Hadden family from Cumnock

James Welsh was left in Scotland as a baby when  his mother and the rest of her family went to the USA! 

James ca 1925

Mary Hadden had two illegitimate children with James Welsh, a shepherd. First James in 1890 in New Cumnock then William born in 1892 in Kilmarnock.  She later sued the father for breach of promise seeking £200 damages and was eventually awarded £40 in 1893. She may have used this money to sail to the United States in 1894 on the Anchoria. Her mother and siblings were already there.

But first let's go back to 1890. She gave birth to James and the midwife Grace Connell took in the child, certainly by the 1891 census when he was a boarder and probably soon after his birth.  When his mother Mary went to collect him from the Connell home at Refuge Cottage at Roadside, near Cumnock in order to go to America, he was hidden and not handed over. He was left to live happily the rest of his life at Refuge Cottage. His father James Welsh's father had allegedly blocked the marriage. This information from  James's granddaughter.  The newspaper reports  from the Dundee Courier give some information on where Mary, a dairy maid, had worked; Craigdarroch in New Cumnock, Benston between Cumnock and New Cumnock and Stoopshill in Dalry. 

So, Mary Hadden age 30, William age 2 and another son John age 6 sailed on the Anchoria to New York in 1894.  In fact Mary had had 2 other illegitimate children before the 2 with James Welsh.  John and Mary Jane who died a few weeks old.

Once in America Mary married a fellow Scot James B Campbell in Scranton Pennsylvania in 1895 and had another 4 children. This photo dates from about 1909.   William and John will be in the back row.

Earlier generation
Mary Hadden was the son of John Hadden an Irish miner and his wife Mary Jane Bruce. Mary was born in 1866 at Barlonachan in Cumnock. Her father died in 1873. Her mother married a younger Irishman William  Coulter (sometimes Cousar) and emigrated with most of her children to Pennsylvania in 1887 on the Spain.
Mary J Coulter 50
John  Haddon 20
Samuel Haddon 11
Martha Haddon 10
Wm Coulter 10
Andrew Coulter 9
Alice Coulter 7 (=Esther)
Bruce Coulter 4

The only children missing from the manifest were the oldest son James and oldest daughter, the above Mary. We know she was still in Ayrshire but had James gone on ahead and where is Mary Jane's second husband William Coulter?

According to the 1910 US census, James emigrated in 1883 so yes, he had gone first.

William Coulter is alive and well in the 1900 US census in Dunmore with wife Mary, son Bruce daughter Acey Seigel aka Esther and her husband and son.

This is thought to be a photo of James outside Refuge Cottage. His granddaughter in Cumnock had a copy as did the cousins in America.

Mary didn't forget her son James in Cumnock. She sent him a half hunter watch for his 21st birthday. it is now treasured by his great grandson.

Meanwhile James Welsh stayed on in Cumnock, married and had one daughter Isabel. He was a joiner to trade but was an engineer/ car mechanic for most of his working life.

Click here for further information added 10 June 2020