Sylvester Craighead 1849-

[themonkeymonkey]

Sylvester Craighead listed in 1851 Census at Kirkhill, Old Deer, born Old Deer 1849.  His father Sylvester Craighead (1822-1884), mother Jane (Johnston) (1826-1894), sister Barbara (1847-1930) and brother William (possible twin) (1849-1931).  Sylvester has died before 1855 as parents go on to name another child Sylvester (1855-1907).   Birth certificates seem scarce for the Craighead family around that time and no death certificate on scotlandspeople.  Can anyone help please?  Thanks.

[ruthhelen]

You won't find a birth or death certificate if he was born and died before 1855.

The family seemed to move about a bit, but I can't see any baptism entries for any of the Craighead children prior to 1855. The only MI I can find for the family is in Cruden:

Erected by JOHN CRAIGHEAD in memory of his brother ALEXANDER CRAIGHEAD d.12 Dec.1875 aged 14, his father SYLVESTER CRAIGHEAD d.19 Sept.1884 aged 63. His mother JANE CRAIGHEAD d.23 Mar.1894 aged 68. Above JOHN CRAIGHEAD d.31 Mar.1902 aged 48.

Ruth

[Forfarian]

Sylvester has died before 1855 as parents go on to name another child Sylvester (1855-1907).   Birth certificates seem scarce for the Craighead family around that time

Birth certificates around that time are not scarce; they are non-existent, because there was no such thing in Scotland before the start of statutory civil registration in 1855. (I assume that you have looked at the 1855 birth certificate of the second Sylvester?)

A lack of baptism records is almost certainly because any record of the baptism, if one ever existed, has not survived. If you have checked the Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic and other churches' records on SP, then the only possibility of finding a baptism is if there is a register lurking somewhere in an Episcopal diocesan or a local archive, or if there is a register of a breakaway denomination that for some reason has not been digitised. The probability of either of these is very small, and the difficulty of finding them if they do exist is large.

There was no requirement to keep a record of deaths, and finding any record of a death before 1855 is almost a bonus rather than routine. If you can access the Old Deer kirk session minutes, it is possible that there might be a record of a payment for the use of a mortcloth for the funeral of the first Sylvester. You could also take a look at the Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society's index of monumental inscriptions, just in case there is a stone to the parents that mentions the deaths of their young children.

[themonkeymonkey]

Thank you both, yes I have a copy of birth certificate for Sylvester born 1855, its very faint but just about readable.   I had hoped that Sylvester would have been buried with other relatives in Cruden but there does not so far as I can find seem to be any sign of him.  That is the right family Ruthhelen, please can you tell me where you found it?   Forfarian do I need to join Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society's  before I can look?  Thanks.

[Forfarian]

If you are having difficulty reading a certificate, report it to SP via the link from it on the SP web site, and they will re-scan it.

You don't need to join ANESHS to look at the online MI index, but you would need to buy the booklet to get the full inscription if there is one.

[themonkeymonkey]

Thank you Forfarian I have reported it.  Looking at the website now .

[ruthhelen]

That is the right family Ruthhelen, please can you tell me where you found it?

It's in the unpublished list of MIs held by ANESFHS - I'm a member. Most of these are either draft, unverified or incomplete transcriptions.

Ruth

[themonkeymonkey]

Thanks Ruthhelen .

[flst]

Generally speaking agricultural labourers would not have been able to afford a headstone. The child most likely was buried in an unmarked grave. Sometimes the deceased may be mentioned on a relative's headstone, at a later date, even if they are not actually buried in the same lair. I am a life member of the A.N.E.S.F.H.S. The databank of unpublished M.I.'s are for the use of members only.
regards,
flst