Friday, May 4

Christian CLAPPERTON



Christian Clapperton and her son William Young


First Generation

      1. Christian CLAPPERTON 1  was born in 1815. She died on 4 Jul 1902 in Ellen Villa, Bonnyrigg (Midlothian) Scotland.

Christian Clapperton (1815-1902) (Granny Young), came from a radical Chartist family of
textile weavers in Galashiels. Her father William Clapperton (1785-1860) had helped to found
both the Co-operative and Temperance movements there._Census records before 1891: see
under her husband John YOUNG. He died in 1886.__1891 Census: Ellen Villa, Lasswade/
Bonnyrigg: 9 rooms with 1 or more windows_Christina C. YOUNG . . Head. .Widow F 73
Living on Private Means b.Selkirkshire, Galashiels_Jeanie WILLIAMSON . . Serv. . Unm . F
24 General serv. . . . . . . . .b.Peeblesshire, Stobo__At about this time, Christina C. YOUNG
wrote to her son Thomas in Iowa and his wife Mary:--"My dear Son and Daughter" "You have
no idea how I weary for news from you" Definitely a mother's letter--asking if Thomas knows
what he is suffering from (what illness) and asking after Mary, who has evidently had to have
all of her teeth pulled and got artificial ones..._"David is out of the Dalkeith Gasworks. He has
not been getting along very well with the Directors." Discusses Sandy (Alexander) leaving the
oil trade...Says that he and David have bought land near Bathgate and that "they are starting
a aeriated water manufactory." Discusses John in a new business, with Christina saying that
they just had "a new baby girl as an Xmas present". She talks about how worried she is that
John's family is getting so large (5 children). She talks about not being well, due to worrying
about Thomas's brothers and their unsettled state. Mentions how much she misses Jock. Tells
Thomas that it may be best that he went to America, because Scotland is in a bad state, and
that it is hard to make a living, etc. Says that "Mary and her family are in their house."
[Gracemount, next door to Christina herself] Mentions George Cusiter being in Silverton. "We
had Tina and her baby here last week." (Is this Mona?) "Bob is still at Peebles..." "He is
building a very fine house..." "We had Willie yesterday. He is looking quite fine indeed." _"
Your affectionate Mother_C. Young__1901 Census: Ellen Villa, Lasswade/Bonnyrigg: 7
rooms with 1 or more windows_[daughter, grandaughters and great-grandaughter next door:
see Mary YOUNG (Mrs Cusiter)]_Christina YOUNG . . Head. .Widow F 83 Living on own
Means . .b.Roxburgh, Redhead_Rachael POTTS(?) . . Servant . U . . F 30 General serv.
Domestic. b. Selkirk, Galashiels__Christina's great great granddaughter writes:_"Mary
Cusiter and Christina Young, the maternal grandmothers, lived next door to each other in
Bonnyrig. Old John Young had bought the two houses side by side, probably new-built, in
approximately 1880. The one was for himself and his wife in retirement (having come back
from Wigan) and the other for his widowed daughter. Mona would run from one house to the
other: one garden -scrambling over the wall- to the next. Great-Grandma had a maid called
Rachel, One story went, 'Go with Rachel, dear, and she'll give you a pear.' Another, 'What
naughty girl has been taking pears from my garden?' Probably they are both true. Mona said
that when she was at Great-Grandma's house she once said, 'This is a weariness house, this.

' "__The Scotsman - Saturday, 5th July 1902, page 14_YOUNG.รข€”At Ellen Villa. Bonnyrigg.
On July 4th. Christina CLAPPERTON, Widow of John Young, gas engineer, in her 88th year.
Funeral private.

Christian married2  John YOUNG  on 21 Oct 1836 in Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland. John was born in 1815 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He died on 24 Jan 1886 in Ellen Villa, Bonnyrigg (Midlothian) Scotland.

An excellent biography for John can be found at http://www.penicuikcdt.org.uk/John_and
_William_Young.html#JohnYoung






Appendix A  -  Sources


  1. World Connect Project pages of  Roger Kelly, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=kosmoid.
  2. Compiled by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910  (FamilySearch; (http://familysearch.org)), Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150  USA.

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