One of the great things about writing this 52 ancestors in 52 weeks blog, is that I am forced to revisit some of those ancestors who have previously been on the back burner for one reason or another. Janet, sometimes Jannet, Dalrymple, or Jessie as she was known, was born in Mochrum, Wigtownshire, Scotland about 1832. She had five brothers and one sister. I have never really put together her story as her life seems to have been rather complicated. I am never sure that I've got everything right, so much so, that her story changes every time I pick up the file. Hey ho, this blog reflects her story as I see it today !
I do love the name 'Jessie Dalrymple'. It has a certain ring to it. Dalrymple is a well known surname in Scotland, and they were originally allied to King Colius, better known as Old King Cole, but the Dalrymple Kingdom was divided by Robert the Bruce and half given to his son. The current Dalrymple castle (Lochinch Castle) is in Wigtownshire, near the village of Stranraer, and is the home of the 14th Earl of Stair, John David James Dalrymple.
I do love the name 'Jessie Dalrymple'. It has a certain ring to it. Dalrymple is a well known surname in Scotland, and they were originally allied to King Colius, better known as Old King Cole, but the Dalrymple Kingdom was divided by Robert the Bruce and half given to his son. The current Dalrymple castle (Lochinch Castle) is in Wigtownshire, near the village of Stranraer, and is the home of the 14th Earl of Stair, John David James Dalrymple.
On the 1841 census Jessie was living with her parents, her father was a joiner, and four siblings at Dirry Farm in Mochrum. Ten years later she was working as a domestic servant on the Farm of High Milton, in Mochrum. Interestingly, there is a High Milton Farm Limited registered at Companies House with a postcode of DG8 9RE.
Two years later 21 year old Jessie gave birth to Janet, my 2 x great grandmother on my maternal birth branch (her story was featured in Week 17). We know this from her marriage certificate 19 years later which showed that her mother was Jessie Coulter (her then married name) and it says Janet's father was a William McGuffie (dec'd). I have not found out anything about him or even proved he existed.
Jessie was a domestic servant with the City of Glasgow Bank, in Mochrum on the 1861 census and I found her daughter, Janet (8), living with her grandmother together with another child, 'Alexander D Guffie (7)', who also may be hers.
Jessie was a domestic servant with the City of Glasgow Bank, in Mochrum on the 1861 census and I found her daughter, Janet (8), living with her grandmother together with another child, 'Alexander D Guffie (7)', who also may be hers.
Ten years later, in October 1863, Jessie had twins ! Margaret and James were born ...... illegitimately. The informant was Jessie's sister, Magdalena, who had given birth herself 6 days before Jessie had the twins.
So, Jessie now has three, possibly four young children, and to my knowledge is still unmarried.
So, Jessie now has three, possibly four young children, and to my knowledge is still unmarried.
And then in 1868 she gets married to John Coulter (sometimes Coltart), 6 years her junior. Why would he take on a woman older than him with five year old twins ? Perhaps he was the father .... in fact, on the 1871 census they are described as his son and daughter, so I like to think he had rather belatedly 'done the right thing'.
Where did they marry ? Not in Mochrum, where Jessie was born, or nearby Kirkinner, where they would settle down, have a family together and then eventually die. In Ireland ! Seapatrick, County Down to be precise. John Coulter was a farm labourer, she was a domestic servant. Why go to all the expense of popping over to Ireland and back to get married ?
In 1869 they have a child, Jean (Jane), closely followed by William, at Little Killen Farm, Mochrum. On the 1871 census the newly married couple are living with all of Jessie's young children at Rillanbar Cottage, Mochrum. Unsurprisingly, I guess, John Coulter's birthplace is shown as Ireland, which probably answers why they married in Ireland.
1872 see's the birth of another daughter, Magdalena, followed five years later in 1877 by her seventh child, Agnes Black. The family are all together living in Slochabbert Cottage, Kirkinner on the 1881 census, although I haven't traced the older children, Margaret or James, but it wouldn't be suprising for them to be off earning a living somewhere. John is now described as a 'shepherd'. I wonder how many sheep he was looking after ?
Ten years later, Jessie and John are living at March Farm Row, Kirkinner (DG8 9NZ), with John still a shepherd. Only 20 year old William is living with them, the others have flown the roost.
In April 1901, John Coulter dies at March Farm Row, Kirkinner. Daughter Agnes is informant on the death certificate. Almost ten years later on April Fools Day 1911, Jessie, or Janet as she is referred to on the certificate, dies aged 79 of cardiac disease and, this sounds nasty, "senile gangrene".
If Jessie was around today, I would be happy to put the record straight as I'm sure there are aspects to her life which I've missed and perhaps some I have got wrong. However, better some than none !
Where did they marry ? Not in Mochrum, where Jessie was born, or nearby Kirkinner, where they would settle down, have a family together and then eventually die. In Ireland ! Seapatrick, County Down to be precise. John Coulter was a farm labourer, she was a domestic servant. Why go to all the expense of popping over to Ireland and back to get married ?
In 1869 they have a child, Jean (Jane), closely followed by William, at Little Killen Farm, Mochrum. On the 1871 census the newly married couple are living with all of Jessie's young children at Rillanbar Cottage, Mochrum. Unsurprisingly, I guess, John Coulter's birthplace is shown as Ireland, which probably answers why they married in Ireland.
1872 see's the birth of another daughter, Magdalena, followed five years later in 1877 by her seventh child, Agnes Black. The family are all together living in Slochabbert Cottage, Kirkinner on the 1881 census, although I haven't traced the older children, Margaret or James, but it wouldn't be suprising for them to be off earning a living somewhere. John is now described as a 'shepherd'. I wonder how many sheep he was looking after ?
Ten years later, Jessie and John are living at March Farm Row, Kirkinner (DG8 9NZ), with John still a shepherd. Only 20 year old William is living with them, the others have flown the roost.
In April 1901, John Coulter dies at March Farm Row, Kirkinner. Daughter Agnes is informant on the death certificate. Almost ten years later on April Fools Day 1911, Jessie, or Janet as she is referred to on the certificate, dies aged 79 of cardiac disease and, this sounds nasty, "senile gangrene".
If Jessie was around today, I would be happy to put the record straight as I'm sure there are aspects to her life which I've missed and perhaps some I have got wrong. However, better some than none !