Hello,
This is my first post so please bear with me as this might be long and confusing.
I’m learning fast, but I’m still new to researching Scottish genealogy, so I’d love insight into this problem I’m having. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post any of the records from ScotlandsPeople, but I can if it's allowed/helpful.
My 3x great grandfather John Sneddon died in 1857 (age 34) and his death record says his parents were John Sneddon (deceased) and Margaret Archibald. The 1851 census says he was born in Alloa around 1823 and living in Carnock. I found a birth/baptism March 2, 1822 in Clackmannan for a John Snadon born to John Snadon (in Kennet) and Marjary Archibald, which could be him. I also found a birth/baptism for a Walter Snadon on January 9, 1820 in Clackmannan born to John Snadon (in Sauchie) and Mary Archibald. Walter's death record in 1885 gives his parents as John and Marion. I also found a marriage of John Snadan and Mary Archibald in Alloa in 1817.
So you can see I've got the names Margaret, Marjary, Mary, and Marion. Because of the name discrepancies, I wasn't sure if John and Walter were brothers, but I found an 1841 census in Dollar with a Walter and John Snadden (both age 20) living with James and Mary Paterson and their 6 children. Their eldest daughter is 15 (so anywhere from 15-19, making her younger than John). Mary was born around 1799.
I found James and Mary in 1851 in Carnock with most of the same children, and I found James Paterson and "Margory" Archibald in the 1861 census at the same address in Carnock.
I couldn't find her marriage to James Paterson and her death record in 1882 (under May!) makes no mention of a previous husband. The births I found were for Peter (1830 Alloa) to James Paterson and Marion Archibald, and Marjory (1836 Dollar) and Elizabeth (1839 Dollar) to James Paterson and Marjory Archibald. These children are all in the 1841 census, but Marjory is listed as Mary. In 1851 there is now a May, whose age would match Betty’s, and Mary/Marjory and Betty are not listed. So I don’t know if Mary died and they renamed Betty or what happened there. In 1861 they have a lodger Thomas Allan living with them (May/Mary/Betty is not listed) and in 1861 Marion Paterson (domestic servant, age 23m daughter of James P and Marion Archibald) marries this Thomas Allan. I haven’t found Mary Archibald in the 1871 census yet, but in 1881 she is listed as Marion.
Now I’m 99% sure that I’ve followed the right family through the censuses, so it seems like “Mary” Archibald-Paterson went by Mary, Marjory, Marion, and May. So the big question is, based on the Sneddons living with James and Mary in 1841 and all the name changes she went through, what is the likelihood that Mary is John and/or Walter’s mother? I’m not sure where else to look to make a connection between her and John.
Thanks!
Angela
