JEWEL AND IAN FAMILY HISTORY
CROSBIE FAMILY
Elizabeth Houston Crosbie married Thomas Scroggie at the United Presbyterian church, Beith, Ayrshire on 12 June, 1868. They, together with their eldest daughter Mary, arrived in Lyttelton on 3 July, 1874 on the ship "Dunedin."
According to the Scroggie family bible, Elizabeth was born in Beith on 24 June, 1843, daughter of Robert Crosbie and Mary Anderson. Angus Graham Fyfe’s birthday book has an entry under 24 June for Elizabeth Scrogie, presumably written in her own hand. However, the 1851 census seems to indicate that she was born in Kilmarnock.
Elizabeth Scroggie nee Crosbie Tom and Elizabeth Scroggie nee Crosbie
In the 1841 census of Ayrshire, the family was living at Crosshouse in the parish of Kilmaurs, just west of Kilmarnock.
Robert Crosbie 26 Coalminer born Ayrshire
Mary Crosbie 27 “ “
John Crosbie 4 “ “
Margaret Crosbie 9 months “ “
Crosshouse was a small village, with a population of 255 in 1831, rising to 468 in 1861. There was a long history of coalmining in the village. Close by is the ruins of Crosby Castle.
In the same census there appears in Sowlis Street. Kilmarnock the following family:
John Crosbie 20 born Ayrshire
William Crosbie 20 Contract miner “ “
Margaret Edgar 12 “ “
Elizabeth Houston 45 “ “
From this it would seem that John Crosbie too died young, possibly as a result of a mining accident, as did his father Robert and his son Robert.
The 1851 census of Beith shows at Brakenhill Lodge:
Robert Crosbie Head 35 Iron-stone miner born Kilmarnock
Mary Crosbie Wife 36 " "
John Crosbie Son 14 " " " "
Margaret Crosbie Dau. 10 Scholar " "
Elizabeth Crosbie Dau 7 " " "
Mary Crosbie Dau 4 " Beith
Janet Crosbie Dau. 2 " "
In the same parish, there is an entry for William Crosbie, aged 30, iron-stone miner, born East Kilbride, his wife Mary, and sons William, Daniel, John and Robert, all born in Kilmarnock. This family left for Australia in September 1851 on the “Stebonheath”, and arrived at what is now Port Phillip Bay three months later. The family settled at Geelong, where twins Mathew and James were born in 1853. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Beaufort near Ballarat, where William died at the age of 36. According to tradition the family continued as miners in Australia, although on his arrival William is described as a farm labourer
In the parish records for Kilmarnock there are recorded the following three Crosbie marriages:
17/8/1835 Robert Crosby in Soules St and Mary Anderson in Robertson Place.
27/8/1841 William Crosbie in Soules Street and Mary McPherson in High Church Lane.
10/6/1842 John Crosbie in Soules Street and Elizabeth Boyd
Robert Crosbie was killed in a mining accident on 29 August, 1856, at Coalburn Pit in Dalry. The “Register of Death” records “Instantaneously killed by the fall of part of the roof of the pit.” His parents are shown as John Crosbie, coal miner and Elizabeth Crosbie, maiden surname Houston, both deceased. Witness was his son John, who was present when the accident occurred. Robert was buried at the United Presbyterian church yard in Mitchel Street, Beith.
On a map dated 1858 Brackenhill Inn and Brackenhill Bridge are just south of Beith, and Coalburn is a little further south again, so the two locations are close together despite being in different parishes. Eglinton Street is part of the main street through Beith, which changes name progressively.
In the 1861 census of Beith we find:
Eglinton Street;
Mary Crosby servant, unmarried 14 domestic servant born Beith
Further along the same street;
Mary Crosby widow 46 washerwoman " Kilmarnock
Bathia Crosby daughter unmarried 9 scholar " Beith
Morreshill:
John Crosbie head married 23 iron miner " Kilmarnock
Agnes Crosbie wife " 23 " Kilbirnie
Robert Crosbie son 2 Beith
In the 1871 census there are the following two entries.
