Oh My Dear Joy!

    I think we are sooo close but not quite.  I have visited Gills Canisby and sat in my Great Grandfather William Matheson's house where he was born in 1849. It has been modernized with a tin roof replacing the thatched roof of the croft and bathrooms added.  I have an Alexina Mackay marr. to a John Matheson b.1851. Could this be the one you are looking for? All I have is a son, William but that doesn't mean I have all their children.  This John's parents are John Matheson and Elizabeth Innes. My Grandmother who died when I was 18 months old is Elizabeth Innes Matheson Carpenter.  She never liked being called Betty! Only Grandpa Carpenter could do that. I think she was conceived on the boat over from Scotland as I have them in Edinburgh and then 9 months later in Herington KS where she was born in 1890. My mother, Virginia E. Carpenter Hillary was born in Junction City KS in 1918.  Are you from the Midwest?  I am in AZ. Alexina's husband was born in 4 Feb 1851 in Gils Canisby. I don't have a birth record or marriage record for Alexina nor her parents.

Their son, William Matheson died in 1963-don't know where. I think in Scotland perhaps Gills.  I don't have a birth date for him. He married Minnie Banks. They had 7 children. John, William, James, Helen, Daisy, Minnie, and Alice. No info on them. I think this is the part of the family that was still in Canisby when I visited.  I have no children for any other of the seven.

My Great Grandfather William was the brother of the John married to Alexina. He was also son of John Matheson and Elizabeth Innes. His parents are William Matheson, b. 1771 and Isabella Harper, b. 1781. Do you want a Gedcom of this family? Have you been in contact with those still living in Scotland? I guess you have since your John used to live there.  How are you connected.  This is great if we can figure out how we are connected. 

I went to the World Wide Matheson Clan Convention in Prince Edward Island, Canada some years ago.  No one from my group there but learn that  3 Matheson brothers who immigrated there were part of the Canadian Constitutional Convention, part of history!  It was written on PE Island!

If your William born in 1890 too then he could be the right one.  They all came over as a family I think as there are lots of cousins in KS. So maybe he was conceived on the boat over too!

Are you sure of the spelling of her name? Or is mine wrong.  Would be exciting if we could figure this out!

Sorry I don't have a family bible you are looking for. I am sending the only Bible page I have.  It is burnt so I don't have it all. I have some pictures. And I have some unidentified tin types I would love to ID if you think your John could do that?

Well, back to my sewing. Can't wait to here from you.

Cheers from AZ USA

 Attached is pix of Matheson bible from fire.

Linda

Is John McDonald there in MI with you?  My Hugina Mackay Matheson was born in Portscherra Sutherlandshire.  We went 37 miles to the west from Gills to visit her grand nephew who owned Orney View house.  His daughter now owns it as he and wife are gone. His was Colin McDonald. His grandmother was Hughina's sister Catherine so she must have married into the MacDonald family.  They are all intertwined, arent' they?