I am a new member trying to trace my Thomson heritage and would like to here from anyone with Thomson links to Jamaica.

Question

My Great Grandfather, Alexander Tinling Thomson was born in Jamaica in the early 1840's, his exact birth date unclear. Family belief has long been that he was born on 4^th December 1840 but information taken from other documents suggests he could have been born as late as 1846.

• His marriage record from September 1875 states his age as 29 years which calculates to a birth year of 1845-6.
• His University enrolment record from 1863/64 states his age as 18 years and calculates to a birth year of 1845.
• A Scottish Census record from 1881 states his age as 37, calculating to a birth year of 1844.
• His gravestone states he died 5^th May 1940 age 98 years, indicates a birth year of 1842.

 I have been unable to find any information on his parents other than names. From his marriage record his father was George, which is also stated on his university enrolment details. From the marriage record his mother’s name appears to be Marian? or Marion? (Very difficult to read clearly),  and maiden name Forsyth. Family belief is that his mother died in child birth, if so it could have been Alexander’s birth or the birth of a younger sibling whom we do not know about, in which case the sibling may also have died. We have also believed his father was a planter who died during the Cholera epidemic in the 1850’s. This vocation is supported by Alexanders University enrolment record which states his Father’s occupation in 1864/65 as Planter and 1865/66 as Overseer. He may have been a landholder or worked for a landholder. His death would have been after October 1851 when I believe the cholera epidemic started.

After the death of his father, Alexander was taken in by church minister by the name of Adam Thomson (same surname but not related), who we understand was a friend of the family. I have found record of a Reverend Adam Thomson who was a minister of THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JAMAICA, IN CONNEXION WITH THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SCOTLAND in Montego Bay. I recall seeing a document associated with Alexanders University records that stated he came from Montego Bay. If Reverend Adam Thomson was a close friend then my logic suggests Alexander’s family must have lived in reasonable proximity to Montego Bay.

Alexander went to Scotland to study and lived at first with another church minister. I assume he went to Scotland some time just before he started at Glasgow University.

After graduation he spent some time in New Zealand as a Medical Practitioner then returned to Scotland to marry before returning again to NZ. He returned to Scotland in 1878 and his son Fraser Henry(My Grandfather) was born at sea during that voyage. He then remained in Scotland until his death in 1940.

Alexander’s middle name, Tinling, is a mystery in that we do not know if it was a family name handed down and may be significant in tracing his origin. The name has since been handed down through recent generations.

Comments

I don't know of any Thomson ancestors with ties to Jamaica, but we had an Alexander Thomson in the area of Kirdbrightshire. The Thomsons I have seem to have been in that area from at least 1796. I haven't exhausted the research yet on that part of my family though.

The clue for your Thomson's middle name may turn out to be a useful one and I wish you the best.

Answer 1

I don't know if you know this but he has a findagrave

ID 171618450

Answer 2

He might have had a brother there was a George Thomson

b-7 Jun 1840 Portland Surrey Jamaica

Answer 3

Rev Adam Thomson(1820-1897), devoted himself to mission work in Jamaica, and was

ordained by the Presbytery of Paisley and Greenock, 8th January 1850.

Inducted to Montego Bay, igth June of that year. Was also Theological

Tutor there from 1868 to 1876, when the Hall was removed to Kingston.

Retired, 1892, as minister-emeritus, and died, gth December 1897, in the

seventy-eighth year of his age and forty-eighth of his ministry.

I am a descendant of the Thomson's of paisley, Scotland

Answer 4

Just did a quick search on the Tingling name:

There may be a variation of Tinling, Tinline, Tinlin, so it might be wise to expand your search, if you haven't already. The name Tingling appears to have origins in Roxburgh.  I stole it off this page: https://www.houseofnames.com/tinling-family-crest

Not sure if that might help or not.

Answer 5

My great-grandmother’s first cousin was a man named Charles Thompson. Their grandfather was born in Montego Bay, descended from slaves and slave owners. Hope this helps out a bit!