Why did John change his surname?

[Forfarian]

Was the William Stewart who reported the death an illegitimate son?

I don't know, but I think he has to be. He certainly wasn't John's legitimate son William Storry using a different surname.

[Rena]

I think we have 2 marriages here, in the 1881 census, I think this is John Storry with a new wife also called Janet and he has  started a new family.

No, sorry, reasonable suggestion but it won't wash. The John Storry who married Janet Wyper in 1873 died in 1933, and I have seen his marriage and death certificates. He was in fact the son of John Storry (aka John Storry Stewart) and Janet Murray. I think the '53' in the 1881 census transcription is an error for 33. (Just to complicate things, his brother William Storry, the one who died in 1891, married Christina Wyper, sister of Janet Wyper)

Could there possibly be a bequest in a will that caused the family to change their name?   I think you might have to do some research on the WYPER side of the family:-

I found this in the Scottish archives under WYPER:-

Andrew Stewart, iron manufacturer in Glasgow and Coatbridge (d.1901), William West Watson, City Chamberlain of Glasgow (d.1882), and James Stewart Wyper, rancher in Chile (d.1915))
http://www.scan.org.uk/catalogue/

[sancti]

1901 census

Janet Storry 76 born: Bathgate, Linlithgow  occ retired farmers wife
Claud Storry 41 son  born: Lothian, Mid
Jessie M Mungall 74   grand daur
John S Mungall 22 grandson
Peter Mungall 23 grandson


Address: 3 Overdale Gardne Cathcart

Can't see John on this census

[sancti]

Who was the informant on Janet's death in 1906?

[Forfarian]

I've found John in the 1851 census;
Holehouse Lum, Whitburn, West Lothian
John Storry 27, Farmer of 60 acres
Janet 24,
John 4,
William 7,
Janet 2 months.
Regards,
flst

Thanks, flst. I don't quite understand why I couldn't find him - it looks straightforward enough. (It will be Holehouseburn, I think, not Holehouse Lum).

[Forfarian]

1901 census

Janet Storry 76 born: Bathgate, Linlithgow  occ retired farmers wife
Claud Storry 41 son  born: Lothian, Mid
Jessie M Mungall 74   grand daur
John S Mungall 22 grandson
Peter Mungall 23 grandson


Address: 3 Overdale Gardne Cathcart

Can't see John on this census

Thanks, Sancti. Looks about right. Jessie Mungall was born in 1876/7 so she would have been aged 24, so that must be a transcription error.

[Forfarian]

I found another 2 x John Storry's on SP Wills, both from Whitburn, 1 in 1878 +1 in 1891, maybe relatives of yours, who died in 1906.

Yes. The one in 1777 is my umpteen-greats-grandfather. The one who died in 1878 was my mysterious John's father, and the one who died in 1891 was his uncle. So all of them are related to me.

[tidybooks]

Hi Forfarian,

There is still a J Storry and a Hugh Storry at West Badallan Farm, Bathgate, had a wee search on phone directory, and there is a Michael Storry in Cathcart. The present day family may not know about it anyway.

Tom

[tidybooks]

Hi Forfarian,

In the Glasgow Herald archive of 24 September 1906, there is a death notice,

"Stewart - At Bellevue Terrace, East Newport on the 21st inst, John Storry Stewart aged 83 yrs."

The age is out by 6 years, was the death certificate the same.


http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19060924&printsec=frontpage


Tom