David Bowman Stoddart (1803 - 1851)
David Bowman Stoddart was born abt 1803 most likely in Inveresk, Midlothian. He was one of eight known children of James Stoddard and Martha Miller. We are unable to find a baptismal record for him, but the estimated date of birth is based up burial records and census.
David and all of his male siblings were coal miner, most likely having started working in the mines at a very early age as a carter or putter before graduating up to a miner around the age of 14. It is likely he started working in the mines around Cockpen, but by late 1828 he was working in one of the mines in Gladmuir - most likely Penston or Macmerry, and it was here he met and formed a relationship with Christian Smith. Christian was the daughter of Robert Smith and Christian Brown. The couple had at least one daughter
- Janet Stoddart Born 1829 Died 1918 Married William Hardie
Recent DNA test indicates that Christians eldest daughter - Christian Falconer - may also be the child of David Stoddart, despite being consistently recorded as the daughter of Archibald Falconer.
In February 1830 we know that David was living at Blindwells where he was most likely working as Quakers Pit. On 11 February 1830 Christian petitioned the Sheriff Court under the Paternity Court Process to ensure that David paid support for his daughter, the court records show that she was awarded £4 per annum (to be paid quarterly - ie £1 per quarter).
Despite the finding, it appears that David paid support for the first four quarters, and then stopped as there was a second petition to the Sheriff Courts on July 1 1834 petition. In this petition it is clear that David owes "fifteen quarters ailment commencing on the twenty ninth day of September Eighteen hundred and thirty and ending on the twenty ninth june last the quarter then due" this was a total of £15. In addition to this £15 he was ordered to also pay £2 7s and 8p for expenses - made up of
- 11s being "the expenses of making up states of accounts of and of correspondance"
- £1 10s and 8p of "expenses of process"
- 6s farther as "the expense of extracting this dreed and recording the same"
We do not know if he was forthcoming at this point, or whether he maintain payments in the future, however there are no further petitions, so one can assume that there was a settlement
It is quite likely that the reason he stopped paying ailment had something to do with the fact that he had decided to marry. On July 29 1831 David married Violet Hood at Inveresk with Musselburgh. Violet was the daughter of James Hood and ?. David and Violet had at least six children
- David Stoddart Born 1832
- John Francis Stoddart Born 1834 Died 1913
- James B Stoddart Born 1836 Died
- Janet Stiel Stoddart Born 1839
- Alexander Stoddart Born 1841 Died 1920
- James Stoddart Born 1846
In the 1841 census we see him living at Craighall South Row in Inveresk. his age is recorded as 30, however we know there are significant rounding errors in the 1841 census. It appears that after their marriage until at least 1846 David and Violet continued to live in Inveresk - all of their children were baptised there.
Davids brother John converted to the Mormon religion some time around 1844, and based on family verbal history convinced much of his family to do so as well. John and his family emigrated to the United States in 1848 arriving in New Orleans on 24 of November and then sailing from New Orlearns to St. Louis, Missouri aboard the mormon sponsored steamer the 'Grand Turk'. They arrived in St Louis on 21 December 1848.
It is likely that John managed to sell his brother David on the benefits of the Mormon religion, as in July 1849 David, Violet and four of his children followed John to America. They travelled aboard the "Berlin' which departed from ? on July 1849. They arrived in New Orleans on ?.
The following year Alexander, Ellen and two children sailed from Liverpool, 5 September 1849 on the ship, "Berlin". There were 53 Latter-day Saints on board under the presidency of James G. Brown. The company had a tedious voyage, during which the passengers suffered much from cholera; 43 deaths occurred on board, of whom 13 adults and 15 children belonged to the Saints. Ellen, and her baby daughter Martha were two of those who died. This was the greatest loss of life, that up to that time, had been experienced among the Saints wending their way to Zion since the emigration from Europe commenced in 1840. Alexander and his little son, John, joined the rest of the- family in St. Louis.
. There is an account showing the names of his wife and children and the amount they paid.
1851 Arrived Coal Creek (now Cedar City, Utah), 11 November 1851
He also found the Mormon Religion and moved the family to the US in 1849 - again first to St Louis Missouri and then on across the Plains to Utah where he died at Cedar Creek in 1851
John Miller Stoddard - he was born in 1795 the son of John Bowman Stoddard and Martha Miller. We know from the 1841 census records that he was a coal miner - living in Newbattle, Midlothian at that point, but a family historian notes that he was working at Penston around 1834. It should be noted that he was married at this time - to Janet Kerr - had they had 7 living children. He later - sometime around 1844 - found the Mormon Religion the family moved the US in 1848 - first to St Louis Missouri Iand then on across the Plains to Utah in 1851 where he died at Cedar Creek in 1854
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