I discovered Isabella Fraser from the 1851 Census entry for her son John Richmond. Further investigation led me to some direct records of Isabella's own, the earliest of which, for a while, was her marriage record which described her as "Isbell Frazer". The spelling changes in later records and as it eventually transpired, on her birth record. I had struggled to find her birth record, partly because there had been so many Isobel Frasers born around the likely time of her birth and I had been looking in the wrong birth location. In the 1851 Census mentioned above, her birthplace was recorded as "Loanhead, Stirlingshire". So, I looked at that and found an "Isobell Fraser" born in 1774 in Denny, Stirlingshire. Now the year of birth is a couple of years later than indicated by the age recorded in the 1851 Census and Denny is not Loanhead. On the other hand I can't find a Loanhead in Stirlingshire, so I am assuming that the wrong town was recorded.

KEY EVENTS AND DATES

Birth - 11th September 1774

Isobell was baptised in Denny, Stirlingshire. Her parents were recorded as William Frazer and Margaret Baird. Witnesses were William Neil and John Gold.

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Marriage - 30th November 1808

Isobell (Isbell) married John Richmond :

Marriages for 1808

John Richmond in this parish and Isbell Frazer in

Glasgow gave in their names Nov'r 3rd married 30th

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23rd June 1810

Isbell's son, John Richmond was born in Stevenston, Ayrshire to John Richmond and Isbell Frazer. The actual record reads:

Richmond -

Births & Baptisms for 1810

John son to John Richmond Coal Hewer Stevenston &

Isbell Frazer born June 23rd bap'd July 1st.

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15th November 1812

Isbell's daughter, Mary, was born In Stevenston, Ayrshire. I have not yet downloaded this record.

13th November 1814

Isbell's son, David, was born In Stevenston, Ayrshire. I have not yet downloaded this record

22nd December 1816

Isbell's son, James, was born In Stevenston, Ayrshire. I have not yet downloaded this record

15th September 1832

Isbell's son, John Richmond, married Janet Barr in Houston & Killearn in Renfrewshire. The actual record reads:

August 25 -

Proclamation of Marriages in 1832

John Richmond and Janet Barr, Parishioners, booked their names

for proclamation of banns, on purpose of marriage, & were

married on 15th September thereafter.

1851 Census

Isabella was living with her son, John Richmond and his family at 3 Catherine Street, in the Parish of St Cuthberts, Edinburgh. Also living there were John's wife, Janet (Barr), her grandchildren Isabella (17), Margaret aged 12 and a Scholar and Mary aged 8 and a Scholar. There was also a lodger called John Wallace, a Shoemaker aged 20, born in "Haddingtonshire, Dunbar". Isabella was aged 79 and under Occupation she is described as, an Annuint, (one who receives an annuity). Her place of birth is given as "Loanhead, Stirlingshire". Loanhead is in St. Ninians, Stirling.

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Death - 6th July 1851

Isabella's burial was recorded against this date. Some of the writing is difficult to decipher, but I can say that she was married to John Richmond, a miner and lived at 3 Catherine Street. There is another element to her address, but I can't make it out. The record was made in South Leith however. She died from "Decay of Nature".

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