Week 32 - Lewis Milne

Lewis Milne (1815 - 1867)

My 3rd great grandfather Lewis was born October 10, 1815 in Keith, Banffshire, Scotland and baptised three days later.  He was the son of William Milne (1782 - 1867) and Helen Gordon (1788 - 1858).  At age 24 on June 30, 1840, he married Annie Brown in Keith.  Historians believe they had 12 children, including my ancestor, John. 

In the Scotland Census of 1841, he is living at Stupetide with his 50 year old parents and his wife Ann and their first child Jean.  I can find no reference online to that place name which is likely a cottage that is long gone.  

Census of 1851 shows Lewis and Annie with 5 children and his 63 year old mother Helen living with them.  He is a crofter of 2 acres at Bogbain. There is a wedding and festival venue in Scotland today called Bogbain Farm that is just south of Inverness.  I'll have to add that to my places to see in Scotland!

The 1861 Census has 44 year old Lewis as a labourer living with his father, his wife and 6 children  including  his 7 year old son John (my great great grandfather)  in the household. 

A daughter of Lewis and Annie was Clementine and I found this photo of her online at Ancestry.  She immigrated to the USA in 1867 and the next year married Robert William Gunn and had 12 children.  She lived to be age 73 and died in Pennsylvania in 1918.

At the age of 52 on February 17, 1867 Lewis died. It is said that he died 2 days after his father, William Milne. Lewis supposedly had asthma, and this may have been exacerbated by the death of his father.

Above is the photo of a Milne gravemarker in Keith cemetery thanks to Donna Marie and Greg who took the picture in June, 2014 and supplied the transcript below:

“Erected by William Milne, Bogbain in memory of his daughter Clementina Milne who died 16 August 1819 age 6 years and 6 months. Also his wife Hellen Gordon who died 20 April 1858 age 85 years. Also his son Lewis Milne who died 17 Feb 1867 age 52 years. Also his grandson Alexander Milne who died 25 July 1873 age 25 years. Ann Brown his wife of the above Lewis Milne who died 4 April 1901 82 years.”

It seems a bit confusing that if Lewis died 2 days after his father William, how did he place the stone in Lewsi' memory?  I guess I explain it by William Milne put up the stone in 1819 for his daughter, Clementine (aunt of the one pictured above) and dates and names were added as members of the family died.  Interesting that William's own death is not recorded on it though.

Annie Brown Milne was 52 years old and a widow on the census of 1871.  The family of crofters is on 12 acres.  In 1881, her address is given as Croft Rimmach on 13 acres with 3 of them being arable.  She died at Upper Drakemyres Farm, Boharm, Moray on April 4, 1901.