James Fairbairn

     James Fairbairn was christened on 10 Dec 1794 at the Gateshaw Assoc. Session, Morebattle, ROX, SCT.¹
     
     James Fairbairn is a potential duplicate of James Fairbairn; one the son of Archibald and Alison, the other married to Mary Bell Thomson. I believe that the James, s/o Archibald and Alison, is more likely to be the 1841 James in Selkirk judging by the latter's children's names. Although a Robert (James & Mabel's known son) c. 1824 would fit in a gap in the children shown in the Selkirk 1841 census, James and Mabel (Thomson) are already accounted for in Morebattle in the 1841 census.²
     Another possible duplicate for James Fairbairn is James Fairbairn at SEL, SCT, in 1841 one the s/o Archilbald and Alison, the other apparently wifeless in Selkirk in 1841 with children named Alison, Archibald, James, Walter, and frustratingly, they all seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth after this census.² Yet another possible duplicate for James is James Fairbairn Eckford, ROX, SCT, in 1842 ie the nephew of a James Croser.²
     An ancestral file entry by Mrs Nees (Olympia, WA, USA) links the James who married Mabel Thomson as the s/o Archibald and Alison , and chr Morebattle 1794. She also has that Archibald as chr Aug 1758 St Boswells, s/o Robert.

I believe that the Archibald baptized 1785 St Boswells is the son of Robert and Agnes (Landreth), and is the one married to Mary Grierson instead.
As stated above I believe there is a better candidate for the 1794 Morebattle James, s/o Archibald and Alison in the 1841 census in Selkirk, with children Archibald and Alison, even if I cannot find hide nor hair of them after this date. (So anyone with an Alison born Selkirk, or an Archibald, Janet, James, Barbara, John or Walter born outside Selkirk, all between 1821 and 1834, with a likely father James, I'd love to hear from you!)

It does seem highly likely that there is a connection somewhere between all these families.
Possibly the one married to Mabel is a son of the Archibald who married Mary Grierson?
James' birth c 1795 would fit in a gap of Archibald & Mary's children between Margaret born St Bowsells c 1793 and George born Southdean c 1804, but I would expect James & Mabel's son to be named Archibald, rather than Robert, for this to be a strong contender, Robert being born Jul 1824 after a Dec 1822 marriage doesn't leave much room for an earlier son Archibald.

Any descendants of James & Mabel out there willing to participate in the Fairbairn surname DNA project to help sort this out?
DNA tests on descendants of both Archibalds have indicated a close relationship between them.³