Introduction / Families / Hourston / David Hourston and Christian Drever / David Hourston and Janet Miller / Janet Hourston and James Fraser

Ann Fraser and Adam Benston

Ann Fraser (b. 20th March 1852), the daughter of James Fraser and Janet Hourston, married in Eday on 15th July 1870 and stayed when her parents moved to the Orkney mainland.

Ann’s husband was Adam Benson (b. abt 1848), the son of Peter Benston and Barbara Leask.

They were at Newark in 1871. Adam’s occupation given in the census was ploughman.

All Ann and Adam’s eight children were born in Eday:

• Jessie Ann Benston, born 14th October 1870 who married John Miller

• Peter Benston, born 26th May 1872 who emigrated to New Zealand

• Jane Fraser Benston, born 6th May 1876 who married James Drummond

• Adaline Sophia Benston, born 1882 and died at Newark on 4th April 1884

• Barbara Leask Benston, born April 1884 and who died at Newark on 28th April 1884

• James Fraser Benston, born 1886 who married Tomina (Ida) L M Gibson (b. abt 1889), the daughter of David Gibson and Ann Mainland, who were from Rousay and came to Eday around 1870. James and Ida went to the US but subsequently returned to Eday. They had family. James died on 13th September 1964 and Ida on 14th March 1967.

• Richard S Benston, born 1891. He was a ship’s captain and died in Eday on 20th July 1947

• Harriet (Hetty) Benston, born 1894 who married John Cormack, the son of John Cormack and Jane Reid, in Kirkwall on 9th March 1920. The lived in Racine, Wisconsin.

Ann died at Gullionha on 10th July 1913 and Adam at Newark on 10th July 1919.