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The Grinton's are Eva Alice Grinton Smith's [my nana] family . They are almost unequivocally seafaring families from Scotland. The earliest Grinton's are William and Isabell Wells whose son John was born on 19-4-1707 at Kirkliston, West Lothian, Scotland. We know little of them other than that. John married Margaret /Marjory Daw on 2nd February 1739 at Dalmeny West Lothian. She was the daughter of George Daw and Marion Wright and Margaret was born on 19th Sept 1709 at Borrowstounness, West Lothian under the name of Marjory. The later entries of the births of her children have her listed as Margaret Daw. Marjory Daw sounded familiar and many will know it from the nursery rhyme See Saw Marjery Daw. The rhyme was not written about our Margery as it was an 1870 construction but interestingly Wkipedia says the song may have its origins as a song for sawyers who cut down trees. It notes that Daw in Scottish is an untidy woman and even worse words than that!
John and Margory had 6-8 children depending upon whether there were 2 Johns and 2 Alexanders. The oldest child was 1. Lilias Grinton baptised on 8th July 1739 in Dalmeny 6 months after John and Margory married. She married John Johnston and had a son George [b 1769].
2. Margaret Grinton was born on 12th sept 1741 again in Dalmeny and baptised there on 20th September. The family resided at Westmuir when she was born. We know nothing more of Margaret's life.
3. Anna Grinton was their third child born on 6th September 1743. Anna married a Johnston too, Richard Johnston probably a brother of John. Anna also went by the name Agnes. She married Richard on 21st Jun 1765 at Dalmeny. This date was 187 years to the day before Eva Alice's youngest son Henry Edwin Smith would marry Lola Cunningham in Port Kembla NSW. Anna and Richard's first born a son also named Richard was born on 1st March 1768 in Dalmeny.
Margaret their second child was born 20th August 1773 also in Dalmeny. She married John Marshall on 23rd May 1802 in Dalmeny and they had 6 children: John Young Marshall [1803-1876]; James Marshall [b 1804]; William Marshall [1805-1889]; Alice Marshall [b 1806]; Janet Marshall [ b 1809] and Margaret Marshall [1811-1877].
Anna and Richard's third child was Ann Johnston but we only have family history records for her which state she was born about 7th April 1776 in Dalmeny. No primary evidence exists for this. Helen Johnston was baptised on 22nd June 1781 at Dalmeny. The memorial page for Anna Grinton Johnston's grave [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237982200/anna-johnston/photo] confirms all the children above with the dates cited. Anna died on 16th March 1827.
There is a birth record for 4. John Grinton II son of Margaret Daw and John Grinton born 9th March 1746 Queensferry Dalmeny. [Ref Scotlands People FR393]. Many family trees have this John as our descendant, marrying Margaret Dunbar. There is also a birth certificate for John Grinton III son of Margaret Daw and John Grinton born 17th Jan 1755 Montshill Dalmeny. [Ref: Scotlands People FR415]. It is likely that the 1746 John died as the the 1755 John lived. Further work is needed on this as there are no primary records to confirm dates of death for either of the John's,
John and Margory's next child was 5. Helen Grinton born about 17th July 1748 however no primary evidence exists for this other than the memorial associated with John's grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237981522/john-grinton. We know nothing more of Helen.
There appears then to be 2 6 and maybe 7. Alexander's listed on the Find a Grave memorial site. One born 2nd Sept 1750 [Scotlands People Ref FR405] and one born 12th Feb 1753. [Scotlands People Ref: FR410].
Their youngest child 7 and maybe 8 John Grinton III we strongly believe is Eva Alice's great grandfather. He was born 15th Jan 1755 according to Scotlands People. He married Janet Dunbar 22nd Sept 1785 in Dyke Moray Scotland. She was born 8th May 1767 and we will explore their family on other pages. However if there are 2 Alexander's could there be 2 surviving John's in the family also?
John Grinton Snr may have died in Dalmenie / Dalmeny in 1776 or it could have been John Jnr [Ref: Scotlands People see photo below]. The wording on the death record suggests it was a paupers burial so its unlikely to be John who is buried with Margaret! Coud it have been the John Jnr born in 1746? Margaret Daw's dates of death are unknown but the Inscription on the gravestones in Dalmeny cemetary [see below] state: John GRINTON, wife Margaret DAW. Richard JOHNSTON 6.7.1811 68, wife [Ann] GRINTON 16.3.1827 82. James MARSHALL 20.6.1870, wife Janet MARSHALL 1900 82. son John 4.2.1866 [ Ref: https://www.findmypast.com.au/transcript?id=PRS%2FSCOTLAND%2FMI%2FADD%2F5%2F00448678] .
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