Help with a family member? I'm entirely stuck. Lanark/Wigtown

[CaroleW]

Just searched the 1851 for Wilson children born 1843-1851 Wigtown parents John & Margaret

The only one I found had eldest child 8 so fits an 1843 marriage but Margaret was b 1811 Ayrshire and records show her maiden name was Brown

[HermitCedar]

Just searched the 1851 for Wilson children born 1843-1851 Wigtown parents John & Margaret

The only one I found had eldest child 8 so fits an 1843 marriage but Margaret was b 1811 Ayrshire

I'm so sorry - I don't understand what you mean here?

[CaroleW]

What I'm saying is that there is no 1851 census entry for a John & Margaret Wilson living in Wigtown where Margaret is born 1820 Wigtown.

From the info you have given - there is nothing to support she was born 1820 Wigtown so I cannot understand how you have linked her to that birth on Family Search

Who were her children and when and where were they born?

[HermitCedar]

Apart from her name and her marriage in 1843 - you don't appear to have any other information about her that would link her to the baptism in 1820.  Are you just assuming this is the right person?

There is no census record confirming she was born in Wigtown or showing her birthyear as 1820.  Marrying there does not necessarily mean she was born there.

Unless you have other info - it would be unwise to make assumptions based on the FS record.

Who were her children and when and where were they born?

Honestly, I didn't think I did that, I usually don't, but I just tried to look back and confirm how I got there. I know I had some hint or clue, maybe I marked it as a place holder.

Anyway, I know for a fact that Margaret Muir had children with John Wilson and had James Wilson as a son. I also believe that there was a daughter named Margaret. James, though, was born March 6th, 1843 in Wigtown.

[CaroleW]

I do know that she Married John Wilson in Wigtown in 1843, though! So she at least lived until 1843.

Scotlands People have no marriage listed in 1843 and there is no marriage listed for this couple between 1830 and 1843

Family Search

There is a birth for James Wilson on 6.3.1843 baptism 20/3 parents John Wilson & Margaret Muir registered Old Luce or Glenluce parish

There is a Margaret Muir Wilson birth 5.5.1845 baptism 12/5 to same parents and same parish

[Forfarian]

If you haven't found her on a census - how do you know she was born in Wigtown 1820?

From a parish baptism record.
I had to trace her name back through locations on parish records and names... I suppose I could try doing that again to find out where she last lived to see if there's a death in the same location... that could provide the parents names.

Are you making assumptions? Unless you have some definite evidence to link your MM with this one born in Wigtownshire, it's not safe to assume that she is the right one.

As for spelling, there is no 'right' way to spell a name before about 1900. Spelling was at the whim of whoever was writing the name down.

[HermitCedar]

Scotlands People have no marriage listed in 1843 and there is no marriage listed for this couple between 1830 and 1843.[/quote]

Hello, I couldn't find the marriage record on SP either, but I found this in a google search when looking for their names.

http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/SCT-WIGTOWNSHIRE/2003-08/1061146182
Family Search

I took this as fact/a transcription that may have not made it into safe keeping and was since lost.

Also, those dates for James and Margaret, the children, are the same things that I have.

So, anyway, James Wilson, the child, is my first concrete link that I have. From there, and from finding his name along with his children's name's on censuses (remember, I am building the tree up so I know who everyone is from present day until this particular James Wilson), I discovered that his wife's name was Mary. I did some digging, and I thought I found the right marriage cert, which listed her maiden name as Bann. This makes sense/I consider this confirmed because on one of the censuses there is a live-in relative with the surname of Bann. DO keep in mind that on these censuses, and I have one for every decade for James, that they never list his birth town, they only write "Scotland" so I had to get creative to find a starting point.

Okay, so we call this fact.

Now we need to see who this James Wilson's parents are. Now, again, I know that James Wilson was married to Mary Bann, so I found their wedding cert. James's father is listed as John Wilson on that document.

So, I did a large scoped general search for James Wilsons born to John Wilsons, in relevant years, and there were only 33 results.

So, I guess technically, I need to determine who exactly this James Wilson's mother is to be entirely sure I am on the right track.

That being said, I saw a family tree premade on ancestry and he was listed as James Muir Wilson. So I added Muir to the search on Scot's People, and there was only 1 other result, James Wilson, born to John Wilson and Margaret Muir.

I had to dig through my notes to remember I arrived at this conclusion. So, yes, it is a bit of a stretch.... So you are definitely right. I need to prove Margaret Muir is the mother somehow before I can continue... I just don't know how.

If I was correct, I will be in the same situation as before with the Mclean thing, or I will have to start again.

Do you have any thoughts on how to move forward? You seem really well versed in all of this and I really value your help/input!!

[CaroleW]

Now, again, I know that James Wilson was married to Mary Bann, so I found their wedding cert. James's father is listed as John Wilson on that document.

Marriage 1868 Liverpool - not Scotland.  Father's occ was "agent"

Sorry - but your method of researching James is unsafe to say the least.

I discovered that his wife's name was Mary. I did some digging, and I thought I found the right marriage cert, which listed her maiden name as Bann.

Are you saying this was also guesswork rather than fact?

Which of James children are you descended from?  It's usual to find a birth registration for that child and confirm the mothers maiden name before looking for a parental marriage.  Particularly as Wilson is rather a common surname in England.

You have absolutely no proof that James was born in Wigtown.  There is an 1871 entry for a James & Mary Wilson - James b 1843 Scotland and living in Liverpool. He has a 14yr old brother David Wilson b Wakefield Yorkshire living with him and he also has children born before 1868 so a different marriage

GRO online search show David's mothers maiden name was Ferguson

Births March qtr 1856 
David    Wilson    Wakefield    9c   21

1881 shows the first Wilson/Bann child was Sarah b 1872 but 1871 has a James aged 2

So we have 2 James Wilson's both born Scotland 1843/44 and both married to a Mary and living in Liverpool.  Which one are you descended from?

[Gadget]

Also see this thread

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=779757.0

I'd think I'd investigate the link to the McCormacks just in case :

Hi folks,
Interestingly on the 1851 Census  at Inch, Wigtownshire -
the address Gennoch Cothouse

William McCormack      Head       59    Tailor                             born Wigtownshire, Inch
Mary McCormack         Wife         60 Engaged in domestic duties born Wigtownshire, Stoneykirk
Margaret McCormack    Dau         27  Cotton Flourer                   born    "              , Inch
Jean McCormack           Dau        15   Cotton Flourer                  born     "              . Inch
James Wilson      Nephew    7   Scholar                            born    "               , Leswalt

Could this be James Muir Wilson? Odd that it's a boy of right name & age living at that address . Wonder where his parents are ?

Looby