Dumfriesshire Archives

Find A Brown

After contact from a distant relative, I’ve spent the weekend revising my BROWN information and basically doing a kind of stocktake on the records I have for the family.

James BROWN (abt 1801) had 3 successive wives, 8 children and one more potential child born out of wedlock (see Antenuptial Fornication). These lives centred around the farm, Woodhead of Dardarroch in the Glencairn parish of Dumfriesshire. After tidying up my records, I rewarded myself with a quick search for Dardarroch and lo and behold, the gravestone of James’ parents was revealed to me (or at least the location and inscription):

Birth:	Jun. 11, 1793 Dumfries, Scotland
Death:	Apr. 29, 1870 Dumfries, Scotland
In memory of Daniel BROWN who died at Moorhouse, Keir 29th April 1870 aged 77 years. Also William his son who died 1st May 1865 aged 34 years. Also Mary his daughter who died in 1848 aged 7 years. Margaret his daughter who died in Sept 1858 aged 28 years. [West Side] Here lyes Margret BROUN who died Mrch 14 1796 aged 2 months. Margt BROWN spouse to William CLERK, who died 27th Oct 1820 aged 25 years. Also Jean MAXWELL, spouse to John BROWN, who died upon the 19th Jan 1827 aged 66 years. Also the said John BROWN who died at Woodhead of Dardarroch the 15th of April 1840 aged 80 years. Erected by John BROUN, father in Crosford. 1796.
Burial: Penpont Parish Churchyard Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

This gravestone inscription has given me another child (Margret); death dates for John BROWN & Jean MAXWELL, as well as approximate birth dates.

It has also given me some other leads to follow, including 2 other ‘Brown’ graves on the Find A Grave website. Thankyou transcriber!

Neighbouring Families – Part 3

Part of a series of posts – beginning with Neighbouring Families

Back on track after my William BROWN confusion – I pick up with proving George BROWN and James BROWN are brothers. Thereby proving that the William BROWN on the 1891 census is indeed related to me.

Proving Brotherhood

I had previously sought to prove George BROWN and James were brothers and so had some of George’s records at hand. George’s death record states that his parents are John BROWN and Jane [Jean] Maxwell:

Statutory Death Record of George BROWN – 1862

James BROWN’s death record also gives his parents as John BROWN and Jean Maxwell:

Statutory Death Record of James BROWN – 1873

This proves that James and George are brothers. A search for BROWN births in Glencairn show that there was also a William born to John BROWN and Jean MAXWELL:

Birth Record of William BROWN in Glencairn Parish Register – 1807

So, I have proved the heads of household at Woodhead, George and James BROWN are brothers. I have also found the existence of another brother, William (as there are no statutory death records of a William BROWN with a mother named MAXWELL, I can only assume he died before 1855).

I have therefore come to the conclusion that the William BROWN (b.1829) living at Woodhead on the 1891 census is in fact James BROWN’s nephew.

*bows and wipes the sweat from her furrowed brow*

Neighbouring Families

Dardarroch, Dunscore, Dumfriesshire in 2006 – NOT Woodhead of Dardarroch

Eight years ago, I posted on the rootsweb message board regarding my BROWN ancestors farm, Woodhead of Dardarroch, in the parish of Glencairn. Recently someone replied that their ancestor was boarding with some BROWNS at Woodhead Cottage on the 1891 census. By 1891, James BROWN had died and his widow, Sarah (nee DOUGLAS) had moved away. However, it is too much of a coincidence that the BROWNs still living at Woodhead were an entirely separate family as my BROWN’s had lived there since at least 1824 (discussed in this post).

I had long ago noticed the many BROWN families at and around Woodhead. Now it was time to find out exactly how these BROWNs were connected.

First, I located William Brown at Woodhead Cottage on the 1891 census. As you can see in the photograph above, Woodhead is quite a large house. I presume Woodhead Cottage is the smaller part attached to the main building where the other family units lived together. By this time, James’ widow and youngest son had moved to Keir where they lived in another home named ‘Woodhead Cottage’.

I searched back for William BROWN (b.1829) and found him at Woodhead Cottage in all but 2 censuses.

Edited: It is here where I made a dangerous mistake.

! I found a William BROWN living at Shillanland (or Shillingland) with his uncle James FERGUSSON and a Jane and Sarah FERGUSSON. I suspected one of these women (both listed as James’ sisters) was William’s mother. Also listed was John BROWN (b. 1831) – I had discovered a brother to help with my search.

In 1841 the FERGUSSONs and BROWNs were all living at Burnhouse where the head of the household was a William FERGUSON and possible wife Mary. This time Sarah was recorded as Sarah BROWN so is apparently William’s mother. Since the 1841 census doesn’t record the relationships to the head, I will need to find records to prove William FERGUSON is his grandfather. I will also search for a marriage between Sarah FERGUSSON and a BROWN. !

I now realise that this William BROWN is not the one at Woodhead from the 1861 census through to the 1901 census. A simple traceback through the censuses show that the head of Woodhead Cottage in 1891 is the son of George BROWN and Catherine McDOWAL – living at Woodhead from. I now need only prove that George BROWN is the brother of my James BROWN

Edit 2: The picture at the top of this post is NOT Woodhead of Dardarroch as I mistakenly believed, it is actually a house called Woodhead in the nearby village of Dunscore.

Next steps:

Find marriage record of Sarah FERGUSSON and BROWN
Find birth record of William or John BROWN

See following post – Neighbouring Families – Part 2

Dumfries – Sheep Worrying

See correction at bottom of post

I have been searching The Scotsman digital archive this morning (searches are free) and found a tantalising snippet relating to my family history – or does it?

The Scotsman – 6 Nov 1879 – “DUMFRIES – SHEEP WORRYING. – On Monday, at Woodhead, Dunscore, a dog chased a flock of 92 sheep out of a field and… One was killed”

My farming ancestors lived at Woodhead, Dunscore since at least 1824 when my great grandfather, James Brown, was recorded in the Crown Office Precognitions as a farm labourer there in 1824 (He had been accused of assault but that’s a different story). From the 1841 census onwards, James is recorded as Farmer at that property until 1871. Woodhead played a significant part in my family’s life until James died at Woodhead in 1873. This newspaper snippet was from 1879.

James Brown’s death – 1873 (shows Woodhead as place of death)

As fabulous a resource the Scotsman archives are, I can’t really afford to jump in ‘willy-nilly’, so I need to check if any of my family is still tied to the property in 1879.

James’ third wife, Sarah (nee Douglas) survived him and the 1871 census shows more Brown’s living on the property (ie., Woodhead Cottage, Woodhead Farm). This means that the easiest first step is to check the 1881 census to see if these Brown’s are still at Woodhead. If so, then the article will at least be referring to my extended ancestral family.

A search of the 1881 census shows that his widow, Sarah and son, Samuel are also still at Woodhead in 1881. Another search shows that the William Brown who was living at Woodhead in the 1871 census, is still there in 1881. I’m unsure of the exact family relationship between my James Brown and this William but chances are high at least that the newspaper article will be referring in some way to the property part of my family owned at the time. This does not mean they will refer to my ancestors by name however, and as I’m a thrifty genealogist, I’m going to see if there are any other articles to do with my family before I invest.

I’m in luck though, as the Scotsman Digital Archives are having a special offer to celebrate Homecoming Scotland 2009 and prices currently start at £3.95 for a 24 hour pass (July only).

Edit: This is definitely not my ancestor’s place. Woodhead, Dunscore is much different to Woodhead of Dardarroch.