Smeakin(s)

[Olde Crone]

Phoenix

Yes I have wondered about the German link but really not sure how to do anything with that until I can get a bit further back. I have just found Joiners Marriage index and there are quite a few possible alternative spellings which I need to investigate!

So annoying - my daughter lived a few miles from Berwick and was married there in 2006. I hadn't uncovered this branch at that time, otherwise I could have spent days in the records office.

The Thomas and Ellen burials you found look promising but of course, Ellen could be Thomas' sister. Her age worries me slightly as she would have been 40 ish when her daughter was born. Perfectly possible I know, but if she is an only child, a bit odd.

OC

[Phoenix]

Totally agree about the ages. However, if she wasn't born in the area and any surviving children weren't born there either, then you could probably discount her age by anything up to ten years. Unfortunately, you could probably lop 5 years off her daughter's age too.

I don't think I've ever found anyone aged -0 or -5 years at burial who was that age or older.

[Olde Crone]

Well, isn't this research stuff a funny old game?! I have often thought you have to go sideways at it and today is no exception.

I was googling, more or less idly, when I came upon a little site about Nigg. A name jumped out at me, nothing to do with the subject of this thread, but investigation solved the mystery of an unusual middle name in the wider family.

I was entering this info into my tree and some other incidental info which involved John Nisbett, husband of Helen Smeakin. D OH! He was born in Spittal! I know this proves nothing really, but it is an amazing coincidence, if that's what it is. It also tells me that I need to look in the United Presbyterian records, rather than main stream churches.I

I feel as if I am inching forwards at last. Well backwards maybe.

OC