Beith - Muirshot ? Newcall New Street
Mary Crosby 55 born Kilmarnock Washerwoman
5 Abercromby Terrace, Govan Church District
Wm Maitland 51 Leather merchant and his family
Mary A Crosbie servant born Beith Ayrshire
John Crosbie married Agnes Dunlop at Beith on 25 April, 1859
Margaret Crosbie married William Taylor at Beith on 23 June, 1863
Bethia Crosbie married George Ross at Govan on 26 Sept, 1873
Mary Crosbie married William Kennedy at Camlachie, Glasgow on 22 Jan 1875
Jessie Crosbie married Robert Ritchie at Beith on 9 April, 1875
In the 1891 census there is the following entry
Dalry, Meadowhead, Mt Pleasant
Agnes Crosbie 53 Head born Beith
Elizabeth 28
James 20
Thomas 18
Agnes 16
David 14
John 19
John Crosbie died at Mount Pleasant Cottage, Barkip, Dalry, on Wednesday, 20th August, 1890 at 9.30 p.m., aged 54 years. He was buried at Head Street churchyard in Beith.
Agnes Dunlop, widow of John Crosbie, died at 7 Douglas Street, Paisley on 16 June 1901.
The third Crosbie brother John and his wife Elizabeth Boyd appear to have moved south to Selkirk for a time, although the following three entries have all been submitted by LDS Members, and have not been verified.
John Crosbie Birth: About 1843 Of Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland
Elisabeth Crosbie Birth: 1845 Selkirk, Selkirk, Scotland
Robert Crosbie Birth: 01 Jan 1847 Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland Death: 22 Feb 1923
Marriage: Jane Mc Ervale 29 Man 1869 Carngham, Victoria, Australia.
John died in Victoria in 1864.
In the 1881 census I have found the following entries. South Croft, Rutherglen
Robert Ritchie M 34 M Beith Ayr
Jessie Ritchie M 32 F Dalry Ayr
Mary A Ritchie U 5 F Beith Ayr
John Ritchie U 4 M Beith Ayr
Robert C Ritchie U 3 M Rutherglen Lanark
Andrew K Ritchie U 1 M Rutherglen
William Ritchie U 1mth M Rutherglen
46 Lancefield Street, Barony, Lanark
George Ross M 34 M Edinburgh
Bathia Ross M 29 F Beith, Ayr
Andrew Ross U 2 M Barony
Mary Ross U 1 mth Barony
The above couple had a son George, born 3 September 1874 in Anderston, who must have died young.
William Taylor and Margaret Crosbie had the following family
Mary Kirkland Taylor born 13 May 1864 Tradeston
John Taylor born 6 Feb 1867 Tradeston
Margaret Taylor born 23 Jul 1869 Clyde
Jessie Taylor born 28 Nov 1871 Clyde
During the Second World War my father Graham Fyfe visited relatives in Scotland. There is a photo which still exists depicting John & Jenny Ritchie and Mr and Mrs Hay (Mag. Ritchie) which was taken in Crawford, Lanark. All four appear to be in their late sixties or early seventies, and John and Mag. are probably children of Robert and Jessie Ritchie.
The John Crosbie who married Elizabeth Houston in Riccarton on 16 June 1815 is almost certainly the John born 30 October, 1791 in Leadhills in Lanark. Leadhills has been a lead-mining area since Roman times, and it is likely that John’s father Robert Crosby was also a miner, making at least four generations of miners in the family
Robert Crosbie was born 16 February 1766 at Kirkmichael, son of William Crosbie and Agnes Fleming. William was born 6 September 1745 at Crawfordjohn, son of William Crosbie and Helen Sterling. Helen was born 17/4/1715 at Cadder in Lanartkshire.
Agnes Fleming was born in Kirkmichael, daughter of William Fleming and Mary Ker.
