Robert EDGAR / Margaret McKinley MCKEAN, parents of Allan Wedderlie EDGAR b Cuba

[Sharon01]

Hi,

Family search has this record.

Robert Edgar born 05.07.1849 and baptised on 12.08.1849, Annan, Dumfries
Parents John Edgar and Jane Houghan.

SP also has the record.

Sharon

[MonicaL]

Hi Roy

I came across this site which might help you when tracing Edgars with the Annan connection or in general  http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scottish/Edgar.html  Family No.7 listed seems to be Robert’s from what you have so far. Fits well with birth year Sharon mentioned.

I thought this might be the family in 1851. From the  mention of a step daughter in law (the term ‘in law’ is sometimes used differently then), it may be that Jane mother was previously married? In Scotland, Jean and Jane are interchangeable, see www.whatsinaname.net/female-names/Jane.html
   
John Edgar 30, tile moulder, b. Mouswald, Dumfries
Jean Edgar 35
James Edgar 3
Robert Edgar 1
Jean Cron 15, Step Daughter-in-law, dressmaker

Address: Watchhill, Annan

From what has been found, marriage date here https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTL5-K6G

From that Edgar link, the other sons show here:

James https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XYW1-PVC
John https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT1K-7XF

Monica

[MonicaL]

Jane Cron...Jane Coon...all likely in the translation and transcript...the original image on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk would help as always.

From 1871:

John Edgar 52, railway porter b. Torthorwald, Dumfries
Jane Coon 35, housekeeper b. Annan... thinking this is step-daughter?
John Edgar 16, son b. Annan

Address: 2 Frankfield, Dumfries

Can't easily see them in 1861 on the transcript. Maybe SP will show them. Also, Jane Haughton's death is proving illusive - wondering whether she may have died between 1853-4 and the start of official registration from 1855 

Monica

[sonofedgar]

Many thanks for your input, Monica.. and Sharon, and Pam.. I'm slowly gathering evidence 

I have Robert Edgar's birth on 05.07.1849 from SP now (took a while to show up, though.. is it me?!), but I'm puzzled by date discrepancies:

In the 1871 census he's recorded as a boarder (and telegraph operator.. which seems to accord with his work in Cuba with the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company) at 4 West Street, Bridgetown, Glasgow, aged 19 (i.e. born abt 1852). At his marriage to Maggie McKean in Annan on 15.04.1878 he's recorded as aged 26, again indicating birth abt 1852. Yet in the 1851 census he's there aged 1. In the 1861 census, however, the same family are at 10, High Street, Troqueer, Kirkudbrightshire (including Jane Crone, stepdaughter!) and Robert is recorded as 9 (i.e. birth abt 1852 again).. Is this common??

Robert Edgar's father, John, could well be he born 24.04.1820 at (Buckerhole?) Mouswald to James Edgar and Jean Dickson.. and it's tempting to continue to 'James, son to Joseph Edgar and Ann Burnet in Woodside (Mouswald) b. 08.03.1786, bapt. 09 of the same.'

But his mother, Jane Heughan/Houghan, recorded as Jean Edgar in the 1851 census, but missing in 1861, remains something of a mystery. In the 1841 census for Annan there's a Jane Heughan aged 40 at 'Closehead' (?), recorded as born in England ('E'?) as well as a Jane Heughan aged 90 who doesn't show up on the search but is the following entry in the record.. is this right?

Also, I'm not having much luck with death or burial records so far.. how good are these..?

[sonofedgar]

.. Actually, I think the second Jane Heughan I mentioned above is, in fact, a Jane Hughan, aged 90 

[MonicaL]

Just some general notes to keep in mind:

Ages overall can vary by a few years. Unlike today when birth details are important and easily confirmed, less relevant in those days. One other scenario might also be that the Robert born in the summer of 1849 died after the 1851 census and a next baby born c. 1852 was called again Robert (quite normal in those times to re-use important family first names). Hard to be more specific than that really in the absense of proof.

However, from the 1861 census, all of the sons' ages seem out by a year or two. These were the birth years we had for them: James 1847; Robert 1849; John 1853. From the census for 1861:

John Edgar 42, grocer's porter
James Edgar 13
Robert Edgar 9
John Edgar 6
Jane Crone 25

Address: 10 High Street, Troqueer

This period that you are looking at for Robert's birth is before the start of official registration in Scotland from 1855. Recording of events in the Old Parish Registers can be patchy at the best of times, so, you are fortunate to have found out as much detail as you have so far for these years from the OPRs. Many families' births etc either went unrecorded, recorded elsewhere as they were not of the established Church of Scotland, or registers have been lost or destroyed over the years.

Monica

[MonicaL]

As I mentioned earlier, couldn't easily see the death of wife Jane post 1855 and the start of official registration. Likely she died following birth of last son showing, John, and the beginning of 1855?

Regarding confirming John Edgar Snr.'s parents and working back, have you tried searching for his death on SP. Parents' details are included on Scottish death certs, if known to the informant.

On a different topic, I think this might be Jane Cron/e's entry: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT1V-TZN Can't see other children other than Jane's entry nor a marriage (but there may well have been both!).

Monica

[MonicaL]

A further 1841 census entry to keep in mind:

Robert Houghan 70
Mary Houghan 65
Jane Houghan 20
Jane Crane 7

Address: Hawgell, Annan

The 1841 census is the most limited in terms of info. No relationships are normally included within the household and everyone aged 15 and over was supposed to show with their age rounded down to the nearest 5 years.

Monica

[saltwater]

Amazing, after all the searching I have done to find another relative of Robert Edgar, he was my G.Grandfather, he died in the Liverpool area on 6th. Dec. 1916 after many years travelling between Cuba and the U.K. which can be tracked via the Ellis island website, given that the Cuban, Spanish war of independance was taking place around 1898 - 1902 probably explains why the two younger children were returned to the U.K. I cannot as yet find any reference to the death of Margaret edgar (nee McKean) but it appears to have occurred around 1898- 1903