James Colvin was born on August 12, 1873 at Lightburn, Shettleston to Margaret McGee (c1839 - 1905) and Daniel Colvin (c1837 - 1917). [See Section CL-6-1 for family background.]
Jane McNee was born in March, 1881 at Blantyre, Lanarkshire to Mary Woods (c1858 - ) and Patrick McNee (c1857 - ). [See Section ME-6-1 for family background.]
1907 On Monday, April 1, James and Jane were married at St. Paul's RC Church, Shettleston. The marriage was registered No.56 at Shettleston on April 3.
James was a Bachelor, gave his age as 30 [he was 33], occupation Iron Moulder and usual residence as Lightburn, Shettleston. His parents are recorded as Daniel Colvin, Road Surfaceman and Margaret Colvin m.s. McGee (deceased).
Jane was a Spinster, gave her age as 25, occupation Dressmaker and usual residence as 366 Main Street, Shettleston. Her parents are recorded as Patrick MacNee, Coalminer and Mary MacNee, M.S. Woods.
The celebrant was Daniel Colvin [groom's brother] and the witnesses were Thomas Colvin and Catherine McNee [sic] [probably Jane's sister].
1909 Mary Wood Colvin was born at 2h40m a.m. on Friday, March 5, 1909 at 295 Main Street, Shettleston to James Colvin, Iron Moulder and Jane Colvin m.s. Macnee who married on April 1, 1907 at Shettleston. The birth was registered No.190 at Shettleston on March 12 by James Colvin, Father.
1910 Records on the Ellis Island Foundation website show the arrival of James, Jane and Mary Colvin at New York on Sunday, May 29, 1910 by the Anchor Line steamer Caledonia which left Glasgow on May 21, calling at Moville the same day. (The Glasgow Herald reported the ship as arriving on May 28.) Their ages are given as 29 years, 26 years and 11 months respectively, our Colvins would have been 36, 29 and 13 months but then, the Colvins frequently understated their ages. This is definitely the right family as James's occupation is given as Moulder and nearest living relative is "Father, D. Colvin, Lightburn, Shettleston".
James is described as 5'7", fair complexion, fair hair and grey eyes. Jane was 5'4", fair complexion, dark hair and grey eyes. Mary had a fresh complexion, fair hair and brown eyes. All were in good health with no deformities or distinguishing marks.
James had paid for the passages and arrived with at least $50, Jane had $40 and poor Mary had nothing. They were going to join an aunt, C. McNee of 14 Valleyview Street, Oneonta, NY.
Oneonta is on the west side of the Catskill Mountains, the Chambers's Encyclopaedia gazetteer entry gives — "Education centre; railway works; textile, dairying industries. Population (1940) 11,731."
[View manifest — Left hand page — Right hand page — lines 20 - 22.]
SS Caledonia was launched by D. & W. Henderson & Company on the Clyde in 1904 for the Anchor Line. She was 9,223 gross tons (5066 net), 500 feet long, 58 feet wide and had triple expansion steam engines driving twin screws to deliver a service speed of 16 knots. She could carry 1,428 passengers with 383 in first class, 216 second, and 829 in third.
She was used on the Glasgow-New York service until becoming a troop ship in 1914, and sadly, was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off Malta in 1916.
There are also entries in 1923 for a Scots-born James Colvin aged 45, a crewman on various ships – I don't know if this is relevant.
At some point, probably before 1920, Mary returned to Scotland to live with James's sister Sarah and her husband William Rogan in Causewayside Street, Tollcross.
