John McClelland Athya

John McClelland Athya, son of Isaac Athya and Elizabeth McClelland, was born on February 20, 1898, in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was one of 11 children born to Isaac and Elizabeth: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Athya, Isaac James Athya, Andrew McClelland Athya, Jane (Jeannie) Wylie Athya, William McClelland Athya, Robert McClelland Athya, Mary Ann Galbraith Athya, John McClelland Athya, Margaret “Peggy” (twin) Athya, Hugh McClelland (twin) Athya, and one unnamed child.

John is my husband’s 1st cousin 2x removed. Their closest shared ancestors are James Athya and Jane Wylie, who were my husband’s second great-grandparents. Another family connection will appear later in the sketch.

At the time of John’s birth, his father Isaac was employed as a lampman at a colliery—a coal mine. A lampman was responsible for maintaining and distributing safety lamps to miners, a critical role in preventing underground accidents. Given the family’s location near Orbiston, Isaac likely worked at the Orbiston Colliery, operated by the Mossend Iron Company. Prior to this, he had worked as a coal miner.

Birth register for John (1898)

Tragedy struck the Athya family before John was born. On Christmas Day 1891, his brother William died in Bellshill from bronchitis after suffering for 14 days. His burial location remains unknown. The informant listed on the death register was Jemima (Durie) Athya, William’s aunt-in-law—wife of James Wylie Athya, who were my husband’s great-grandparents.

Another devastating loss followed when John was just 18 months old. On September 22, 1899, his six-year-old brother Robert was fatally struck by a train on the Caledonian Railway line near the Bellshill police station. Two months shy of his seventh birthday, Robert suffered a compound skull fracture. It’s believed he was walking along the tracks when a passing train hit him, the wind preventing him from hearing its approach. His body was moved to the Bellshill station waiting room and then returned to the Athya home. His burial location is also unknown.

By 1901, the Athya family was living at 59 New Orbiston Rows in Bellshill. Isaac continued working as a colliery lampman, while his wife Elizabeth was listed as a lampman’s wife. Lizzie worked as a domestic servant, and Andrew was employed as a pit pony driver—a demanding job guiding ponies through underground tunnels to haul coal. The family lived in a two-room home with one or more windows.

New Orbiston Rows, built in 1892, housed coal miners and their families. The community included one three-room dwelling and 74 two-room homes, rented annually for £9 19s, roughly equivalent to $48 to $50 USD at the time. These single-story stone structures had brick backs and lacked damp-proofing, though the walls were generally sound. Interiors featured wood flooring and ventilation, and while there were no gardens, residents had access to shared wash houses, coal cellars, and basic sanitation facilities—four ashpits and eight privies. Water came from four standpipes, and outdoor sinks served every four homes in the front row. Drainage channels ran behind the buildings, and the area was cleaned daily as part of a designated sanitary district.

1901 Scotland census

In 1911, the Athya family remained at New Orbiston. Isaac was still a lampman, and Mary worked as a pit head worker—one of the “pit brow lasses” who sorted coal and removed debris at the mine’s entrance. John, Hugh, and Margaret were attending school. Isaac and Elizabeth had been married for 29 years; Elizabeth was listed as having had 11 children, with 8 still living.

1911 Scotland census

Athya children, circa early 1900s: John is the second boy
from the right; the smaller child beside him is his younger brother Hugh.
(Image used with permission from John Sproat.)

On May 27, 1918, John’s sister Mary married her first cousin George Durie Athya, son of James Wylie Athya and Jemima Durie and my husband’s grandfather. George, was a 25-year-old riveter and Corporal with the Cameron Highlanders. The marriage later ended in divorce, and George immigrated to the U.S., where he married my husband’s grandmother, Bertha Edna Smith.

By 1921, John (age 23) was living in a two-room home at 13 Mauldslie Place in Bellshill with his parents, brother Isaac (age 37), and sister Mary (age 26). John worked as a coal miner for the Wilson and Clyde Coal Company. His father and brother were employed there as a lampman and boiler foreman, respectively. Mary and Elizabeth maintained the home. Interestingly, Mary was listed as single despite her earlier marriage to George.

