Betsey Elliot

     
     Betsey Elliot was born cir. 1846 at Canonbie, DFS, SCT.
     Betsey Elliot died aft. 1871 ?Biggholms, Par. of Langholm, DFS, SCT.
     Betsey Elliot was not found in the census of 1851 at Canonbie, DFS, SCT, the only Elisabeth/Elizabeth/Eliza/Betsy etc Elliot born Canonbie DFS on Ancestry is a 10mth old Elisabeth d/o William & Helen, ie too young.
     It is possible that Betsey Elliot was at Craigshinell, Par. of Kirkmichael, DFS, SCT, in 1851 ELLIOT: William 58 shpeherd b Kirk, DFS; wife Mary 46 b Tinwald DFS; Children: Helen 24 shepherd's dtr, James 20 scholar (sic), John 13, Francis 8, Elizabeth 6 scholars b Fosterkild DFS; Robert 4, William 6mths both b Kirkmichael DFS Also Elisabeth THOMSON 16 hse servant b Es?, DFS.¹
     It is possible that Betsey Elliot was at 17 Buccleuch St, Hawick, ROX, SCT, in 1861 as the nearest match is a Betsy ELLIOT 18 yr old dom servant b Langolm in family of William McKIE, b Dumfries, DFS.²
     The census of 7 Apr 1871 showed Betsey Elliot in the household of her brother-in-law James Thomson at Biggholms, Par. of Langholm, DFS, SCT, enumerated as THOMPSON: James 38 head widwr shepherd b New Castleton, ROX; Children: Mary 9, William 8 (transcr on ancestry as son 38 scholar, image shows 8 with squiggle in front), Cecilia 5, all scholars b Langholm; Sister-in-law Betsey Elliot 25 unm housekeeper b Canonbie DFS. Neighbours are John Dalgleish, Biggholms, one way and James Elliot, Westwater another, both with connections to the family. (Betsey's age is a bit far out to stretch her to being the 2nd Mrs Thomson even if I do believe the latter, an Elizabeth Dalgleish, often shown as Betty/Betsy, may be a relation of his 1st wife's. The surname of the hsekeeper Betsey is clearly shown as Elliot on the actual census form, so I guess I need to find out how she is James' sister-in-law.).^3,4
     Betsey Elliot is a potential duplicate of Elizabeth Elliot; the dtr of George Elliot and Agnes Beattie, born c 1842 Langholm, one of very few possiblities obvious in the 1851 census.⁵
     Another potential duplicate of Betsey Elliot is Elizabeth Elliot; ie marrying John Common, but it looks unlikely as the one marrying John turned out to be born c 1853, ie too late.⁵
     Betsey Elliot and James Thomson are related as sister/brother-in-law, although I have yet to figure out how.³
     Another potential duplicate of Betsey Elliot is Elizabeth Dalgleish; but the age is somewhat out. It seems too much of a coincidence that she is a sister-in-law of James (and I can't yet explain how if she's not his first wife's sister) and born Canonbie and living in the hsehold, and he later appears with a wife Elizabeth/Betty, born Canonbie, but I can't explain the Elliot rather than Dalgliesh as surname, the census entry is quite clearly written. At 25 in 1871 this would be the closest other record to match that of Mary's sister Eliza, aged 6mths in the 1841 census, but still quite a way out.⁵