James Balfour Wemyss (bef. 1798 - 1871)

Ancestors

Husband of Susan (Gillespie) Wemyss — married 27 Nov 1827 in St Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Scotland

Descendants

Died 23 Sep 1871 after age 72 in Cupar, Fife, Scotland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Colin Thomson [send private message]

Biography

Major James was born about 1805. of Wemyss Hall, Cupar, Fife

There is a question as to whether, like his father and son, he had Balfour as his middle name.

His death:

• Maj James Balfour Wemyss

in the UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current^[1] Name: Maj James Balfour Wemyss Death Date: 18 Sep 1871 Death Place: Cupar, Scotland Cemetery: Wemyss Burial Vault Burial or Cremation Place: Cupar, Fife, Scotland Has Bio?: N Spouse: Susan Wemyss Children: Henry Manley Wemyss

Inscription on the stone reads: In Memory Of SUSAN GILLESPIE The Beloved Wife Of Major James Wemyss Who Died 17th June 1866 Aged 63 Years And The Said JAMES WEMYSS Who Died 13th September 1871 Aged 72 Years The Memory Of The Just Is Blessed

There's a death notice in the Marlborough Express (New Zealand) that states that he died on 23 September 1871.^[2] The reason it appeared at the other end of the world from Scotland was because that's where his son, also James Balfour Wemyss, was living. His son was ordered home to take over Wemyss Hall.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 January 2019), memorial page for MAJ James Balfour Wemyss (unknown–18 Sep 1871), Find A Grave: Memorial #160226814, citing Wemyss Burial Vault, Cupar, Fife, Scotland ; Maintained by Mentiplay (contributor 47357469) .
2. ↑ Marlborough Express death notice

Mentioned in the following record relating to his son David:

• David Wemyss in the UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969

Name: David Wemyss

Gender: Male

Birth Date: abt 1830

Marriage Age: 29

Marriage Date: 10 Aug 1859

Marriage Place: Gottenburg, Sweden

Event Type: Marriage

Father: J Wemyss

Spouse: Marie De Waldkirch

Spouse Gender: Female

Spouse Marriage Age: 20

Piece Description: RG 33: Foreign Registers and Returns, 1627-1960

His name and address appear on the index card below: "Second son of Major James Wemyss of Wemyss Hall, Cupar"

• David Wemyss in the Fife, Scotland, Cupar Library Newspaper Index Cards, 1833-1987

Name: David Wemyss

Gender: Male

Publication Title: Fifeshire Advertiser, Name Index

Publication Date: 20 Aug 1859

Publication Place: Fifeshire, Scotland

Spouse: Maria Waldkisch

Here’s a reference to Wemyss Hall.

… seems his elder brother owned it after his father:

• Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Wemyss Hall

Wemyss Hall, a mansion in Cupar parish, Fife, 1½ mile S of the town. Its owner, James Balfour Wemyss, Esq. (b. 1828; suc. 1871), holds 1490 acres in the shire, valued at £2852 per annum.—Ord. Sur., sh. 40, 1867.

(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/144530

Some biographical data about David’s brother James Balfour Wemyss but which gives full chapter and verse about their father Major James Wemyss… (It seems David got the Hall in the end)

• James Balfour Wemyss in the Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900

Name: James Balfour Wemyss

College: ST JOHN'S

Entered: Michs. 1847

BORN: 14 Oct 1828

More Information: Adm. pens. at ST JOHN'S, Apr. 17, 1847. [Eldest] s. of [Major] James (4th Dragoon Guards), of Wemyss Hall, Cupar, Fifes. (and Susan, dau. of David Gillespie, of Mountquhanie, and Kirkton, Fifes.). B. there, Oct. 14, 1828. School, Edinburgh Academy. Migrated to Jesus, Oct. 16, 1847. Matric. Michs. 1847; B.A. 1851. Major, Fife Militia. Went to New Zealand. Married (1) 1857, Marie Asheton, dau. of George Slater, of Bedale, Yorks.; (2) 1892, Annie, eldest dau. of William Hugh Barnikel, and widow of W. W. Biddulph. Latterly of Wemyss Hall, Cupar. J.P. for Fifes. Devolved the succession of Wemyss Hall on his brother David. Died, s.p., July 13, 1909. (Edinburgh Acad. Reg.; Burke, L.G.)

So this must be them (all the names and birth dates match):

• David Wemyss

in the 1841 Scotland Census

1841 Scotland Census No Image

Name: David Wemyss

Age: 11

Estimated birth year: abt 1830

Gender: Male

Where born: Scotland

Civil Parish: St Andrews

County: Fife

Address: North Street

Parish Number: 453

Household Members:

Name Age

James Wemyss 40

Susan Wemyss 35

James Wemyss 12

David Wemyss 11

Henry Wemyss 9

Susan Wemyss 8

James Gillespie 45

Elizabeth Gillespie 45

Ellen Aughterline 29

Ellen Mackie 29

Jane Carmichael 20

Here’s his marriage:

Anomalous in that there are two records, for two different places, and one refers to him as "James Balfour Wemyss".

The Edinburgh reference looks the more correct... but his death record also refers to him as James Balfour...

• James Balfour Wemyss

in the Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910

Name: James Balfour Wemyss

Gender: Male

Marriage Date: 15 Nov 1827

Marriage Place: Cupar,Fife,Scotland

Spouse: Susan Gillespie

FHL Film Number: 1040101

• James Captain Wemyss

in the Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910

Name: James Captain Wemyss

Gender: Male

Marriage Date: 15 Nov 1827

Marriage Place: Saint Cuthberts,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland

Spouse: Susan Gillespie

FHL Film Number: 1066764

His birth:

• James Wemyss

in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950

Name: James Wemyss

Gender: Male

Baptism Date: 12 Dec 1798

Baptism Place: , Cupar, Fife, Scotland

Father: James Colonel Wemyss

Mother: Mary Manly

FHL Film Number: 1040101

Reference ID: 2:15BW4KB