Blood of my blood…*

Kris Hocker on 24 Jun 2010

I‘ve recently been reading An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, the latest in her series which started with Outlander. If you haven’t read the series, one of its main characters is James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, a dashing young Scottish highlander. Once I’d managed to pull my head out of the book and back into the present, I started thinking about my Scottish ancestors—surprisingly enough I actually have some ancestors that weren’t German!

It’s been a while since I’ve done any research on them or posted anything to the blog. So, I thought I’d share what I have in case anyone out there is looking for the same people.

William Smith and Eliza Craig Bonnington

William Smith (25 Sep 1851—23 Feb 1905) and his wife Eliza Craig Bonnington (2 Oct 1866—18 Oct 1946) immigrated to the United States from Scotland in the 1880s. They were originally from the Edinburgh area. William had been an engineer with the White Star shipping line. He was discharged from his ship as 3rd engineer on the 22nd of January, 1882, after a voyage to Calcutta, India. He filed a declaration of intention to become a US citizen in Berks County, Pennsylvania on the 20th of September, 1886. He became a US citizen on the 12th of January in 1893 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. William owned and operated an icehouse in Harrisburg.

William and Eliza Craig (Bonnington) Smith were married 12 Dec 1882 at The Manse in Uphall parish, Linlithgow, Scotland. 1 William was the son of James and Isabella (Aitken) Smith; and Eliza was the daughter of Peter Purvis and Elizabeth (Buchanan) Bonnington.

They had children:

  1. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Smith, born and died 17 Jun 1884, Liberton Parish, Lasswade, Edinburgh, Scotland 2
  2. James Smith, born 22 Jun 1885, Straiton, Liberton Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland 3
  3. Elizabeth “Bess” Marian Smith, born 31 Oct 1887, No. 3, Straiton, Liberton Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland and died 3 Jan 1973 in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania 4 5
  4. William M. Smith Jr., born 28 Mar 1892, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and may have died in France during or after World War I, under the name John Norwood 6
  5. Isabella Aiken Smith, born 4 Apr 1893 and died 21 Jul 1962 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 7 8
  6. Robert “Bobby” Thomas Alexander Smith, born 7 Apr 1899 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and died 12 Nov 1970 in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania 9 10

James Smith and Isabella Aitken

James Smith (ca 1812—8 Feb 1856) and his wife Isabella Aitken (ca 1810—1 Dec 1856) lived in Whitburn, Linlithgow, Scotland. The banns were proclaimed 13 Dec 1840 and they were married 25 Dec 1840 in Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland.11 James was the son of Thomas and Agnes (Nimmo) Smith; and Isabella was the daughter of William and Marion (Brown) Aitken.

In 1851, the family lived at 51 Crossroads in Whitburn and James was listed as a coal miner. James’ 1756 death record lists his occupation as engine worker. 12 Isabella also died in 1856, leaving their children to be raised by James’ brother William and sister Margaret.13

James and Isabella had children:

  1. Thomas Smith, born ca 1844 in Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland and died 9 Apr 1909? in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland 14
  2. Marion Smith, born ca 1844-1846, Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland and died 11 May 1857, age 13, in Greenburn, West Lothian, Scotland 15
  3. William Smith, born 25 Sep 1851, Greenburn, West Lothian, Scotland and died 23 Feb 1805 at 1314 Howard Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 16 17

Peter Purvis Bonnington and Elizabeth Buchanan

Peter Purvis Bonnington (ca 1844—16 Sep 1891) and his wife Elizabeth Buchanan lived in Edinburgh, Scotland. They married on 17 Jun 1864 at Bloomyhall, Junipergreen, Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland.18 Peter was the son of William and Margaret (Purves/Fairborn) Bonnington; Elizabeth was the daughter of James and Sarah (Craig) Buchanan. Peter worked as a carpenter or joiner.

Peter and Elizabeth had children:

  1. Eliza Craig Bonnington, born 2 Oct 1866, Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland and died 18 Oct 1946, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, married William Smith on12 Dec 1882 19 20
  2. Margaret Bonnington, born 3 Nov 1868, Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland and died 16 Jun 1943, Prestonpans and Cockenzie, East Lothian, Scotland, married David Simpson on 31 Jan 1890 21 22
  3. William James Bonnington, born 3 Dec 1871, Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland and died 8 Mar 1945, Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland, married Robina Wait 23 24
  4. Peter Bonnington Jr., born 2 Oct 1873, Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland and died aft 1939, married Christina Isabella Graham Law 25 26 27
  5. Alexander Bonnington, born 16 Aug 1875, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland and died Feb 1964 in Nebraska, married Christina Peace and Martha Krich 28 29 30
  6. Robert Bonnington, born 30 Nov 1878 and died 7 Oct 1879 in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland 31 32
  7. Robert Bonnington, born 20 May 1881, Bathgate, West Lothian Scotland and died 1 May 1939, Canongate, Midlothian, Scotland, married Jessie Hunter Crawford Alexander 33 34 35
  8. Craig Bonnington, born 10 Sep 1885, Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland and died ca 1959 in Edinburgh, Scotland, married Isabella Mason Kinghorn 36 37

Thomas Smith and Agnes Nimmo

Thomas Smith (?—bef 1856) and Agnes Nimmo (?—bef 1856) were married sometime prior to 1804, quite possibly in West Lothian, Scotland. He was a farm laborer according to his son James’ death certificate and a farmer according to Margaret’s death certificate.