1921 Scotland census

On July 14, 1922, John departed Scotland aboard the RMS Tyrrhenia, bound for Quebec and Montreal. He traveled alone. The ship had just completed its maiden voyage a month earlier and was later renamed Lancastria in 1924 due to pronunciation difficulties. 

RMS Tyrrhenia (back center with tall dark stack).
Photo from Marine Photo Service (Waterline Collection), public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons.

John declared himself Protestant and intended to settle in the U.S. He was a miner seeking work as a farmer, had never lived in Canada, and paid for his own passage. He listed his father at Mauldslie Place as his nearest relative and confirmed he was not tubercular or physically impaired.

John’s entry on the RMS Tyrrhenia passenger list

John’s youngest sister Margaret (Peggy) married Robert Bryson Curran in Toronto on July 31, 1925. The ceremony was held at the Church of God on Albion Street and officiated by Elder Robert Murray.

In May 1928, John traveled third class aboard the S.S. Letitia from Montreal to Glasgow, arriving on May 14. He listed his address as 55 Bain Street in Glasgow, his father’s home. He was employed as a laborer and was 30 years old. His country of last permanent residence was Canada. 

Passenger manifest for the Letitia (May 1928)

He returned to Canada aboard the same ship on August 10, arriving in Quebec on August 18. Records show he had lived in Canada from July 1922 to July 1928, residing in Brantford, Ontario with his sister Mrs. Jean Law at 41 Laurence Street. He listed his father Isaac at 55 Bain Street in Calton, Glasgow as his nearest relative. He had no physical or mental impairments and was not infected with tuberculosis. His passport had been issued in Ottawa on February 5, 1928, and he arrived with $200 in hand.

John’s mother Elizabeth died on June 7, 1928, at age 68, at their Bain Street home. Her cause of death was pernicious anaemia—a fatal condition caused by the body’s inability to absorb vitamin B12. Her burial location remains unknown.

On August 25, 1929, John crossed the border into Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. He listed his sister Mrs. Law as his Canadian contact and his brother Hugh as his U.S. contact. He was traveling alone, recorded his nationality as Canadian, and his race as Scotch. His last permanent residence was Brantford, and he was destined for Detroit. He paid his own passage and had never been in the U.S. before. He was joining Hugh at 2550 Bewick Avenue and planned to stay permanently. He was 5’8”, with a medium complexion, brown hair, and gray eyes, and worked as an underground linesman.

Manifest card the Port of Detroit, Michigan

On October 4, 1929, John filed a Declaration of Intention in Detroit. He was living with Hugh on Bewick Street and was still employed as an underground linesman. He was 31 years old, single, and weighed 145 pounds. His last foreign residence was Brantford, and he had entered the U.S. via the Detroit & Windsor (D & W) Ferry under the name of John Athya (spelled Athaya on the form).

Certificate of Arrival (September 1929)

On June 15, 1929, Hugh married Mary Ellen “Nellie” Balfour in Detroit. John was one of two witnesses. Hugh had also reversed his name, using McClelland as his surname and Athya as his middle name.

John was in the wedding party for his brother Hugh
(image used with permission from John Sproat)

John does not appear in the 1930 U.S. Census, though the Detroit city directory lists him, Hugh, and Mary all living at 2550 Bewick Avenue. John was employed as an electrician, and Hugh as a sub-foreman at Detroit Edison Company. John continued using the surname Athya.

John’s sister Jeannie died on June 15, 1933, at age 44, at her home at 41 Abigail Avenue in Brantford. She likely died from a stroke caused by a cerebral embolism linked to chronic rheumatic heart disease. Her funeral was held at home and conducted by Rev. G. Deane Johnston of Central Presbyterian Church. She was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery on June 17. John and Hugh were among the six pallbearers.

Just three months later, on September 19, 1933, John’s father Isaac died at age 76 at his Bain Street home. He had retired from work as a colliery lamp cleaner. His cause of death was gangrene of the feet and broncho-pneumonia. His burial location is unknown.

