[Olde Crone]

Updated with new information in greenAlmost a complete mystery. Never seen anywhere except on son's marriage cert.


Name - "official" name and what they were known as
Isabella Chalmers (or maybe Chambers)
Chalmers is incorrect - her maiden name is ELDER

Date and place of birth
Not known but before 1822, as first (?) child born 1834Aberdeen
About 1816, Grange, Banffshire.

Names of parents
Not known
(From her death certificate, so may not be accurate) John Elder and Isabella Skinner.

Date and place of baptism - if applicable
Not known
Not found

Details of each of his or her marriages - if any
16 December 1848, Grange, Banff, after banns, John Simpson


Occupation(s) - if any
Not known

Addresses where they lived (including county if in UK) - and please list which censuses you have or haven't found him/her on (if s/he lived in census times!).
1832 Gives birth to son Alexander Bonnyman in Keith, Banff
1840 Gives birth to son William Brown in Grange, Banff
1843 Gives birth to son John Elder or Simpson
1845 Gives birth to Isobel Simpson
1848 Marries John Simpson
1849 Gives birth to George Simpson
1853 Gives birth to James simpson
1854 Gives birth to Margaret Simpson
Spends remainder of life in Grange, Banff, as far as I can tell.


Date, place and cause of death
17 May 1899 Balnamoonhill, Grange, Banff, heart disease, bronchitis, aged 83

Date and place of burial
17 May 1892 (incorrect transcription) Grange Kirkyard

Details of will / administration of their estate - if applicable
Not known

Memorial inscription - if any
Isabella Elder, the wife of John Simpson, the mother of William Brown, the parents of Margaret Simpson, aged 83. Headstone ref G279

On the marriage certificate of her son Alexander Bonnyman in 1868 she is described as "Isabella Simpson nee Chalmers". In 1861, Alexander was lodging with a CHAMBERS family in Aberdeen - Chalmers mistranscribed or vice versa?EDIT - It now seems that Chalmers was a mistake and that Alexander assumed that was his mother's maiden name, as Walter Chalmers his uncle brought him up.

(Note to self: There are Valuation Rolls for Balnamoon from the late 1860 to early 1900s.)