Introduction / Families / Drummond / William Drummond and Barbara Groat / Isabella Drummond and Thomas Drever

William Drever

William Drever (b. 29th November 1847) was a son of Thomas Drever and Isabella Drummond of Sangar, Westray.

He was brought up at Sanger and spent most of his life there as a fisherman, farmer and boatman.

He married Elizabeth (Betsy) Miller (b. abt. 1852) from Stronsay on 24th December 1872 in Kirkwall and they formed a separate household at Sanger from William’s parents. Betsy was the daughter of Peter Miller and Betsy Stevenson.

William and Betsy had nine children. The first was born in Catherine Place, Kirkwall with the rest born at Sangar.

• David Drever, born 17th July 1874 who went to Chicago. It is thought that he didn’t marry.

• William Drever, born 6th July 1876 who married Margaret Drever

• Elizabeth Margaret Drever, born 7th January 1879 who married William B Rosie

• Peter Drever, born 10th June 1882; died 14th May 1900 at Sangar

• Isabella Drever, born 26th August 1884; died 18th August 1887 at Sangar

• John Robert Drever, born 24th September 1887 who married Myrtle Thurgood

• Isabella Drever, born 4th February 1889 who married John Duncan (b. 11th April 1883). They were in Saskatchewan and later Alberta.

• James Shearer Drever, born 30th August 1891 who emigrated to Racine, Wisconsin in 1910. He married Elizabeth Woolcap (b. Scotland) in 1918 and they had a family. In 1920, James was a bricklayer.

• Thomas Inkster Drever, born 1st July 1893 and went to the US in 1910

Betsy died at Sangar on 12th September 1906. She was fifty four.

William remarried in 1910. His second wife was Mary Pottinger (b. 28th May 1853), the daughter of James Pottinger and Mary Drever from Westray. Mary was a housekeeper and fifty six at the time.

William died at Backaskaill in Sanday on 31st October 1930. He was eighty two and buried in the Cross district of Sanday. Mary Pottinger, who died at Old Scapa Road in Kirkwall on 3rd May 1941, is also interred there.