By 1934, John, Hugh, and Mary had moved to 4721 Belvidere Avenue in Detroit. John worked as an electrician, and Hugh continued at Detroit Edison. By 1935, they had relocated to Ward Street.

On March 25, 1937, John formally declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen. He stated he had lived continuously in Michigan since August 25, 1929, and was residing at 13217 Ward Avenue, working as an auto worker. He was 39 years old, single, and childless, with gray eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion.

In the 1940 U.S. Census, John (age 43) was living with his brother Hugh (age 39) and Hugh’s family at their home on Ward Street in Detroit. Hugh’s household included his wife Mary (age 39), daughters Mary (9) and Jean (8), and son Hugh (5). At the time of the census, John was unemployed and had reportedly been out of work for 140 weeks. He was seeking employment as a punch press operator in wheel manufacturing. In 1939, John had worked only 12 weeks and earned $270, while Hugh had worked the full year and earned $1,800. Both brothers had completed four years of high school, suggesting they had graduated. All three children were attending school.

By February 16, 1942, John had moved to 14400 Lauder Street in Detroit and registered for the World War II draft. He listed Hugh, still residing on Ward Street, as his next of kin. At the time, John was employed by Detroit Edison Company, located at 2000 Second Avenue in Detroit. He was described as 5’ 8½”, weighing 150 pounds, with gray eyes, gray hair, and a light complexion.

World War II draft registration card

In March 1942, while still living at the Lauder Street address, John petitioned for U.S. citizenship in Detroit. He was single and had no children. His petition was supported by two witnesses—Leland Yost and Charles Cummings—who attested to his good character and continuous residence since 1937.

That same year, on April 24, 1942, John’s sister Margaret (Peggy) passed away in Victoria, British Columbia. Her burial location remains unknown.

On May 12, 1942, John formally swore the Oath of Allegiance and renounced prior loyalties. 

Oath of Allegiance (1942)

On that same day, he legally changed his name from John McClelland Athya to John Athya McClelland, reversing his middle and surname in a manner like his brother Hugh, who had done so as early as 1930. John’s naturalization petition was approved in open court.

Naturalization Certificate Stubs certifying John’s name change

 

Naturalization Petitions Recommended to be Granted (May 1942)

Despite extensive searches, John does not appear in the 1950 U.S. Census. His brother Hugh was still living at 13217 Ward Avenue in Detroit—the same address John listed as his residence on an air passenger manifest later that year. However, John was not recorded in the household; only Hugh, his wife, and their three children were enumerated. Since the census was conducted in April, it’s possible John was in Scotland at the time.

Supporting this theory, John appears on an air passenger manifest dated June 29, 1950, traveling from Prestwick, Scotland to Montreal aboard Trans-Canada Air Lines flight 2211-29. He listed his home address as 13217 Ward Avenue—the same address he had used in 1929.

John passed away in Michigan on December 30, 1965. He was laid to rest at Glen Eden Memorial Park in Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan. No evidence has been found that John ever married.

Image used with permission of S. L. Iglesias,
Find a Grave member 46812202

John’s story was particularly challenging to research due to his name change and the many variations in spelling across records. Searches must include Athya, McClelland, McClellan, McLelland, and McLellan, and span records from Scotland, Canada, and the United States.

