Margaret (Shaw) Bell (1739 - 1822)

Born 29 Oct 1739 in Scotland

Wife of Andrew Bell — married 1760 in Scotland

Descendants

Died 7 Jul 1822 at age 82 in Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Biography

Margaret was born in 1739. Margaret Shaw ... She passed away in 1822.

Research Notes

These notes can be found in "The Condensed Diaries of the Rev. William Bell" in Volume 1. -

Margaret was the eldest daughter of Mr. John Shaw, of Wester Glentore, one of the richest and most respectable farmers in the parish. He had three sons and five daughters. At that period a showy education was seldom sought, even among the wealthy; and the whole family, accordingly, was trained in industrious and frugal habits. What was the precise date of the marriage I can not now say, but it must have been about the year 1763 (in Ancestry.ca James Bell Family tree it states that Margaret Shaw married Andrew Bell in 1760); my father being then about 25 and my mother about 24 years of age. Sometime after, the former received, as his wife's portion, 120 pounds - a sum which, at that period of the world, would go a far as three times the amount would go now.

The use to which my father applied this money, was the purchase of six acres of excellent land, adjoining the village of Airdrie. The 120 pounds did not indeed complete the payment; but a wealthy neighbour, who had observed the industry and good management of the purchaser, urged him to buy the land when he had the opportunity; and offered to lend him what money he might require for that purpose. On the land thus purchased, my father erected a convenient dwelling house, a barn, stables, workshops and other buildings, in which he carried on his business many years; in the course of which he not only paid back the money he had borrowed, but bought six acres more land, adjoining his former purchase. This enabled him to keep both horses and cows, and raise grain enough for the support of the family. Being the youngest, all theses things happened before I was born.

My father and mother had eight children, five sons and three daughters. The eldest was named Janet, after her maternal grandmother, and, when about 25, married to John Downs, a carpenter in Glasgow. Andrew, the next was named after his father and grandfather. He died of fever at the age of 23. He was distinguished both for piety of the heart, and prudence of conduct. He was of an ingenious disposition, and an excellent mechanic. He was regular in his attendance on public worship, as well as on family and secret devotion. So retentive was his memory that, on Sabbath evenings, he wrote out, almost verbatim, the sermons he had heard during the day. When our father was from home, he always conducted the devotions of the family, both morning and evening. Christian, the third in the family, was so called after her paternal grandmother. At 22 she was married to Robert Gartshore, a mechanic, at that time, in my father's service - The fourth was John, after his grandfather John Shaw. While yet a child, he was hurt by a fall, which rendered him lame till his death, which happened in his sixteenth year. Being unable, from a running sore in his high to do any work, he spent a great part of his time in reading, and before his death, gave evidence of decided piety. I was about two years old at the time of his death, and can just remember to have seen him sitting with a book in his hand and a crutch at his side. Margaret, my youngest sister, was the next in order. At the age of 22 she was married to John Purdie, a mason in Edinburgh. The next was called Robert. He learned his father's business, and at age of 21, was married to the only daughter of a respectable farmer in the parish. For some years he carried on business in Airdrie, but being somewhat unsettled in his disposition, he soon involved himself in difficulties, and lost the property he had received from his father. He then went to London and was, for some years in the King's First Regiment of Horse Life Guards, for which he was well fitted for height, size, and respectable appearance. Getting tired of military life, he procured his discharge, came home to Airdrie and resumed his business. But things not going to his mind, he soon gave it up and procured a commission in the Royal Artillery and went to Woolwich; where he remained some years. During this time he joined the Engineer Department, and was one of the party who made the Topographical Survey of Great Britain. He afterword served under the Duke of Wellington in Spain, where he died of fever, in 1810, leaving a widow and four children in poverty.

William was the name of my youngest brother; but as he died before I was a born, it was bestowed upon me. At the age of 18 months he was carried off by small pox, which before the discovery of vaccination was a very deadly disease. It now only remains that I notice myself, lest no one do it for me. The only reasons I can assign for writing at all on this subject are, first, I felt pleasure in doing so, because it carried me back through scenes rendered interesting both by pleasure and pain. And next, I felt it my duty to record the goodness of God towards me, both in Providence and grace. I was led to it thus. One Sabbath evening, as I was reading the V111 Chapter of Deuteronomy, the address of Moses to the Children of Israel particularly engaged my attention. "Thou shalt remember all that which the Lord thy God led thee, these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether though wouldest keep his commandments or no." This led me to look back upon my past life, and to admire the goodness of god to one so unworthy of his care. My heavenly Father, in mercy to my soul, had led me to see the unsatisfying nature of all early enjoyments, and to choose him as my everlasting portion. I therefore, to prevent my doing these impressions, determined to commit to writing a history of the principal circumstances of my life, as far as they could still be remembered.

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