Batton's method of travel in 1882

Jessie Batton, wife of John Batton, Robert Batton and children Agnes, Samuel and George sailed to a new life in America in 1882.

Aug. 27 1874 - State of Indiana launched for the State Line
Sept. 16, 1882 - Maiden voyage Glasgow - Larne - New York
May 05 1882 - Departs Glasgow - Larne - Arriving in New York May 16th 1882 at 02:00 morning - Also reported arrival on 1882-05-10

The State of Indiana, was built by Messrs. Thomas Wingate and Co., at Whiteinch, Glasgow, for the State Line, to be employed in the trade between Glasgow and New York.

She was launched with all her machinery on board, and completely fitted for sea, on Aug. 27, 1874, made a trial trip on Sept. 2, and sailed from Glasgow for New York, via Larne, Belfast, on the 5th, with a full cargo of goods and a large number of passengers. The hull was 330 ft in length, 36 ft. in breadth, and 28½ ft. in depth, with a burden of 2528 tons gross register, and was propelled by a pair of compound surface condensing engines, of 400-horse power nominal, indicating about 2000-horse power effective.

She was built under special survey, and was classed A 100, the highest description of the first class in the Lloyd's registry. In addition to a large cargo capacity, accommodation was provided for 80 first-class cabin, 30 second-class cabin, and 500 third-class or steerage passengers, besides the 109 crew members, including the officers. The cabin saloon was unusually spacious, and was elegantly fitted up, with large mirrors, a piano, and a library. Abundant light and ventilation was supplied by means of a large oval well in the centre, in addition to the usual side lights. The ladies' cabin opened off the saloon, and was very tastefully furnished in blue velvet, with decorations of white enamel and gold. There was also a large circular boudoir on deck for the exclusive use of the ladies, with large plate-glass windows, shaded with blue silk hangings and floored with encaustic tiles. From this apartment a private staircase lead to a promenade deck. There was a commodious smoking-room for gentlemen, with large windows and tiled floor. Adjoining the saloon was the chief steward's pantry, which was of extra large size, with all convenient fittings. Electric wires were led from the saloons and staterooms to that apartment; and it was in communication with the galley above by means of hoists. The staterooms were entirely separate from the saloon. They were spacious, well lighted, ventilated, and beautifully painted with white enamel and gold. Comfortable, well arranged baths and other conveniences were in that part of the vessel. The second cabins were roomy apartments, comfortably furnished as parlour and bedroom. The steerage accommodations were unsurpassed. Separate compartments were provided for single men, for married couples and families, and for single women. Cleanliness and good ventilation prevailed throughout, and in cold weather the entire ship was heated by steam. The captain's apartments, and also those of the officers of the ship, were amidships. The forecastle presented a special feature, being semicircular, with twelve doors leading by staircases to the tweendecks, the quarters of the sailors and firemen. It also formed a shelter in bad weather. Immediately over the captain's and officers' rooms were the bridges and charthouse, from which telegraphic communication was arranged with the engine department and wheelhouse, controlling all the movements of the ship.

Besides the usual donkey engines and steam-winches there were independent steam engines for steering, hoisting ashes, or working the anchors, so as to reduce manual labour. There were numerous life-boats raised on platforms to allow passengers to walk under them, and fitted with the approved patent lowering apparatus. The State of Indiana was the fourth vessel Messrs. Thomas Wingate and Co. built for the State Line, which then consisted of nine ships, the others having been built by the London and Glasgow Engineering and Ship-Building Company of Glasgow. Six of the vessels were similar in size, power, and style to the State of Indiana. They constituted the line to New York, and sailed regularly every Friday from Glasgow, calling at the railway wharf at Larne, near Belfast, on Saturday morning, to take on board goods and passengers. The ships sailed on the return voyage from New York every Saturday; they called at Larne to land passengers for Ireland and those who wished to avail themselves of the most expeditious route to England without going on to Glasgow. The other three vessels belonging to the company were employed in maintaining a monthly communication between Liverpool and New Orleans.

Burnhouse Cottages

Do any of you know where the location of Burnhouse Cottages was in Galston.

This is where John and Samuel Batton lived.