Robert Crosby married Agnes Miller about 1786. Their children were:
James born 4/5/1787, Crawford, Lanark
William born 20/8/1789 Crawford, Lanark
John born 30/10/1791, Crawford, Lanark
Thomas born 27/6/1793, Muirkirk, Ayrshire
Agnes born 25/3/1795 Muirkirk (Catchburn)
Margaret born 26/5/1797 Muirkirk (Catchburn)
Robert born 4/4/1799 Muirkirk (Linnheyburn)
Although the baptisms of the three eldest children are recorded in the parish of Crawford, it is likely that the family was living in the village of Leadhills where the lead mines were located. According to the Old Statistical Account of 1791,
“Leadhills contains the most famous and ancient lead mines in Scotland.”
“There are nearly 200 men employed by the Scotch Mining Company. These are subdivided into pickmen, smelters, washers and labourers, besides carpenters and smiths.”
“Meal and Barley are purchased by both overseers , and reserved in stores, out of which all the hands employed by the respective Companies, receive every week a certain quantity for their families, which makes part of their pay. They work in the mines only 6 hours in the 24. Having therefore a great deal of spare time, they employ themselves in reading, and for this purpose have been at the expense of fitting up a library, out of which everyone who contributes to the expense receives books. There is a very good school in the place”
An iron-works was established in Muirkirk in Ayrshire in 1787, based on ironstone and coal deposits in the area, so it is likely that Robert Crosby came here for work, possibly as a smelter. He died on the 31st December 1798, three months prior to the birth of his youngest child, possibly as the result of an accident. I cannot find the birth of Robert Crosby with any certainty, but it is likely that he is the Robert Crosby born at Sanquhar in Dumfries on 16 Feb, 1766, son of William Crosby and Agnes Fleming. Agnes Miller was born in Crawfordjohn, Lanark (also a mining village) daughter of John Miller and Agnes Logan.
John Miller and Margaret Logan were married about 1757, and we have a record of the following children;
William born 29/8/1760 Crawfordjohn
Agnes born 3/10/1762 Crawfordjohn
Margaret born 3/6/1764 Leadhills
James born 13/3/1766 Leadhills
The monumental inscriptions for the burial ground at Leadhills have been transcribed, and on No 125 there is the following inscription. “Chn of John Miller smelter here & w Margt. Logan Jas & Wm both d 6.1.1763, Margt 5.4.1766”.
From this it would appear that there was an elder son named James for whom we have no record. This inscription also gives us an occupation for John Miller.
John Miller was born in 1730 in Crawfordjohn, son of John Miller and Margaret Telfer, while Margaret Logan was born in 1734 in Douglas, daughter of William Logan and Margaret Wilson. This Margaret was born in Sanquhar in 1704, daughter of Matthew Wilson and Joan (Jean?) Wilson. This is where we start to tie in with recorded history. In the “Topographical Atlas of Scotland,” published late in the 19th century are the following pieces of information under the entry for the village of Wanlockhead in the parish of Sanquhar in Dumfries.
“Matthew Wilson obtained in 1691 a 19 years’ lease, and successfully worked the vein called Margaret’s: whilst a mining company, having procured in 1710 a 31 years’ lease, commenced to smelt the ore with pit-coal, and partially worked the three veins of Old Glencrieff, Belton, and New Glencrieff, the last of which only proved compensating. The new and large Friendly Mining Society formed in 1721 a copartnership with the smelting company, and got 15 years added to the 20 which yet to run of the lease. The two companies jointly worked all the then known four veins for 6 years, when they separated and pursued their object in different localities. But in 1734 both companies resigned their lease: and Alexander Telfer became lessee for the next 21 years. He worked the mines vigorously, and made a rich compensating discovery of a large knot of lead. In 1755, a new company, with Mr Ronald Crawford at its head, became lessees of the whole mines.”
We have a Matthew Wilson in the family tree who married about 1694. Is this the Matthew Wilson who obtained a lease 3 years earlier? Then we have a Margaret Telfer born in 1704. Was the Alexander Telfer who took out a lease in 1734 a brother? It would be very interesting to know just what part our ancestors played in the development of the mines.
