Margaret Abercrombie Porter^1,2

Parents:

• Birth*: Margaret Abercrombie Porter was born on 11 July 1849 at Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, .^1,3
• She was the daughter of Robert Porter and Margaret Abercrombie.
• (Bride) Marriage*: Margaret Abercrombie Porter married James Milne Miller Grocer, Undertaker & Upholsterer, Auctioneer's Clerk, son of James Miller jute warehouseman and Janet Milne, on 21 December 1875 at 16 Annfield Street, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1875 Marriages in the District of St Peter in the Burgh of Dundee, #208; 1875 on the Twenty-first day of December at 16 Annfield Street Dundee after banns according to the forms of the UP Church; James A Miller, Grocer Master, bachelor, aged 21, 166 Scouringburn Dundee; parents James Miller, Foreman Jute Works and Janet Miller ms Milne; Margaret A Porter, spinster, aged 26, 16 Annfield Street Dundee; parents Robert Porter, Shoemaker Master and Margaret Porter ms Abercrombie deceased; signed James R McGavin minister UP Church Tay Square Dundee; witnesses R B Smith, Jessie Miller; registered 1875 December 23rd at Dundee Jas Young registrar.⁴
• Burial*: Margaret Abercrombie Porter was buried on 16 January 1943 at Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, .⁵

• Married Name: As of 21 December 1875, her married name was Miller.⁴
• (Passenger) Passenger List: Margaret Abercrombie Porter, Janet Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer and Jane Miller was mentioned on a passenger list for R:Ship and with Janet Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer, Jane Miller, William Miller jute powerloom tenter and Charles Robert Kirkwood Lawson between 12 April 1913 and 26 April 1913 at Glasgow to Boston. List of manifest of alien passengers for the United States immigration officer at port of arrival; SS Numidian sailing from Glasgow 12 April 1913, arriving at Boston 26 April 1913; ref 18; Miller, James M, aged 52, male, married, occ salesman, can read & write, nationality British, race Scotch, last permanent residence Scotland Dundee, name of relative or friend in country whence came Bro Wm Miller, Forrest Park Road, Dundee, Scotland, final destination Mass Worcester, whether having a ticket to such final destination - no, passage paid by self, in possession of $200, previously in US for visit in 1883 to Boston, going to join friend or relative - son-in-law Mr Chas Lawson 249 Chandler St, Worcester, Mass, never in prison etc, polygamist, anachist..., in good mental & physical health, not deformed or crippled, height 5ft 8in, fair complexion, brown hair, brown eyes, no ID marks, born Scotland Dundee.⁶
• (Passenger) Passenger List: Margaret Abercrombie Porter, Janet Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer and Jane Miller was mentioned on a passenger list for R:Ship and with Janet Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer, Jane Miller, William Miller jute powerloom tenter and Charles Robert Kirkwood Lawson from 12 April 1913 to 16 April 1913 at Glasgow to Boston, Scotland & USA, . List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for The United States Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival
  
  Miller, James M, age 52, male, married, occupation salesman, can read & write, British nationality, Scotch race, last permanent residence Scotland, Dundee, nearest relative in country whence came brother William Miller Forest Park Road Dundee, Final destination Mass, Town Worcester, does not have ticket to final destination, paid for by self, inpossession of $200, previously in US in 1883 as visitor to Boston, going to join friend or relative son-in-law Charles Lawson 249 Chandler of Worcester, never in prison etc, not polygamist, not anarchist, not coming by reason of offer etc, good health, not derformed or crippled, height 5'8" complexion fair, hair brown, eyes brown, no ID marks, born Scotland Dundee
  Miller, wife Margaret, age 54, female, married, occupation wife, can read & write, British nationality, Scotch race, last permanent residence Scotland, Dundee, nearest relative in country whence came brother William Miller Forest Park Road Dundee, Final destination Mass, Town Worcester, does not have ticket to final destination, paid for by self, inpossession of $200, previously in US in 1883 as visitor to Boston, going to join friend or relative son-in-law Charles Lawson 249 Chandler of Worcester, never in prison etc, not polygamist, not anarchist, not coming by reason of offer etc, good health, not derformed or crippled, height 4'11" complexion dark, hair black, eyes grey, no ID marks, born Scotland Blairgowrie.⁷