References

• 1137682, RG 21, Naturalization Petition and Record, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Petitions for Naturalization 1942, images 442–446, FamilySearch.
• 18222300, RG-21, Naturalization Certificate Stubs, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Naturalization Final Certificates, 1942, image 1133, FamilySearch.
• 18462267, RG-21, Naturalization Court Order Books, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Naturalization Records Sep 16, 1941–May 29, 1942, image 707, FamilySearch.
• Boy Killed on the Railway, Daily Record, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, September 23, 1899.
• Deaths, Curran, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, May 2, 1942.
• Detroit, Michigan, City Directory, 1930, 1934.
• Elizabeth Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 239, National Records of Scotland, 1928.
• Fatal Accident on Caledonian Railway, Hamilton Advertiser, Hamilton, Strathclyde, Scotland, September 23, 1899.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183324329/john_athya-mcclellan: accessed September 3, 2025), memorial page for John Athya McClellan (20 Feb 1898–30 Dec 1965), Find a Grave Memorial ID 183324329, citing Glen Eden Memorial Park, Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan, USA; maintained by S. L. Iglesias (contributor 46812202).
• George Durie Athya/Mary Ann Athya marriage, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/10 1036, National Records of Scotland.
• Housing Conditions of Miners, Bothwell Parish, Scottish Mining Website; http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html. 
• Hugh A. McClelland, Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867–1952. 
• Isaac Athya, Census 098/33/13, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• Isaac Athya, Census 625/112/124, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Isaac Athya, Census 625/310/2, National Records of Scotland, 1911.
• Isaac Athya, Census 625/311/26, National Records of Scotland, 1921.
• Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 45, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 227, National Records of Scotland, 1933.
• Isiac Athya, Census 625/314/16, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• Jane Wyllie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 555, National Records of Scotland, 1887.
• Jeannie Wylle Law, Province of Ontario, Certificate of Registration of Death no. 306, 1933.
• John Athya McLelland, Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895–1956.
• John Athya, Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865–1935.
• John Athya, Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919–1924.
• John Athya, Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865–1935.
• John Athya, Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905–1963.
• John Athya, Detroit, Michigan, U.S., Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905–1963.
• John Athya, Michigan, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1887–1931.
• John Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 107, National Records of Scotland, 1898.
• John Athya, U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.
• John Athya, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878–1960.
• John Athya, UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890–1960.
• Lizzie Athya, Census 625/314/17, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• Married, Curran-Athya, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, August 1, 1925.
• Mrs. John D. Law, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 16, 1933.
• National Coal Mining Museum for England, “Pit Ponies and Their Drivers,” accessed September 2, 2025; https://www.ncm.org.uk/news/voices-in-the-coalshed-pony-drivers/.
• New Orbiston Rows, Housing Conditions of Miners, Scottish Mining Website; http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html. 
• Our Records: Irregular Marriage in Scotland, ScotlandsPeople; https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/article/irregular-marriage-scotland. 
• RMS Lancastria; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lancastria. 
• Robert McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/3 193, National Records of Scotland, 1899.
• To the Grave: Mrs. John Law, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 19, 1933.
• U.S. Federal Census, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, 1940.
• Victoria Genealogical Society Burial Index Part 2, Royal Oak Burial Park, Victoria BC, 2016; https://www.interment.net/data/canada/bc/van_island/vancouver-island-burial-records-royal-oak-burial-park.pdf?highlight=WyJKYW1lcyBEZWFyaW5nIl0=.
• William McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 313, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• William McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/1 453, National Records of Scotland, 1891. 

Isaac James Athya

Isaac James Athya, son of Isaac Athya and Elizabeth McClelland, was born in Bellshill, Bothwell Parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland on January 10, 1884. It appears he went by Isaac in his early years but later started going by James. 

 

James was the 2nd of 10 children in the Athya family—Elizabeth “Lizzie” Athya, Isaac James Athya, Andrew Athya, Jeannie Wylie Athya, William McClelland Athya, Robert McClelland Athya, Mary Ann Galbraith Athya, John McClelland Athya, Margaret Athya, and Hugh Athya. 

Isaac Athya's birth register (click to enlarge)

James is my husband Charlie’s 1st cousin 2x removed with their nearest common relatives being James Athya and Jane Wylie. But it is a little more complicated that meets the eye. James was also the brother-of-law of my husband’s paternal grandfather, George Durie Athya. George married James’ sister Mary Ann Galbrath Athya, his 1st cousin, in 1918. George immigrated to America in 1920 and declared his wife Mary, who he left behind in Scotland, as the “nearest relative or friend in country whence alien came.” George married his 2nd wife, Bertha Edna Smith, on June 14, 1924. Ten days later, Mary immigrated to America declaring that she was 28 years old, single, and unaccompanied by a husband. I do not know when George and Mary divorced nor did my mother-in-law, Mary Athya Murphy.

