Janet/Jessie Nicoll of Craig Parish.

[Liviani]

Hi everyone, looking for some help in pinning down Janet's parents, I have two different possible mothers for her.

My 4x great-grandmother is Janet Nicoll, born approx 1812, in Craig Parish near Montrose.

She married James Stott in 1836 in Craig, indexed as follows;

STOTT
JAMES
JESSE NICHOL/
17/12/1836
280/
30 174
Craig

Janet/Jessie Nicoll dies in 1907 in Rossie Island at the grand old age of 95. The informant is her son (my 3x great-grandfather) James Stott b.1843.

On this DC her parents have been informed as 'John Nicoll' (Tailor) and 'Jessie Nicoll m.s. Smith'.

I'm unsure if this is an error made by James Stott. My reason for this is that there is a birth of a Janet Nicoll indexed on SP as follows;

NICOLL
JANET
JOHN NICOLL/JEAN TINDAL
F
28/04/1812
312/
50 434
Montrose

I checked the 1841 census (FreeCen) for possible matches for a John and Jean Nicoll;

I believe I have found them, unfortunately Jean/Jane/Jessie isn't listed with her maiden name as sometimes happens in 1841.

They are living at Hillside of Hedderwick, Parish of Montrose. John Nichol, 55, Occ; Tailor and Jane Nichol, 55. Both born Angus. With John being listed as a Tailor on his daughter's DC I feel this is them.

This may not be solvable but do we think that James Stott made an error with his grandmother's name and is it actually Jean/Jane/Jessie TINDAL instead of SMITH?

Note; I have at present 9 children born to James Stott and Janet Nicoll. Unfortunately I don't have any middle names for them which may indicate any maiden names of their maternal grandmother. The children I have for this couple are as follows;


Jane          b.1837 Craig
Ann           b.1839 Craig
Elizabeth    b. abt 1841 Craig
James        b.1843 Craig
John          b.1844 Craig
George      b.1846 Craig
David        b.1849 Montrose
Robert       b.1850 Craig
Jessie        b.1856 Craig


Many thanks for any advice given.


EDIT:

Forgot to add this to my post. Interestingly James Stott's parents where a John Stott and an Ann(e) TINDAL Whether or not this is coincidence or significant I am not sure.

[dowdstree]

It is quite possible that James Stott made an error when registering his mother's death. Quite simply he may not have remembered/known his granny's maiden name and gave the first name that came into his head.

My logic would be - James was born in 1843 and his mother did not die until 1907. That is a long time to think back. Maybe he never knew his granny as she could have died before he was born or the subject of her maiden was never discussed. If he did know her he would just associate her with the name of Nicoll. Does this make sense to you?

Do you know if Janet had any siblings who lived beyond 1855? If so their death certificates could be useful in finding out what maiden name belongs to your Janet.

Dorrie

[Liviani]

It is quite possible that James Stott made an error when registering his mother's death. Quite simply he may not have remembered/known his granny's maiden name and gave the first name that came into his head.

My logic would be - James was born in 1843 and his mother did not die until 1907. That is a long time to think back. Maybe he never knew his granny as she could have died before he was born or the subject of her maiden was never discussed. If he did know her he would just associate her with the name of Nicoll. Does this make sense to you?

Do you know if Janet had any siblings who lived beyond 1855? If so their death certificates could be useful in finding out what maiden name belongs to your Janet.

Dorrie

Hi Dorrie, many thanks for responding. I'm inclined to agree with your thinking there.

I have found the tailor John Nicol on FreeCen at the same address as he was in 1841, Hillside of Hedderwick. "Tailor Master". Jean Nicol is there too, both aged 70. I believe they both died prior to 1855 unfortunately.

This time one of their children is living with them. An Ann Nicol aged 26, dressmaker.

I've tried to find a death for her, but unfortunately there are too many Ann Nicol's born 1826 +/- 5. However, I now have another name to pursue a marriage for her so will see where this takes me.

[dowdstree]

That's great.

A look at the index on Scotlands People brings up a Margaret Nicoll born 1814 with parents John Nicoll and Jean Tindal as well as Janet born 1812. No birth with the mother's surname of Smith.
Maybe worth looking at Margaret as well.

Dorrie

[Liviani]

That's great.

A look at the index on Scotlands People brings up a Margaret Nicoll born 1814 with parents John Nicoll and Jean Tindal as well as Janet born 1812. No birth with the mother's surname of Smith.
Maybe worth looking at Margaret as well.

Dorrie

Many thanks for finding Margaret. I've found a couple of most likely possibles in the death index on SP. I will report back when I have these.

[dowdstree]

Just a thought as you have the surname of Stewart listed.

SP Index has a Margaret Nicol marrying a John Stewart on 16/8/1835 Montrose. Ref 312/110 197

Any connection?

Dorrie

[Liviani]

Just a thought as you have the surname of Stewart listed.

SP Index has a Margaret Nicol marrying a John Stewart on 16/8/1835 Montrose. Ref 312/110 197

Any connection?

Dorrie

I noticed this marriage as well.

I have a lot of Stewarts in my tree, through another branch to this one. I have a John Stewart b.1866 Inverkeilor marrying a Mary Stott (descended down from the James Stott mentioned earlier) b.1866 Brechin. They marry in 1886 in Montrose.

John Stewart's father was a Francis Stewart born Cortachy. These Stewarts mostly stem from Cortachy/Kirriemuir or Tannadice. Can't see an obvious connection at present. 

[Liviani]

Update;

Found that John Nicoll died in 1864 aged 83. Also found him in the 1861 census, living in Hillside, Montrose with his daughter and her husband a Robert Smith.

The DC confirmed that John Nicoll was a widower of Jean Tindal. His parents were John Nicoll and Janet Taylor (mother's m.s. is mis-transcribed on SP as Finlayson, but it's clearly Taylor).

Many thanks for your help here Dorrie.

EDIT: I suppose it's possible that this is where James Stott got the names mixed up (Smith instead of Tindal). His Aunt was married to a Smith.

[Forfarian]

(mother's m.s. is mis-transcribed on SP as Finlayson, but it's clearly Taylor)

If you inform SP using the link when viewing the document, they will correct it.