Elizabeth Forsyth **

   Cause of her death was Malignant enlargement of the Thyroid Gland/4 months.

   Another name for Elizabeth was Elisabeth.

  General Notes:

At the time of the 1851 Census William & Elizabeth were living at Sheephousehill in Whitburn, West Lothian. William was 52, an Iron Miner, birthplace Larbert, Stirlingshire. Elisabeth was 55, birthplace Carnwath, Lanark. Also living with them were their children Elisabeth, 22, Dressmaker, born in Shotts; Alexander, 20, an Iron Miner, born Shotts; Janet, 15, a Scholar, born Midlothian; and Margaret, 13, a Scholar, born Shotts.

Elizabeth is buried in the Whitburn Churchyard with her husband William. The inscription on their headstone reads:

"ERECTED BY JOHN BROWN CROFTHEAD IN MEMORY OF HIS PARENTS WILLIAM BROWN WHO DIED APRIL 17 1859 AGED 59 YEARS AND ELIZABETH FORSYTH WHO DIED AUGUST 3 1857 AGED 61 YEARS"

On her death record her mother's name is recorded as "Helen Laird" but this is believed to be an error. There are no other records for an Elizabeth born to parents named John, and mother Laird, with variants of Forsyth and Elizabeth considered. In fact there are no children at all born to another couple with those names. The Informant was her son, perhaps he had a small brain freeze and gave the name of his father's mother rather than his mother's mother. The naming of William and Elizabeth's children also gives a clue with first born daughter named Isabella.

  Noted events in her life were:

• She worked as a Coalier at the Shotts Iron Works at the time of Euphemia's birth on 10 Jan 1832 in Shotts, Lanark, Scotland.

Elizabeth married William Brown **, son of John Brown and Helen Simpson, on 16 Jul 1820 in Shotts, Lanark, Scotland. (William Brown ** was born in 1798 in Larbert, Stirling, Scotland, christened on 29 Sep 1799 in Larbert, Stirling, Scotland, died on 17 Apr 1859 in Sheephousehill, Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland and was buried in Whitburn Churchyard, Whitburn, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland.). The cause of his death was Disease of the Heart, 3 years.

  Marriage Notes:

It appears that a fee of 2 shillings 6 pence was charged. Beneath their names appears to be the words "Wardrobe ???nal" - perhaps an occupation?