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Archiver > DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY > 2001-05 > 0989074189


From:
Subject: PRO visit crumbles brick wall!
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 10:49:49 EDT


Hi
On Thursday I went to the PRO in London. All new readers are given an
induction tour....... which was very helpful. As we went round the guide
pointed out the free leaflets which might help us. One of these was how to
find an ancestor''s regiment.

I've been looking for my 3 x gt grandfather David Howie for about 15 years.
He , of Loudoun parish, married Margaret Shinnan in Craigie in 1803 and had a
son John in 1804 in the same parish. I knew that James Howie b abt 1806 son
of David had been in the army because he was a chelsea pensioner in 1861, and
several of David's grandchildren had been soldiers. This, with other things,
made me suspect the David had been in the army too.

The leaflet directed me to a specific computer in the PRO. All soldiers
discharged before 1854 are on it. So I put in James Howie and up came mine!
Astounded I put in David and up came David Howie born in Fenwick, Ayrshire
and discharged in 1802. I ordered the document with the discharge paper and
I'm sure he is mine. He'd served 14 years in the Dragoons, was discharged
with ulcered legs from having served in the West Indies, and recommended for
the bounty of the Chelsea Hospital. He was 33 years old and born in Fenwick
....... the only David born in Fenwick around then was the son of John Howie
and Margaret Wallace in Drumcloich who had a son in 1768....... and my David
called his first son John!

His son James was discharged in 1847 and his papers are much more
informative. He served for 22 years. He was 5ft 7in brown hair blue eyes and
a swarthy complexion. He had various tattoos .... including an E.R. on his
forearm.... his wife was Elizabeth Reid. His conduct was indifferent .....
something to do with his two courts martial.... he was reduced to private in
both instances, imprisoned for 2 days and fined a penny a day for 30 days.
But it doesn't tell me what he'd done. Perhaps there are other records of
courts martial ..... I've still got to sit down and read thoroughly the other
leaflets about army records I picked up. I also need to find out if there
are records for Chelsea pensioners which might give me David's pre-1841 date
of death.

Any advice on what to do next gratefully received!

Irene ( temporarily in sunny Hightae, Dumfriesshire)

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