My Grandparents

After my Gran Maggie died in 2006 a stone was erected to the memory of my Papa George, my Gran (his second wife Margaret Dykes Batton) and to their little grandson who had only lived for 5 days.
William John was the second child of my Uncle John Robert Batton and his wife Isobel.
William was born on my 15th birthday, 17th June 1978 and he died 5 days later on 22nd June.
I can't believe it's so long ago. I used to go through to Darvel every weekend and stay at my Grans and babysit for John & Isobel's daughter Michelle. Michelle is now 33 with a 2 year old daughter of her own. (Mya).



I found the grave of George Batton's first wife and my Grandmother, Jeannie Batton ms King. Jean was only 33 when she died of TB in 1952. How sad leaving behind 3 sons and 2 daughters.
Frank, George, Andrew, Jean and my mother Margaret. My mum was only 12 when her mother died.

Frank Batton is buried alongside his mother Jean and I believe one of Frank's best friends erected this stone when he realised there was no stone marking the grave.
What a lovely gesture and very poignant is the message at the foot of the stone. Adios Amigo Till We Meet Again.



These graves above are all in Darvel Cemetery. The cemetery which sits at the top of the very steep hill as you drive into Darvel from Preistland.
As I parked the car to look for my Papa's grave stone I looked out of the window of the car and realised I had actually stopped at the grave of my great grandparents. I hadn't realised they were buried there.
Margaret C. Brown and Frank Thomas King are the parents of Jean Batton.
My Uncle Frank is obviously named after Jean's father.
Margaret Brown and Frank King married in Parish Church Manse Darvel on 19th July 1918.

All in all, I think I had a very eventful day, both in Galston and Darvel.
Oh, and I popped in to visit my Uncle George and Aunt Ellen Batton on my way through Darvel.

Gravestone : my great grandmother Margaret McCurdie Batton

Above is the gravestone of my great grandmother Maggie McCurdie - this photo was taken after her funeral in October 1959. Almost 50 years ago.

Walking around the Galston cemetery today I could barely make out the name on this stone below. And realised it was the same stone as I'd previously seen in the photographs.
My great grandmother's gravestone. I almost didn't see it but Gillian was persistent that we look along one more row before walking to the car.

Time has taken it's toll on what was a beautiful memorial to their mother.
I don't know if anyone reading this can answer one important question.
Is her husband George Batton buried alongside her.
He died in 1929, she outlived him by 30 years.
And her gravestone makes no mention of her Batton surname.
I thought this very unusual. Was there a reason for not putting her married name?

Guess where I was today!!!!

My youngest daughter is at a music festival today in Galston at Loudoun Castle Park called 'Retrofest'.
I had to drive her through to Galston from Motherwell. After I dropped her off I attempted to find the Cemetery in Galston - which I had never been to before.
My middle daughter Gillian came with me. We found the Cemetery no problem and I hadn't realised it was so large. We walked around the older section in the hope that there might be an old grave stone with the Batton name on it. We didn't see anything. I have written to the Church of Scotland to check where George Batton (died 1872) in buried. As he died in Newmilns I wasn't sure if he was buried in Newmilns or Galston.

Gillian asked 'what are you looking for' and I just replied anything with the Batton name on it O:) As we were walking back towards the car the gravestones started to get newer and I realised I was MAD! This was going to be difficult.

Then I noticed this stone with the name Lily Connell on it. I recognised that name from past research. On checking further I realise now that this grave belongs to Lily Connell, daughter of Elizabeth Batton. This makes Lily a cousin of my Grandfather George.
Elizabeth was the oldest daughter of my great great grandfather Andrew Batton, and sister of my great grandfather George Batton.
Lily Connell appears in the 1901 Census at Ironworks Square at the home of her grandparents Andrew & Lilias Batton. I guess Lily is named after her grandmother.
I notice that the women in the family tend to outlive the men by quite a few years.....



As we walked around the newer part of the cemetery I looked to see if I could find any other Batton gravestones.

I then came across the grave of my papa's sister Lily Batton. Another girl, named after her great grandmother Lilias Batton ms McGregor.

Lily McGregor Batton was born on 5th October 1903 at Ironworks Square. The daughter of George Batton and Margaret McCurdie.
Lily lived to the grand old age of 95, outliving her husband by almost 33 years. A lifetime!

Bingo!

Well folks, I got a response from my first letter (to Pat Jurey, descendant of Samuel Batton, brother of our Andrew Batton).....

