Elusive Death Record

[Angus2k18]

I've been trying to find the death record of my ggg grandfather Alexander Louden. I know he was born in Dunbog, Fife around the beginning of 1800s. I know he married Jane  Isdale in 1828 in Perth and going by census returns and birth records thereafter he stayed in Perth. They had 6 children. The last I can find him is 1871 in a census return. In 1879 his wife Jane died and on her death record it stated she was a widow.

I can only find 2 or 3 likely entries for death in ScotlandsPeople, I've checked them all and none match apart from one - however - everything fits except his wife's name is listed as Isabella Isdale, not Jane. He does however have a daughter called Isabella. The informant is listed as his son in law John King. My Alexander has a son in law named John King, married to another daughter Jane.

It lists Alexanders address as  17 Watergate. In the 1881 census, 4 years later, my John & Jane King are listed as living at 9 Watergate.

There are no other marriages I can find anywhere of an Alexander Louden marrying anyone called Isdale, except mine. Neither can I see any marriages between a John King and a Louden.

How possible is it that the wifes name could be wrongly listed and this is in fact my Alexander Louden? I've searched high and low for years and this is the only death record I can come up with.

I'd love it to be correct as it lists his parents, taking me back another generation but I'm wary of taking that leap without absolute proof. I've struggled with this for about ten years and I just can't figure out how to get past it. Any thoughts?

[Josephine]

Angus2k18,

I think you've probably found the correct death record, despite the apparent error re. his wife's given name.

Her name might have been Isabella Jane or Jane Isabella. She might have been named one thing but called the other. Or the informant was mistaken.

The trick now would be to try to find other documentation to corroborate it, e.g. an obit or a cemetery record.

Where and when did this particular Alexander Louden die?

Good luck in your search!

Regards,
Josephine

[Josephine]

This won't help re. Alexander's death but it shows a spelling variant for his surname.

The Dundee Evening Telegraph
Thurs., May 29, 1879

"PERTH. ACCIDENT ON THE STREET -- On Wednesday Jane Isdale or Lowden, widow (78), residing in High Street, while walking near her own house fell on the street and sustained a severe wound on the forehead, from which blood flowed profusely. She was seen by Dr Nairne, who considered her injuries to be of so serious a nature that he ordered her removal to the Infirmary, to which she was at once taken."

[Angus2k18]

Thanks Josephine.

I have a sub to the British Newspaper Archive but I seem unable to find an obit for him. This Alexander died March 1877. I've found the spellings of Louden have varied massively all along my research, even ticking all the different spelling boxes in Scotlands People has failed to come up with the goods at times and I've had to rack my brains to come up with alternatives. Furthest out I've found is Lothian, which several records have the family listed under!

I've emailed P&K Council burials to see if I can get help finding the grave of this Alexander. Maybe an inscription will help determine if it's my Alexander.

I suppose it's possible Jane was known within the family as Isabella, especially since she named a daughter by that name. Or just that John King was mistaken. It does seem very likely that this is indeed the correct record. Thanks again for your help.

[Josephine]

You're welcome, Angus2k18.

I couldn't find an obit for him on the British Newspaper Archive, either, but that might be because they don't have newspapers for the area in which he died.

Perhaps it might be a good idea to contact the libraries and/or local genealogy group(s) in the area where that Alexander died in 1877, just in case they have an indexed list of BMDs or obits.

If none of those pan out, another option would be to start tracing the parents and siblings of that particular Alexander. Perhaps Alexander and his wife might have been witnesses to a relative's marriage or baptism, or perhaps he, his wife or children were named in a relative's will. That's a harder slog but sometimes, when all else fails, it can pay off.

Re. Jane/Isabella: I don't know if the following is relevant but I'm sharing it as an example of confusion over names in records.

My great-grandmother was named Isabella Grace. That's what she was called on her birth, marriage and death records. She was called Isabella Grace in the 1901, 1911 and 1921 censuses, all taken after she married my great-grandfather (the latter after they emigrated to Canada). But she seemed to be missing from the earlier census records and I couldn't figure out why.

I knew who Isabella's parents and siblings were, and they were all listed together in 1871, 1881 and 1891 but, instead of Isabella, there was a child of the right age named Jane. It was only with the help of Rootschatters that I was able to determine that it was the right family and that, for some unknown reason, Isabella was called Jane by her family, at least where the census was concerned. (I ruled Jane out as another child or a twin for Isabella.)

Good luck in your search!

Regards,
Josephine

[Angus2k18]

Thanks for your help Josephine.

I'm going to try and find the burial of this Alexander to see if I can get conclusive proof he's mine.

I think he has to be so I've already started tracking down his siblings to see if I can get proof that way. If all else fails I'll already have all the details of this Alexander who will in all probability fit into my tree somewhere back along the line lol.

Thanks again for your help.

[Josephine]

 

Please let us know if you are able to sort it out, Angus2K18. It's always nice to hear about a successful outcome.

Regards,
Josephine

[Angus2k18]

Will do Josephine. Thank you!