David Thompson

David married Margaret Mitchell some time before 1791. He moved around the counties of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire, first working as a farm servant and later as a hind, a skilled farm worker probably with a tied cottage. In 1791 he is recorded as a servant to Mr Friskin in Bankhead, Linton, in 1799 a servant at Mains, Smailholm, in 1805 a hynd at Corsbie, Legerwood, in 1807 he was at Kershaugh, Jedburgh, in 1813 a hind at Greatridge, Makerstoun and in 1815 a hind at Mannerhill, Makerstoun. David is described on his son, John's death certificate as farmer of Roxburgh.

There is possibly another daughter to add to the following list as the Glasgow parish register records that Mary the daughter of David Thomson, labourer and Margaret Mitchell was born on 10 October 1800 and baptised, witnesses Donald Ross and James Thomson

Known children:-

John Thompson born 28 October 1791 Linton, Roxburgh.
He has his own page
Elspath Thomson born 18 May 1794 Smailholm, Roxburgh.
She has her own page
Margaret Thomson born 12 November 1796 Smailholm, Roxburgh.
There are several possible Margaret's in the 1851 census. The most probable is the wife of William Nisbet, a butcher living in Jedburgh as baptism records of some of their children give the mother's name as Margaret Thomson and they named one of their sons David. Unfortunately this Margaret died before civil registration in 1855 so there is no record of who her parents were. This of course assumes that Margaret did not die as a child.
Robert Thomson born 23 January 1799 Smailholm, Roxburgh.
He has his own page
David Thomson born about 1802 Earlston, Berwickshire
He has his own page
Sarah Thomson born 27 May 1803 Legerwood, Berwickshire
She has her own page
William Thomson born 10 August 1805 Corsbie, Legerwood, Berwickshire
He has his own page
Alexander Thomson born 10 Dec 1807, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire
In the 1841 census he is possibly the Alexander Thompson age 25 (born 1816) Scotland, carpenter living with Sarah Miller his sister in Mellerstain, Earlston, Berwickshire. I have been unable to find Alexander's death and thus am unable to verify who his parents were. Everything on his page refers to the Alexander Thomson who married Mary Wood in 1845.
Isabel Thomson born 27 April 1810, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire
George Thompson born 18 April 1813, Makerstoun, Roxburgh
James Thompson born 9 June 1815, Makerstoun, Roxburgh
When James's eldest son registered his father's death he gave his father's father's name as David but his mother's as Christina Mitchell not Margaret. James did however appear to use the traditional Scottish naming convention for his children. Christina was their eldest daughter and this corresponds with Christina being the name of his wife's mother, the second eldest daughter being Margaret would be James's mother's name. Intriguing Hal had originally been written as the beginning of the maiden surname on the death certificate and then crossed through. Does this give an indication of the source of the middle name Haliburton?

The Earlston, Berwickshire parish register records the irregular marriage of James Thomson, joiner of Mellerstain, [Gordon] and Agnes Mason of Sprouston, Roxburghshire, on 18 July 1840 at Coldstream Bridge before witnesses William Harvey and Jane Boyd. Agnes was born about 1816 in Ashkirk, Selkirkshire the daughter of David Mason and Christina Whitelaw.

For most of his life James was a sawyer living in Roxburghshire or Berwickshire. He died on 2 September 1874 at Cowdenknowes Mains, Earlston. In 1881 Agnes, using her maiden name, was living in Jedburgh with her son David. Agnes died on 23 February 1896 at Ladhope, Yarrow, Selkirkshire.

Children:-
- Christian Thomson born 1842 Coltcrooks, Earlston, Berwickshire
  On 13 Jan 1871 in Edinburgh Christina Thomson married Thomas Litster, a school teacher born 1848 Crichton, Midlothian. All their married life they lived in Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire. Thomas died in 1907 at Caddonfoot and Christina in 1922 at Melrose.
- Margaret Thomson born 1844 Coltcrooks, Earlston, Berwickshire
- Mary Thomson born 1848 Melrose, Roxburghshire
- David George Thomson born 1850 Melrose, Roxburghshire
  David was a joiner. He died in 1882 at Jedburgh
- William Thomson born 1852 Melrose, Roxburghshire
- Robert Thomson born 1854 Melrose, Roxburghshire
  In 1878 at Selkirk he married Helen Riddell. Robert was a shepherd. They had eight children and the family lived in various places in Selkirkshire. Helen died in 1916.
- Cecil Baillie Thomson born 1857 Melrose, Roxburghshire
  In 1879 at Jedburgh Cecil married Wilhelmina Watson. He was a sawyer living in Cavers, Roxburghshire in 1881. Wilhelmina died in 1891 at Melrose and by 1891 Cecil was living in Leith with his children. He moved south of the border to Northumberland, dying there in 1905.
- Sarah Ann Thomson born 1859 Melrose, Roxburghshire