Marion Forsyth, Mrs. John Cochrane

This post was revised Mar/2011 to include the 1871 census
EL = East Lothian ML = Mid Lothian

1841 Census
Place: Haddington,East Lothian
Address: Hardgate Street

COCHRANE, John...........M.......40......Dyer....b. Outside Co.
COCHRANE, Marion....F.......35...b. Outside Co.
COCHRANE, Helen..........F.......15.....................East Lothian
COCHRANE, John...........M.......15....................East Lothian
COCHRANE, James..........M.......14...................East Lothian
COCHRANE, David..........M........9....................East Lothian
COCHRANE, Robert.........M........7....................East Lothian
COCHRANE, Marion.........F........4....................East Lothian
COCHRANE, Not Known...M......10d................East Lothian
MALCOLM, Helen...........F........15......Servant..East Lothian

1851 CENSUS
Place: Haddington -East Lothian
Address: (not given)

COCHRANE, John, Head, M, M, 54, Dyer, ML, Edinburgh
COCHRANE,Marrion, Wife, M, F, 48, ML, Pennycuick
COCHRANE, John, Son, U, M, 26, Dyer, EL, Haddington
COCHRANE, David, Son, U, M, 19, Drapers Appr., EL, "
COCHRANE, Robert,Son, U, M, 16, Railway Clerk, EL, "
COCHRANE, Marrion, Dau, U, F, 14, EL, Haddington
COCHRANE, Thomas, Son, U, M, 9, Scholar, EL, Haddington
COCHRANE, George, Son, U, M, 6, Scholar, EL, Haddington

1861 CENSUS
Place: Haddington -East Lothian
Address: Hardgate St.

COCHRANE, John, Head, M, M, 64, Dyer, ML, St Cuthbert
FORSYTH, Marion, Wife, M, F, 56, ML, West Linton
COCHRANE, George, Son, U, M, 16, Linen Draper, EL, Haddington


Reminiscences of the Royal Burgh of Haddington & Old East Lothian
- by John Martine, 1883

p. 62 "Next to the Kings Arms was many years ago an old established dye work, carried on by Robert and John Davie and their forbears. Dyeing seems to have been a large trade in Haddington at one time. There were two other dye-works beside Messrs Davie in Hardgate, viz. that of Thomas Ramsay, where the late William Paterson's premises are and one near the North-East Port, long occupied by Sandie Laurie and latterly by John Cochrane. Maud or madder was at one time extensively grown at Aberlady and other places for the use of Haddington dyers and dyesters. A deal of worsted yarn was dyed blue and manufactured into stockings and cloth by the numerous weavers at that time in town and country. The dyers used to dry their yearns etc. on the tenters at Tenterfield."

Marion's husband, John Cochrane, died in 1869 and is buried in Haddington, as is their son, Thomas Cochrane, who died in 1865. In 1871 we find the widowed Marion living with her married daughter, Helen Johnston, whom we haven't seen since the 1841 Census. George Cochrane is Marion's youngest child. This could be a second marriage for Helen as there is a marriage between a Helen Cochrane and a James Easton McLeod in Haddington on May 3, 1846. George is shown as a visitor, but it is unclear if Marion was living with them but it could be that George accompanied his mother on a visit to the sister. Marion is buried in Haddington with her husband.

1871 Census - Nunholm, Lanward, Dumfriesshire
William Johnson, 66 b. England, Retired Horse Steward
Helen Johnson, 47, b. Haddington
Marian Cochrane, 67, b. Peebleshire, mother-in-law
George Cochrane, 26, Haddington, *Kide Officer Ease Franch, Visitor
*This is the spelling from the census transcription. Original not seen.

Burials at St. Mary's Parish Church, Haddington
Marion Cochrane.............19 March 1835............Plot T99
Marion Cochrane.............22 Feb 1842........................Q18
Thomas Cochrane.............15 Sept 1865........................T99
John Cochrane..................25 Aug 1869........................T99
Marion Forsyth.................27 Feb..1877........................T99

Census Records On-line

I have been using a free website to check Scottish census records
(click on the above heading), and realized this morning that East
Lothian is only complete for the 1841, 1851 and 1861 census
records. This explains why I have been unable to find the East
Lothian Forsyths after the 1861 census.

Origin of Surname FORSYTH

'This interesting surname is of early medieval Scottish origin,
and has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history
and derivation.

'Firstly, Forsyth may be of locational origin from some minor,
or now lost place called "Fersith" or "Forsith", believed to have
been in Midlothian. The component elements of the placename
are most likely the Old Gaelic "fer", grass, or "for", hill, mound,
with "si(the)", fairies; hence, "fairy mound", or "fairy pastures".
Locational surnames, such as this, were originally given to local
landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially as a
means of identification to those who left their birthplace to
settle elsewhere. William de Fersith was one of an inquest in
Edinburgh (1402), and Thomas de Forsyth witnessed a precept
by Robert dominus de Lyle in 1452.