In 1891, the Athya family lived in Bellshill. James’ father worked as a coal miner. James and his sister Lizzie were enumerated as scholars.

James enlisted as Isaac Athya at Glasgow on February 25, 1901, to serve with the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders. He was 18 years old, 5’ 6 3/4” tall, and weighed 126 pounds. James had a pale complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair. He attended the Presbyterian church. James had several scars that were noted as distinctive marks on his body—a scar on his left ear, one on his left shoulder blade, and one of the left side of his back. 

James’ military history sheet shows the time he and his battalion spent in several countries:

Country                        From                           To

Home (Scotland)           February 25, 1901       August 6, 1901

Gibraltar                        August 7, 1901            April 29, 1902

Crete                             April 30, 1902              March 9, 1903

Malta                             March 10, 1903            April 15, 1904

South Africa                   April 16, 1904              May 19, 1906

 

Military History Sheet (click to enlarge)

The 1901 Inverness, Scotland census was taken after James enlisted. It in fact shows he was an 18-year-old private with the Cameron Highlanders.

 

Isaac Athya in 1901 Scotland census (click to enlarge)

 

While in Malta and South Africa, James earned two certificates of education:

3rd class: October 16, 1903 (Malta)

2nd class: March 15, 1905 (South Africa)

He also passed a class of instruction related to mounted infantry that took place in Malta from May 1, 1903 to July 31, 1903.

 

James was discharged on May 19, 1906 with permission to remain in South Africa.

 

I found a Mr. J. Athya aboard the RMS Armadale Castle, traveling from Cape Town, South Africa to Southampton, England, arriving on June 29, 1907. My guess is this was James returning to Scotland. 

RMS Armadale Castle, unsigned, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 

James married spinster Margaret “Maggie” Mennie Kirkwood at Fullarton Hall in Tollcross, Glasgow, County Lanark, Scotland on March 6, 1908. The service was performed by Rev. Ferguson after publication according to the forms of the United Free Church. His name was recorded as Isaac on the marriage register. James, age 24, lived at Gladstone Place in Bellshill at the time. Maggie, age 22, lived in Tollcross at 5 Dunlop Street. Maggie’s father was John Kirkwood, a fireman; her mother was Helen Peters. One of the two witnesses was Andrew Athya, James’ brother. The other was Ethel Cox. 

Athya-Kirkland marriage register (click to enlarge)

 

In the blink of an eye, Maggie was pregnant, giving birth to Andrew McClelland Athya on December 4, 1908 at Old Mill Road in Uddingston, District of Bothwell, County Lanark, Scotland. James worked as a coal minter. On June 22, 1910, James boarded the HMHS Garth Castle in London, England, alone, with the destination port being Cape Town, South Africa. Maggie, very pregnant at the time, and son Andrew boarded the Norman in Southampton, England on October 1, 1910 to join James in Cape Town. The two of them were listed on the manifest as Mrs. J. Athya & Master. Maggie and Andrew made it there in time for the birth of daughter Nellie Peters Athya, born in Benoni, South Africa on November 4, 1910. 

Maggie and Andrew on the 1910 ship manifest (click to enlarge)

 

In October 1912, Maggie, Andrew, and Nellie left Cape Town aboard the SS Demosthenes. They arrived in Plymouth, a city in Devon, England on October 22, 1912. The ship manifest listed their country of last permanent residence as South Africa and their country of intended future permanent residence as Scotland. Maggie’s occupation was recorded as “housewife.” James went back to Scotland himself at some point, however, I do not know when. He was living in Scotland in 1914.

