Dear Jacque,

I hope I can help. I have been tracing my husband's family tree.
He has an ancestor John Athol born in Stranraer 1765. John had 4 sons John, Francis (b.1797, d.1835), William and James. They all seem to have been sailors. Francis was a Master mariner skipper of a ship called Condor sailing out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was drowned off Newfoundland.
I have copies of documents showing that his property was given to his son Francis who was resident in Halifax Nova Scotia. Francis the younger presumably made a special trip to Stranraer to claim his inheritance in 1856. I think it is highly likely that Francis the younger could be your Francis.

There are not many Athol's in the world and all of those I have traced are related. I would be very interested if you have news of any others from your research.

regards

Anne