I wonder whether I'm making some headway with trying to trace the birth of Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson. However if I'm on the right line, it's throwing up more queries!
I've found an Elspeth Henderson born in 1856 in Ruthwell, showing on SP - so right place and right time frame
Her birth record shows an illegitimate birth on 2 Feb 1856 with the parents being named as Jessie Henderson and James Campbell (Ag Lab) - looks like in Clarencefield.
I understand that Jessie can be a pet name for Jane, Janet and Jean - so a possible connection to Jeanie (Jeanie Davidson m.s. Henderson, given as parent's name on Elizabeth Walker's death certificate)
Elspeth is shown on the 1861 census (age 5) in Cummertrees with her mother Jessy and presumed half sister Janet Little (age 3). There is an entry on Family search for the birth of Janet Christina Henderson with mother Jessie Henderson in Cummertrees on 15 Oct 1857 - so presumably this is Janet Little.
On the 1871 census there is an Elizabeth Campbell (age 15) as a servant in the Johnston household at a farm house in Brydekirk.
I can't find Elspeth/Elizabeth Henderson/Campbell after 1871, and this would fit with her now being Elizabeth Walker on the 1881 census.
The mother of Elspeth/Elizabeth, Jessie Henderson appears on the 1881 census in Murray Street, Annan with her daughter Janet Henderson, son John Henderson, and grandchildren from Janet of Jessie and John J.
There is a similar entry in 1891 (Rose Street, Annan) with the addition of James and William (presumed further grandchildren)
In 1901 (Rose Street again) the daughter Janet is recorded as being the head of the household (although she is entered as Jane on the transcription). There is the addition of an Agnes aged 5 - unknown as to whether a daughter of Janet or the younger Jessie.
I understand Murray Street and Rose Street are both adjacent to Butts Street where Elizabeth Walker and her family resided.
There is a record on SP for the death of an illegitimate Jessie Henderson in 1907 (age 72). Strangely it appears to show her father as a James Davidson! Ironic as Elizabeth Walker's death record shows her parents as Andrew Davidson and Jeanie Davidson m.s. Henderson (working assumption Jessie Henderson)
My difficulty currently is trying to link Jessie/Jeanie Henderson to Andrew Davidson, to validate all of the above.
I've found an Andrew Davidson in Annan born about 1822, but he was married to a Mary Davidson going back to at least 1861, and he pre-deceased his wife. Their son also Andrew was born about 1859 in Annan and was married in 1883 to a Margaret Rule.
So neither of these Andrew Davidson's help the mystery of the parents names given by Elizabeth Walker's son on her death record.
I was wondering whether anyone had any further thoughts on other sources I could investigate, or whether I should ignore the Davidson name and accept the other evidence as validating my great great grandmother as being Elspeth/Elizabeth Henderson/Campbell ?
Regards
Steve