I have always looked to this list for wisdom and kindly ask for your input if you have some time. I have been working on the Calder family in Nairn and attempting to go back a bit in their history but find this next to impossible as I am looking at a period when the mother's were not mentioned in the baptisms. My James Calder was born in 1785 to William Calder and Isobel Lamb. His grandfather, James Calder, is listed as a witness. There is no existing / surviving record of a marriage of James Calder to an Isobel Lamb. There are no other records involving this couple other than this christening. I do know that he had a sister Isabella who was born abt. 1790 according to the 1851 Census for Oneida, Haldimand, Ontario. She immigrated to Dumfries, Waterloo, Ontario along with James and some of his children in 1832. My James Calder was a tailor by trade and his father a weaver. In looking at the records, there may have been two James Calder's christening children (all in Nairn, Nairn): 10 Feb 1754 Isabel Calder to James Calder, Tailor 06 Mar 1756 Margaret Calder to James Calder - possibly married James Tulloch (James Tulloch appears as a witness to my James Calder's christening in 1785 - James and William Calder appear as witnesses at the christening of their first son James Tulloch in 1780 Nairn) 29 Oct 1758 William Calder to James Calder, Farmer (Catherine MacCurrach appears as a witness) 16 Oct 1760 James Calder to James Calder, Farmer and Catherine MacPherson 29 Jul 1763 John Calder to James Calder and Catherine MacCurrach 29 Jun 1765 John Calder to James Calder I could not find a marriage of a James Calder to Catherine MacPherson, there is a marriage of a James Calder to Catherine MacCurrach in 1752 Nairn (actually the banns). Nothing was gleaned from this other than he was of the parish of Auldearn and she from Nairn at that time. Looking into the christenings above: Not sure what happened with Isabel. I think I have Margaret correct.......married James Tulloch I thought William was ours but since my James Calder was a tailor and this William a son of a farmer, I am not sure. Not sure what happened with James John Calder married Margaret Bain in 1785 Nairn (not sure which one, descendents have the 1763 John). John and Margaret had several children. I have only been able to follow a two or three with relative certainty. The hitch in this is that no James Calder is listed to this couple although there are gaps in the christening dates. What I have tied into records.......... Their first born daughter, Catherine (b. 1786 - witnesses James Tulloch and Catherine MacCurrach) married John Rose in 1821 Nairn, Nairn and immigrated to Canada with their family in 1832, settling near my James Calder in Dumfries, Waterloo, Ontario. Their fifth born daughter, Alexandrina, married James Rose in 1826 Nairn, Nairn and most of their children were christened in Moray. Their second born son, John, christened in 1806 Nairn, was a shoemaker in Nairn. He married Anne Ross in 1830 Nairn, Nairn. This is the only family out of all of them that I am certain about as someone found their family bible and I checked the information against "official records". They immigrated to Ontario in the 1850's. Their son John Calder was a ready-made clothing manufacturer in Hamilton, Ontario. His wife Sarah Beemer is responsible for a war memorial in Hamilton. Her name "Mrs. John Calder" is engraved in same. If you have managed to muddle through any of this.............do you think it possible that the farmer was also a tailor? Do you think that since James Tulloch appears as a witness to my James Calder's christening in 1785 that I might have him tied to the correct family? I would very much like to hear your opinions on this family. Kind regards, Sherry