Observations on the Batton family history from old documents

Personal observations of the Batton family :

SIBLINGS OF GEORGE BATTON AND ELIZA MASSEY WERE :
Ø ELLEN/HELEN – BORN 1848 – Born Ireland
Ø SAMUEL –B ORN 1853 – Born Scotland?
Ø JOHN – BORN 1854 – Born Belfast
Ø ROBERT – BORN 1855 – Born Ireland
Ø ANDREW – BORN 1856 – Born Ireland
Ø GEORGE – BORN 1860 (Born Galston?)
Ø 1863 George Batton is in Tonaghmore, Saintfield
Ø 1867 – July, George Batton at daughter Ellen wedding in Saintfield

1872 – George Batton death certificate. Age is listed as ‘shows 65 years’ - When and Where died : 30th September 1872 at 08:45am – at Union Street, Newmilns. Father was William Batton.
Suffered from heart disease. Seen after death by Dr Davidson. As per report of F C Cross, Proc Fiscal. Death registered by son, Samuel Batton, Burnhouse Cottage, Galston.


Ellen/Helen Batton – Ellen Batton marries James Gordon in Saintfield Ireland in July 1867. Ellen’s father is showing as George Batton. Witness is Robert Massey. George also shows in the 1863 Griffiths Valuation in Tonaghmore, Saintfield. Neighbours are Alexander and Robert Massey. George Batton shows on every death certificate as being spouse of Eliza Massey.
o Ellen and James show in the 1881 Census in Riccarton, Hurlford. Their children are Elisabeth, Susan, W John – all born in Ireland. Children Alexander and George born in Galston and Hurlford. Is Alexander named after Eliza Massey’s brother or father and George after her own father?

Samuel Batton gets married on 26th April 1877 at 153 Gloucester Street to Isabella Anderson. He is already calling himself Paton now. One of the witnesses is Alexander Paton. Is this a relative? Is this linked with why Samuel calls himself Paton now and registers his children Paton.

o Samuel Paton first child is born on 6th August 1877 and is named George Crawford Paton and they are living at 153 Gloucester Street, Tradeston, Glasgow. Note that parents are David Anderson and Margaret Anderson previously Dinning ms Chalmers.
o 1881 Census – Samuel Paton living at 153 Gloucester Street with wife Isabella and 2 children, George and David. Two boarders also living there – Crawford Dinning (widower age 65 years) and William Dinning. Probably a relative of Isabella’s mother.
o Samuel advises that he is 30 and was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Year of birth circa 1850/1. Census taken in April 1881 so he would turn 31 in May if the US census info below is correct.
o 1900 US Census shows Samuel Batton, Bella Batton, George Baton and David Paton. Samuel is listed with birth date of May 1850 and was 50 last birthday. Bella birth is August 1849 and 50 last birthday. George is July 1877 and age 22 years, David is August 1879 and aged 20 years. Also living there is Margaret Anderson, sister. Born March 1845, age 55 and single. Place of birth of Samuel and mother and father is listed as Scotland!
o They advise they have all been living in USA for 15 years and arrived in 1885.

v John Batton, age 19, marries Jessie Steel on 21st February1873, less than 5 months after his father’s death. On the marriage certificate John’s address is listed as Burnhouse Cottages, Galston. So we know that both John and Samuel are living in this area. Children born Ironwork Square except Agnes, born Bowling Green Lane.
o On the 1920 Census John Batton lists that he was born in Ireland and that his father is English and Mother is Irish. Age is showing as 66 – born 1854. This matches the 1920 passport application and the Ship listing for 1921.


Robert Batton 1882 – I have found record of Robert Batton on 3 occasions. In 1881 Census in Galston Robert Batton lives with Jessie Batton. On Castlegarden website there is a listing showing that Robert Batton arrived in USA on 18 May 1882 on the ship State of Indiana. Jessie Batton and her 3 children are listed – George, Samuel and Agnes.
o On the 1881 Census for 11 Ironwork Square there is a Robert Baton, head, wife Jessie S Baton and children George, age 4 and Samuel age 4. Robert listed as born in Ireland. Was John Batton’s middle name Robert. Was he John Robert Batton? I thought this to be the case until I was the 1900 Census for Manhattan and the listing shows John Batton, Jessie Steel and their 7 children (2 born Galston, 5 born NY) – right at the bottom of the listing for the children is Batton, Robert – brother, born Ireland 1856. This proves that John Batton and Robert Batton were two different people.

Andrew Batton – lives in Ironwork Square until he moves to Douglas Water in Lanarkshire. Married Lilias McGregor from Riccarton. 1877 Marriage shows he lives at Ayr Road, Dalserf. His son George born in Brewland Street, Galston in 1879. Andrew was born in 1856 in Ireland.