SS Demosthenes (public domain)

 

Maggie, Andrew, and Nellie on 1912 ship manifest (click to enlarge)

World War I began on July 28, 1914, and within days (August 7), James was being examined by military doctors at Inverness. He declared his age as 30 years, 210 days and his occupation as miner. James was 5’ 10 ¼” tall, weighed 139 pounds, his chest measured 39 inches with a fully expanded girth. He had a range of expansion of 2 inches. James had two vaccination marks which he had received in infancy. He had “defective teeth” but was “fitted with efficient plate.” He had a fresh complexion, blue gray eyes, and dark brown hair. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of England. 

 

James enlisted with the British Expeditionary Force at Inverness on August 17, 1914, serving with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders Regiment. At the time, he lived at 624 Main Street in Tollcross, Glasgow, Scotland, worked as a gold miner, and was a member of the miner’s union. James was promoted to corporal on August 28, 1914. After spending 36 days in the military, James shipped out on September 21, 1914, arriving in France on September 22. James was wounded in action in October and admitted to No. 14 General Hospital in Boulogne, France with a gunshot shrapnel wound to his right foot. He was sent to England upon discharge after spending 11 days in the hospital. James was appointed acting sergeant on July 27, 1915. 

James and Maggie’s daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” McClelland Athya was born at their Main Street home in Tollcross on May 23, 1916. James’ occupation was recorded as coal miner and in parentheses “Sergeant, 3rd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders.

 

At some point, James, who had gone by Isaac, apparently started using James. The British Army was concerned about the difference in names so sent a form letter to Maggie in June 1916 requesting she forward a copy of their marriage certificate for explanation as to the discrepancy. On July 18, 1916, the following was entered in his service record: 

With reference to attached correspondence re: Sgt. Athya this NCO states that his proper name is Isaac Athya, but has adopted James to save confusion with his Father who is of the same name. I am quite satisfied with the above NCO’s statement.

James was appointed as acting sergeant instructor of the gymnastic staff for the Cameron Highlanders on May 5, 1917. World War I ended November 11, 1918 and James was transferred to Class “Z” Army Reserve on demobilization on April 3, 1919. On May 25, 1919, James was notified he had been awarded the 1914 Star medal. He also received the British War Medal (1914-19) and Victory Medal. James was discharged on demobilization on March 31, 1920. At the time of his discharge, he was serving on the Army Gymnastics Staff of the 7th Reserve Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment.

1914 Star Medal Roll (click to enlarge)

In 1921, James lived with his parents, sister Mary, and brother John at 13 Mauldslie Place in Bothwell, Bellshill Parish, Scotland—separate from his wife and children. He was enumerated as Isaac, age 37 years and 5 months, married, and working as a boiler fireman at Wilsons and Clyde Coal Company.

 

James in the 1921 Scotland census living with his parents (click to enlarge)

 

Maggie lived with the three children—Andrew, Nellie, and Lizzie—in Tollcross where she was enumerated as the head of the household, age 36 years and 9 months, married, and working as a school cleaner for the Glasgow School Board. Andrew was 12 years old, Nellie (enumerated as Nellie K. Athya) 10 years old, and Lizzie 5 years old. A fifth person lived in the home as a boarder—a 25-year-old single female, born in Tollcross. Her name appears to be Jeannie McClelland Dow. She was a factory worker for McDicken, a tallow merchant. Tallow is “a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, primarily made up of triglycerides” … “used mainly in producing soap and animal feed” according to Wikipedia.

 

Maggie and kids in the 1921 Scotland census (click to enlarge)

 

James and Maggie were enumerated together in the 1921 Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, electoral register. The record lists their address as 624 Tollcross Road. He was listed as Isaac Athya and she as Mrs. Margaret Athya.

All three of James’ children left Scotland as adults, going to Canada and Australia. 

James’ sister Jeannie Athya Law died at the age of 45 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada on June 15, 1933. She was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Brantford.

His daughter Nellie married Ernest Gilbert Denton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Denton, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada on June 12, 1935. James and Maggie lived in Glasgow. The wedding was billed as a quiet event in the engagement announcement published in The Expositor in Brantford, Canada on May 29, 1935. Since I did not find a ship manifest for James and Maggie that year, it’s possible they did not make the trip to Canada for the wedding. They did, however, travel to Canada aboard the “Nova Scotia,” departing from Liverpool, England on March 19, 1949. The ship manifest recorded James’ name as James Isaac Athya and noted that he was a shoemaker. He and Maggie lived at 55 Bain Street in Glasgow.

