Monthly Archives: November 2012

ORMSBY, John (about 1851 – 1854)

03 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in Brickrow Farm, Ayr, Scotland, General, Ormsby Family

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[for John’s parents and siblings see page ‘ORMSBY’ at top of screen]

[this post last edited, new information and / or images added 18 March 2013]

John ORMSBY born about 1851 in Brickrow Farm, St. Quivox, Ayrshire, Scotland, died about 1854-1855 in Brickrow Farm, St. Quivox, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was the fourth child and third son of James ORMSBY and his wife Helen STEEL.

Very little is known about John aside from the St. Quivox cemetery inscription “Erected by Helen Steele in memory of … her son John who died in infancy”. His birth and death are not recorded in the St. Quivox Old Parochial Records. Childhood diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, whooping cough, typhus, smallpox and tuberculosis were prevalent and may have caused John’s death.

The baby John probably died about 1854-1855 as the next son born to James and Helen in 1853 was named Richard Steel ORMSBY so John was likely still alive. When the next son after Richard was born in 1856 he was named John [John ORMSBY] as a replacement for his deceased infant brother.

Another possible explanation is that John was stillborn, as stillborn children often went unregistered and had no burial ceremony, although in that situation the next son would have likely been named ‘John’ instead of ‘Richard’.

ORMSBY, James (1850 – after 1871)

02 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in Brickrow Farm, Ayr, Scotland, Ormsby Family

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[for James’ parents and siblings see page ‘ORMSBY’ at top of screen]

[this post last edited, new information and / or images added 18 March 2013]

Not much is known about James ORMSBY, third child and second son to James ORMSBY ands his wife Helen STEEL. The St. Quivox Old Parochial Record (OPR) recorded his birth.

   Ormesby, James, lawful son of James Ormesby & Helen Steel born 16 November 1850, St. Quivox

James grew up with his family at Brickrow Farm for this first twenty years of his life. The 1871 census listed James, 20, ‘farmers’ son’ at Brickrow.

James’ life may have changed with the death of his father James on October 12, 1871. His father’s will identified a £100 Endowment Policy with the St. Patricke Assurance Company of Ireland to go to James on his 21st birthday, 16 November 1871.

Receipt of this windfall may have provided the chance to escape the farm that James had been looking for. His brother Richard [Richard Steele ORMSBY] had already left home and worked as a ‘banker accountant’ in Cumnock. His brother Andrew [Andrew ORMSBY] worked as a ‘clerk’, but as the eldest son he would be expected to help run the farm upon the death of his father. His brother John [John ORMSBY] was 15, but would stay and work the farm with Andrew. The youngest brother Henry [Henry ORMSBY] was 12 and still attended school.

Wherever James went after 1871 his trail goes cold. I have not found him in subsequent Scottish census, birth, marriage, or death records. Emigration records have not been thoroughly checked. He is not listed in the St. Quivox family cemetery inscriptions, even as an ‘in memoriam’ mention which might be done if he was buried elsewhere. Perhaps James emigrated and / or lost touch with his family?

Hopefully a descendant of James’ will see this blog and contact TheirOwnStories so that James story can be continued.

ORMSBY, Andrew (1848-1928)

01 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Brickrow Farm, Ayr, Scotland, Ormsby Family

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[for Andrew’s parents and siblings see page ‘ORMSBY’ at top of screen]

[this post last edited, new information and / or images added 18 March 2013]

Andrew ORMSBY was born on 19 August 1848 in St. Quivox, Ayrshire, Scotland, the first son and second child born to James ORMSBY and his wife Helen STEEL.

Left: Andrew Ormsby, at Brickrow Farm, Ayrshire, Scotland, on 30 October 1924 at the wedding of his niece Jane (Jean) Muir ORMSBY to James McGUIRE. This photograph is now in the collection of an Ormsby family descendant who still lives in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Andrew lived an uneventful life at Brickrow Farm and a short distance away at Gibbsyard. The census recorded Brickrow Farm as his residence and listed his occupation as ‘farmer’, ‘agricultural labourer’ or ‘farm labourer’. For a brief period he considered leaving farm work as the 1871 census listed his occupation as ‘clerk’. Perhaps it was the death of Andrew’s father on October 12, 1871 that altered Andrew’s career choice and he was required to help run Brickrow Farm with his widowed mother Helen and his younger brother John [John ORMSBY], 15.

Andrew likely had no option but to return to farming. His brother Richard Steele [Richard Steel ORMSBY] had already left home and his brother James [James ORMSBY], who reached the age of 21 on 16 November 1871, had received the £100 from his father’s will and had no intention of staying on the farm. Andrew was not mentioned in his father’s will, perhaps it was assumed he would take over the running of Brickrow Farm. Whatever the situation, by 1881 Andrew was listed as a ‘farmer’ and so was to remain for the rest of his life.

Andrew lived at Gibbsyard, Auchincruive from 1901 until at least 1913. The move to Gibbsyard likely occurred after Andrew’s brother John brought his new wife Helen Ramsay MUIR to Brickrow in 1894. The 1911 census listed Andrew (61) sharing a home at Giibsyard with his widowed mother Helen (89), widower brother Henry [Henry ORMSBY] (52) and Henry’s two sons James [James Henry ORMSBY]  (21) and Robert [Robert Lamont ORMSBY] (19). In 1913 Andrew, as eldest son, signed the death registration of his 92 year old mother Helen. Sometime after 1913 Andrew moved back to Brickrow Farm and continued to help his brother John and family with farming activities. He died there on 07 January 1928, 79 years old of ‘heart disease’’ only three months after his brother John.