DARLING

 We don’t have many DARLINGS going back, as it starts to get difficult even in the 1700s.

William DARLING was not the only family member to have silverware engraved- there are also nakin holders in the Harvey side as well. When William was living in London, which was for some years as all the children were born and baptised there, he had silver spoons engraved with initials. At one time there would have been quite a number of these, but a lot were stolen, so there are just the odd few here and there now with various relatives. Katy, whose daughters are descendants of William and Jane, has a few artefacts such as a few of the spoons.

Going forwards, William and Jane had only one son to continue the DARLING name, George Rutherford: he married Jane Elizabeth KAY and they had two sons, one born in Berwickshire and one in Australia- they both married and had children, now in New Zealand. A generation earlier, William’s brother Andrew died in St Helena and may have had a child Andres there with a slave woman Diana- we are working on this and also if there are any other DARLINGs from the two other sons of the first Andrew- none as yet.

Below are the four generations back from Ellen Margueretta ROBERTON.

Click for ROBERTON; Click for HARVEY Click for all-Harvey family. Click for homepage

Andrew DARLING (ca 1705)  in 1721 in Kelso married Janet HUME (ca 1707). They had six children:  Jean, Andrew, Robert, Isabel, William, Janet.

Andrew DARLING (1725- 1799) married Margaret TURNBULL (1747- 1839) and they had two sons: Andrew and William

William DARLING (1786- 1867) on 1 Feb 1816 at St Cuthberts, Edinburgh married Jane RUTHERFORD (1791- 1860) and they had four children:  Mary Anne, George Rutherford, Margaretta Elizabeth and Jane.

Mary Anne DARLING (1818- 1893) on 31 Oct 1849 married James ROBERTON (1800- 1881) and they had five children:  Mary Jane, Jane Pringle, Ellen Margueretta, Agnes Christian and Elizabeth Kay. Note that James Roberton also had six children from his first marriage to Mary OLIVER and she had died in 1848:  Andrew, Margaret Richardson, Robert Oliver, James, Robert and George.

More information on William DARLING and Jane RUTHERFORD

William was born on 15 Nov 1786 and baptised at Kelso on 28 December. His parents were Adam or Andrew DARLING and Margaret TURNBULL. On William’s death certificate, his father is Adam, but elsewhere- like his birth- it is Andrew. There is a broken stone MI in Kelso  which has the following

In memory of Andrew Darling late Tenant in Dalyell departed this life 8.1.1799 [?] aged 74 and his wife Margaret Turnbull died 14.1 1830? aged 83. His son Andrew Darling died on the Island of St Helena 12.8.1841 aged xx.  Jane Rutherford wife of William Darling died at Abbey Bank in this Parish 5.9.1860 aged 68 also William Darling son of the first named Andrew died 26.7.1867 aged xx.

Given that Andrew married Margaret probably in the 1770-80s then it is possible their son Andrew [born Aug 1784] did marry and have childern, but we dont know about that yet, especially as none are mentioned on the MI. Therefore it is likely that second son William [born Dec 1786] was the only son to survive and procreate.

William and Jane lived for some time in London; this is where he was having spoons and other silverware made and inscribed, and it is also where all four children are born. They married at St Cuthberts in Edinburgh in 1816.

Children for Wm Darling and Jane Rutherford

1818 Oct 27      Mary Anne, born in England Oct 27th 1818, died 13 Nov 1893 aged 75 years

1821 Oct 23       Margaretta Elizabeth  born England Oct 23rd 1821, died Nov 27th 1904

1823  Jan 5        Jane  born England Jan 5th 1823 died 22 Sept 1902

1821                   George Rutherford   born England

On Margaretta’s birth at St James Piccadilly, William is described as a Baker- this appears also on the marriage, but may be meant to be banker- we have yet to find out, but either way he was making enough money to invest in silver. Jane’s father was a farmer George Rutherford, so may be some of the money came from that side.

In 1841 the family are clearly back in Roxburghshire, at the “Farm of Barns’ with the following [remember ages rounded down for adults]: William Darling 50, farmer; Jane 40; Mary