James Stoddart (1767 - ?)
James Stoddard was born in around 1767 most likely in StubhillNewbattle, Midlothian. He was is identified as one of eight known children of John Stoddard and Margaret Bowman. Unfortunately we have been unable to find baptismal records for 6 of those children - not including James at the point.
Formal Records
On Apr 6 1792 James married Martha Miller at Cockpen in Midlothian. Martha was the daughter of Alexander Miller and Martha Hislop. James and Martha had at least eight children, but there are only baptismal records for four of them
- Alexander Stoddart Born 1793 Died 1823
- John Miller Stoddart Born 1795 Died 1854 Married Janet Kerr
- Helen Stoddart Born 1797 Died ? Married ?
- Margaret Stoddart Born 1801 Died 1874 Married ? Peter Currie 1823
- Christian Stoddart Born 1803 Died 1853 Married George Steel Hood
- David Bowman Stoddart Born 1805 Died 1851 Married Violet Hood
- Christian Stoddart Born 1803 Died 1853 Married ?
- 1831
- Martha Stoddart Born 1808 Died ? Married ?
- James Stoddart Born 1811 Died 1889 Marred Isabella Brown
There are several different potential death records
- 1828 James Stodard in Newton - Parish/Ref 696/60 184
- 1828 James Stoddart in Lasswade - Parish/Ref 691/70 262
Related Documentation
The demand for coal miners rose dramatically in the late 1700s with increasing adoption of James Watts steam engine driving the demand for coal. Wages increased and the miner - who signed annual contracts with mine owners - would often move between mines in search of the best salary. Many mine owners offer substantial bounty payments to encourage colliers to sign longer contracts - up to two years - to work at their pits. It appears - based on baptismal records - that James and Martha were relatively mobile during this period. They were
- in Newbattle in April 1793
- in Temple in November 1803
- in Inveresk and Musselburgh in October 1808
- back in Newbattle in January 1812
The end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815 led to much unemployment in Britain and made the recruitment of men into coal mining much easier, the bounties disappeared and workers tended to commit to single mines again.
We have been unable to confirm a year of death for either James or Martha, however we see his sons and daughters living and working in Penston and Inveresk after about 1825, so it is likely that they are deceased by this point
Related Documentation
Formal Records
- 176? James Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1792 James Stoddart - Marriage
- 1793 Alexander Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1803 Christian Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1808 Martha Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1813 James Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1823 Alexander Stoddart - Burial PR