The Border Reivers were raiders along the Anglo-Scottish border. Read more about the Reivers and the Reiver family names which occur in Mary Besford (née Turnbull)‘s ancestry.
Family of Matthew Latimer and Jean Bell
The Old Parish Register of the Church of Scotland at Mouswald, Dumfriesshire, records the baptism of Elizabeth Latimer on 19th November 1752. Matthew and Jean were living at Blountfield, a farm located sbout 1.5 miles north of Mouswald and about 5 miles east of Dumfries.
Matthew and Jean Latimer (nee Bell) had a further daughter, Jean, baptised on 28th September 1755 at the same church in Mouswald. They were still living and working at Blountfield.
Family of Jean Latimer and Robert Irving
Robert Irving married Jean Latimer on 5th May 1778 at the Church of Scotland in Dornock, Dumfrieshire. The Old Parish Register entry reads “ Robert Irving in the Parish of Annan, and Jean Latimer in this Parish, married the 5th day of May 1778.” Dornock is just under two miles east of Annan.
It seems that Robert and Jean lived in the parish of Annan after their marriage as their daughter Janet Irving was baptised there on 29th March 1780.
Family of Janet Irving and Alexander Armstrong
Between February 1808 and April 1811, Alexander Armstrong and his wife Janet Armstrong (nee Irving) lived at a farm called Redkirk, less than half a mile from the northern shoreline of the Solway Firth, and about a mile and a half west of Gretna, Dumfriesshire. This information can be gleaned from the Old Parish Register of the Church of Scotland at Graitney (Gretna in modern parlance), which records the baptisms of Mary Armstrong (11th February 1808), Robert Armstrong (8TH October 1809), and George Armstrong (7th April 1811).
At some point between April 1811 and November 1812 Alexander and Janet and their family moved to a farm at Baurch. This was roughly one mile to the west of Redkirk and also was about half a mile from the shore of the Solway Firth. They were at Baurch from November 1812 until at least April 1814, as the records of the baptisms of John Armstrong (9th November 1812) and Janet Armstrong (9th April 1814) confirm.
The family moved to Rigg at some time between 1814 and 1818, since their son Alexander’s baptism at Gretna on 6th September 1818 confirms this. They were still at Rigg in 1820 when their son William was baptised on 27th February. Rigg is a village more or less equidistant from Redkirk and Baurch.
The next record of the family is from 1823, at which point they were once again at Redkirk. Alexander and Janet had another daughter, Jane Syme Armstrong, baptised at Gretna on 26th October 1823.
Alexander and Janet had a further son, John Armstrong, baptised at Gretna on 23rd September 1825, but unfortunately the parish register entry does not record where they were living. This second baptism of a son named John would strongly suggest that the son John who was baptised in 1812 had subsequently died. However I have been unable to find any record of his burial which would confirm this.
In 1827 Alexander and Janet had a further son, James Armstrong, baptised at Gretna. This took place on 2nd December 1827. The family were once again living at Rigg.
Redkirk, Baurch and Rigg all still have working farms today.
The 1841 Census of Scotland recorded the family living at Rigg. Alexander was working as an Agricultural Labourer and was said to be 60 years old. Janet was said to be 56. Their sons Robert, George, Alexander and William were all recorded as working as Cotton Hand Loom Weavers.
By the time of the 1851 Census Janet Armstrong was a widow. She was still living at Rigg with her family. Her sons George, Alexander, William and James were all working as Cotton Hand Loom Weavers, The household also included Janet’s daughters Margaret, Janet, Jane and Irving, plus three grandsons and three granddaughters – a total of fifteen people!
Family of John Turnbull and Janet Armstrong
John Turnbull was the son of James Turnbull. John was born at a place recorded as Style, This was in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. John was baptised on 24th July 1803. John married Janet Armstrong at Hobkirk on 4th January 1835. The parish register entry refers to Janet as “Jenny”. The entry also records that they paid three shillings and sixpence to the church.
John and Janet Turnbull lived at a farm called Florida near Newcastleton in the parish of Castleton, Roxburghshire. John worked there as a Shepherd. This information comes from parish register entries for the baptisms of their son Walter Turnbull and their daughter Elizabeth (Betsy) Turnbull. These entries confirm that they were at Florida farm between 1836 and 1839.
The 1841 census of Scotland recorded John and Janet Turnbull living at Ashybank Farm in the parish of Cavers, Roxburghshire. Ashybank is just a little to the south of the River Teviot and a short distance to the north east of Hawick. John was recorded as working as an Agricultural Labourer. As well as Walter and Elizabeth, they now had a son George Turnbull who had been born in August 1840.
John and Janet returned to Florida Farm very soon after the June 1841 census as the parish register for Castleton records the birth of their son John Turnbull at Florida on 11th December 1841. They were still at Florida when their son William Turnbull was baptised on 7th January 1844.
By the time of the 1851 census (30th March 1851) John and Janet were back at Ashybank Farm where John was recorded working as a Ploughman. They had seven children in the household:- Betsy (13), George (11), William (8), Mary (7), Thomas and John (both 2 – presumably twins), and Jane (5 months).
The 1861 census of Scotland recorded John and Janet Turnbull with their family at Gilliestongues, a farm about three miles south of Jedburgh. John was working as an Agricultural Labourer. Their son George Turnbull, now 21, was based at a farm of 400 acres called March Cleugh in the parish of Eckford. He was working there as a Ploughman. George married Mary Barron three years later in 1864 at Under Samieston in the parish of Jedburgh. He and Mary were Mary Turnbull’s parents.
Family of William Barron and Isabel Watherstone
William Barron married Isabel Watherstone on 10th December 1802 at Fogo parish church, Berwickshire, Scotland. William, a Ploughman, was the son of John Barron, having been baptised at Ancrum, Roxburghshire, on 14th March 1784.
William and Isabel’s son Robert Barron was born on 22nd April 1809 and was baptised at Eccles Parish Church, Berwickshire on 14th May 1809.
Robert had two older brothers, William and John, who had been born in 1803 and 1807 respectively.
Family of Robert Barron and Mary Crozier
Robert Barron married Mary Crozier circa 1835. By the time of the 1851 Census Robert and Mary were living at a farm called Blakelaw in the parish of Linton, in the north of Roxburghshire. Robert Barron was working as the Farm Steward there. They had eight children at this point. Sons William (16) and James (5), and daughters Margaret (14), Isabel (12), Mary (10), Elisabeth (8), Agnes (3) and Janet (1).
At the time of the 1861 census Robert and Mary were living at Samieston in the parish of Jedburgh. Robert was again working as a Farm Steward. Their daughter Mary Barron was now 20 and would marry George Turnbull three years later on 19th February 1864.
The 1871 census recorded Robert Barron (aged 60) living in Kelso with his daughter Agnes (23). He was then working as a Coal Agent. Robert died on 3rd April 1874 aged 64.
Mary Barron (née Crozier) was recorded on the 1881 census as living at 13 Park Street, Galashiels. She was 70 years old and was living with her widowed daughter Janet (31) who was working as a Tweed Power Loom Weaver. Two of Janet’s children, Robert (4) and William (2) were living with her.
Mary Barron (née Crozier) died on 11th August 1886 at 13 Park Street. She was said to be aged 76.
