13th: Don't you just know it!

The minute that you run a major update, new findings always hove into view!

I'd been avoiding checking the newly available online (from ScotlandsPeople) Scottish OPR Deaths and Burials as I knew
a) they were very sparse records
b) often didn't have much conclusive details
c) that I'd get sidetracked from all sorts of things as a result.

Not even sure why I decided to check for something today, but for whatever reason I've started looking at some of the Roxburgh FAIRBAIRNs, and have already found the burial, or at least the mortcloth payment, for Archibald FAIRBAIRN of St Boswells, and a rather more puzzling, but very informative, entry for Margaret PURDIE nee FAIRBAIRN and her son William, in the Melrose OPRs.
The least of the puzzle is trying to figure out where the family was in 1848, so if anyone can point me to what I interpret as Cairlion, presumably in the Parish of Melrose, I would appreciate it, as my web searches to date only bring up Arthurian references to Cair Lion.
The more major part of the puzzle is that it clearly states that son William PURDIE died the day after she did, and was aged 23, which age is plausible as Margaret and Charles PURDIE married in Melrose in 1821.
However, I already had a son William for this couple, whose 1864 marriage cert to Ann ROBSON says he was a 19 yr old shepherd, so born c 1845/6ish. Census data mostly corroborates this, although the 1901 transcription on ancestry does imply 1843ish. Whichever you believe, all point to a birthdate prior to the death of an older brother William in the family.
A closer search of the IGI showed I'd missed a couple of baptisms in Melrose for the family with mother Margaret spelt as Margt. The relevant FAIRBAIRN chart has been updated.

17th: A match - and theory proven

More Fairbairns of course.
Today I received the preliminary dna results for Doug, a descendant of the miller Robert FAIRBAIRN of Vegreville, Alberta, son of an Archibald of Scotland and Jane of England. 12/12 with the presumed descendant of my Archibald and Alison (CROSSER) FAIRBAIRN via their son Archibald.
This latter Archibald had a son Archibald baptised in St Boswells in 1813, whom I had assumed, until recently, to have died prior to 1841.
However I had been researching more Ontario and Alberta FAIRBAIRNs and one lot led back to an Archibald and Jane (BLAKEY) whom I thought just might be the couple marrying in Tynemouth in 1841. That marriage cert showed Archibald as son of a gardener, Archibald. Age fitted, occupation of father possible, but not previously known.
Only 12 markers so far, but a perfect match with the representative of the line of Archibald and Janet (SCOTT) FAIRBAIRN, which Archibald I believe is the son of my Archibald and Alison (CROSSER) FAIRBAIRN.
Oh it would be so good to find a known, proven representative of Archibald and Alison to truly confirm this, but for now, I'll rest on my laurels for a while at having proven another theory, and placed the Ontario/Alberta family in the overall tree.

Descendant chart for Archibald and Alison updated, more to follow, particularly on the DNA Projects Portal site (check the dna blogs for further data when it is available, there's a list of them on the overall DNA Projects Portal Blog).

Mar 19, 2008: Who is Eliza?

Few twigs on the Quebec FAIRBAIRN descendant chart confirmed/added (mostly on the HUDSON/McGILLIVRAY portions).
Read the will of Janet FAIRBAIRN nee SCOTT (d. Fens, St Boswells, 27 Dec 1891). Sole surviving son John James, but with a mysterious mention of an Eliza in an undated codicil presented along with her will.
"My Dear John James of the little money I leave will you give to Eliza if she is stil in want her friends in Australia will be able to tell you about her.."

I don't yet know if this family is connected or not, but a John James was a witness to the will of James RUNCIMAN, probably in his capacity as apprentice to Robert Romanes, writer of Lauder, it probably being significant that John James' grandmother was a Jane ROMANIS. Given the St Boswells connection, I'm hunting for a link to "my" St Boswells FAIRBAIRN families, although it does rather look more like they're from Legerwood originally.

Nov, 17 2007: Gone fishin' (for TURNBULLs)

Hunting around in some TURNBULLs I re-found the Joseph TURNBULL who married Isabella RANKIN (a WIGHT descendant) and realised there was more information available now. Found most of them in the assorted census records, and decided to check son William's death as I didn't have a place for it, only the date from the St Boswell's MIs. Found to my surprise that he was married, to a Theresa AINSLEY. He was a fishing rod maker by occupation; subsequently found them in census data in Northumberland, where he seems to have lived, even though he died in St Boswells).
The first DNA test has reached the lab, so in a few weeks there should be some information for the as yet empty FAIRBAIRN results page. Still hunting for willing participants on the trees I want to compare with, hint hint to anyone eligible or interested.