Elizabeth (Stirling) Melrose (abt. 1780 - 1840)

Born about 1780 in Midlothian, Scotland

Wife of Adam Melrose — married 1 Jun 1806 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland

Descendants

Died Oct 1840 at about age 60 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Andrew Lancaster [send private message] and Lindsay Broadway [send private message]

Biography

The wedding in the parish register:-

01/06/1806 MELROSE, ADAM & BETTY STIRLING/FR2518 M Temple /MIDLOTHIAN 700/ 0030 0277

"Adam Melrose & Betty Stirling. Intimation of a purpose of marriage between Adam Melrose in this parish & Betty Stirling in the parish of Dalkeith was made the 1 June 1806, and after due Proclamation were married."

It is difficult to find Elizabeth's burial, but the neat habit of the St Cuthbert's parish burial register of putting addresses brings us great benefits. We find that Elizabeth Stirling of 14 William St (same address as her husband when he died) was buried there 19 October 1840. She was 52 and the cause of death was inflammation. This would imply a birth year of about 1788.

Doubts about parents

The marriage register 01/06/1806 in Temple for Adam and Betty, transcribed fully above, mentions that Betty was from Dalkeith. That certainly seems to be the daughter of James Stirling and Anne Witherspoons. They had a daughter named Elizabeth baptised in about 1776.

But another Elizabeth Stirling's marriage to Alex Falconer in 1795 also says she is from Dalkeith. This marriage in was recorded in the registers at both Dalkeith and Canongate, and the one in Canongate says her father was James Stirling, weaver.

The marriage of James and Anne was 15/07/1773 in Dalkeith, but does not say if James was a weaver. At the baptism of his youngest children, the twins Ann and Jean, he is called a woolen manufacturer.

It therefore looks very likely that Elizabeth who married Andrew Falconer was the one baptised in 1776.

To quote a member of the Falconer family who contacted descendant Andrew Lancaster:

"The Elizabeth Stirling I have was married to Andrew Falconer on the 20th June 1795. According to the OPR records they married in the Cannongate in Edinburgh however the marriage is also recorded in Dalkeith on the same date. The only relative listed for Elizabeth is her father James Stirling a Weaver in Dalkeith.

Census information in 1841 confirms that Elizabeth was born in Midlothian.

The only Elizabeth Stirling born in Midlothian with a father called James was born in Dalkeith in about 1776. (20th March 1776), parents James Stirling and Ann Witherspoon."

The discovery of the burial registration of the wife of Adam Melrose in 2014 gives a new lead, and that is her age at death (they died before the 1841 census):

Based on the information we have about Adam, Lilly's father, we can say that his burial is almost certainly that of 19/08/1831, in St Cuthbert's Edinburgh. This Adam was a coachman, 49 years old, resident of 14 William St. He died of apoplexy. It would imply a birth year of about 1782.

We find that Elizabeth Stirling of 14 William St was buried there 19 October 1840. She was 52 and the cause of death was inflammation. This would imply a birth year of about 1788.

Unfortunately however, there are no such Elizabeth or Betty Stirling baptisms on the Scotlandspeople index in the whole region of Edinburgh, including all the surrounding countryside.

Elizabeth was born about 1780. She passed away about 1841.

Sources

• http://users.skynet.be/lancaster/Melrose.html

Old Pärish Records, Scotland

• Family Search LJ24-7SD