Looking for connections to James THOMSON, born Sanday 1816, son of Andrew THOMSON and Mary WILSON. James was married in Our Lady Parish 1847 to Jane SINCLAIR. At least eight children, born between 1849-1863, resulted from the marriage of James and Jane: Mary, Catherine, Andrew, Jane, Jemima, Ann, John, and Robert. Only two of these children have been traced so far. Mary THOMSON (child #1 of 8), born 1849 on Sanday, married first James Alexander LYALL, who died at sea in 1874. The two children from this marriage were Edith Merion Forbes LYALL and James Alexander LYALL. Mary married second Malcolm Charles ARTHUR with whom she had seven children. All emigrated to the USA in 1890s. Andrew THOMSON (child #3 of 8), born 1853, was a solicitor in Kirkwall. He had worked for the town clerk and later was the agent for crofters before the Crofters Commission as well as a member of the Kirkwall School Board and the County Council . At his death in 1894, he left a wife and three children [not yet identified].