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John and Bethia's family

JBFam5

Daniel*, James, Thomas, John, William*

Alexander, John*, BethiaNH*, Bethia*, Andrew

* Definitely known relatives. The others are assumed, based on their age.

John McPhie and Bethia Nelson Hamilton were married on 3rd April 1862 at the Free Church of Scotland in Windmillhill, Dalziel. John and Bethia met when he was lodging with the Paterson family (based on the 1861 census - find out where this was!). Bethia was a servant looking after Mrs Patterson during her confinement, and John was a lodger with the Paterson's at the time (according to my Uncle John).

After Andrew was born John and Bethia had twin girls, Barbara and Ann, born at Knowtop, they both died within a few minutes of birth on 8th February 1866. The following year Barbara Sym was born on 13th January 1867 at Marlage and died on 26th December 1870.

John and his sons hired themselves out to local mining companies who gave the best rate. They worked as a team in the Broomfield mine for one, working a gallery coal face 6 foot high for 2 pence per ton in about 1900. Uncle John reckons that Alexander McFee worked the Bloomfield pit. When the pit was worked out he moved to Blantyre and helped open up 4 pits there.

One of Bethia's sisters married a fellow from Cambeltwon. Hence the family often when to the farm there, on holiday I guess. This resulted in a number of John and Bethia's sons marrying lasses from that area.

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