'The surname may also derive from the Olde Gaelic personal
name "Fearsithe", a compound of the elements "fear", man,
with "sithe", peace. Osbert filius (son of) Forsyth had a charter
of a hundred shilling land in the tenement of Salahill, Stirling,
from Robert 1, circa 1308. An interesting bearer of the name
was Alexander John Forsyth (1769 - 1843), who was offered
20,000 lira by Napoleon to reveal the secret of the percussion
lock which he invented.

'The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be
that of William de Fersith, bailie of Edinburgh, which was dated
1365, in the "Early Medieval Records of Scotland", during the
reign of King David 11 of Scotland, 1329 - 1371.

'Surnames became necessary when governments introduced
personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.
Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have
continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants
of the original spelling.'

http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Forsyth

Letter from Robert Forsyth 1837-1912

Below is the information which Jessie (Forsyth) Peacock transcribed from
a letter from Robert Forsyth. It is not known to whom the letter was
written, perhaps Jessie; however, it does mention a 1905 death and we
know that Robert died in 1912; therefore, we can assume it was sometime
between 1905 and 1912. Jessie's father, John, died in 1908. Perhaps
a letter was written to Robert to inform him of his brother's death.
(The information in brackets is mine)

"James Forsyth, my grandfather, was born at Penicook
(Penicuik, Midlothian). He was a farmer. I do not know
date of birth. Died 1844, (sic 1842 in parish registers)
Calder (West of Edinburgh near a place called Livingstone).

My grandmother lived with Mr. (John, husband of Marion)
Cochrane and sometimes with her daughter, Mrs. (Peter)
Wallace. Grandmother died in the fall of 1860, age 87 years.
She was buried in Haddington churchyard in the same grave
as grandfather. I think grandfather died about 16 years
before grandmother (sic).

Family of James Forsyth

John, born November 3rd, 1806 Died November 7, 1884 (Canada)

Christina, married M.F. Gout (Ewart and Hewat in census records;
Hewat in parish records)

Minnie or Mary (Marion in census), married J. Cochrane

James, no date of birth given

Robert, no birth date, was a baker by trade

Ellen, married a Mr. (Peter) Wallace

Thomas, was a guard on the railway between Berwick
and Edinburgh

Jessie, went to Australia, was married but don't know
married name"

Jessie Forsyth (1885-1965) -Mrs. Geo. Peacock

This photo of Jessie Forsyth Peacock with grand daugher, Brenda White, daughter of Wilbur and Helen was taken not too many years before Jessie's death in 1965. She was an active member of the Macaulay Women's Institute (Muskoka, Ontario) serving as president for twelve years. Perhaps genealogy was one of the women's interests, for Jessie kept notes on her own family and her Scots ancestors. The source of the Forsyth family information seems to be a letter from Robert Forsyth, her father's brother. However, it is not known if she was quoting a letter from her father's personal effects or if she was in touch with this uncle.

The next posts will summarize the information about the siblings of Jessie's father, John; their parents, John and Charlotte who died in Canada; and their grandparents, James and Helen, who died in East Lothian, Scotland (east of Edinburgh). I will then compare this information to the Scottish census records.

1841 Census - Also on Hardgate Street

Click on the title for a map of East Lothian. There is a vertical menu
on the right of this map. Click on the little camera for photos of
East Lothian.

Place: Haddington -East Lothian
Civil Parish: St Johns Haddington
Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: St Johns Q.S.
Address: Hardgate Street

Surname...First name(s)..Sex.....Age.....Occupation.....Where Born

COCHRANE, John...........M.......40......Dyer....Outside Census County (1841)

COCHRANE, Marion....F.......35...Outside Census County (1841)

COCHRANE, Helen..........F.......15.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, John...........M.......15.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, James..........M.......14.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, David..........M........9.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, Robert.........M........7.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, Marion.........F........4.....................East Lothian

COCHRANE, Not Known...M......10d....................East Lothian

MALCOLM, Helen...........F........15......Servant....East Lothian

1841 and 1851 Census - Haddington, East Lothian

Click on the title for a map of East Lothian

Scotland 1841 Census
Place: Haddington -East Lothian
Civil Parish: St Johns Haddington
Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: St Johns Q. S.
Address: Hardgate Street

Surname...First name....Sex...Age....Occupation....Where Born

FORSYTH, James...........M.....70....Shepherd .....East Lothian

FORSYTH, Helen...........F.....65..................East Lothian

Ten years later, Hellen is widowed and living independently on the same street as her daughter Marion Cochrane. Her place of birth is given as Selkirk.

Scotland 1851 Census
Place: Haddington -East Lothian
Civil Parish: Haddington-St John
Ecclesiastical Parish: Haddington-St John
Address: Hardgate Street

FORSYTH, Hellen, Head, Wid., 77, b. Selkirkshire - Selkirk