Census & Directory Entries

Member of Household	30 March 1851	They was listed as a member of the household of Robert Porter and Margaret Abercrombie in the 1851 census at Wellmeadow, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, . Margy Porter, da, 2, Blairgowrie; Rob Porter, head, 32, shoemaker & broker, Coupar Angus, Perthshire; Margaret, wife, 32, Bendochy, Perthshire.8
Member of Household	7 April 1861	They was listed as a member of the household of Robert Porter and Margaret Abercrombie in the 1861 census at Leslie Street, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, . Margaret Porter, dau, 11, scholar, Blairgowrie; Robert Porter, head, 47, shoemaker, b Coupar Angus; Margaret, wife, 41, b Bendochy.9
Member of Household	2 April 1871	They was listed as a member of the household of Robert Porter and Margaret Abercrombie in the 1871 census at Leslie St Cottage, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, . Margaret Porte, da, 24, [nilling?], Blairgowrie; Robert Porter, head, 52, licenced broker, Coupar Angus; Margaret Porter, 48, Blairgowrie.10
Spouse	3 April 1881	She was listed in the household of James Milne Miller Grocer, Undertaker & Upholsterer, Auctioneer's Clerk in the 1881 census at 4 Kinloch Street, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James M Millar, head, married, aged 26, Grocer, born Dundee Forfar Scotland; Margaret Millar, wife, married, aged 31, born Blairgowrie Perth Scotland. Margaret Abercrombie Miller, Elizabeth Anderson Miller, Grace McDonald and Marjory Miln Miller were also listed in the household.11
Spouse	5 April 1891	She was listed in the household of James Milne Miller Grocer, Undertaker & Upholsterer, Auctioneer's Clerk in the 1891 census at Albert Crescent, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James W Miller, head, mar, 36, undertaker & upholsterer, working on own account, Dundee; Margaret Miller, wife, mar, 40, Perthshire Blairgowrie; 4 rooms with windows. Margaret Abercrombie Miller, Elizabeth Anderson Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer, Charlotte Miller and Jane Miller were also listed in the household.12
Spouse	31 March 1901	She was listed in the household of James Milne Miller Grocer, Undertaker & Upholsterer, Auctioneer's Clerk in the 1901 census at 80 Hawkhill, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James M Miller, head, 45, clerk, Dundee; Margaret, wife, 49, Blairgowrie. Margaret Abercrombie Miller, Elizabeth Anderson Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer, Jane Miller and Janet Miller were also listed in the household.13
Spouse	31 March 1911	She was listed in the household of James Milne Miller Grocer, Undertaker & Upholsterer, Auctioneer's Clerk in the 1911 census at 24 Thomson Street, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James M Miller, head, 56, mar, auctioneers clerk, worker, Dundee; Margaret Miller, wife, 61, married 36 years, 8 children 4 survive; Blairgowrie; 5 rooms with windows, 6 inhabitants in dwelling. Margaret Abercrombie Miller, James Milne Miller printer & stationer and Jane Miller were also listed in the household.14

Notes

• (Witness) History: Five into One –Tay Square Church. Tay Square traces its origins to the secessions of the eighteenth century. From 1743, School Wynd Secession Church flourished, but in 1832, a group of members, dissatisfied over the nomination of a new minister, disjoined to form Tay Square United Secession Church, entering their new church in 1834. Rev. Robert Wardrope, 1807-1840 was called in 1832 to be minister of School Wynd Church, but in consequence of a dispute in that congregation the call was not sustained. Those who supported him left the church, and were formed into a separate congregation —Tay Square —and they at once called Mr Wardrope, but his delicate health prevented his acceptance of the call. He died when only 33 years of age. Still in the church archives, this silhouette of Rev. Robert Wardrope was lent by its owner, Andrew Roxburgh, to be exhibited in the “Old Dundee” exhibition of 1892-93 –held in the Albert Institute (now McManus Galleries).
  
  The first minister, the Rev. J R McGavin, was elected in 1875 as Moderator of the United Presbyterian Synod. The second, the Rev. Dr Charles Jerdan, became Principal Clerk of the United Free Church General Assembly. Under these two ministers, Tay Square became one of the foremost congregations in the United Presbyterian Church. Mission activities centred on the West Port, Artillery Lane and Hawkhill, the last leading to the founding in 1876 of Hawkhill United Presbyterian Church, which united with Tay Square in 1903.
  
  Such community interests were extended onto a national scale by the Rev. John Mansie, who as Convener of the Assembly Committee on Social Problems, was largely responsible for the establishment in 1931 of the Belmont Castle Eventide Home. After the union of Tay Square and St. Paul's in 1952, the Tay Square building was reopened as St. Paul's Halls by Mrs Jarvis, wife of the Very Rev. Ernest D Jarvis and daughter of the Rev. John Reid, a former Tay Square minister.
  
  © Meadowside St. Paul’s 2017. All rights reserved.¹⁵
  

  Tay Square Church - from the book Tay Square Church, Dundee, A Centenary in Retrospect, 1832-1932 [PCC Jun 2017]