Nothing matches up!!

[themonkeymonkey]

I found the death notice of James Smith died 1892 but it has thrown up some problems.  His marriage notice in 1855 says he is 33 (so he would have been born around 1822) and his parents are William Smith (crofter) and Ann Craig and that he was born and registered in Longside.  His death notice gives his age in 1892 as 82 (which means he was born in 1812) and gives his parents names as William Smith (crofter) and Mary Craig.  The only James Smith that I have found born in Longside to a William Smith is in 1815.  Nothing matches up!  Any suggestions?  I cannot seem to find William Smith in any census for Longside so am unable to find any birth/death notices for him.  Thanks.

[Forfarian]

When you say 'death notice' and 'marriage notice', do you mean 'death certificate' and marriage certificate'? If not, the first step is to get the certificates.

Generally, the information on a marriage certificate ought to be more reliable than that on a death certificate, because it's first-hand, whereas an informant on a death certificate may be giving second-hand information. Incorrect (or missing) mothers' names on death certificates of people who die at a ripe old age are not unheard of.

Have you found James Smith in any censuses? How old do the censuses say he was?

[Dundee]

His marriage notice in 1855 says ..........that he was born and registered in Longside.

As far as I am aware marriage certificates do not tell you where someone was born and registered.

Who did he marry and who were the witnesses?

Debra 

[Dundee]

The only James SMITH I can see living in Longside prior to the 1892 death says he was born at Peterhead around 1812.  He married Margaret REID in 1845 at Peterhead and a son William was baptised in 1847 at Longside.  Margaret's father William is living with them from 1851 onwards.

Debra 

[Forfarian]

As far as I am aware marriage certificates do not tell you where someone was born and registered.

They do in 1855 only.

[Dundee]

I forgot about the magic 1855 year 

Debra 

[Forfarian]

There are two James Smiths born in Longside in Aberdeenshire in the 1851 census. One says he is 24, which if accurate means he was born in 1826/1827. The other says he was 35, which if accurate means he was born in 1815/1816.

The 1841 census doesn't really help because there are two James Smiths aged 20 living (but not necessarily born) in Longside, both farm workers living at their place of work.

However the older one in 1851 is described as 'nephew' of Jean Craig, unmarried, 73, annuitant, born Longside, living in West Street, Mintlaw. 

Jean, if her age in 1851 is accurate, would have been born in 1777/1778. Unfortunately in 1841 she is living alone in Mintlaw, so that gets us nowhere.

She is the only Jean Craig of that sort of age in Aberdeenshire in either 1841 or 1851. There is no death of a Jean Craig of suitable age in Aberdeenshire after 1855 (there is a Jane Craig, 78, in 1857, but she has another surname, Doig, so is a married woman, unlike your James' Aunt Jean), so it looks as if Aunt Jean died before 1855, and I don't see a matching baptism. So again we're no further on, except that we know James had an Aunt Jean.

I don't see your James in 1861. There is a James Smith, aged 50, born Peterhead, living in Longside with wife Margaret Reid, Margaret's father and his son William, 13. He looks too old, and his birthplace is wrong. Fortunately he can be eliminated because this couple were married in Peterhead in 1845 and their son William was born in Longside in 1847 and is with both of his parents and his grandfather in the 1851 census and the 1871 census.

Whom did your James Smith marry in 1855, and where did he live afterwards?


 

[Dundee]

I think I have worked out what my problem is 

In 1891 James born Peterhead aged 79 is with Margaret aged 59 born Tarves.  James' age is either mistranscribed or wrongly recorded and should be 69.  This couple is NOT the James SMITH and Margaret REID mentioned above.

In 1881 James is aged 59 and born Longside.  He doesn't appear on the transcriptions with Margaret in 1871 or 1861.

Debra 

[themonkeymonkey]

Yes sorry I mean marriage and death certificates.  James married Margaret Smith in Tarves 24 November 1855, the witnesses were James Smith and Alexander Smith.  I have James in the 1881 census when he is 59 living at Mintlaw, Longside and in the 1891 census when he is 79 living at 11 Road B, Longside.  I do not have him before that.  Thanks for all of your help.