Thomas and Agnes had children:

  1. Margaret Smith, born ca 1804-1807, Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland and died 26 Aug 1875 in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland 38
  2. William Smith, born ca 1806, Whitburn, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland and died 7 Jun 1877 in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland 39
  3. James Smith, born ca 1812 and died 8 Feb 1856 in Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland, married Isabella Aitkin 40 41

William Aitken and Marion Brown

I don’t have much information at all about this couple. William Aitken and his wife Marion Brown may have been married 29 May 1769 in Renfrew, Scotland. It seems a trifle early considering the children I have for them are two daughters: Isabella, born ca 1810 and baptized 24 Mar 1816 in Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland; and Helen, born bef 19 Aug 1819 and baptized 19 Aug 1819, both in Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

William Bonnington and Margaret Purves/Faiborn

William Bonnington (ca 1816—11 Jun 1885) and his first wife Margaret Purves/Fairborn (ca 1821—bet 1844-1847) apparently lived in Galashiels, Selkirk, Scotland. They likely married about 1838. Her surname is given as Purves on their son Peter’s marriage certificate and daughter Anne’s birth record and as Fairborn on William’s second marriage certificate and his death certificate. William married twice more after her death, first to Mary Reavely on 9 Jul 1847, and second to Elizabeth Thomson 16 Jun 1857.42 43 William was a Master Joiner and at one time an undertaker.

William and Margaret (Purves/Fairborn) Bonnington had children:

  1. Anne Bonnington, born 5 May 1839, Galashiels, Selkirk, Scotland 44
  2. Robert Bonnington, born 30 Mar 1841, Galashiels, Selkirk, Scotland
  3. Peter Purvis Bonnington, born ca 1844, Galashiels, Selkirk, Scotland and died 16 Sep 1891, Mayburn, Loanhead, Lasswade Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland 45

James Buchanan and Sarah Craig

James Buchanan (ca 1812/22—17 Apr 1888?) and his wife Sarah Craig (ca 1809—bet 1851-1861) lived in Cambusnethan Parish in Lanarkshire in 1851, living at 9 Barnhall Row.46 James was a coal miner. According to the record, James, his wife Sarah, two daughters Elizabeth and Sarah, as well as his mother were all born in Ireland. James may have married after Sarah’s death Margaret Tatlock and lived in Shotts, Lanarkshire. If so, he was the son of John Buchanan and Mary Irvine.47

James and Sarah had children:

  1. Elizabeth Buchanan, born ca 1845/47 in either Ireland or Chapellhall, Lanarkshire, Scotland and died 13 May 1928 in Crown Terrace, Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland, married Peter Purvis Bonnington.4849
  2. Sarah Buchanan, born ca 1847, possibly in Ireland50 51

* From a Scottish marriage rite: “Ye are the Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, ’til our Life shall be Done.” [from Outlander]

