John Fairbairn

Intro

     With an eldest known son Robert, it has been suggested that John marr. to Jane WADDELL, may be the John son of Robert & Elizabeth (Crosbie) Fairbairn, although this identification puts John slightly on the young side to have married in 1817.
Against this identification is the death/burial of a John FAIRBAIRN of East Third in 1832, two entries after assumed father Robert's, and the possible identification of John & Jane with children William George and a previously unidentified son Jesse, at Coldstream in 1841, which census also places John as slightly younger than usual to marry in 1817, so just maybe he is the son of Robert, and the John buried in 1832 is Robert's father or some other relation?
Another suggestion has been the John baptised Smailholm to Robert and Agnes (WRIGHT) Fairbairn.
However, that John was baptised in 1782, which is a bit far the other way from the age given in the 1841 census (assuming a correct identification, and accurate age of course!)
Coldstream features in the families below.
The John married to Jane WADDELL had sons Robert (1818, Eckford), John (1824, Linton) and Andrew (1828, Smailholm) about whom nothing further was postively known.
Andrew is now fully believed to have married Eliza CLARKE (Plumstead 1853), which id has been further confirmed after finding a better 1851 census for him showing his birth place as Smailholm, rather than the Woolwich barracks Andrew who was recorded as born Church Hill, Berwickshire.
In addition a potential candidate has now (Nov 2011) been found for John, also in the military. He may have married Helen ROSS (Coldstream 1842).
Circumstantial evidence for the prosecution includes the 1841 census which has likely candidates for both Andrew and John in Eccles, Andrew at Stable Birgham and John, as FREEBAIRN, with future wife Ellen/Helen at Cloverhall.
By 1851 Andrew with brother George in the Royal Artillery Barracks in Leeds, but John yet to be found.
Plus a "cousin" marriage between descendants of John & Helen's sons John and James.
With daughter Christian Nisbet FAIRBAIRN also marrying a FAIRBAIRN (James, son of Ralph FAIRBAIRN & Helen CROW), perhaps there is a connection to that family?^3,4,2,5

BDMs

     John Fairbairn was born bet. 1796 - 1801 in SCT The 1841 census, if accurate, tells us that John was not born in Berwickshire.^2,1 He married Jane Waddell on 23 Nov 1817 at Smailholm, ROX, SCT.^1,2
     John Fairbairn died bet. 1841 - 1851 ?Coldstream, BEW, SCT; (there's a burial of a John FAIRBAIRN in Coldstream, 16th Dec 1848 that might be this John).²