Thomas Graham Melrose (1806 - 1888)

Born 8 Dec 1806 in Priestholm, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Anna (O'Neill) Melrose — married 1848 in Montréal, Québec

Descendants

Died 3 Oct 1888 at age 81 in St Louis, Gratiot, Michigan, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rhonda Lucas [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Melrose Name Study.

Birth

Thomas Melrose was born 8th December 1806 at Preistholm^[1] to William Melrose and Margaret Young. His baptism^[2] entry reads "William Melrose and Margaret Young his spouse had a son born at Priestholm the 8th and Baptized in presence of the Congregation, the 28th of Dec 1806 named Thomas Graham Melrose".

After extensive research I believe that Thomas may have been born at "Priestholm Farm", near Dornock, Annan, Dumfries [Reference: The County Directory of Scotland (1893-1896); http://www.mocavo.com/The-County-Directory-of-Scotland-1893-1896-Volume-1893-1896/935227/404]; if we were to walk the distance today it would be about 75 miles from Cockpen Church. Considering on the same baptism page as Thomas there was a Marrion Richardson also born at Priestholm, I think it to be the most logical place, unless there was a farm closer to Cockpen around the time which I haven't found. Also see Priestholm listed here as a settlement [1].

Marriage

To date no marriage has been found of Thomas to Mary Ann Irvine.

Military

On the 16th March,1848, Corporal Thomas Graham Melrose, of the Corps of Royal Sappers & Miners came before the Regimental Board as part of his application for a Disability Pension.

From these papers^[3] we learn he was a carpenter who was born in the Parish of Borthwick, in or near the Town of Dalkeith in the County of Edinburgh. He was attested for the Corps of Royal Sappers & Miners at Edinburgh on the 21st December, 1826, at the age of nineteen years. His service in the Corps up to the 11th April, 1848, amounted to 21 years, 192 days. His discharge was proposed in consequence of Chronic Rheumatism. The Board reported that he had never been tried by a Court Martial, that he had relinquished his right to additional pay for length of service and became entitled to 4d per diem good conduct par and to four distinguishing marks for good conduct from the 1 January, 1846, of which he has been uninterrupted in possession, and that his general character is "Exemplary". He served as a Private from 19 Dec. 1826 to 8 July, 1845, Promoted 2nd Corporal from 9th July 1845 to 12 Jan 1847, then promoted to Corporal from 13 Jan 1847 to 11 April, 1848.

The Medical Report stated: his condition was Chronic Rheumatism - "He has been employed in the Irish Service for twenty years; and for the last five he has been engaged in registering meteorological observations. From the nature of these duties he has been much exposed to changes of temperature and has been subject to Rheumatism of the shoulders and legs, which is much increased by changes of temperature and from their severity he is rendered unfit for exertions. This disability has been caused by his Military Services."

Opinion of the Principal Medical Officer at Woolwich 8th March 1848 reads: " After a careful examination I am of the opinion that Thomas G Melrose is unfit for service, and likely to be permanently disqualified for Military duty; but that he is able to contribute something towards his livelihood." The Discharge of the Man above mentioned is approved by the Master General on 23rd March 1848.

Final Description of Thomas Graham Melrose of the 16th Corps of Royal Sappers & Miners when discharged the Service at Woolwich this 11th Day of April, 1848.

• Age: 40 years & 4 months
• Height: 5 feet 8 and one quarter inches
• Hair: dark brown
• Eyes: Grey
• Complexion: fair
• Trade: Carpenter
• No Marks, or Scars, whether on the Face, or other parts of the Body

New Canadian/US Life

Following Thomas' discharge there is no trace of him with his wife Mary Ann Irvine, please see her profile for her story.

Via DNA testing it has now been confirmed that Thomas Graham Melrose immigrated to Canada and married Anna O'Neil 1848 at Montréal, Québec. Apparently she was also known as Horrigan/Harrigan/Wilson/Willston.

There are 5 of us through this Thomas' son George that have been DNA tested, and 1 through Thomas & Anna tested, we all match! This is called a confirmed triangulation match and finally proves our theory relating to Thomas. Melrose DNA Study

DNA Confirmation

As of Oct 2014 it has been confirmed by DNA from descendants of both branches that the Thomas Graham Melrose who married Mary and Anna is the same person.

Gedmatch DNA Autosomal Comparison Matrix

Census

1861^[4] Canadian Census, Chinguacousy, Peel, Canada West.

1871^[5] Canadian Census; Petrolia, Ontario.

1881^[6] Canadian Census; Lambton, Ontario, Canada.

UK Visits

It appears that Thomas travelled back to the UK for at least one of his "other" children's marriages as he appears to have signed the marriage register when Mary married James Duckworth in 1857.

He could possibly have travelled over around 1871 as well, there is an entry for Thomas melrose born 1808, aged 63, arriving in Ontario, Canada.^[7]

Death

From Public Family Trees at Ancestry it is noted that Thomas died 8th October 1888 at St Louis, Gratiot, Michigan, US, however I cannot find it documented anywhere, if you have a confirmed source on this death could you please add the details here or message me. Thank You.

Sources

1. ↑ Scotlandspeople.co.uk. "OPR. Births", Baptism entry for Thomas Graham Melrose; 676/00 0020 0152 COCKPEN.
2. ↑ FamilySearch.com. "Baptism Register of the Parish of Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland"; Chr. Details BA: C116764, So: 1066642, Pr: 6900991, FR456
3. ↑ Chelsea Pensioners British Army Service Records 1760-1913 | GBM-WO97-1151-018-001-004. Copy available from Findmypast or Rhonda
4. ↑ Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1062.
5. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, Source Citation: Year: 1871; Census Place: Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario; Roll: C-9895; Page: 68; Family No: 264.
6. ↑ 1881 Canada Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints© Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited), Source Citation: Year: 1881; Census Place: Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario; Roll: C_13277; Page: 39; Family No: 188
7. ↑ U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Rhonda Lucas and Tim Carter for creating the Biography on this page.

DNA CONFIRMATION

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a GEDmatch test match between Tim Carter GEDmatch M470150 and his 1/2 2C1R Tom Melrose GEDmatch M494159. Their most recent common ancestor is Tim's great-great-grandfather and Tom's great grandfather Thomas Graham Melrose. Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 3.8, based on sharing 78.4 cM across 2 segments.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a GEDmatch test match between Peggy Lucas GEDmatch M224633 and her 1/2 2C2R Tom Melrose GEDmatch M494159. Their most recent common ancestor is Peggy's great-great-great-grandfather and Tom's great grandfather Thomas Graham Melrose. Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 4.0, based on sharing 55.7 cM across 2 segments.