The Edgar Family

 

Ref. K81

 THE EDGAR FAMILY

The Trotter family story (see Ref. K8) recounts that Mary Hunter nee Trotter, Sheena’s great-grandmother, was the daughter of Ramsay Edgar, the latter being the  daughter of James Edgar of Edinburgh.

Edgar – Pearson Family

In confirmation of the above, there was an entry in the Edinburgh Parish register of baptisms for a Ramsay Edgar, daughter of John Edgar, Accountant in Excise and his wife Mrs Mary Pearson of South Leith Parish, born 2.2.1791 and baptised in Edinburgh in the March, witnesses being John Rutherford and William Wilson. Four years previously this couple had had a daughter called Jean Rutherford Edgar, and a  John Rutherford was a witness to John Edgar’s Will in 1818, so there was obviously  some significant connection which we have not yet pursued.  Although we have not found John and Mary’s marriage, it must have been 1762 or 1763 and we can at least present, per Appendix 1 hereto, a list of their twelve children.

We believe John and Mary married in the County of Dumfries, as their first seven children were baptised at Morton by Thornhill in that County.  However, by 1769* they were in Edinburgh, first at South Leith but settling, we believe, in Ladyfield Place, Edinburgh.  Mary was buried 13.11.1801 at the same time as her 20 year old son Alex.

*This was twenty years before a rather better-known person became Excise Officer for Dumfries, namely Robert Burns.  He died, on sick leave, 21.7.1796.

Edgar – Forsyth Family

John Edgar lost little time in seeking a step-mother for his children and married Agnes Forsyth 27.8.1803 at Dumfries.  She had been baptised 9.6.1765 as the youngest of the 13 children of Joseph Forsyth of Spittlefield, Dumfries and his wife Jean Johnston, so she was 38 and John Edgar 66.  John Edgar and Agnes had three children, also shown in Appendix 1.

In July 1818 John Edgar made a Will in which he named Agnes as sole beneficiary of his moveable estate* and sole executrix. In particular, he acknowledged his appreciation of a loan from her of £350, the relevant bill being then in the hands of Samuel Forsyth, Agnes’s only (or only surviving, perhaps) brother.  In today’s purchasing power that is over £30,000, so the Forsyths must have been a prosperous family.  Furthermore, John Edgar left any provision for the surviving daughters of his first marriage entirely to Agnes’ discretion.

*At that time land and buildings, i.e. “heritable property”, as opposed to “moveable assets” were inherited according to a law of inheritance and, therefore, not referred to in the deceased’s Will. Generally the eldest son benefited but if only daughters survived then they each took a share.

John Edgar died at Edinburgh 31.10.1832 (buried 5.11.1832), “aged 94” but possibly 95 no less. Cause of death: decay.  As yet we know no more of what happened to Agnes Edgar who was 67 when she was widowed, after 29 years of marriage.

Going further back, we have seen a baptism for a John Edgar, son of John, at Dumfries 21.8.1737.  This would be entirely suitable as a base for further research.

Although not in our bloodline, the Forsyths perhaps deserve a footnote:

Samuel Forsyth was baptised 9.9.1759 at Dumfries, the son of Joseph Forsyth of that town and his wife Jean Johnston, the family eventually numbering 13 children, the youngest being Agnes, baptised 9.6.1765, by which time the Forsyths were living at Spittlefield, Dumfries. In 1819 Samuel Forsyth was listed in a valuation roll as having property at Spittlefield worth 26 Marks.  (This was a year after being mentioned in his brother-in-law John Edgar’s Will.)  Samuel was buried at Dumfries 27.9.1836, aged 67, i.e. some four years after John Edgar himself.

June 2019

Ref. K81                                                                                 Appendix 1

 John Edgar and Mary Pearson Family

 We think John Edgar, an excise-man, married Mary Pearson in Dumfries in 1762 or 1763, given that their first seven children were baptised at Morton by Thornhill in that County:

Mary       15.4.1764.  Died Edinburgh 9.7.1837

Margaret 10.11.1765

Janet       2.5.1767

Hannah   16.3.1769

Thomas   24.2.1771

John        16.4.1772

Robert    22.6.1774

There was then a move to Edinburgh:

Sophia    23.6.1779

Alexander 3.7.1781. Buried 13.11.1801

Frances   14.11.1783

Jean Rutherford 10.11.1787

Ramsay born 2.2.1791 in South Leith.  Married Robert Trotter – see main text.

Mary (nee Pearson) was buried 13.11.1801 at St Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh.

John Edgar and Agnes Forsyth Family

 John Edgar married Agnes Forsyth at Dumfries 27.8.1803 and they had children baptised in Edinburgh as follows:

Joseph    24.5.1804.  Believed to be buried 12.8.1822 St Cuthbert’s.

Jean        3.1.1807.  Could be the bride of George Sligh at St Cuthbert’s 28.9.1835.

Samuel   26.11.1808.  Marriage* (as Samuel Forsyth Edgar) at Berwick-upon-Tweed 29.9.1846 to Mary Bunneworth, two years his junior, who was born on Bermondsey. Qualified MDE Surg E.  1851 general practitioner at Henderson Square, Berwick.  *possibly his second.