NISBET, Thomas (DNA Link) ^{1 3 4 5}

   Another name for Thomas was NESBITT, Thos.¹¹

  General Notes:

The 1841 UK census recorded a Thos Nisbet living with Mary Nisbet, and Thomas, Helen and Catherine Nisbet, at Echline in the parish of Dalmeny, West Lothian. All replied 'No' to the question about whether they had been born in the census county. Thomas Nisbet was an agricultural labourer whose age was in the 30-34 years age range.

The 1851 UK census for Carrington, Midlothian, recorded Thomas Nisbet as head of a household consisting of his wife, Jane, and five children. His birthplace was noted as NK, Peeblesshire. His age was 39 years. He was a farm servant by occupation.

The 1860 US Federal Census of the Free Inhabitants in the town of Huntington, in the County of Suffolk, State of New York, recorded a Thomas Nesbit, aged 49 years, living with his family in the Deer Park post office area. By occupation he was a farm overseer, and was recorded as owning 30,000 dollars in real estate. His birthplace was Scotland. Living with Thomas were his wife, Jane; three children, John, Mary and Robert; and two adults in their twenties, James Johnson, Irish born and unable to read and write, and Edmund Griffin, born in England. No occupation was noted for them.

A record exists of the death a "Thomas Nesbit" at New Haven Connecticut in 1867, whose year of birth is noted as 1811. It seems very likely that it is this man as there is also a probate document dated 1869 which enumerates legacies bequeathed to the wife and of Thomas Nisbet, whose names correspond to what we already know of this man. $1243.26 were to be divided between the widow and seven children of the deceased.

In his son John's marriage certificate of 1874, Thomas was recorded as a"Farmer (deceased)". ^{6 7 9 10 12 13}

  Research Notes:

MARRIAGE

"...the (presbyterian) church (of Scotland) underwent a number of secessions and schisms which resulted in a number of breakaway factions such as the Secession Church in 1733, the Relief Church in 1761, the Free Church in 1843 and the United Presbyterian Church (Secession Church and Relief Church combined) in 1847.....

OPR marriage entries mostly consist of the proclamations and will only include limited information with no set format. In some cases a marriage could be registered by the bride and groom in two parishes if they came from different parishes. In a record of marriage, additional information will be included such as witnesses or a "cautioner" (guarantor or sponsor) which refers to an individual, usually a male relative, who acted as a sponsor for the marriage paying a security to ensure the forthcoming marriage met the correct conditions. One register may record the proclamation date and the other the date of the marriage itself.....

In Scotland a marriage was considered 'regular' after the reading of banns and if the marriage ceremony was conducted by a minister of the established Church of Scotland. The 1834 Marriage (Scotland) Act extended 'regular' marriages by permitting dissenting clergy to conduct marriage ceremonies. If these requirements were not adhered to the marriage was deemed 'clandestine' and illegal but crucially could be valid in the eyes of the state. Under Scots Law a marriage was considered valid (but not legal) under certain conditions as follows:
§ Both parties declared themselves married in the presence of witnesses.
§ Marriage ceremony followed by sexual intercourse.
§ Simply living together with the status of man and wife - by habit and repute."

from genguide
Some of the above information may help to account for what is, to the modern eye, an odd set of marriage documents for Thomas Nisbet and Mary Laidlaw. More research is needed to establish what the background and circumstances where that resulted in these various documents. ¹⁴

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Emigration: from port of Liverpool, aboard steamship 'City of Glasgow', 1 February 1853, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. ^{11 15} Named as Thos Nesbitt; aged 42 years. Travelled as steerage passenger. Occupation recorded as a farmer. Had one item of luggage. Intending to become inhabitant of USA. Travelled alone.

NOTE: This appears to be the Thomas of this family but there is still room for doubt.

Thomas married Mary LAIDLAW, daughter of Adam LAIDLAW and Janet WILSON, on 20 March 1836 in Yarrow Parish, Selkirkshire, Scotland.¹ (Mary LAIDLAW was born on 17 March 1813 in Dryhope, Yarrow Parish, Selkirkshire, Scotland ^{6 16} and died before 23 March 1850.)

  Marriage Notes:

Old Parish Register
Yarrow Parish Selkirkshire
Marriages

"1836
March 20 Thos Nisbet and Mary Laidlaw both in this Parish - - - "

In addition to this entry, which may have been a proclamation of marriage rather than the actual marriage record, there are two other documents of marriage between a Thomas Nisbet and Mary Laidlaw:
1
02/11/1844 NISBET, THOMAS (Old Parish Registers Marriages 778/ 60 357 Selkirk) Page 357 of 464
presented in column form
"Names Given In: 1844 (October entered & crossed out) Nov^r. 2
Names of Parties: Thomas Nisbet Mary Laidlaw
Parishes: Selkirk Yarrow
When Married: (blank)
By Whom Married: (blank)
Cautioners: (blank)"
2
17/11/1844 NISBET, THOMAS (Old Parish Registers Marriages 779/ 30 57 Yarrow) Page 57 of 375
"1844
Nov^r. 17 Thomas Nisbet in the Parish of Selkirk and Mary Laidlaw in this Parish...... 1 2" ^{1 3 4}

Thomas next married Jane VEITCH, daughter of William VEITCH and Christian CAIRNS, on 23 January 1850 in Lasswade Parish, Midlothian, Scotland.² (Jane VEITCH was born in 1813 in Peeblesshire, Scotland ^{7 9 17}, baptised on 11 July 1813 in Eddlestone Parish, Peebleshire, Scotland,^{2 18} died in 1881 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA ¹⁹ and was buried in 1881 in Evergreen Cemetery, Connecticut, USA ²⁰.)

  Marriage Notes:

Old Parish Register
Lasswade Parish Midlothian
Marriages

"1850
Nisbet & Veitch
January 23rd 1850 Which day Thomas Nisbet Plowman in the Parish of Humbie, and Jane Veitch in this Parish gave in their names for proclamation in order to marriage.
one day - "

Another record for this marriage or its banns exists in Humbie parish, East Lothian, for Thomas Nisbet and Jean Veitch, 19 January 1850.

Old Parish Register
Humbie Parish East Lothian
Marriages

"Humbie Jany 19th 1850
Thomas Nisbet in this Parish, and Jean Veitch in the Parish of Lasswade, gave in their names for proclamation. The parties were proclaimed three several times, and no objection being offered, were married" ^{2 21 22}