Nothing matches up!!

[Forfarian]

Hmmm.

According to the IGI they had Ann 1857; Margaret 1859; Elizabeth 1861, Mary 1863, James Alexander 1865, Jean 1868 and Helen 1872, all born in Longside.

Looking at the index to the 1871 census, there is a Smith household (ED4, page 7) consisting of Margaret, 40; Margaret, 12; Elizabeth, 9; Mary, 7; James, 5; and Jane, 2. So I took a look at the original, and it is indeed Margaret born in Tarves with five children born in Longside. No sign of James so he must have been working away from home. Margaret is described as 'Head' and her occupation is '2 acres land and property'.

In the 1861 index is a household consisting of Margaret, 30; Ann, 4; and Margaret, 2. Again no sign of James. Elizabeth was born a month later, in Longside.

So in 1861 and 1871 you are, unfortunately, looking for a James living away from home in a household that may, but probably doesn't, contain another Smith. What was James' occupation, BTW?

There is a James Smith, 48, married, farm servant, born Longside, in the household of Robert McRobert at Babring, New Deer in 1871. If that age is accurate, it gives a birth year of 1822/1823. Haven't found him in 1861, however.

So we have him in
1851 possibly either a carpenter aged 24 or (more likely?) a farm servant aged 35 -> DoB 1826/1827 or 1815/1816
1855 aged 33 -> DoB 1821/1822
1871 probably a farm servant aged 48 -> DoB 1822/1823
1881 aged 59 -> DoB 1821/1822
1891 aged 79 -> DoB in 1811/1812
Has anyone seen the original of the 1891 to check whether the 79 could be a transcription error?

[themonkeymonkey]

In 1855 when he was being married James lived in Ellon as a farm tenant.  In the 1881 census he is a Feuar & General Labourer.  In 1891 he is a Retired Agricul Labourer.  On his death at 1892 he is listed as a Feuar.
It definitely says aged 79 in the 1891 Census.
I'm confused about who his parents are but if I go off the marriage certificate then it is Ann Craig and William Smith but still can't find his birth, nor can I find a marriage of Ann and William.

[Forfarian]

I think on balance I'd go with Ann. He is more likely to get his mother's name right than whoever registered his death nearly 4 decades earlier. Also he named his first daughter Ann but only the fourth one Mary.

Were his parents noted as deceased on his marriage certificate?

[themonkeymonkey]

No note about them being deceased on his marriage certificate.   So far I have only found a marriage for William and Elizabeth Craig but will keep digging, thanks for your help.

[themonkeymonkey]

still cannot find a William Smith and Ann Craig, even tried Mary Craig and still nothing.  Seems strange there seems to be no census for William, I did think if his son was born in Longside that would be where his croft is but cant find anything.