DUNCAN, MARY, -----, F, d. 03/04/1831, 426/ 90 89, Dysart (Possible only)
She is married to Peter Lawson.
They got married on November 24, 1769 at Dysart, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland.Sources 1, 2
Child(ren):
1. LAWSON, PETER, MARY DUNCAN, m. 24/11/1769, 426/ 50 66, Dysart
2. DUNCAN, MARY, -----, F, d. 03/04/1831, 426/ 90 89, Dysart (Possible only)
Mary Duncan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1769 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Peter Lawson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. NUMEROUS PROGENY. The Fife Journal of 27 Jan 1853 reported the death of Margaret Lawson or Robertson in Gallatown [Dysart parish] in Jan 1853 at the advanced age of 82. She was married when about 22 years of age to John Robertson, nailer, to whom she gave birth to 13 children - 7 sons and 6 daughters, 11 of whom are still alive. The family were all married, except the oldest daughter, and she had a total of 108 descendants - children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. "She is a native of the parish, never having been more than a few months out of the locality where she was born and ended her pilgrimage in this earthly life, the last 22 years of which she has been a widow"
2. The Numerous Progeny of Margaret LAWSON or ROBERTSON by Sarah Y Martin.
I was surprised, and not just a little thrilled, to read the mini-article which was included in the Spring 2014 issue of the Fife FHS Journal, relating to the extract from the Fife Journal of 27 Jan, 1853 regarding the 'numerous progeny' of Margaret LAWSON or ROBERTSON. The reason for my delight is that I can count myself in the list of her descendants since she was my 3 x great-grandmother. That small article, and the constant appeals from the editor for articles prompted me into action since I thought that there was a possibility of some other members being interested in or connected to this extensive family.
Margaret LAWSON was born on 16 Nov, 1770 at the Parish of Dysart to Peter LAWSON and Mary DUNCAN, and was baptised there on 19 Nov, 1770. Her parents had married at Dysart on 24 Nov, 1769, and I presume that Margaret was their eldest child. In fact, I have only managed to trace one other child, another daughter, Elizabeth LAWSON who was born on 16 Jun, 1772 and baptised on 19 Jun, 1772, both at Dysart. Margaret was indeed 22 years of age, as the Fife Journal article suggested, when she married John ROBERTSON at Dysart on 8 Dec, 1792. Her husband died in Jan, 1831 at Dysart before the first 'helpful' census was taken, but from various entries relating to the births of their children, he is listed as being a blacksmith, nailor (sic), nail maker, smith or feuar. The census of 1841 reveals Margaret ROBERTSON residing with her youngest son, Normand ROBERTSON, in Gallatown, Dysart, and she was still in the same place, but residing alone on the east side of the County Road, by the time of the 1851 census, her last.
Margaret died in Jan, 1853 and was buried on the 21 st of the month at the Barony Church Burial Ground, Dysart. The cause of her death was not included in the OPR entry, but could quite easily, in the style of the time, have read 'worn out'.
So, my research obviously has some way to go before I manage to identify the 108 descendants of Margaret LAWSON or ROBERTSON who had been born by the time of her death in January, 1853. Having totted all of the figures up, I have only managed to locate 12 children, 45 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, born before 1853, a total of 67 so far, but the research extends to many others who were obviously born after her death, bringing the total up to great-grandchildren alone, to 170. At the present time, I can identify 349 descendants of John ROBERTSON and Margaret LAWSON, including myself. At least the Fife Journal article has given me a rough guide to follow, and to come to the realisation that there are still many gaps to fill in for this particular line of research. I tend to think that the missing daughter may well have been named Margaret, since no child bearing that name has been found, and it would be highly likely that the mother would have named one of her daughters after herself. One of the two sons known to have died in infancy may have been planned to have the name 'John' after their father, had they survived.
LAWSON, PETER, MARY DUNCAN, m. 24/11/1769, 426/ 50 66, Dysart