william johnston

[Maggie1895]

Kizziemay I'm sorry to have gone round in a circle and landed back where you started but at least that's all confirmed now!
Alexander's mother's maiden name was Chalmers so the marriage in 1879 in Annan is absolutely certain.    Now the puzzle is where James was born - exactly where you came in!
If he shows William and Janet, also MS Johnston, on his marriage certificate then I really don't see how that birth in 1859 in Hoddam can be him, not unless his parents died pretty quickly and he was taken in by relatives.  The parents are David Johnston and Mary MS Steele, but I'm not at all sure how usual it would be to ignore his birth parents on his marriage certificate.
Yet he puts Hoddam on his census entry in 1901.   Totally confusing.
Back to the drawing board...

[Maggie1895]

OK, here's my last thought.   You know so much about James and he tells us he was born in Hoddam and his parents were William and Janet.  Could it be that he was known by his second name?
I just tried searching Scotlands People Hoddam male births for Johnston / traditional soundex, with no christian name specified, between 1858 and 1860, and there are 7, of which you already know the details of the birth for James.
I realise its a very long shot but it's about all I can think of.   Earlier I got quite excited by finding a James Johnston of the right age, with parents William and Janet, in the 1861 census but he was born in Kirkcudbright so that doesn't seem to fit either!
The Hoddam names are:
1858:  Robert Johnston GRO 829/00 0012
1859:  Andrew Johnstone GROS 829/00 0044
           David Johnstone GROS 829/00 0039
           George Johnstone GROS 829/00 0007
           James Johnstone (the one you know about) GROS 829/00 0026
           Thomas Johnstone GROS 829/00 0042
1860:  William Johnston GROS 829/00 0038
They are the only Johnston/Johnstone births I can see in Hoddam for those years, and to check for parents names / mother's MS for all of them would cost just over £7.   If none of those are the children of William and Janet it really does look as if your James's birth wasn't registered in Hoddam, even though he is sure it was.
Sorry I can't be more help
           

[kizziemay]

I know it is a mystery. I think it is strange that James's mother's name is johnston as well. I will see what i can find over the weekend,I first started on this two years ago and couldn't find anything,but i'm determined to have another go at it

[csc]

are you sure james in not the illegitimate son of janet johnson born nov 1856 in hoddom it is on igi  csc

[kizziemay]

Can't be sure,   most of the info gives his date of birth as 1859 this is what i have on James up to now
  1881 census living at Arthuret,Longtown, 1891 living at Mouswald, 1901 living at Redkirk Gretna,1911 living at Redkirk Gretna he had thirteen children according to this census, have managed to find all their names.I have been looking through Graham Maxwell ancestry and have come across a William Johnston living at Hoddom Town Cottages with his daughter Janet in 1851 just wondered if she had James illegitimate 
                                             Kizziemay 
 

[Maggie1895]

CSC, wouldn't that be great?  It could make some sense with Janet's surname and MS never changing, and I suppose it's possible that  James might give his grandfather's name as his father's on his own Marriage Certificate to avoid embarrassment.
Kizziemay, I'd done all the searches on SP to cover a tight timespan of 3 years 1858-60 because everything you had indicated 1859, and also because of the credits involved, so never looked back as far as 1856.
I hope CSC has brought you the possible breakthrough you were looking for - good luck

[kizziemay]

Just found James's death certificate on S P, he died at Todeholes Dornock near Annan in 1939 aged 80 The birth must have the wrong date on it.I think Maggie & C S C that you were correct in saying that he was illegitimate and to save embarrasment his g/fathers name was given as his parent, because it is given on death certificate also, Thanks to you both for your help.
                                                                           Kizziemay