George Paton 1950 Death certificate shows that he is George Paton (formerly Batton). His parents are George Batton and Eliza Massie. George marries twice, his first wife Margaret Eadie dies after almost 9 months of marriage. George has 3 children with his 2nd wife Janet Fyfe (d 2-Apr 1915)
o Sarah Fyfe Paton, marries William Ward Russell in 1917, Cambuslang
o George Fyfe Paton (d 24-Mar-1922 age 27, widow of Jeanie Arnott)
o Samuel Fyfe Paton (marries Helen Vernon in 1920 in Cambuslang)
o On the 1891 Census George Paton is living as a Lodger at 4 Park Street. He is living with the Fyfe family (William and Agnes and their children). Most probably they are relatives of Sarah’s. Listed that he was born in Galston and he is 25 years old. So born circa 1865/6.
o George and Janet Fyfe marry in July 1891 and George is listed as living at 4 Park Street. Janet is the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Fyfe. They name their children after their parents.
o Then again on the 1901 Census, George Paton Snr lists that he was born in Galston, Ayrshire whilst his family are all born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire. They are living at 130 Vicarland, Cambuslang.

My Grandparents - on both sides

I went to visit my Dad's only sister Margaret tonight to see if she had any old photos of my great grandparents as I've never seen them.

Whilst looking through the photos I came across this photograph showing my maternal and paternal grandparents.

Left is my maternal grandfather George Batton (died May 1976)

Middle is my paternal grandmother Mary Locke Crawford Murray (died Nov 1976)

Right is my paternal grandfather William Murray (died February 1975)

So between February one year and November the following year I had lost all of my grandparents. My maternal grandmother, Jean Docherty King Batton, died in 1951 so I never knew her.

I think that this photograph was taken on New Years Day 1967 (at the Murray family gathering in Hamilton). My grandparents lived in Ewart Crescent, Laighstonehall, Hamilton at the time of this photograph.

Saintfield documents

I recently wrote to First Presbyterian Church office in Saintfield and received a copy of the marriage certificate for Ellen Batton and James Gordon, showing Ellen's father as George Batton.This is where it all started for all of us..... George Batton in Saintfield, County Down.

Ellen was married on 6th July 1867. She was the daughter of George Batton and Eliza Massey.

The marriage witnesses were Eliza Ferris and Robert Massey.

Griffiths valuation for 1863 in Tonaghmore lists George Batton and surrounding neighbours as Alexander Massey, Robert Massey and William Ferris.

Four years later these surnames all feature in Ellen's marriage certificate.

From a process of elimination we think that Robert Massey was the son of Alexander, brother of Eliza Massey. Eliza Ferris could be the wife or daughter of William Ferris.

I have since found that Alexander Massey died in November 1872 aged 72 years. Ironically George Batton died the same year - aged 67 years, on 30th September 1872 in Newmilns.

Forename: Alexander
Surname: Massey
Date Of Death: 13/11/1872
Date Of Grant: 29/08/1873
Effects: Effects under £20
Registry: Belfast
Full Abstract:
The Will of Alexander Massey late of Tonaghmore County Down Farmer deceased who died 13 November 1872 at same place was proved at Belfast by the oath of John Massey of Tonaghmore (Saintfield) aforesaid Farmer one of the Executors.

Jim Batton - football memories

Jim Batton pictured centre of front row in the successful Douglas Water Thistle team of 1948. Another fine player, Peter Leishman of Douglas Water, now Lanark, is on Jim's left

I found both articles/photos on the website "A History of Football in Douglasdale" :

http://www.spanglefish.com/DouglasdaleFootball/index.asp?pageid=13136

Obituary from Lanark Gazette for Jim Batton

I came back from America to an email from Ian Paterson (husband of Doreen Batton) to let me know that Doreen's brother had passed away when I was on holiday.

There was an obituary in the Lanark Gazette on Thursday 9th April 2o09 which read :

The village was saddened to learn of the death of Jim Batton, a well loved and respected member of a well known Douglas family. Jim died on March 23, and although his health had deteriorated in recent months you could often find him on the High Street in Lanark, (his place of residence for some years,) where he was thrilled to speak to anyone he recognised from the village.
Jim, born in Douglas West, was a footballer of some renown who, together with an older brother Andrew, played for several local clubs including Douglas West, where they won the Stark Cup against Biggar nine goals to one, Jim having scored six of the nine. He played for several local teams including Douglasdale, Douglas Water Thistle and such was his prowess, that Jim eventually played for Hibernian where he played against his brother Andrew - and won - when he played for Greenock Morton.
Jim also played for Sligo Rovers in the Irish League.
Andrew also played for Manchester City in his prime. Unfortunately, Andrew passed on a few years ago.
Jim is survived by his widow Helen, daughter Linda and six sisters - Lily, Grace, Matt, Nan, Jeanette and Doreen - and to all of them, the village extends its warmest sympathy in their loss.