Last update 9 Jan, 2010
Ann was said to have been born in Kennethmont, but she was christened in Insch, and she lived much of her life in Auchleven. In the parish records of Insch, Aberden, Ann Thom was christened on 4 May, 1834. The record reads: Thom, Ann, daughter of John Thom in Boddom and Margt Whyte in Hartmead born 27 April was baptised 4 May, 1834. Her mother may have been Margaret or Margret, both common names, though later documents indicate Margaret. In those days spelling of names was flexible, according to the writer, and there may have been little actual difference in pronunciations. Likewise Whyte, White, and Wight seem somewhat interchangable. Ann's parents do not seem to have had any other children together, and I found no record of their marriage. I believe they were not married. Ann's various later documents list her birthplace as Kennethmont. Hartmead is a location (maybe a croft) shown on old maps near the Kennethmont border. There is a John Thom that lived in Premnay, and married Mary Dawson in that parish on 15 Dec, 1831. They had two children there, Jean, born 10 Oct 1832 and Mary, born 23 May, 1835. I'm not at all certain that this is Ann's father, as Thom is a name that is not uncommon in the area. There is little GRO information that could confirm or deny, and the parish information does not give much about the parents beyond their names and homes. In the Insch cemetary, stone 11 and stone 87 both have John Thom's buried in those plots. |
Margaret Whyte is also difficult to pin down. There is a Margaret Whyte who married William Adam on 16 Jan, 1835 in Cluny parish. They were apparently buried in both old and new Keig cemetaries according to cemetary records. While there are a variety of Whyte/White/Wight families in the region, this particular one has one advantage. It is close to the area where Ann had her first children. There are several Whytes in the Insch cemetary, including one Maggie at stone 124.
Ann and her mother are listed in the 1841 census, as residing in Wects, a local just north of Aulton, near the border of Kennethmont and Insch. Ann is 7. Margt 25, is listed as an agricultural labourer. They are living with two other women, Janet Mitchell, 25, listed as a female servant, and Margt Cruickshank, 45, listed as an agricultural labourer.
In the 1851 census Ann is 17, living as a general servant in the household of Alexander Besset, 44, a farmer of 62 acres, his wife Isabel, 45, their married son, John, and his wife Jessie, John' 1 year old son Alexander. As well as the immediate family, there is Barbara Green, 82, listed as the ex-wife of a carpenter but probably a relative, Ann and another servent, Alexander Cruickshank, 16. They were all living in Westside of Overhall, a croft near Auchleven in Premnay.
The next significant record in Ann's life was the birth of her son John Fraser. I think there is a bit of evidence that a female relative lived near the Leslie border of Premnay. John was born 13th of October, 1857 in Leslie. According to the note, Anne was living in Southbog, Leslie, not far from Brindy Hill. (see map below)
The birth of John Fraser was clearly not a simple case. The birth certificate includes a note in the margin indicating that 23 year old Ann had needed to go to court and sue for recognition of paternity. I've yet to locate the actual court record, and it is possible that it was destroyed. Ann's occupation at that time is listed as domestic servant. The father was Andrew Fraser, a farm servant. John is listed as John Fraser or Thom, so he may have used either surname.
The census of 1861 puts Ann, at 27, living in Culsamond, at East Lauchenhouse, the home of William Benzie, 47 a farmer of 81 acres; his wife Jane, 38; and his sons, William, 14; John, 13; Alexander, 11; James, 10; George, 7; Robert, 5; James Thompson, 47, a ploughman, and Ann, 27, a domestic servant. There were also two visitors on census day.
Andrew Duggan Thom was born on 17th Sept, 1861. He is listed as illegitimate, with no father given. The birth certificate also gives his birth as Brindy Hill. I'm guessing that this occured after census day, since she would otherwise have her newborn child with her. I'd say it is likely Ann returned to Premnay as her pregnancy advanced.
My great-grandmother Jessie was born on Brindy Hill, Premnay, Aberdeen, on the 9th of March, 1866. She was one of a pair of twins. Her brother was Alexander. Their birth was listed as illegitimate, the children of James Glennie and Ann Thom. Speaking to people from the area, illegitimate births were not all that uncommon. Their father was listed as James Glennie, a farmer. Ann was again listed as a domestic servant.
It's interesting the location of Jessie's birth is given as Brindy Hill, rather than the croft of Brindy. A correspondent from the area expressed disbelief that the birth occurred on the hillside at 3am, but could not explain the entry for location of birth. It struck me that it could have meant near the hill, at some small dwelling. Note that Southbogs is just north of Brindy Hill.
Note that most of places mentioned in the account of Ann's life are within 5 miles of each other, near the NW corner of Premnay. James Glennie was living in Insch parish, at Mains of Wardhouse, near Aulton in the NW corner of the map below. In 1881, Ann was living in Auchleven in Premnay at the southern side of the map. Jessie was working as a servant in Kirkton, to the ENE of Auchleven, (and part of Premnay). Christkirk, and Sleepytown on the west listed as Kennethmont, while immediately below them Old and New Leslie are part of the parish of Leslie.
James Glennie was 22 when he married Mary Michie on the 31st of May, 1866 in Rothiemay, Banff. I'll speculate and say that since James looked like he was the designated heir of his maternal grandfather, James Duncan, I feel like it is possible they quickly married him off to someone more appropriate than 32 year old Ann. This is a view without evidence, and may possibly be good intuition, or may be just too many romance novels.
Ann gave birth to George Thom in 1860.
In the 1871 census, Ann Thom at 35 is listed as living at Broadford in Premnay in her own dwelling with only one room with a window. She has with her three sons, John Frasier, then 15, Alexander Glennie, then 5, and George, then 11 months. Ann is listed as a pauper, former domestic servant. Interestingly, 5 year old Jessie is no-where to be found.
The 1881 census give a picture of Ann Thom at 45 now living in the village of Auchleven with her son George Thom, 11. She is listed as an agricultural servant. Jessie is 15, living as a servant in the home of the Rosses in Kirkton. I believe Jessie's brother Alexander was in Old Machar. He died on the 2nd of Dec, 1955, and doesn't seem to have lived around Jessie beyond early childhood.
In 1891, the census shows Ann living in Auchleven, with Alexander, listed as single. Her granddaughters, Jessie's daughters, Jane A Gammack, 6 and Jessie Smith, 2, both are living with her while Jessie was working in Glasgow.
In 1901, the census shows Ann, now 68, living with 12 year old Jessie Smith.
Ann Thom, died in Auchleven, Premnay, Aberdeen on 28th of July, 1925, at the age of 91. Her granddaughter Jessie Smith was present at her death.
| Anna McAnsh | Index of Anna's Family | Jessie Glennie | James Glennie |
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