 

James and Maggie on the 1949 ship manifest (click to enlarge)

 

James’ was listed as a leather merchant in the 1949 British phone book. The book recorded his address as 320 Gallowgate which is apparently in Glasgow. This is a different address than recorded on the ship manifest above. The same address was used by James’ son Andrew on a 1932 ship manifest when he traveled from Melbourne, Australia to England.

James in the 1949 British phone book

 

In March 1960, James’ son Andrew married Mary “Molly” Agnes Gibbs, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. George Gibbs in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. James and Maggie lived in Glasgow, Scotland. 

James died from a cerebral arteriosclerosis (stroke) at Lightburn Hospital in Glasgow on December 20, 1969. He was a retired leather bag shopkeeper. He still lived at the Bain Street home at the time of his death. Unfortunately, his death certificate does not provide the location of his final resting place. 

Partial entry on James' death certificate (click to enlarge)

References

• Andrew Athya, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.
• Cerebral Arteriosclerosis, BrainFacts.org; https://www.brainfacts.org/Diseases-and-Disorders/Neurological-Disorders-AZ/Diseases-A-to-Z-from-NINDS/Cerebral-Arteriosclerosis. 
• Demosthenes (ship) image, contributor(s): Exchange Studios, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StateLibQld_1_115364_Demosthenes_(ship).jpg. 
• Denton-Athya, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, July 8, 1935.
• Elizabeth McLelland Brillinger obituary, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, May 15, 2003.
• Engagement Announced, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, May 29, 1935.
• Ernest Gilbert Denton and Nellie Peters Athya Certificate of Marriage, Brantford, Canada, June 12, 1935.
• Isaac Athya, British Army WWI Service Records, 1914–1920.
• Isaac Athya, Census 098/33/13, page 13 of 18, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• Isaac Athya, Census 625/1 12/1 24, page 24 of 60, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Isaac Athya, Census 625/3 11/26, page 26 of 31, National Records of Scotland, 1921.
• Isaac Athya, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962.
• Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 45, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/5 997, National Records of Scotland, 1969.
• Isaac Athya, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Service Records, 1760-1920.
• Isaac James Athya, UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960.
• J. Athya, UK, World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
• James Athya (1949), British Phone Books, 1880-1984.
• Maggie Athya, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.
• Maggie K. Athya, Census 644/19 26/25, page 25 of 28, National Records of Scotland, 1921.
• Mr. J. Athya, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
• Mrs. John D. Law obituary, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 16, 1933.
• Photo of RMS Armadale Castle, unsigned, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RMS_Armadale_Castle.png.
• SS Demosthenes, 1912; UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.
• Statutory Registers Births 625/1 673, Andrew McClelland Athya, National Records of Scotland, 1908.
• Statutory Registers Births 644/19 440, Elizabeth McClelland Athya, National Records of Scotland, 1916.
• Statutory Registers Marriages 652/1 34, Isaac Athya, National Records of Scotland, 1908.
• Tallow; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallow. 
• Wedding Bells, Athya-Gibbs, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, March 23, 1960.

Mary Ann Athya, long lost first wife of George Durie Athya

Mary Ann Athya, daughter of Isaac Athya and Elizabeth McClelland, was born in Bellshill, County Lanarkshire, Scotland about 1896. She had at least 10 siblings—Elizabeth Athya, Isaac Athya, Andrew Athya, James Athya, Jeannie Wylie Athya, William McClelland Athya, Robert McClelland Athya, (Mary Ann Athya), John McClelland Athya, Margaret Athya (twin), and Hugh Athya (twin). 

In 1901, the Athya family lived in Bellshill at New Orbiston Rows, apartment housing built in 1892 for the coal miners. According to the Scottish Mining Website, the housing community consisted of “1 three-apartment house, 74 two-apartment houses with rental of £9 19s, one storey [sic], stone built, brick back, erected about 18 years ago – no damp-proof course – walls strapped and lathed – wood floors, ventilated – condition of walls generally good; no overcrowding – apartments large; no garden ground – wash houses – coal cellars; 4 ashpits and 8 privies, between front and rear row; outside sinks for front row – one for every 4 house; surface channels for back row; gravitation water from 4 standpipes; and was scavenged daily – within a special district.” Her father’s occupation was “Cothery Lampman.” Mary was a scholar.

On May 27, 1918, Mary married George Durie Athya (pictured left), son of James Wylie Athya and Jemima Durie, in an “irregular” marriage by declaration that took place at 50 Wellington Street in Blythswood, Glasgow, County Lanark, Scotland. In an irregular marriage, the couple would make a declaration in front of two witnesses, in this case, George’s sister Elizabeth Durie (Athya) Anderson and her husband Alexander Anderson. Once they provided proof of the marriage to a sheriff or sheriff-substitute, they could obtain a warrant “to have the marriage registered by the local registrar.” According to ScotlandsPeople, “Churches disagreed with these marriages in principle, but accepted them for fear that couples would otherwise ‘live in sin’.” Mary and George’s marriage was registered at Glasgow on May 29, 1918 after obtaining a warrant from a sheriff-substitute. Mary was a 22-year-old spinster; George a 25-year-old bachelor, riveter, and Corporal with the Cameron Highlanders. Mary and George were first cousins—their fathers Isaac and James were brothers. I don’t know, but this may have been a common practice at the time.

On October 30, 1920, George sailed from Bellshill, Glasgow aboard the S.S. Columbia headed for Steubenville, Ohio in the United States of America. He declared his wife Mary, who he left behind in Scotland, as the “nearest relative or friend in country whence alien came.”

S.S. Columbia manifest (click to enlarge)

On June 24, 1924, Mary set sail aboard the S.S. Montlaurier headed for Canada. A passenger declaration form showed that Mary was 28 years old, single, and unaccompanied by a husband. She traveled 3rd class, planning to settle permanently in Canada and look for suitable work as a domestic. She declared her religion as Baptist. Mary paid her own passage at £5, spoke the English language, and had never been to Canada. Mary’s sister Jeannie (Athya) Lay lived in Montreal, which was where Mary was going. She listed her father Isaac Athya of 13 Mauldslie Street in Crossgates, Bellshill, Scotland as the nearest relative in the country from which she came. Mary further declared that she had no mental, tubercular, or physical detects. 

Ten days prior to Mary leaving Scotland, George married Bertha Edna Smith in the Ingram Borough of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on June 14, 1924. George and Bertha are my husband’s grandparents. 

So, the big question for our family is—what happened to George and Mary’s marriage. Did they divorce? Was the marriage dissolved? We don’t have a clue. When my mother-in-law shared her father’s immigration papers with me years ago, I remember asking her if she knew what happened to Mary. She didn’t. Now thanks to a hint another researcher posted on her ancestry.com tree and who then shared where she got the information when I contacted her, I’ve been able to solve the mystery of the wife George left behind in Scotland. But there are still questions to answer so the search isn’t over. By the way, George and Bertha named their only daughter Mary.

References

• 1891 Scotland census, registration district Bothwell, civil parish Bothwell, County Lanarkshire.
• 1901 Scotland census, registration district Bellshill, civil parish Bothwell, County Lanarkshire.
• Athya-Smith marriage license no. 20342, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
• Flag of Scotland, none known, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Scotland.svg.
• George Athya, List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival.
• George Durie Athya/Mary Ann Athya marriage, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/10 1036, National Records of Scotland.
• John Athya, Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924.
• John McClelland Athya, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947.
• Mary Athya, Declaration of Passenger to Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924.
• New Orbiston Rows, Housing Conditions of Miners, Scottish Mining Website; http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html.
• Our Records: Irregular Marriage in Scotland, ScotlandsPeople; https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/article/irregular-marriage-scotland.
• William McClelland Athya, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.