William McAdam (abt. 1841 - 1924)

Born about Apr 1841 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret Walburga (Cowden) McAdam — married 17 Nov 1874 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 14 Mar 1924 at about age 82 in Craignair, Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Biography

William McAdam was born in Scotland.

William McAdam is a member of Clan MacGregor.

Birth and Early Life

William McAdam was born in about April 1841 at Fell Rig Street in the Parish of Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland to Thomas McAdam (1815-1897) and Mary McMath (1817-1896).^[1] William appeared with his family on 6 June 1841 as being 2 months old. For more on Balmaclellan go here [1]

He grew up in Balmaclellan with his family. At the age of 20 he was seen on the 7 April 1861 Scotland Census as being a servant to Samuel Black on Longwood Farm in Tongland Parish, Kirkcudbrightshire. The village is close to Kirkcudbright and today in the Dumfries and Galloway unitary council. For more go here [2]

Siblings

1. Jean McAdam was born in 1839 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. She died between 1842 and 1851.
2. James McAdam was born in September 1844 in Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He married Jane McGuffie (1843-1875) on 5 March 1869 in Overgarrel, Kirkmichael, Dumfries, Scotland. James died on 23 November 1875 in Edingham, Dalbeattie, Scotland. (He died a few weeks after his wife.)
3. Margaret McAdam was born about 1846 in Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.
4. Mary McAdam was born about 1849 in Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. She died on 4 May 1926 in Haugh of Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, unmarried.
5. Janet Wilson McAdam, first of this name, was born on 18 April 1852 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.^[2]
6. Ellen McAdam was born on 10 May 1854 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. ^[3]
7. John McAdam was born on 4 March 1857 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He married Margaret Brown (born about 1858) on 9 April 1880 in Selcoth Parish, Moffat, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. John died on 8 March 1948 in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.
8. Janet McAdam was born on 1 September 1860 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.^[4]

Marriage and Family

On 17 November 1874 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, William married Margaret Walburga Cowden. There is some evidence that this is a second marriage for him. ^[5] Witnesses to the marriage were her brother and his wife, John Cowden and Jane Unknown.

Children of the McAdam-Cowden Marriage

1. Thomas McAdam was born on 28 February 1875 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He married Elizabeth Murphy on 5 January 1894 in Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland at the R.C. Chapel. Thomas died on 28 April 1945 in Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States.^[6]
2. Elizabeth McAdam was born on 9 April 1877 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. She married [[Wilson-19547|George Wilson on 29 July 1904 in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Elizabeth died on 6 December 1941 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.
3. James McAdam was born on 12 August 1879 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. His father registered his birth saying that he was born on Maxwell Street. He married Bridget Loretta Abbott (1865-?) on 17 November 1919 in Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. James died sometime after 1921, which is the last census found for him in Leeds, Leeds, Ontario, Canada.
4. Hugh McAdam was born on 5 August 1880 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. He married Margaret F. S. Matthews (1884-1965) in 1907 in Scotland. Hugh died on 26 November 1959 in Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States.
5. Mary Jane McAdam was born on 5 September 1883 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Her father registered the birth and said that she was born at Maxwell Street.
6. Margaret McAdam was born on 1 September 1885 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. She married William Murray on 28 June 1917 at St. Peter's Church in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Margaret died on 12 June 1954 at Cottage Hospital in Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.
7. Lance Sgt. William W. McAdam was born in 1887 at Urr, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He died at the World War I Battle of Aubers Ridge, France.
8. Helen McAdam was born on 29 March 1891 in Urr, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Sje married John McBrearty on 18 July 1912 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Helen died on 27 August 1950 in Dalbeattie, Scotland.
9. Agnes McAdam was born on 18 December 1892 in Craignair, Buittle, Scotland. Her birth was registered by her father. She never married. Agnes died on 16 September 1920 at the age of 27.
10. Christopher McAdam was born on 14 January 1895 in Craignair, Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He married Mary Stuart on 17 July 1924 in Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland in St. John's Church. Christopher died on 27 July 1953 in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

Occupation

William worked as a general laborer in Haugh of Urr, which is a village now located in Dumfries and Galloway Council area. It is about 3 miles north of the larger town of Dalbeattie in Southwest Scotland. For more on the village go here [3] He was a carter in granite when he was in Buittle which is now a parish in Dumfries and Galloway, but was in Kirkcudbrightshire County before the reorganization in 1975. Find more information on the history of Buittle here [4]

Death and Burial

William died at the age of 82 on 14 March 1924 at Craignair, Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland of bronchitis and hemiplegia. His death was registered by his youngest son, Christopher McAdam. He was buried in the Dalbeattie Cemetery, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), Scotland, United Kingdom. A headstone photo is available which was provided for Find A Grave by Mr. Matt Maxwell on 2 January 2017. He has given written permission to use his photos. Find A Grave: Memorial #174775461

Headstone Inscription AGNES McADAM, Beloved Youngest Daughter of William McAdam: Craignair Cottage Who Died 26 Sep. 1920, aged 27 Years. Sergt. WILLIAM McADAM 1st S.H. His Son, Who Fell in Action in France. 9 May 1915, Aged 26 Years. The Above WILLIAM McADAM, Who Died at Craignair Cottage, 14 March 1924, Aged 83 Years. Also His Wife WALBURGA COWDEN, Who Died at 45 Maxwell St., Dalbeattie 18 August 1838, In Her 86th Year. R.I.P.

