James Riddoch, b. Alvah 1849

[Bosconermal]

My 2nd great-grandfather had two illegitimate sons with two different mothers before heading to the U.S., marrying and raising a family of legitimate children. My great-grandfather was the second of the two, but I have had little success getting a trace of the first: James Riddoch. Here's his parish baptismal record

James Natural son of Alexander Riddoch Farmer's son Deuchries, and of Elspet Grant was baptized 7 Aug 1849. -- Witnesses George Simm and John Watson

He shows up with his mother in the 1851 census in the parish of Banff where his name is given as James Ruddoch. His mother's is given as Eliza Grant and she is a domestic servant to James Mitchell and his daughter Christian Kinnaird in Shirra Sheets (aka Sherriffseat or Sherriffsheets). After that, not a trace.

Anybody have any ideas?

[DonM]

Start with deaths from Scotland's People

Plug in his name, year of birth (+/- 5 years) and see what the results this yields then you will have to start looking at each to see who the parents were. 

If he is not one of these he either emigrated somewhere or he possibly died between 1851-1855 which is highly unlikely it would be recorded.

Don

[GordonFindlay]

If you are confident of the 1849 birth date, and use fuzzy matching (since the surname already has differing spellings) in a Scotland's People search, you only get two hits:

Surname: 'Riddoch', Surname Option: 'Fuzzy', Forename: 'James', Forename Option: 'Syn', Birth_year: '1849', Birth_year_range: '2'

RIDDOCH JAMES   83  1932 799/1 22 Melrose

RIDDOCK JAMES   54 1904 685/4 514 St Giles

Neither has mother's maiden name recorded unfortunately.

[GR2]

Have you discounted the 11 year old James Riddoch at Deuchries in the 1861 census. It says he was born in Marnoch and seems to be a grandson (although transcribed as "son" on FreeCEN) of  the farmer, James Riddoch.

 

[Forfarian]

Neither has mother's maiden name recorded unfortunately.

Neither has mother's name indexed (yet). Both should have mother's name recorded.

[Bosconermal]

Thank you all. I should have been more thorough.

It looks to be the second of the ones GordonFindlay identified. Father is identified as Alexander Riddock, Forester (deceased) and mother as Elspeth Riddock M.S. Grant (deceased).

The irony is that his father was in fact still alive and living in San Francisco. Died a few month later, mind you.

Thank you for your help.