Walter and Agnes Forsyth of Penicuik

Click on the title of this post to see the Spittal Farmhouse close to Penicuik. I don't know if this is the farmhouse that Walter Forsyth lived in, but it is the general area.

A Walter Forsyth (perhaps the brother of our James Forsyth [Helen Scott], but most certainly a relative of James) married Agnes Ferguson Dec 12, 1812 in Penicuik. Agnes was probably the daughter of William Ferguson and Jean Buyer baptised September 23, 1778 in Biggar, Lanark. This town is not far from Penicuik and Agnes provided this town as her place of birth in the 1851 census, as shown below.

Three daughters were baptised in Penicuik: Jean, 25 August, 1814; Marion, August 16, 1816; and Joan, December 5, 1818. Alison, born about 1826, is with her father and sister, Joanna, in the 1841 census below.

A Thomas BROWN married Jean Forsyth on July 20, 1832 in Penicuik, Midlothian. Marion died in 1838 at 22 years of age and is buried the Penicuik churchyard. Alison married William ROBB in 1841, and Joan(na) married a Thomas MURRAY in 1849.

The 40 year old John Forsyth in the 1841 census who is married to Isabella Sinclair is probably the son of a John Forsyth, substantiated by an 1821 baptism of a child of John and his wife, Isabel Sinclair when one of the witnesses is a John Forsyth, Senior. Note that there is a 15 year old John Forsyth, an apprentice, living with Laings in 1841. He is probably a son of John and Isabella.

The facts which seem to suggest that James and Walter were brothers are:
i) Walter witnessed the baptism of a son of James in Penicuik
ii) both had a second daughter named Marion...perhaps their mother's name *

Therefore, there appears to be two Forsyth brothers living in the Penicuik area in the first decade of the 19th century. Walter lives there until his death, but James moves to East Lothian. There might have been a third brother, John, in the area, but there was definitely a John, son of John Sr.
1841 Census - Penicuik -Midlothian Address: -
FORSYTH, John, M, 40, Ag. Lab, b. Outside County
FORSYTH, Isabella (Sinclair), F, 40, b.Midlothian
FORSYTH, Isabella, F, 15, Paper Mill, b. Midlothian
FORSYTH, Jane, F, 10, Paper Mill, b. Midlothian

1841 Census -Place: Penicuik -Midlothian Address: Spittal Farm
FORSYTH, Walter, M, 70, Farmer, b. Outside County
FORSYTH, Joanna, F, 20, b. Midlothian FORSYTH, Alison, F, 15, b.Midlothian BROWN, David, M, 8, b. Midlothian SOMERVILLE, Mary, F, 18, Servant, b. Outside County
SOMERVILLE, Isabella, F, 15, Servant, b. OutsideCounty *

1841 Census Place: Penicuik -Midlothian Address: Monks Burn Cottage
BROWN, Thomas, M, 34, Wright, b. Outside County
BROWN, Jean, F, 25, b. Midlothian BROWN, Walter, M, 6, b. Midlothian
FORSYTH, Agnes, F, 62, Independent, b. Outside County
FORSYTH, Agnes, F, 3, b. Midlothian ** see 1851 below- Agnes Brown
ROBB, John, M, 18, Wright Journeyman, b. Outside County
HURT, James, M, 15, Wright Apprentice, b. Outside County
MASON, Mary, F, 15, Servant, b.Outside County

1841 Census Place: Penicuik -Midlothian Address: Silver Burn Smithy
LAING, Andrew, M, 55, Wright J&M, b. Outside County
LAING, Jean, F, 55, b. Outside County (1841)
LAING, John, M, 23, Wright Journeyman, b. Midlothian
LAING, Elizabeth, F, 19, b. Midlothian
LAING, George, M, 12, b. Midlothian
STODDART, Robert, M, 20, Wright Journeyman, b. Outside County
THOMSON, James, M, 15, Wright Journeyman, b. Outside County
WHITE, Adam, M, 20,Wright Apprentice, b. Midlothian
FORSYTH, John, M, 15, Wright Apprentice, b. Midlothian
BAILEY, George, M, 15, Agr. Labourer, b. Midlothian
HISLOP, Margaret, F, 15, Servant, b. Midlothian *

1851 Census Place: Penicuik -Midlothian Address: Nether Friarton
FORSYTH, Agnes, Head, Wid, F, 73, Annuitant, b. Lanarkshire - Biggar
BROWN, David, Grnson, Unm. M, 18, Wright, Midlothian - Penicuik [In 1851, Agnes is the only Forsyth surname in Penicuik] *

1851 Census Penicuik -Midlothian Address: Monk B(urn) Cottage
BROWN, Thomas, Head, Mar. M, 45, Joiner & Cart Wright Emp 2 Men, b. Lanarkshire - Dunsyre
BROWN, Jean, M, F, 36, Wife, b. Midlothian - Penicuik
BROWN, Walter, Son, Unm, M, 16, Cart Wright, b. Midlothian - Penicuik
BROWN, Agnes, Dau, F, 13, Scholar, b. Midlothian - Penicuik
BROWN, Joanna, Dau, F, 7, Scholar, b. Midlothian - Penicuik
BROWN, Thomas, Son, M, 4, b. Midlothian - Penicuik
BROWN, Jean, Servnt, Unm, F, 22, House Servant, b. Peebles-shire * *

Marriages of Children of Walter and Agnes Forsyth:
Jean Forsyth=Thomas Brown 20 July 1832 Penicuik
Alison Forsyth=Wm Robb 21 Dec 1841 Penicuik (at 9 Mile Burn in 1851)
Joanna Forsyth=Thomas Murray 17 July 1849 Penicuik

Marriages of Children of John &
Isabella Forsyth:
Isabella Forsyth = James Whyte, 14 Dec 1851 Penicuik
Jane Forsyth = Walter Easton 20 Feb 1857 Penicuik

Burials in Penicuik Churchyard:
1838, Nov. 16 - Marion Forsyth, dau of Walter, Farmer of Spittal, age 22 years

1849, Jan. 27 - Walter Forsyth, Farmer, Spitthall, age 80 years