"UNCLE" CHARLES OGILVIE

The family story is that Susan Ogilvie McFarland's cousin "Charlie" Ogilvie talked James and Susan into moving to Canada and that he traveled with them. Charlie's dad, William, was a brother to Susan's mother. He was known as "Uncle" Charlie for most of his life in Canada and Iowa. We have documentation as to Charlie and the family of James and Susan in Canada and then in Emmet County, IA.

The 1836-1925 Iowa State Census Collection lists personal information for Charles that may be useful in additional research in finding the right Ogilvies for Susan's family. He lists his mother's name as Susan Gilbert and his father as William Ogilvie. Both born in Scotland. The Census date is
1 Jan 1925 and Charlie's estimated birth year is 1833. [Note: Spelled OGILVIE in the Census.] Barbara Jacobson's letter says Charlie was born 2 Nov 1832, South Kirriemuir, Forfarshire (now Angus), Scotland, and died 12 May 1925 at Armstrong, Emmet, Iowa. I know I have his obituary someplace. Will verify.

3/29/07: Located the marriage of William Ogilvy and Susan Gilbert on Scotlands People. Banns/Marriage date: 30 Jun 1828, Ruthven Parish, Angus County. [NOTE: Spelled OGILVY this time.]

Also located the births of four children of William Ogilvy and Susan Gilbert. They are as follows: Robert, b. 10 Jul 1830; Robert, b. 4 Nov 1832 (I think this is "Charlie"); James, b. 31 Aug 1834; Susan, b. 7 Aug 1836. All were born at Kirriemuir, Angus.

My thought is the census taker either wrote it down wrong or the person transcribing the records for the web site messed up. The day is within two of our recorded date. The records on Scotlands People show births and baptisms together with no differentiation.

I remember Genealogist Fenwick in Scotland telling me census takers would take notes and then transcribe them into their books at night. Often would mishandle a date or name. He said you can usually tell by how neatly or uniformly the names are entered on the census pages. If they were actually carrying the book with them there would likely be smears, smudges, variance in style of entry, etc. One has to think of the period and conditions in which these records were created.

Also we have heard that sometimes if a child of a given name died early the next child of that sex would be named the same as the one who died. Not knowing when any of these children died that may be a possibility?

It does cause us to want to look for both a Robert and a Charles as we research ship passenger lists, etc. as he may actually have been a Robert Charles or one or the other. Reminds me of George Foreman naming all his boys George.