Wordless Wednesday - Jessie Paterson White

Jessie Paterson White

In an envelope of photos that I received from my aunt and uncle, I found a few with names on the back.  This happened to be one of them and I knew exactly who this was.  Jessie Paterson White would be my 1st cousin 2x removed. Her parents were Ann Paterson and John White.  She was born June 10, 1877 in Airdrie, Lanark, Scotland and died December 12, 1943.  It seems that she never married.  Her family in Scotland and her uncle's family in Canada must have stayed in touch.

Sympathy Saturday - The Patersons in Scotland

My second great grandparents, Johnston Paterson and Catherine Muirhead were married in Glasgow, Scotland on July 2, 1837.  I found the following children born before the the introduction of General Registration in 1855 in the 1841 and 1851 census.

Johnston Paterson, circa 1838

James Paterson, circa 1840

Catherine Paterson, circa 1844

William Paterson, circa 1846

Ann Paterson, circa 1849

Francis Paterson, circa 1851

Edward Paterson, circa 1853

Johnston and Catherine had a daughter, Elizabeth, born August 20, 1855.  Now, this is a bonus year for the family researcher.  The Scottish 1855 registration has extra information, such as how many children living and deceased.  Here's were it was really sad to read.  Elizabeth was Catherine's 10th child.  So not counting little Elizabeth, in 1855, Johnston and Catherine had 4 boys and 2 girls living.  3 boys are listed as deceased.  One is probably James, as he is on the 1841 census but not the 1851 census.  So I'm missing two boys. I think that they may have died in Glasgow before the family moved to Airdrie about 1845, as they are not mentioned in the Monumental Inscriptions from Wellwynd Churchyard in Airdrie, Lanark, Scotland. 

Erected by Catherine Muirhead in memory of her husband Johnston Paterson who died 20th April 1891 aged 75 years.  Their children, George H died 29th February 1860 aged 2 years.  Elizabeth died 1st March 1868 aged 2 years.  Edward died 22nd April 1868 aged 14 years.  William died June 1870 aged 24 years.  The above Catherine 23rd August 1897 aged 73 years. 

After 1855 Johnston and Catherine have two more children:

George Hunter Paterson born December 27, 1857

Jessie Paterson born September 1861

They lost four more children after 1855, most of them before the age of 14.  How terrible for parents to see seven of their twelve children die. Of the five children that survive:

Johnston vanishes, his whereabouts are unknown at the time of Johnston's and Catherine's death. (This requires more research.)

Catherine marries John Greenlees in 1894. They have no children.

Ann marries John White in 1872 and they have seven children.

Francis marries Ewenina Kennedy in 1881 and Elizabeth Danskine in 1883. He has eight girls and one boy, (my grandfather).

Jessie never marries.

Out of twelve children, Johnston Paterson has one grandson to carry on the family name of Paterson-my grandfather, Johnston Cumberland Paterson.