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Author: FergusCarswell
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.carswell/147.1.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
Dear John
I guess from your comments you have undertaken your family tree and got quite far back. I
am finding it a bit of a tricky due to they few people leaving wills and Scotland and the
old parish registers have so many omissions its not funny!
I write because I came across an interesting entry that appears to concern your family
(and possibly mine) in the 1851 Census as follows: -
Piece: SCT1851/572 Place: Neilston -Renfrewshire Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Neilston Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 451 Page: 2 Schedule: 5
Address: Craig Of Neilston
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
CARSWELL William Head U M 55 Farmer Of 290 Acres Emp 3lab
Renfrewshire - Neilston
CARSWELL Janet Niece U F 26 Farmers Neice Renfrewshire
- Neilston
CARSWELL Alexander Nephew U M 30 Farmers Nephew
Renfrewshire - Neilston
STEVENSON Elizabeth Niece U F 15 Farmers Neice
Renfrewshire - Neilston
MCCARTER Findlay Servnt U M 20 Farm Labourer
Argyllshire - Bowmore
FERGUSON Peter Servnt U M 22 Farm Labourer Argyllshire
- Lochgilphead
REID John Servnt U M 15 Errand Boy Renfrewshire -
Neilston
MCKINN Catherine Servnt U F 23 House Servant
Argyllshire - Kilchoman
GILLIES Catherine Servnt U F 25 House Servant
Argyllshire - Kilmunn
By a process of elimination I am trying to work out if this is one my ancestors. As one of
the other possibilities is a child of Allan Carswell and Agnes Howie I thought you may be
able to shed some light. Clearly from the above the nieces/nephews are children of James
Carswell and Janet Spreul m.1816 and Hugh Stevenson/Margaret Carswell m.1820 - both in
Neilston. Now, the William Carswell who was born in 1790 to Allan Carswell and Agnes Howie
would in fact be 60, but I have found census can often be quite far out. He had a sister
Margaret and brother James, albeit these are common names. Do any these persons appear on
your family tree?
If the age of William Carswell is, on the other hand, correct, it would appear he was born
in 1796, Neilston to Allan Carswell and Janet Caldwell. This William had a sister,
Margaret, born in 1791 and an un-named brother (James?) born in 1793 and sister, Jean born
1800. He also had a brother, John, born in 1789, of whom I am descended by his marriage to
marriage to Margaret Love c.1808. The first three were born in Lochwinnoch, the latter two
in Neilston.
As with all roads to Rome, all Carswells lead to Neilston, as Allan Carswell appears to
have been born in Neilston (there are three possibilities in 1749 and one in 1751. I am
trying to un-entangle all the families and having quite a job of it. Regardless, all the
families seem related within one generation or two, so I would be interested in your
research/family tree and would be grateful for any help.
Regards
Conal
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