George Smith Mitchell b. Dec 1856

[HBCwife]

Emigrated to Canada in 1882. Worked as a miller/stone mason.

Marriage: George Smith MITCHELL, 27, New Deer Scotland, Owen Sound, Mechanic s/o James & Jane MITCHELL married Elizabeth Ann WILSON, 19, illegible Canada, Nassagaweya d/o Robert & Sarah Wilson; Witn: John King & Caroline Wilson, both of Nassagaweya married 28 Sept 1883 at Nassagaweya

They had seven children.

Rumour has it that there were three brothers who were taken in by a childless couple. When the husband wanted the boys to take on his name, they left the country - one to Ireland, one to Ontario, Canada and one to western Canada.

My mother made a comment once that "he was a farmer but not a very good one".

Thank you for any direction you may give me in this matter.

[janbooth]

I don't know if you already have this information, but George is in the 1861 census of Blackhill, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire:

James MITCHELL Head Mar 34 Ploughman New Deer Aberdeenshire
Jane do Wife Mar 31 Old Deer do
James do Son 9 Scholar New Deer do
William do Son 8 do do do
George do Son 6 do do do
John do Son 4 do Logie Buchan do
Alexander do Son 2 do do
Hugh do Son 2 weeks Peterhead do

James MITCHELL & wife Jean are in the 1871 census of Hillhead, Logie Buchan together with children Alexander, Hugh, Robert, , Thomas, Jean & Elspet & James & Jane are in the 1881 census of Kirkhill, Udney, Aberdeenshire with children Jane, Elspet & Margaret, he now being described as a Letter Carrier.

Eldest son James looks to have remained in Scotland as he is in the 1881 census of Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, married to an Ann and has 2 daughters Elizabeth & Jane. He is described as a Journeyman Mason. William MITCHELL is living in Logie Buchan in the 1871 census described as an unmarried Farm Servant. George MITCHELL is in the 1881 census of Premnay, Aberdeenshire where he is described as an unmarried Meal Miller living in the household of Helen BLACK a Lodging House Keeper. There is a George MITCHELL in the 1871 census of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, who describes himself as an unmarried Farm Servant born Logie Buchan living in the household of James JOHNSON & family who is a Farmer. Alexander MITCHELL is living at Cruden, Aberdeenshire in the 1901 census and is described as a married Farm Servant (Horseman) living with wife Ann and son Robert.

So, whether there is any truth in the family rumour seems debatable because none of the boys seem to be living with each other in the 71/81 census records and with the same family. George MITCHELL looks to have migrated to New York aboard the Furnessia which arrived in 1882 and he is described as aged 27, from Scotland, a Miller, on the Passenger List, which fits in very well with a marriage in Canada in 1883. He probably crossed over the border to Canada but so far I have not been able to find that record. Hope this helps a bit anyway.

Janet

[Lesley Robertson]

George Mitchell, abt 1846, New Deer, is a lodger in the 1881, occupation meal miller.

[HBCwife]

Thank you for the earlier census information which was new to me.

Both my father and brother have "Forbes" as their middle names.
My brother has carried it to the extreme by buying Forbes tartans etc.

I don't have any idea if there is a connection.
I tried contacting the Forbes estate years ago but they could not make a connection.

[Lesley Robertson]

Remember that names can seem very rare abroad, but are quite common "back home". For example, when I first came to Holland, there were only 14 Robertsons in the Hague's phone book and yet the name's one of the 20 most common in Scotland - we're wall-to-wall in Dundee! You could have distant Forbes family, or it might have been the name of the Minister, midwife, employer, etc, etc. I don't know anything about the Forbes estate...
One of my gUncles was a railway porter and his middle name came from the Station Master!

You'll need to keep checking all your lines.

[janbooth]

Well, I don't think James MITCHELL married a FORBES. In the 1851 census of New Deer, Aberdeenshire, James MITCHELL is described as an unmarried Farm Labourer living in the household of James OGSTON & family who is a Farmer. Amongst the other occupants of the household is a Jane SMITH, aged 21, born Old Deer, and lo and behold there is a marriage on 13 April 1851 at New Deer of a James MITCHELL & Jean SMITH - Jane & Jean seem to be pretty interchangeable on Scottish records.

Janet

[Lesley Robertson]

Also Janet. Jeanie, etc... Fuzzy spelling was almost compulsory before WW1....
If there's a family connection, I'm thinking grandparents or ggparents. However, the scottish records don't seem to mention a middle name, it could have come from George's wife's side... If the family practised traditional naming patterns (and many didn't) James and William would have got the closest names...

The urge for displacement activity took over and so I checked the b.cert. of Hugh (in Scotland, the least common surname, also by 1860 marriage info was included). Mother's indeed Jane Smith, married 6 Apr 1851, New Deer.

Another thought about Forbes - there's a a parish of that name in Aberdeenshire...

BTW There's a tree on FamilySearch claiming that Jane's parents were George Smith & Ann Johnstone... Only mentions daughters... No idea how reliable it is.

[HBCwife]

I just looked at my own info and that is the marriage I had, too. I also have a birth for a James Mitchell 22 Jun 1822 naming parents as George Mitchell and Margaret Blair who were married 25 Jun 1820 in New Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He has 3 brothers Alexander, William Harvey and John. I will check out FamilySearch for that tree. Thank you.