children it is William Bruce 1809-1845 in grave 309, Donald Bruce 1811-1876 in grave 308, Isabella Bruce 1815-1888 in grave 310 and Walter Bruce 1822-1906 in grave 310.

Trying to go back as far as I can I noticed that the eldest child born to David Bruce and Janet Cambell was William Bruce 1762. I also noticed that on the birth record of Robert Bruce in 1778 his birth was witnessed by a William Bruce. Donald Bruce of 1769 also named his first son William Bruce in 1809. From the conventional naming of calling your first son after the fathers father you could conclude that the father of David Bruce was William Bruce.

In summary I have now identified all the occupants of graves 306-311 and all the individuals living in the 5 parts of Niend Farm.

The dates that do not quite tie up is from grave 307. It has John Bruce as 65 years old on 1838. I would have said he was 72. As the grave was put up many years after his death I am not too concerned about the difference. The fact it is surrounded by his brothers more than convinces me it is the same John Bruce.

[magstar]

John bruce who joined the gordan Highlanders is my Great grand father.
I have a great dalofinformation about thsi branch from my mother.
if youwantmore info i can get it to you .

[magstar]

I have just realised that your grandfathers brother charles was my grndfather!

[Andrew Bruce]

What a small world. I have a full record as far back as the late 15th Century for the Bruces up to the present day and where they are from Canada to New Zealand. CSgt John Bruce left the army with a chest full of medals including the Kandahar Star and Afghanistan medal. He married the seamstress from Edinburgh Castle in 1884 and had 5 children, John Albert Bruce (my grandfather), Charles (your grandfather), Thomas, Ruth and Annie. Thomas moved to Canada and had 2 sons Albert and Jack. Al was married but joined the army and died of his wounds in Normandy in 1944. Ruth also moved to Canada and married Alfred Waters, they had no children. Annie (known as Nan) also moved to Canada and married Marvin Burtis they had 2 children Shirley and Ruth. I understand Charles married Nelly (I dont know her actual name) they had 2 children, twins. The son moved to Canada and died in an electrical accident the girl was your mother I think. I'll not put her name down here but I know she sends a christmas card to my aunt Mary each year. Albert Bruce had 4 children, John, Arthur, Eric and Mary. John Moved to Canada and has 3 children who we are still in contact with. Arthur married and had 2 daughters, Eric had 6 Children all alive and well, Mary has 2 sons.
I have a stack of family history 2 feet high and would love to share it with you. I have been trying to get the stories behind the names and dates. I would love to see what you have.

Andrewbruce1@aol.com

[Andrew Bruce]

James Bruce is a bit of a mistery. I have his birth as 19 Oct 1861 to Alexander Bruce and Cathrine Sutherland. I see Cathrine had a daughter Williamine born 27 Jan 1855. She was not married at the time. Catherine married Alexander Bruce on 26 Jan 1858 and went on to have at least 2 children, Robertina born 04 Dec 1858 and James. In the 1861 census it shows Alexander and Cathrine were living in Bellhouse with John Bruce (11 from Alexanders first marrage to Elizabeth Budge, I could not find his other 2 children Diana and Jessie), Williamina Bruce(6) and Robertina (2). By 1871 they were living in Newlands. John and Williamina are not on the record and James shows up for the first time aged 9. In 1879 Alexander died and in the 1881 census it shows just Catherine Bruce living with her son James (18). Interestingly it has his occupation as a joiner.
I have a record of a death at sea of a James Bruce just 3 years later on 18 May 1884, he is a carpenter and 21 years old. It has his cause of death as accidently killed by falling off the xxxxxx yard ( I cant make that bit out). It has his Nationality as from the Shetlands but who knows if that is an accurate record. In any case I can find no other record from birth, marrage, death or census records that match after this date.
I would be interested to look further at what happened to Williamina, Robertina and Catherine.

[Andrew Bruce]

Alexander Bruce was married to Catherine Sinclair. Williamina, her first daughters father was named as William Finlayson and Williamina later took his name. She married John Cormack on 10 Oct 1884 under the name Williamina Finlayson. She died at the age of 54 on 07 Jan 1910 in the Old Mains Forse.
Catherine Sinclair died aged 91 on 03 June 1913. She was also living in Old Mains Forse.
I could find no record for Robertina after the age of 12 in the 1871 census.