Introduction / Families / Cooper / Barbara Cooper and William Hewison / Margaret Hewison and William Gray

Betsy Gray and John Corse

Betsy Gray (b. 30th April 1857) was the eighth and youngest child of William Gray and Margaret Hewison. She was a domestic servant and staying with her family at North Hammar when she got married to John Corse (b. 23rd July 1854) in January 1878.

John was a chief mate in the merchant service and staying at Nistigar in Westray. He was the oldest of the large family of John William Corse and Jane Drever. His father was a described as a “master mariner” so his son was following in his sea going footsteps.

Betty Gray and John Corse emigrated to Canada. They had a daughter:

• Jane Drever Corse b. 28th December 1881 who married David Murray White (b. 13th August 1872). He had also emigrated, being born in New Bilton, Rugby in England. Their daughter, Margaret Jane White (b. 1905) in Lipton Saskatchewan married James Wilkinson and they had two of a family.

John Corse died in Lipton, Saskatchewan on Christmas Day 1920 at the age of sixty four. Betsy Gray was to live for another twenty four years. She died on 9th April 1945, shortly before her eighty eighth birthday.