Collection point for family history and genealogy research related to my maternal great-grandmother, Kate Elizabeth Farquharson Heyman, born 24 June 1887, died 5 March 1926 at the devastating age of 38 when my grandmother was only 4 years old.


  • The Gourlays

    The Gourlays

    Margaret Gourlay of the Parish of Kincardine and John Fisher of the Port of Menteith Parish were married 19 January 1750, and brought 9 children into the world between 1750-1772, at Burnside of Ruskie/Miln of Ruskie in Stirlingshire. More details on that family can be found in my post about the Fishers, but here’s a…

    read more…


  • Colin Farquharson Senior

    Colin Farquharson Senior

    I haven’t had great luck tracing the Farquharson line past John Farquharson‘s parents. To orient you in the family tree, John Farquharson was Kate Farquharson’s grandfather. He was born 9 May 1784 in Cardross, Dunbartonshire to parents Colin Farquharson and Jean Robertson. This post is a collection point for research into Colin and Jean, not…

    read more…


  • The Fishers

    The Fishers

    Jean’s mother Mary Fisher was born 20 July 1754 in Port of Menteith, Perthshire (now Stirling), to John Fisher and Margaret Gourlay. John Fisher and Margaret Gourlay were married 19 January 1750. The marriage was recorded in both Kincardine (Margaret) and Port of Menteith (John) “after orderly proclamation she having provided a certificate of her…

    read more…


  • The Ferriers

    The Ferriers

    Jean Ferrier Farquharson’s father William Ferrier was born 20 April 1750 in the parish of Greenock New or Middle, across the river from Cardross. I covered the William Ferrier (and Mary Fisher) family pretty extensively in the post on Jean Ferrier. THis post focuses on his lineage. William’s parents were Robert Ferrier and Agnes Morison.…

    read more…


  • Jean Ferrier Farquharson Commitment

    Jean Ferrier Farquharson Commitment

    Barnhill Poorhouse and Lunatic Assylum Jean Ferrier Farquharson‘s husband, Glasgow herbalist and “bone setter” John Farquharson died sometime between 1851 and 1858, quite possibly from tuberculosis in 1853. In 1858 when Jean was 70, she was committed to the Barnhill Poorhouse Lunatic Asylum in the Parish of Barony of Glasgow. She remained there about a…

    read more…


  • Jean Ferrier Farquharson Birth and Family of Origin

    Jean Ferrier Farquharson Birth and Family of Origin

    Jean Ferrier Farquharson was the wife of Glasgow herbalist and “bone setter” John Farquharson and mother of 9 children including Kate Farquharson’s grandfather, Colin. For a detailed account of Jean and John’s life together and children, see this post. Jean was born 17 September 1787 at “miln of Cardross” (Mill of Cardross) to William Ferrier…

    read more…


  • Colin Farquharson’s Lineage – My Circumstantial Case

    Colin Farquharson’s Lineage – My Circumstantial Case

    *Update Feb 1, 2024* I am thrilled to report another piece of evidence, which for me provides enough confirmation that Kate Farquharson’s grandfather Colin Farquharson is indeed the same Colin Farquharson born in Cardross to John Farquharson and Jean Ferrier, that I am confident this mystery is solved. When I initially ordered photographs of Jean…

    read more…


  • John Farquharson

    John Farquharson

    I am very interested in the life and career of Kate’s grandfather John Farquharson, an herbalist and bone setter! He was born 9 May 1784 in Ardoch, a barony on the River Clyde between Dumbarton and Cardross, Dunbartonshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland, just northwest of Glasgow. He was baptized 24 May 1784,…

    read more…


  • Colin Farquharson

    Colin Farquharson

    Colin Farquharson and Maria Selby were Kate Farquharson’s paternal grandparents. They were married 20 March 1850 at St. George in the East, Tower Hamlets. Colin and Maria’s Children Colin Robert Farquharson, born 22 May 1845 in Poplar, carpenter, married 16 September 1866 Mary Ann Crowley, St. Luke’s, Chelsea, resided in London through at least 1882,…

    read more…


  • Kate Farquharson

    Kate Farquharson

    Kate Elizabeth Farquharson was born 24 Jume 1887 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to Joseph Farquharson and Kate Beningfield. She was the eldest of five children. Her siblings were: John Robert Farquharson (1890-1955) Hugh J. Farquharson (1891-1916) Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Farquharson (1893-1949) Douglas Henry Farquharson (1894-1922) When Kate was seven years old, her father died in…

    read more…