Part 961sr - Searching For My Next Robertson Grandfather

Good Day,

I'm attaching a number of documents that I have found from the East Lothian, Scotland area. All-things-being-equal I can create a far-fetched logical argument that could lead us, maybe to my 7-times Great-Grandfather Robertson.

Here are my current facts.

1. Haddington, Innerwick, and Oldhamstock are relatively close together in East Lothian. There is about 6 hour walk from Haddington to Oldhamstock, passing Innerwick along the way.

2. 4-times Great-Grandparents John and Christian Dudgeon were married 1778 in Butterdean Mains, Oldhamstock. Check out the 2 witnesses - John Dudgeon and Thomas Dudgeon.

3. 4-times Great-Grandfather John Robertson was baptized 17 Oct 1759 in Oldhamstocks. Parents - 5-times Great-Grandparents John and Ann (née Lyle) Robertson. Witnesses - James Robertson and James Lyle.

FHL #1067850

4. 4-times Great-Grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson was baptised 22 May 1774 in Roxburghshire. Her parents are 5-times Great-Grandparents Thomas and Janet (née Hope) Dudgeon. I do have an issue with the baptism year of 1774.

5. 4-Times-Great-Grandparents John and Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson had 6 sons. I have been able to find documentation for all 6 sons. They were

- John (Oldhamstocks, bc. 1779);
- Thomas, my 3-times Great-Grandfather (Oldhamstocks, bc. 1780);
- Alexander (Oldhamstocks, bc. 1781);
- James (Oldhamstocks, bc. 1783);
- William (Oldhamstocks, bc. 1786); and
- Robert (Glasgow, bc. 1792);

Generally accepted Scottish naming convention is as follows, as provided by Family Search -

The Scottish, for the most part, had a naming pattern which can be seen in many families. The pattern generally went as follows:

The first son was named after the father’s father.
The second son after the mother’s father.
The third son after the father.
The first daughter after the mother’s mother.
The second daughter after the father’s mother.
The third daughter after the mother.

According to "The Scottish Onomastic Child-naming Pattern," by John Barrett Robb, another naming system called the "ancestral pattern," generally went as follows:

The first son was named for his father's father.
The second son was named for his mother's father.
The third son was named for his father's father's father.
The fourth son was named for his mother's mother's father.
The fifth son was named for his father's mother's father.
The sixth son was named for his mother's father's father.
The seventh through tenth sons were named for their father's four great-grandfathers.
The eleventh through fourteenth sons were named for their mother's four great-grandfathers.
The first daughter was named for her mother's mother.
The second daughter was named for her father's mother.
The third daughter was named for her mother's father's mother.
The fourth daughter was named for her father's father's mother.
The fifth daughter was named for her mother's mother's mother.
The sixth daughter was named for her father's mother's mother.
The seventh through tenth daughters were named for their mother's four great-grandmothers.
The eleventh through fourteenth daughters were named for their father's four great-grandmothers.


I have also included a working copy of our Robertson Descendant Chart. Please check out my thought-notes on the chart diagram.

I am purely basing the possibility that Alexander Robertson may be our 7-times Great-Grandfather on number of coincidental possibilities.

1. The surname Robertson.

2. The location of the 1711 Marriage Registration for John Robertson and Jean Shoarswood and the 1725 Baptism for John Robertson are both of Haddington.

3. Haddington, Innerwick, and Oldhamstock are relatively close considering distance.

4. The 1758 Marriage Registration for John Robertson and Ann Lyle includes the listing of John Robertson as John Robertson's "Cautioner" and "Father"

5. The 1711 Marriage Registration for John Robertson and Jean Shoarswood includes the listing of Alexander Robertson as "Cautioner" for John Robertson.

6. Naming convention.

7. 3-times Great-Grandparents John Robertson and Christian Dudgeon named

a. Their eldest son, 3-times Great-Granduncle John Robertson, after his father's, 4-times Great Grandfather John Robertson's, father, 5-times Great-Grandfather John Robertson.

b. Their 2nd son, 3-times Great-Grandfather Thomas Robertson, after his mother's, 4-times Great-Grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson's, father, 5-times Great-Grandfather Thomas Dudgeon.

c. Their 3rd son, 3-times Great-Granduncle Alexander Robertson, may have been named for his father's, 4-times Great-Grandfather John Robertson's, if it is possible, Great-Great-Grandfather Alexander Robertson. And if this is correct Alexander Robertson could be our 7-times Great-Grandfather.

I may be grasping at straws but as as the names John and Thomas were already used in the naming of the 1st and 2nd sons, there may have been a "fall-back" to the name Alexander, as keeping current with the "ever-present" Scottish naming convention.

Your thoughts?

The search continues.  And I just keep on going.

Also, let me know if you would like an invitation to access to my Smith Robertson Family Tree on Ancestry. You can email me at jsmith58@gmail.com.

If you have any comment, question, thought, idea please feel free to contact me via email at A Genealogy Hunt or jsmith58@gmail.com.

Regards,

Jim