I'm doing a cross-post from the Stirlingshire list hoping someone can help with either a m.i. or some background information. My ancestor was William Anderson who married Elisabeth Gray sometime around 1812/1813. They had their family in Slamannan. Their first (I assume) child, Jean was christened 9 Oct 1814 489/ 0020 0216 and she was christened Jean Anderson. I could not find an entry for a William Anderson in either the Old Parish Records or any other record. I went to Scotland's People and obtained his death entry for 4 Mar 1856 (1856 District of Slamannan, county of Stirling, entry #7). It states that his father was John Gillon and mother was Margaret Anderson and that he was christened William Gillon and he was a custom weaver.
William's christening record from the Bathgate OPR's reads 11 Jun 1787 to John Gillon and spouse Margaret Anderson, a son born, baptized 5 July 1787 William Gillon. I then went back to John Gillon and Margaret Anderson's marriage lines in the Muiravonside register 28 Mar 1777 "John Gillon in the Parish of Bathgate and Margaret Anderson of this parish gave up their names to be proclaimed in order to Marriage and were married at Mr. Oliver's (?) the 28th of the month of March said year before these witnesses James and John Anderson" (her father and brother).
I was now looking for a John Gillon from Bathgate. John and Margaret had five known children -
James Gillon 1778, Andrew Gillon 1781, John Gillon 1782, William Gillon 1787, Henry Gillon 1790. I assume from the placing of the names that John was not on good terms with his father. The eldest son was christened James after Margaret's father and the witness at her wedding. The only John Gillon christened in around Bathgate was one John Gillon in Torphichen 26 OCT 1735, "To Andrew Gillon and Agnes Schaw in Wallhouse Loanend a son called John, witnesses John Gillon and John Lermounth." This would have made John forty-two when he married Margaret. The only other Gillon couple having children in Bathgate from 1722 - 1747 was Alexander Gillon, younger of Wallhouse and Elizabeth Muir. There is no record of a son called John born to the couple but there is also rumour they were never married. I did look for a John Muir but nothing. In 1747 there was a disruption in the Presbyterian church and splits occurred in the churches of Bathgate and Torphichen. It is possible there was a birth but the christening has been lost. It is possible that William changed his name to Anderson when he discovered that his father was illegitimate.
I am posting this for two reasons. One is to see if anyone can find a connection for me. I've exhausted the Scotland's People website so I'm hoping there might be an m.i. or a family history out there. The second is to notify those people who might be looking for a James, Andrew, John or Henry Anderson born in Bathgate between 1778 - 1790 and not finding them. They may be Gillons!
