Introduction / Barbara Allan / Westray Allans / Marion Allan and James Harcus / John Harcus and Jane Drummond / William Hercus and Elizabeth Allan

Jane Hercus and Robert Drever

Jane Hercus, also called Jeannie, was born on Pharay 17th November 1848 and baptised the following 7th January. She was the oldest child of William Hercus and Elizabeth Allan. On 8th December 1870, at Cott, Pharay, she married Robert Drever of Moa, Rapness, Westray. Robert, the son of William Drever and Ann Seater, was born Christmas Day 1842. Jeannie and Robert had four children, all born at Moa:

• Elizabeth (Lizzie) Drever, b. 11th Apr 1871 who married John Mainland

• Ann (Annie) Drever, b. 9th June 1873 who married John Reid

• William Drever, b. 7th Sep 1877 and d. Racine, Wisconsin, 2nd Oct 1929. He married Jean Seater 21st June 1905 at Kirbist, Westray and immigrated to the US in 1907. Several other Seater relatives had preceded them and were neighbours in Racine in 1910. Jean was born 26th May 1876 in West Kirbist, daughter of George Seater and Margaret Hourston. In Racine, William was a foreman in an electric factory. William and Jean had three children, and in 1920 they also had two Reid nephews in their household; the younger one was 7 years old and had been born in Canada.

• Mary Ann Johnston Drever, b 20th Apr 1881 and d. 10th Apr 1942 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She married at Moa, Westray, 25th Aug 1905, James Gray, b. 25 Feb 1885 at Brandies, son of William Gray and Janet Cragie. They had a family of seven and had immigrated to Alberta by 1913.

Jane and Robert lived at Moa, Rapness, Westray. Robert was a master carpenter and later a boat builder as his father had been. Jeannie died of tuberculosis on 20th July 1885, age 36, on Shore Street, Kirkwall, probably at the home of her brother David. Robert died 21st September 1928, at Moa, age 85.