Hi everyone,
Been researching a new branch lately. Need some assistance on where to go with one, the names are bothering me. Here's what I have so far;
My 3x great-grandmother is a
Marian Gordon. Alternative spellings for her name are; Mary Ann, Marion, Mary and others. She was born abt 1815, St Cyrus and died aged 87, 1901 in Johnshaven. She married an
Alexander McArthur (1812 - 1891) in 1838, Benholm.
On her death cert her parents are named as;
Charles Gordon a Quarrier and
Ann Jeffray. On searching for a marriage record for a Charles Gordon and Ann Jeffray I only find one similar marriage on SP;
GORDON
CHARLES
MARGARET JAFFRAY/23/11/1811
253/
20 346
Benholm
There is another entry for the same marriage for St Cyrus. I have looked at the OPR image and it states that Charles of was of St Cyrus and Margaret of Benholm.
So my question is.. is 'Ann' named on Marian's death cert really 'Margaret' as shown above? I wonder if 'Margaret' was perhaps a 'Maggie Ann/Margaret Ann'. I've had other branches where the Margaret and Ann were interchangeable as first and middle names. I'm just looking for some validation in case I've missed something.
Alexander McArthur and Marian have 11 children that I've been able to find, they are;
Colin 1838
John 1839?
Charles 1840
David 1842
Mary 1845
Margaret 1847
Jemima Davidson 1848 (my 2x great-grandmother, she marries a Jonathan Beattie)
Alexandrina Bain 1852
Elizabeth McLaren 1854
Alexander 1857
William Duncan 1858
All born Benholm. There appears to be some sort of naming pattern as Alexander Snr's father was Colin McArthur. Alexander Snr was born; Musselburgh, Midlothian.
1841 census there is; (FreeCen)
A '45' year old Ann Jaffray, a Fish Carrier living in Johnshaven, Benholm. She is living with a 2 year old Callum McArthur. Could 'Callum' be Colin b.1838? Alexander and Marian's first child? and is Ann his grandmother?
In another household in
1841 there is the following;
A '20' year old Marion McArthur living with a 1 year old Charles McArthur and a Margaret Gordon who is a female servant aged 17. I do not know where this Margaret Gordon fits in yet but possibly Marion's sister? I feel that Marion's age here is incorrect for whatever reason. I know they were rounded, but 20 seems way out.
Given that my Marion married Alexander in 1838 she would've had the McArthur surname by 1841.
I have no idea where husband Alexander is in 1841.
Here they are in
1851;
(FreeCen)
Fore Street, Johnshaven. Alexander, 39, is a salmon fisher, wife is 'Marin', 33. They are with the children; Collin, Charles, Marin, Margaret and Jemima.
1861 Alexander is here, a salmon fisher, still at Fore Street with 'Marey' and David, Margaret, Alexander and William.
In 1871 the family are still at Fore Street, Johnshaven. However Alexander is missing from this census again.
Marion is down as 'Mary' here.
I'm trying to pin down Marion/Marin/Mary Ann's et al birth. According to the 1851 census she was born in St Cyrus.
There is a couple having children in St Cyrus around this time. Charles Gordon and Margaret Jaffray/Jeffrey. There appears to be 9 children born between 1812 and 1829.
Is this my Marian? GORDON
MARIAN
CHARLES GORDON/MARGARET JAFFRAY
F
03/12/1815
267/
10 203
St Cyrus
The dates are very slightly out but I've learned not to trust the ages in census too much, but something just isn't sitting right with me with this. Specifically the Margaret and Ann discrepancy. If anyone could help pin this down I'd be really grateful.
Many thanks,
Liviani.