LANARK-L Archives

Archiver > LANARK > 2003-02 > 1044212338


From: "Irene Mitchell" <>
Subject: [LKS] SHIP LOST AT SEA?
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 11:01:12 -0800


Am I right in thinking that any ship presumed lost would have been reported
in the press at the time? I'm looking for an event that occurred between,
say, May and December of 1860. Can anyone give me some pointers?

I have in my family this story about a ship being lost at sea and the ship's
complement being presumed dead. It concerns John MITCHELL, a Ship
Carpenter, who married Janet Caldwell Smith on 27th April, 1860 at Wallace
Street, Wallacetown, Ayr.

The family story is that John Mitchell went off to sea, the ship was
reported as "lost", and Janet refused to wear widow's weeds as she was sure
her husband would come back. It goes on to say that two years later
(1862?), John walked into Janet's mother's home (in Ayr?) and a little
daughter he did not know he had ran towards him with her arms up.

Next, I have a letter written by John Mitchell himself, from KELVINHAUGH,
dated 11th August, 1863, in which he says that his wife Janet and "little
Elizabeth" are getting on well. This is no doubt a reference to the birth
of Elizabeth on 22 July 1863 at Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark; thus NOT the
child mentioned in the story. In fact, I can find no record of any child
born to this couple prior to 1863. Only Elizabeth, born 1863, accompanied
them when they emigrated the following year; thus, any prior child had
presumably died. It is strange that there are no records!

If anyone has heard this story before, I apologise. I've been trying for a
very long time to get to the truth of the matter. Sorry if you get the
posting twice (AYR and LANARK).

Regards,
Irene Mitchell, British Columbia

This thread: