Hodge Family History Update
As previously blogged, my ancestors hailed from the eastern shores of Fife, Scotland. Exactly where golf was invented.
NB: this page will be updated as more info is found. Dots will join back to here
Inspired by recent family events, I decided to revisit my June 2006 research and go further back. The previous searches had stopped at David Melville’s grandfather: John Hodge
Thanks to Scotlands People, the official government source of births, deaths, marriages, census data and other bits and pieces: searching is easy and relatively cheap. Certainly saves travelling to Scotland and spending days in a library or archive.
My ancestors were not catholic but rather “free kirk” Presbyters, they freely recorded their details in the Old Parish Records kept since 1553 in Scotland. I am 100% of my ancestors to 1734; The movements prior to Crail in 1662 is a little more tenuous, although this was a time of much upheavel in Scotland.
Using Maps.live.com, I have created a visual map collection that details the movements of these people in Scotland.
So, this is where we are in reverse chronological order; the left hand column has the male line and birth year, with the following row their respective father. The number is the generation from Liam back (ie: Liam is zero, and I am number 1)
| Name | Notes |
| 5. David Melville Hodge (1860−1937) | First Australian-born Hodge. Born 1860, Angaston, South Australia More details from 12th June 2008 His mother, Mary Milne Mary’s older brother was named David Milne. Mary Milne travelled on the same Boat as David Melville’s father: Melville Hodge. Melville’s first wife died on this voyage. |
| 6. Melville Hodge (1803−1860) | Born: 27th Nov 1803 to John (a weaver in Grange, an area of Saint Andrews) and Elspeth Clark in Saint Andrews Married Janet Crombie (born Leslie/Fife, 22nd May 1796) Listed in 1841 census in Cupar as an Agricultural Labourer Listed in 1851 census at “Cowbaikie Cothouse” Leuchars, Fife as an Agricultural Labourer. (A cothouse is a cotter’s house)(Leuchars added to rail line in 1853, the year Melville emigrated)Emigrated to Australia on Joseph Rowan in 1854 via Liverpool, England Lost first wife, Janet (nee Crombie) on voyage to Australia, 7 days out of Liverpool. Remarried to Mary Milne, also a passenger on the Joseph Rowan. Mary was 22 years old, and from Forfarshire. Mary was travelling with her older brother (David), and younger sister (Jane). |
| 7. John Hodge (1771-[between 1841–1851]) | Born 28th March 1771 in Brown Hills, Saint Andrews Married 29th March 1793 to Elspeth Clark (other children: Cecilia 1794, Elspeth 1796, James 1797, Margaret 1799 all in Saint Andrews) 1841 Census: Listed as Hand Loom Linen Weaver (H.L.W.L.) of Saint Andrews, Fife living at “Shore Bridgeâ€. Margaret listed as living with them at age 40. Linen weaving in 1834-45s Saint Andrews: Pg 46: “Small spinning mullin the town, the machinery which is moved by steam power. A number of weavers too are engaged in the weaving of linen, but they are employed solely by the manufacturers of Dundee, and from the establishment at Kirkland near Leven.“John Hodge has no 1851 listing. Death information in Scotland was not systematically recorded until 1855Elspeth was still alive at the 1861 census (along with Margaret) at the same address, Shore Bridge Margaret Hodge died in 1896 aged 96 in Saint Andrews of old age, still residing at Shore Bridge. Her grand-nephew William Watt reported the death. |
| 8. James Hodge (1734) | Born 26th March 1734 to George Hodge and Helen Fowler of Crail/ FifeNoted that birth notices contained a George Hodge as a George Hodge listed as witness at baptisms of this James children: Andrew 1764 in Crail/Fife and Mary 1766 Kingsbarns/Fife. A James Hodge and George Hodge were children of a George Hodge; therefore highly likely James moved from Crail to Kingsbarns. At the same time, the fishing stock at Crail was failing.James Hodge married Mary Scot in Crail/Fife in November 1763. James Hodge is moving north from Crail to Kingsbarns in 1766 and finally Brown Hills in 1771. This is a slow move towards St Andrews from Crail; most likely James was a farm labourer or linen weaver as there was no room left in the family business of fishing.
As there are other Hodge’s in the Kingsbarns parish, it is possible that he joined a relative’s business. Interestingly, John’s brother and sister returned to Crail in their dotage. Mary Hodge, the unmarried middle child of James Hodge and Mary Scot is found in the 1841 census as living with the Scotts in Shoregate, Crail. |
| 9. George Hodge (1686) | Born 20th November 1686 Crail/Fife to Patrik Hodge and Kathrin Moncrief Married Helen Fowler 16th October 1728.The surname Moncrief is well known in the Crail area during this time as Bailiie’s (mayors/judges) [source: scran.ac.uk]As there are no old parish records of births for Crail prior to 1684; it is possible that this is the last recorded Hodge I will be able to find. This record, and the Patricks following are 50% sure of being ancestors at the time of writing. |
| 10. Patrik Hodge (1662) | Other sources of information are held by Saint Andrews University; especially the Kirk (Church) Minutes for Crail from 1604 which may contain more details.Due to the intense religious and political wars in Scotland from the mid 16th through mid 17th century, it may never be possible to be certain beyond Patrik Hodge, the father of George Hodge any certainty beyond 1686. Crail/Fife was one of the initial places where John Knox started his Scottish Reformation.There is a Patrik Hodge marrying a Elspitt Wilsone listed in Crail from 1655. No connected birth records for a Patrick in Crail.
There are a selection of Patrik Hodges in Scotland at this time matching a father;s age range. A Patrik Hodge and Kathrin Moncreiff married in 21st January 1686 in Crail/Fife making Patrik 24 years of age. No births of Hodges prior to 1685 in Crail/Fife; other two Hodges are John Hodge and Thomas Hodge in Crail as fathers. Witness to baptism of George Hodge is a Pat Hodge. I think this is Patriks father, witnessing the baptism of his grandson. This Patrik Hodge: Born 2nd March 1662, to a Patrik Hodge and Margrat Mastertown in Linlithgow/East Lothian (I think a witness to this baptism is a Thomas Hodge). There are no Patrik Hodges born in Crail, so we have to search elsewhere. |
| 11. Patreik Hoge (1631) | Duns (father listed as Patrik) |
| 12. Patrike Hoge (1606) | Prestonpans (father unreadable) |