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Archiver > ABERDEEN > 2008-08 > 1218443241


From: Gavin Bell <>
Subject: Re: [ABERDEEN] Alexander ABEL and his spouse Margaret ROSS
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:27:21 +0100
References: <001301c8fb88$0f3a9280$b90afea9@LENOVO53E5F674>
In-Reply-To: <001301c8fb88$0f3a9280$b90afea9@LENOVO53E5F674>


M Keith Abel wrote:

>A recent query to the List about this couple reminded me that he, his wife
>and children are an isolated family in my files and I would be delighted if
>I could find his ancestors and descendants and fit him into my family tree
>of Abels. I once thought I knew where he fitted in but I found that I had
>it wrong and he has been a loose end ever since.
>
>In the search for Alexander's connections, the following monument
>inscription was found on a stone in Cluny Church Yard:
>
> "Sacred to the memory of Thomas Robertson sometime farmer in Nether
>Sauchen, d 29 Dec 1768 aged 74. Elspet Reid his spouse d in Dec 1767 aged
>48. Their grandson Alexander Abel d 22 Sep 1851 aged 70. His daughter
>Ann d 12 Jul 1858. His spouse Margaret Ross d 7 Jul 1859 aged 82."
>
>I assumed that "his daughter Ann" referred to a daughter of Alexander ABEL
>and not of Thomas ROBERTSON who died 90 years before Ann did. I further
>assumed that "His spouse Margaret ROSS" referred to the spouse of Alexander
>Abel and not some sort of second wife of Thomas ROBERTSON. When Alexander
>died in 1851 at age 70, Margaret ROSS was 74. For Margaret to be 4 years
>older than her husband Alexander is not so far off the mark.
>
>

I would go along with your assumptions - but the inscription as found
illustrates yet again peoples' failure to think about what they are
having carved on gravestones. I spend quite a lot of time transcribing
MIs and I find that the difficulty of deciphering worn, damaged,
lichened or moss-covered text is as nothing compared to trying to work
out what on earth they meant to tell us!

>>From the above we can guess that a daughter of Thomas ROBERTSON and Elspet
>REID, married an ABEL and had a son Alexander. However I have never
>identified this couple.
>
>Is there a lister with this Thomas ROBERTSON and wife Elspet REID in his
>family tree who can fill in some of the blanks in this puzzle?
>
>

I presume you have their entry in the 1851 Census?


ABEL Alexander Head Mar 70 Farmer 60ac. Cluny ABD 17
Burnside 4 5
ABEL Margaret Wife Mar 72 Cluny ABD 17 Burnside 4 6
ABEL Ann Daur U 36 Cluny ABD 17 Burnside 4 6
ABEL Agnes Daur U 33 Cluny ABD 17 Burnside 4 6
ABEL John Son U 31 Employed on farm Cluny ABD 17 Burnside 4 6
ABEL Archibald Son U 30 Cluny ABD 17 Burnside 4 6
ABEL John Brother U 74 Retired Contractor Cluny ABD 17
Burnside 4 6



Gavin Bell

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