Hi cousin Sandra,

I gather you are my 3rd cousin once removed. My children - who are all in their 40's now - will be delighted to find they have a Scottish 4th cousin.

Your detective skills were excellent in finding me. I live in the southern part of Oklahoma.

My oldest sister Barbi (age 68) (Barbara Borie Paton vonBriesen) married Richard vonBriesen and lives in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They have 2 daughters, one son and 2 grandchildren. Dick an excellent genealogist and I have sent copies of all your material to them, so that they can handle all the family information details.

My younger sister Susan Parker Paton Liu (age 62) married George Liu (now deceased) and she lives in California, having moved there 5 years ago after 35 years living in Hong Kong China doing international law. She has one daughter.

I am 67 now. My husband and I have been married for 37 years - this is my second marriage. I have 3 children from my 1st marriage: Katherine Hyde Smith Addleman age 48 has 3 daughters; Robert Martin Smith age 46 has 2 daughters and Diana Gordon Smith Walters age 44 has 1 son. There are lots of step children around as well; my life is full with family events. Both my husband and I are retired and love to travel. Unfortunately we have been busy this year building a new home (after the tornado in February), so have done little travelling. We do have friends in Florida and in southern Alabama as well as a college granddaughter in Alabama so a trip through Mississippi occurs once in a while. Perhaps we can meet in the future.

As far as the genealogy is concerned ...
Barbi and her husband Dick travelled to Scotland about 5 years ago doing family research and reached a dead-end after George and Eliza. I think they have lots of their research on rootsweb and on their own website, that they will send you. My copies of their information - especially about their trip to Ayrshire, Kilwinning, Glasgow, etc. - either blew away with the tornado, or is in storage pending the completion of our home. Either way, Barbi and Dick are better giving it to you.

Answers to your questions...
George and Anne lived in or near New York City until moving to Connecticut in the 1940's. My family saw them several times a year for holidays. And Grandma lived for several years - late in her life - with my parents. By the way, we have never been sure if her name was Anne Amelia or Amelia Anne or Anna rather than Anne.

I do not know if brothers Samuel and John Batton met again in NY and kept in touch.

Brothers George and David did keep in touch throughout their lives. David married Nellie and their lived in New York too. The two couples, David and Nellie and George and Anne spent summers together at the beaches throughout the 1920s and 1930's. I never knew David and Nellie - but my parents did and spoke highly of them. Nellie died first and then David (this was also after his brother died), and I do remember my father making the funeral arrangements. I do not have any knowledge of other siblings. We always thought several had moved to Australia. But have never found any relatives there.

Sorry this is so rambling as a response. I was so surprised, but so delighted to hear from you. My father, and grandparents were so proud of their Scottish heritage and would be so thrilled to know we have made contact.

I will be out of town for the next week, but will check my e-mail, so I hope to hear from you
Do also expect a note from my sister and brother-in-law as well.

Affectionately,
Pat

Batton / Batton connection

Yes, I have been busy. You may recall a few months ago Andrea Batcho had emailed a copy of his relatives marriage certificate (Isabella Batton married Galeano Pepe in 1930).

Well he also passed me the address for Diane White, daughter of Isabella Batton.

I wrote a letter to Diane tonight and will post it tomorrow. Just asking for information on her grandfather, George Batton, son of John Batton & Jessie Steel.

I wish I had a £ for every George Batton I've come across in the course of my searches!

I will let you know if and when I get a response from Diane. She lives in Orlando, Florida.

Below is the connection between George Batton and Diane - and George to my Mum. She is the same ancestry level as my Mum and was born the year after my mum.

Batton / Paton connection

You know me!!!! I'm on the prowl again for information. I'll let you know how this pans out.
I recently found and blogged the obituary for Kenneth Henson Paton, son of George Paton and Annie Gordon. Well, the obituary mentions that Kenneth had 3 daughters - Barbara, Patricia and Susan.
I did a google search for Patricia Jurey as this was the surname mentioned for one of the daughters.
The google search returned an online newspaper article on Patricia Jurey and her husband Dwight who lived in Ardmore, Oklahoma and their house had recently been damaged by a tornado. Ardmore is where Kenneth Paton is buried. It mentioned the area that Pat Jurey lived in. So I did a white pages search and hey presto! A postal address.
I have written a letter to Patricia explaining who I am and asking if she has any information on her grandfather George Paton, son of Samuel Batton and Isabella Anderson. I only posted it yesterday ..............
Will keep you posted if I get any response from Patricia.
Below shows the ancestry line from George Batton to Patricia and from George to my Mum, Margaret Batton.