THE ANDERSON FAMILY IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS - INCLUDING PEEBLES

I've investigated my mum's side of the family quite closely, as the Andersons mostly lived locally to where I live now - Peebles. They seem to come from Ettrick & Yarrow, with these parishes being located just 5 miles over the hills to the south of Peebles.

From what I have gathered, Walter ANDERSON (my 4xgreat grandfather) was born in 1765 to Walter ANDERSON and Bessie BLAKE.

Walter married Helen LAIDLAW in Ettrick in 1794. (Helen’s father, Robert, was the brother of Margaret Laidlaw, the mother of James HOGG, also known as The Ettrick Shepherd).

Their son, Walter (my 3xgreat grandfather), was born in Ettrick in 1799 and in 1822, he married Esther TURNBULL in Ettrick. 

Their son, James (my great great grandfather) was born at Summerhope, Ettrick in 1832. Per the 1841 Census, James, aged 8, lived with his parents at Summerhope. By 1851, he was a shepherd at Thickside, Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire.

James married Elizabeth LITTLE on 20th July 1858 in Johnston, Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire and on 9th August 1858, his son, James, was born in Johnston. However, his wife Elizabeth, died of "water on the brain" on 13th August, which meant that in the space of 24 days, James had married, become a father and had been widowed.

In 1861, James was back with his parents at Summerhope. However, his son, James, was then living with his grandparents (Elizabeth Little's parents) in Johnston. Grandfather James Little, was a farmer with 1,600 acres of pasture, and according to the 1861 Census, the Little family lived in a 9 room property.

James married Jane ELLIOT at Over Kirkhope, Ettrick in 1866 and after three children were born in Morven, Argyll, my great grandfather, Francis Turnbull, was born in Whitefield, Yarrow in 1876.

Whitefield Cottage, Yarrow

The 1901 Census has James still working as a shepherd, with wife Jane and grandson, James, aged 4, living at Bonnington Farm Cottage, Peebles.

Bonnington Farm, Peebles (2013)

James died on 7^th February, 1905 at The Howe, near Lauder, Berwickshire.

The Howe, near Lauder

By 1911, Jane is aged 70 and is living with her sons, John James Elliot and Cameron at The Yett, in Hownam Parish (a district of Kelso). She died in 1915 at Burngrains, Ewes, Dumfriesshire.

Burngrains, Ewes

Going back a few years to my great grandfather, Frank, in 1881, he was 5 and living with his parents and brothers, Walter, Thomas, John, Cameron and William, at Brandslea House, Upper Monynut, Innerwick, East Lothian (5 miles south of Dunbar). By 1891, Frank was still with his parents and brothers, Cameron and William, at Shepherds House, Yair, in the Parish of Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire.

Yair House, on the River Tweed, west of Selkirk

He'd moved south of the border by 1901 and was living with two of his brothers, Thomas and John at Upper Longhouse Farm, Falstone Parish, Northumberland. Frank and John were shepherds, whilst Thomas was a "Drainer on Farm" (being "a person who made drains"). Also living there is Helen HARDIE (Frank’s future wife and the second oldest of 16 children), who was the housekeeper.

In 1901, Frank’s twin brothers, Cameron and William lived at Muttonhall in Yarrow. Also there was Mary BELL, a domestic servant, who William subsequently married in Wamphray, Dumfriesshire in 1903. At that time, William lived in Bonnington, Peebles.

Muttonhall, Yarrow

Frank married Helen HARDIE at Yarrow Manse in 1903, at which time they both lived at Muttonhall.

Frank and Helen, with sons Archie and Jim

In 1905, their son (my grandfather), Archibald Hardie was born at Muttonhall, and by 1911, they had all relocated to a Shepherd's Cottage, at Southdean, Roxburghshire. In 1915, Frank and family were living at Hillhead House, Hawick and in 1920 were living at Whitehillshiel House, Burnmouth, Castleton Parish.

1936 sees Frank living at Redmoss Flatt, Castleton Parish, but in 1946 he died at Riggfoot, Ewes Parish, Dumfriesshire.

Helen, aged 84, died in 1959 in Langholm, Dumfriesshire. I do however have a photograph of her and me, circa 1954.

My grandfather, Archie, married Agnes TURNBULL in 1930 in Langholm, Dumfriesshire and at the end of October that year, my mother, Nellie McGlasson ANDERSON was born at Glenreif Cottage, Ewes, Dumfriesshire.

Glenrief Cottage, Ewes

Archie and Agnes (Nan).

Agnes, aged 70, died in 1980 in St Andrews Nursing Home, Hawick and Archie died in 1983 at Leahaugh Farm (owned by my aunt Jean and uncle David Mitchinson), near Newcastleton, Roxburghshire.