The Family
James and Helen were living in Selkirk between 1843 and 1845, where their first two children, Margaret and John, were born. Margaret’s baptism record shows that James was then a Hind at Linglee Farm near Selkirk.
In 1845/46 the family moved near to Bowden, Roxburghshire, where their third child, Janet, was born.
In 1847-1848 the family had moved again, and son James was born in Galashiels.
By 1849-1850 they were living at Nether Brotherston, Fala, where David, William and Walter were born.
In January 1856 son ANDREW was born in Whitslaid, Legerwood, where James was an agricultural labourer.
The youngest son, George Young, was born in October 1858 when the family lived at Nenthorn in Berwickshire.
In April 1861 James was a ploughman and the family were living at Blacks (Farm?), in Nenthorn. John left home at 16 years old and worked as a ploughman in Channelkirk.
In 1864 Margaret, aged 21, married William Lauder in Burnbrae, Nenthorn Parish. Witnesses were John Black, possibly a member of the family who owned Blacks Farm where James worked and the family lived, and Frederick Anderson, possibly a relation of Margaret’s grandmother Helen Andison (or Anderson).
In 1869, when he was 21, son James married Elspeth Aldcorn in Newtown, Melrose Parish. Elspeth’s father was a witness at the wedding.
In 1871 the family were living at Headshaw Cottage in Ashkirk, Roxburghshire, where James was an agricultural labourer. Of the children only Janet and George were still at home. David had moved to Galashiels by 1871, working as a woollen pressman. William was working as a coachman in Kelso. Walters movements are unknown, but he is possibly in Edinburgh as he married Euphemia Hardie there in 1878.
In 1877 there were two family weddings, when Andrew married Margaret Cavers and Janet married John Brunton. Both wedding certificates show James employed as a labourer. George was a witness at Andrew’s wedding to Margaret, along with Elizabeth Cavers (unidentified). Elizabeth Cavers was also a witness at Janet’s wedding to John. John’s brother George Brunton was the second witness.
By the time George was 20, in 1879, he had moved to Melrose and was employed as a master gardener. He married Susan Ritchie in 1879 in Melrose. Witnesses at their wedding were David and Diana Ritchie. David is either Susan’s father or brother, and Diana was Susan’s sister.
In about 1879/80 William married Jane Mason.
In 1881 James and Helen were living at Lowood Lodge in Melrose with son William and his family. James and William were both employed as labourers. William’and his family must have moved out of Lowood Lodge between 1881 and 1883, as his wife died in 1883 at Lilliesleaf. He and his children may have returned after the death of his wife, as he was named as the witness on his father's death certificate in 1884. After James' death Helen moved to live with their daughter, Janet Brunton, and her family at Melrose, where she died in 1890.