Sources

• 1841 Scotland Census. Edinburgh, Scotland: General Register Office for Scotland. Reels 1-151. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.Taken on night of 6 June 1841 in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire. ^[7]
• 1851 Scotland Census. Reels 1-217. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Taken on night of 30/31 March in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire. ^[8]
• 1861 Scotland Census. Tongland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He's a servant to Samuel Black on the Longwood Farm.
• 1874 Marriage. Dalbeattie District, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, registration district (RD) 864, register of marriages 1874, entry no. 26, William McAdam and Walburga Cowden; digital image, ScotlandsPeople Centre, Edinburgh, UK. ^[9]
• 3 April 1881 Scotland Census: Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. General laborer. Scotland Census. Reels 1-338. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Parish: Urr; ED: 1; Page: 9; Line: 8; Roll: cssct1881_329.^[10]
• 1891 Scotland Census on 6 April in Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He & the family are at the home of Thomas and Jessie Scott on William Street in Dalbeattie. He is described as "hea mar" (Gallic). Reels 1-409. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Parish: Urr; ED: 4; Page: 23; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1891_400. ^[11]
• 31 March 1901 Scotland Census: Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland on Gibraltor. Reels 1-446. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Parish: Buittle; ED: 6; Page: 8; Line: 6; Roll: CSSCT1901_436. ^[12]
• Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013. Film Number 6035516.
• Scotland Birth record for Helen McAdam on 29 March 1891.

Footnotes

1. ↑ The statutory registration of births, marriages, and deaths didn't begin in Scotland until 1855. Records are not always found in the church registers either. 22 families at that time were known to be "Dissenters" who did not attend the approved Church of Scotland. The parish registers at Balmaclellan appear to have not been well kept. Some family members claim that word of mouth was that William was born in Dalbeattie; however there is no other source.
2. ↑ Birth of Janet:Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. She probably died before the 1 September 1860 birth of the second child named Janet in the family.
3. ↑ Ellen McAdam: Last known record is the 1861 Scotland Census in Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire at the age of 7.
4. ↑ Birth of Janet:Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Last record found was 1871 Scotland Census, aged 10 in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.
5. ↑ A family Bible was passed along to another family member in September 2013 and a newspaper article was pressed between the pages referring to a half brother of Thomas McAdam who was a son of this William. Need more information on this. However, this could be the stepson of Thomas, James Murphy (later called McAdam), whose relationships changed frequently due to the stigma of illegitimacy at the time.
6. ↑ Death of Thomas McAdam: Some family members claim his death was in Gowanda, Cattaraugus, New York. Gowanda is a village partly in Erie County and partly in Cattaraugus. There is no record to show either place. His obituary only states day of death, funeral details, relatives and that he died after a long illness.
7. ↑ 1841: Residence:Fell Rig. McAdam, Thomas 26, head, Agricultural Laborer; Mary 26, wife; Jean 60, mother of Thomas who is also called Jane (Burnet) McAdam, widowed before this date; Jean 2, daughter; William 2 months, son.
8. ↑ 1851: Residence: Gallrannies. McAdam, Thomas 36, head, Agriculture labor; Mary 34, wife; William 10, son; James 8, son; Mary 2, daughter.
9. ↑ 1874 Marriage: William was 32, living in Dalbeattie, working as a general laborer. Margaret Walburga was 22 working as a general agricultural servant living at Hillhead, Dalbeattie with her parents. Her father was a wood merchant. The names of all parents are given.
10. ↑ 1881: McAdam, William 39, general laborer, head; Walburga 28, wife; Thomas 6, son; Elizabeth 3, daughter; James 1, son.
11. ↑ 1891:Scott, Thomas 29, head; Jessie 30, wife; James F. 5 months; McAdam, Elizabeth 14; James 11; Hugh 9; Mary J. 7; Margaret 5; William 2; Helen 1 week; William McAdam 49, general labor, head of McAdam family; Walburga 38, wife of McAdam Family.
12. ↑ 1901: McAdam, William 60, carter in granite, head; Walburga 48, wife; Elizabeth 23, daughter; William 12, son; Helen 10, daughter; Agnes 5, daughter; Christopher 6, son.

Acknowledgments

1. A special thank you to Mr. J. Barclay for compiling, carefully sourcing and then donating for the use of genealogists and researchers to the Carsphairn Heritage Centre his manuscript Descendants of James McMath & Margaret McMillan in the Parish of Carsphairn and Elsewhere. He mentions that he excluded all information on those people who were still alive in June 2003 which is when he donated the manuscript.