Like many families, I suspect, there is an oral tradition of a “Scottish” ancestor. In my family this rather elusive person seems to be linked with one of the Sarahs, who married into the family. My grandmother, a somewhat romantic person, with a tendency to 'embroider' facts, also said that this ancester had 'come south in connection with some legal case'.
Sarah Carter was the granddaughter of Ewen Carter and Elizabeth Pavey, who were said to have been married at St. Botolph, Aldgate in London on the 18th September 1771. This information from Family Search also suggests that Ewen was born in 1748 and that both he and Elizabeth were living in Epsom, Surrey at the time that they were married. At this point, I have hit the proverbial 'Brick Wall'! Although the surname Carter appears in many parts of England, Scotland etc., the Christian name Ewen appears to have been very much less common at that time; appearing mostly in Scotland and the Isle of Man (Info. again from Family Search). So far, I have only found Cottar & Cottier as the only surnames linked with Ewen that sound remotely like Carter and which could have been recorded as such by the parson or his clerk as he 'heard' it.
If my rather way out guess is any sort of runner, then the next problem is – which Ewen was it? So far, I have found four possible candidates but have not yet tried to follow up possible deaths or marriages.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions.