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I will regret starting this search i suspect

I have decided to start looking for my Gx5 Grandfather Thomas McEwan. The only solid evidence i have is from Gx4 Grandfather DC (1857) in Greenock which indicated that his father was Thomas McEwan ('Farmer by profession') and mother was Bridget Semple. They were RC. Nothing obvious has pinged when i have started the search and the only Trees (two i have come across) and they are four generation linked to me and haven't managed to break through the barrier.

Any tips on starting would be good - suspect it will be a long one as suspect Thomas was born in 1760-1780 Ireland :-D

To add my G*4 Grandfather was called charles Mcewan - 1799-1857 - ended up as a gas fitter in greencok

1851 for Charles McEwan which indicates that he was born in Ireland so his parents more than likely to be Irish I would have thought. Unfortunately the census very rarely say more than Ireland for place of birth, BUT to check the original you would need to buy credits for Scotland's People website which is not subscription - you may get lucky.

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
High Vennel Lambs Land, 12, Greenock, 4th District Ward of Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles McEwan Head Married Male 50 1801 Gas Fitter Journeyman Ireland
Mary McEwan Wife Married Female 48 1803 Fent Dealer Ireland
Mary Ann McEwan Daughter Unmarried Female 20 1831 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Charles McEwan Son Unmarried Male 19 1832 Engineer Aprentice Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Theresa McEwan Daughter - Female 7 1844 Scholar Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Joseph McEwan Son - Male 4 1847 Scholar Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Charlotte Hardey Niece Unmarried Female 32 1819 Dressmaker Ireland
Catherine O'Neil Servant Unmarried Female 20 1831 House Servant

Looks like same family 1841, Charles not there. Looking to see if parents staying with them at all.

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Vennel, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

First name(s) Last name Gender Age Birth year Birth place
Mary McEwan Female 35 1806 Ireland
Charles McEwan Male 10 1831 Scotland
Maryann McEwan Female 12 1829 Scotland
Charlotte Harvey Female 20 1821 Ireland
Agnes Smith Female 70 1771 Ireland

Might be worth you having a read here

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Ireland_Catholic_Church_Records

Charles Mcewan
Scotland Census, 1851
Name Charles Mcewan
Event Type Census
Event Date 1851
Gender Male
Age 50
Registration District 4th District Ward Of Greenock
County Renfrewshire
Birth Year (Estimated) 1801

cheers - i have Charle's DC - and just looked at again (on scotland people) and indicates brother in law registered death (problem is i can't read the name and is it si his wife relative or his sisters?

i haven't really looked at trying to drake down Thomas (Charles father) as it has been in the too difficult corner - looking at it now has given me food for thought - not least this brother in law. I have also started looking at simple to see where they centred in ireland (she was Thomas's wife and mother of charles). the other obvious thing looking at it is i suspect they moved to glasgow (viz a viz both of children) and then on to greenock

do you know whether your Charles and Mary married in Ireland or Scotland?

I guess it seems likely that Charles's parents Thomas and Bridget remained in Ireland themselves

if they died in Scotland, a burial or death record might tell you something

I know your pain ... my grx4 grandfather shows in the 1841 and 1851 English censuses as born in 'Ireland' c1770 ... his wife from an English county other than the one where they were living / where their children were born ... and I've spent a decade avoiding him, too :-)

btw you can save the image of the death certificate and upload it to this site in the 'keepsafe' thingy ... I've never done it so I can't explain it

but if you do that, you can give us the link here to see it, in case anyone can help decipher the brother-in-law's name



malyon the full 1851 census for Charles's household was already posted, why post that snippet, and why not delete it now?

hi

i have uploaded

The 1841 has an extra name on it. Don't know if it will be of any use but you never know!


1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Vennel, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

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Print transcription
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Gender Age Birth year Birth place
Mary McEwan Female 35 1806 Ireland
Transcription
Charles McEwan Male 10 1831 Scotland
Transcription
Maryann McEwan Female 12 1829 Scotland
Transcription
Charlotte Harvey Female 20 1821 Ireland
Transcription
Agnes Smith Female 70 1771 Ireland
Transcription
>>>Mary Meckledowie Female 40 1801 Ireland





1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Market Street, Greenock, Middle Parish Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

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Print transcription
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Mary McEwen Head Widow Female 60 1801 Draper Ireland
Transcription
Mary A McEwen Daughter Unmarried Female 30 1831 Assistant Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Transcription
Charles McEwen Son Unmarried Male 26 1835 Stationer Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Transcription
Terresa McEwen Daughter Unmarried Female 17 1844 Scholar Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Joseph McEwen Son - Male 14 1847 Scholar Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

A tree on ancestry has this for Charles' wife but you probably have seen this. They are no further on with Thomas and Bridget.



Mary Smith

Birth ABT 1803 • Ireland.

Death 10 JUL 1875 • Greenock, Renfrewshire


Parents

John Smith (labourer)
Agnes (?) Smith

1771–



LIFELINE

Birth
ABT 1803 • Ireland.



(AGE)
Birth of Daughter Mary Ann McEwan(1831–)
abt 1831 • Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland



28
Birth of Son Charles McEwan(1831–)
10 Feb 1831 • Glasgow, Lanark



28
Birth of Daughter Teressa McEwan(1844–)
abt 1844 • Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland



40
Birth of Son Joseph McEwan(1846–1920)
23 Aug 1846 • Greenock, Renfrewshire



43
Death of Husband Charles McEwan(1801–1857)
26 JUN 1857 • Greenock, Renfrewshire.



54
Death
10 JUL 1875 • Greenock, Renfrewshire.

hi Christopher, if you want us to look at the death certificate you have to give us the link to go to :-)

when you go to look at it in your 'keepsafe', just copy the address line you see at the top

(that starts out www . genesreunited ...)

and paste it into a message here

then we'll be able to click on it to see it

here you go on the DC
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/22558317

just reflecting - there must be something in the catholic records - but which ones

well ... !

I'll start off with a guess at what I see

Thos.

Simmer, Sunmer (Sumner?)

actually, you can ask the register office in Scotland for help deciphering a record you have purchased, I have just remembered

there is no charge, so that's what I would do!

Maybe Nimmo for surname of brother in law?

I didn't know that was a name!

but here we have in 1851

Name: Thomas Nimmo
Age: 38
Estimated birth year: abt 1813
Relationship: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
Parish Number: 564
Civil Parish: Greenock Middle
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Smiths Lane Miss Johnstons Property
Occupation: Fish Hawker

Thomas Nimmo 38
James Nimmo 16 children born Greenock
John Nimmo 9
Rosina Nimmo 7

no wife present!


this could possibly be the family in 1841, note James approx same age as James in 1851 and eldest son Thomas ... but it's guessing

Isabella Nimmo 35 born Ireland
Elizabeth Nimmo 12 children all born Ireland
Thomas Nimmo 10
James Nimmo 8
Elizabeth Smith 15

very good

next step is to trawl catholic records

He has a wife here but possibly a new one.


1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Market Street, Greenock, Middle Parish Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Learn more
Print transcription
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Nimmo Head Married Male 46 1815 Railway Labourer Ireland
Transcription
Charlett Nimmo Wife Married Female 30 1831 - Ireland
Transcription
James Nimmo Son Unmarried Male 24 1837 Apprentice Engineer Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Rose Ann Nimmo Daughter Unmarried Female 18 1843 - Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Teressa Nimmo Daughter - Female 7 1854 Scholar Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
George Lafferty Boarder Unmarried Male 39 1822 Pensioner Ireland

So trick is to find records that have Nimmo, Lafferty and McEwan in same locations in ireland - any tips?