Winter project, where and what to research

 I am looking at the winter work in advance and what research I should concentrate on.

I have various lines of enquiry and if one road leads to a dead end I will move down another road.

Starting with near family and their records can lead to interesting revelations in a matter of a few generations.  In the last two generations little was done in terms of research and recording family history. There are a few exceptions but generally there was little or it was not seen as respectable if there were skeletons in the cupboard. 

Places to find details:

Parents and grandparents marriage certificates gives four families!

• Census

• Old papers

• Church records are good places to find out about people.

Those in Scotland can try Scotlands people. a site linking into the records of the nation.

Buying credits to purchase certificates can become expensive so do as much as possible and only buy certs if you are confinced they are the right persons.!

Alan Pinkerton...relation or not

My father many years ago told the family that in the past there were Pinkertons in our roots. He smarted, “it would be good to see if our Pinkertons were connected closely with Alan Pinkerton the Scottish Detective.” 
Recent TV programmes on the Pinkertons has really pushed the quest to find out if we are indeed related closely with the Pinkertons of Rutherglen who went to America.
The plan was to link into our Pinkertons and go back the tree and go down various branches to find a link.
I had tried a similar action with Murisons a relation group on my mothers side, in the north east coast and found that our Murisons (Rathen Fraserburgh) were lightly connected to the Murisons of New Deer Wellhowe farm through the marriage of Jessie Murison 1832 – 1906, Wellhowe family and a James Ironside 1816-1885.
The link itself is not as strong as going back and seeing the Murisons all coming together under one person be it a George or an Alexander.
This research is a bit like trying to complete an equation, tiding loose ends. There is a quest to complete. A conclusion to find.
Todate I have not managed to find a more direct link with both sets of Murisons.
One thing I did find recently I rediscovered an article from 1997 on the late David Donald Murison in the times and at that time wondered if David indeed you have guessed was part of our Murison stream.
Well recently I managed to trace back David and he is in the Murisons New Deer Wellhowe farm connection.
David Donald Murison was a Scottish lexicographer and well known in that circle and in the North East of Scotland.

The text of a similar article in the independent  can be read here.
Anyway Pinkertons, Alan was a detective who moved to the USA in 1842
Wikipedia can tell you about his roots.
I have gone back to 1650 in Alans family TO William Pinkerton. I have also gone back to 1626 on “our” Pinkerton side and as yet I have not got the link to him. Although Our David Pinkerton had 4 children around 1650’s and William mentioned above is around the same time.
Speculation  which it is asks are David’s children more than 4 and could the William be one of his?
The hunt continues.
Maybe someone can help!
Please share thank you.

1901 Census

Here is a link to the 1901 Census