James Skimming and Margaret Paterson

James Skimming, Margaret Paterson and Margaret Chisholm (Née Paterson)

Strictly speaking, most of the people on this family chart do not belong to the Skimming, McSkimming or Chisholm families that I am researching. However, I have included this chart because of the overlaps with my ancestors and because it may help other researchers to untangle the two Skimming families living in Minnigaff in the 19th century.
There is no significance in the number of "t's" in the surname "Paterson", some records have one and others have two.

In the 1841 census, there are two James Skimming's and one Margaret Paterson living in Minnigaff:

5 year old James Skimming living in Blackcraig with his grandmother, Margaret Crawford
3 year old James Skimming living in Blackcraig with his parents, Thomas and Henrietta Skimming
8 year old Margaret Paterson living in Craigtown with her parents, William and Elizabeth Paterson

In the 1851 census, the second Patterson family can be found in the area, so we now have:

16 year old ore washer James Skimming living in Blackcraig with his grandmother, Margaret Crawford
17 year old lead ore washer James Skimming living in Blackcraig with his parents, Thomas and Henrietta Skimming
18 year old Margaret Paterson (born Minnigaff) servant of John French living in Minnigaff(her parents and 4 siblings are living in Blackcraig)
16 year old Margaret Patterson (born Straiton) servant of John Todd living in Penninghame (her parents and 8 siblings are living in Blackcraig)

On 12th January 1855, 20 year old Margaret Patterson, born Straiton, daughter of John & Agnes Paterson married 21 year old James Skimming, born Minnigaff, son of James Skimming and Mary Crawford in Minnigaff.

On 4th December 1855, 22 year old Margaret Paterson, born Minnigaff, daughter of William & Elizabeth Paterson married Samuel Chisholm in Minnigaff.

On 12th June 1858, 24 year old James Skimming, son of Thomas and Henrietta Skimming married Catherine Marr in Minnigaff.

The 1861 census locates the three young families:

28 year old James Skimming and 21 year old Catherine Skimming living in Low Blackcraig with 1 daughter.
25 year old Samuel Chisholm and 27 year old Margaret Chisholm (born Minnigaff) living in Rerrick with 2 Children.
27 year old Miner, James Skimming and 27 year old Margaret Skimming living in Byker, Newcastle with Margaret's Parents, John and Agnes Paterson, 4 Patterson Children and 3 Skimming Children.

On 28th January 1863, Samuel Chisholm died in Blair Atholl, Perthshire.

On 11th June 1866, Margaret Skimming, wife of James Skimming died in Minnigaff.

On 5th July 1870, widower James Skimming married widow Margaret Chisholm (née Patterson) in Minnigaff.

On 11th December 1870, James Skimming, Son of Thomas and Henrietta Skimming died in Leadhills, Lanarkshire

The 1871 census locates the two Skimming families:

36 year old lead miner's wife, Margaret Skimming, born Minnigaff living in Blackcraig with 3 Skimming Children 10 years old and above, 2 Skimming children 3 years old and below and 1 Chisholm son aged 10 years.
36 year old miner, James Skimming, born Minnigaff living in Rattenrow, Cumberland with the family of John (born Isle of Man) and Margaret Shimmin and Matthew Crawford (born Minnigaff). see note below re: The Crawford family
31 year old widow, Catherine Skimming living in Blackcraig with 6 Skimming children.

The 1881 Census for the James Skimming and family still has James and Margaret living apart:

48 year old Margaret, born Minnigaff living in Minnigaff with 5 Skimming children aged 13 years and below.
46 year old iron miner James Skimming, born Scotland living in Whitehaven with sons John and Hugh

Finally in the 1891 census, James and Margaret are living together again:

55 year old coal miner, James Skimming, born Kirkcudbrightshire and 56 year old Margaret Skimming living in Whitehaven with 4 children and 1 grandchild.

I believe that Margaret died in 1893 and James died in 1895, both in Whitehaven.

Crawford family

Matthew Crawford was James Skimming's half brother, their mother was Mary Crawford who eventually married Richard Reid in Minnigaff in 1844.
Matthew was born in Minnigaff in 1841, he married Ellen McGhie in Minnigaff in 1861. Ellen's mother's maiden name was Mary Crawford, daughter of Charles Crawford and Ellen Murray (or McMale). Matthew and Ellen are described as "cousins" on their marriage certificate.

John Skimming (son of James Skimming and Mary Crawford) married Janet(Jessie) Crawford in Lamplaugh, Cumbria in 1844. Janet's father was Robert Crawford and his sister was Mary Crawford (John's Grandmother).

Another link between the Skimming and Crawford families was that Thomas Skimming (1831-1898) married Janet Crawford whose parents were Charles Crawford and Ellen Murray (or McMale).

Close Note