Footnotes

  1. William Smith and Elizabeth Bonnington, marriage record no. 46 (1882), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extracted 28 Aug 2001, extraction no. 59192. ↩
  2. “Extract from an entry in a Register of Deaths – Elizabeth Smith,” 18 Jun 1884 (extracted 6 Sep 2001), Scotland, File number 62233, William Cochrane, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  3. “Extract of an Entry in a Register of Births – James Smith,” 8 Jul 1885 (extracted 9 Aug 2002), Scotland, 259559, William Cochrane, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  4. “Elizabeth Marian Smith entry, Extract of an Entry in a Register of Births,” 18 Nov 1887 (extracted 9 Aug 2002), Scotland, 259650, William Cochrane, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  5. “Elizabeth M. Lutz gravestone,” Paxtang Cemetery, Paxtang Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, Sunday, 4 Jun 2000; Elizabeth M. Lutz obituary, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 6 Jan 1973, Section B, page 8 ↩
  6. Family data, William Smith Family Bible; copy of children’s page sent by Isabel Bonnington (Hocker) Ruder to Ruth (Hoover) Hocker ↩
  7. Family data, William Smith Family Bible; copy of children’s page sent by Isabel Bonnington (Hocker) Ruder to Ruth (Hoover) Hocker ↩
  8. 442. “Isabella A. Hocker,” Death Certificate File number 065720-62 (1962), Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Statistics, New Castle ↩
  9. Family data, William Smith Family Bible; copy of children’s page sent by Isabel Bonnington (Hocker) Ruder to Ruth (Hoover) Hocker ↩
  10. “Robert T. Smith gravestone,” Paxtang Cemetery, Paxtang Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, Sunday, 4 Jun 2000; Robert T. Smith obituary, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 Nov 1970, page 12 ↩
  11. James Smith and Isabella Aitkin married record, Register of Proclamations of Banns and Marriages, Parish of Carnwath, County of Lanark, dated 25 Dec 1840 (extracted 29 June 2006), General Register Office, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  12. James Smith death record, no. 14 (8 Feb 1856), Scotland, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  13. Isabella Smith, death certificate no. 54 (1856), Parish of Whitburn, County of Linlithgow, General Register Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland, 8 June 2006. ↩
  14. Extract of an Entry in a Register of Deaths – Thomas Smith, 9 Apr 1909 (viewed 7 Dec 2006), Scotland, Statutory Deaths 673/02 0015, D. Maxwell, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  15. Extract of an Entry in a Register of Deaths – Marion Smith, 11 May 1857 (viewed 7 Dec 2006), Scotland, Statutory Deaths 673/00 0040, William Arthur, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  16. 448. William H. Hocker and Isabella A. Smith, Application for Marriage, Dauphin County Marriage Book F: Page 153, Dauphin County Clerk of the Orphans Court, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ↩
  17. Registration of Death – William Smith, 22 May 1905, Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Book H, Number 790. ↩
  18. Peter Bonnington and Elizabeth Buchanan, marriage record no. 14 (1864), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extraction no. 59479, extracted 6 Sep 2001. ↩
  19. Eliza Craig Bonnington, birth certificate no. 81 (1866), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extracted 28 Aug 2001, extract no. 236828. ↩
  20. William Smith and Elizabeth Bonnington, marriage record no. 46 (1882), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extracted 28 Aug 2001, extraction no. 59192. ↩
  21. Margaret Bonnington, birth certificate no. 82 (1868), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  22. David Simpson and Margaret Bonnington entry, Extract of an entry in a Register of Marriages, 4 Feb 1890 (extracted 12 Aug 2002), Scotland, File number 70399, William Robert, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  23. William James Bonnington, birth certificate no. 67 (1871), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  24. William James Bonnington and Robina Wait entry, Extract of an entry in a Register of Marriages, 13 Aug 1898 (extracted 12 Aug 2002), Scotland, File number 70401, J.A. Findlay, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  25. Peter Bonnington, birth certificate no. 254 (1873), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  26. Christina Isabella Graham Bonnington, death certificate no. 121 (1939), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  27. Peter Bonnington and Christina Isabella Graham Law entry, marriage record no. 319 (1914), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  28. Alexander Bonnington, birth certificate no. 188 (1875), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  29. Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index, U.S. Social Security Administrations Death Master File, United States Social Security Administration, Washington, D.C. ↩
  30. Alexander Bonnington and Christina Peace entry, Extract of an entry in a Register of Marriages, 27 Jan 1899 (extracted 12 Aug 2002), Scotland, File number 70400, P. Goldie, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  31. Robert Bonnington, birth certificate no. 270 (1878), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  32. Robert Bonnington, death certificate no. 91 (1879), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  33. Robert Bonnington, birth certificate no. 113 (1881), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  34. Robert Bonnington, death certificate no. 237 (1939), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  35. Robert Bonnington and Jessie Hunter Crawford Alexander entry, marriage certificate no. 345 (1910), District of Saint Giles, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  36. Craig Bonnington, birth certificate no. 140 (1885), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland. ↩
  37. Craig Bonnington and Isabella Mason Kinghorn entry, marriage certificate no. 21 (1909), District of Portobello, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  38. Margaret Smith, death certificate no. 43 (1875), District of Fauldhouse, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  39. William Smith, death certificate no. 30 (1877), District of Fauldhouse, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  40. James Smith, death certificate no. 14 (1856), Parish of Whitburn, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  41. James Smith and Isabella Aitkin married record, Register of Proclamations of Banns and Marriages, Parish of Carnwath, County of Lanark, dated 25 Dec 1840 (extracted 29 June 2006), General Register Office, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  42. Mary Bonnington, death certificate no. 183 (1855), District of Newington and Grange, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  43. William Bonnington and Elizabeth Thomson entry, marriage certificate no. 2 (1857), Parish of St. Boswell’s, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  44. Anne Bonnington entry, Old Parochial Registers, Parish of Galashiels, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  45. Peter Bonnington, death certificate no. 158 (1891), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extracted 12 Aug 2002, extract no. 75198. ↩
  46. James Buchanan entry, 1851 UK Census, Lanarkshire, Cambusnethan Parish, page 3, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  47. James Buchanan and Margaret Tatlock entry,marriage record no. 47 (1863), Parish of Bathgate, County of Linlithgow, General Register Office, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  48. Elizabeth Bonnington, death certificate no. 20 (1928), Parish of Prestonpans, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  49. James Buchanan entry, 1851 UK Census, Lanarkshire, Cambusnethan Parish, page 3, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  50. James Buchanan entry, 1851 UK Census, Lanarkshire, Cambusnethan Parish, page 3, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩
  51. James Buchanan entry, 1861 UK Census, Linlothgowshire, Bathgate Parish, page 23, General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland ↩

Cite This Page:

, "Blood of my blood…*," A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy, the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker, modified 12 Aug 2010 (https://www.krishocker.com/blood-of-my-blood/ : accessed 2 Nov 2024).

Content copyright © 2010 Kris Hocker. Please do not copy without prior permission, attribution, and link back to this page.