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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Banffshire => Topic started by: littleliz02 on Monday 21 September 15 10:21 BST (UK)
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I wonder if someone would be able to help me with the a dead end I have come to in my tree.
Alexander McWilliam was an illegitimate child to Elspet 'Elsie' McWilliam and was born in Keith, Banff in 1868.
Alexander lived with his grandmother Elizabeth McWilliam b 1822 Cairnie, Aberdeen and Mother Elspet 'Elsie' McWilliam b Bonharm 1848 until 1881, from here I am unable to locate him, they lived in Maggieknockater, his mum Elspet 'Elsie' McWilliam is a former Domestic Servant and his grandfather Alexander McWilliam is deceased (1840).
On the census for 1871 and 18871 Alexander McWilliam is known as Alexander Grant, therefore, I am assuming his father was named Grant, and he was known by his mother's surname. I have a copy of the birth and he is listed as illegitimate.
On the 1891 census his mother and grandmother are still living in Maggieknockater and is appears his mother did not marry.
It may be that Alexander moved to Durham and changed his name to Alexander Williams, I have been trying to locate my Alexander Williams b 1868 in Banff for a couple of years now and this is the closest that I have ever getting to locating him. Therefore, I need to rule out Alexander MCWilliam (Grant) if this is not my relative, or even better find out if this is my gr grandfather who I have been searching for.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated, I just need either rule him in or out.
Maybe someone would know if the Grant family from around the Maggieknockater area employed servants? or maybe I can find out where Elspet was working as a Domestic Service around 1867-68 then I could see if she lived with or near a the Grant Family, at the time of her pregnancy with Alexander.
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Hi
I note that there are a number of births for Alexander McWilliam coming up on familysearch in Banffshire in the period you are looking at. Illegitimate births were much higher in rural Banffshire than the rest of the country at this time and it was not unusual for the child to take the father's surname. If you have not done so might it be worth obtaining the actual birth cert from Scotlands People. Another site worth exploring is libindx, which is Moray based but does also have useful information for Banffshire.
I also note that there is an Alexander McWilliams b Scotland 1868 living in Hebburn and Jarrow, a joiner and in 1901 an Alexander Williams b Banff in 1872 in South Shields with a wife Elizabeth and son Alexander. If this is your man might it be worth locating their marriage?
William
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Previous posts -
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=624688.9
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,623889.0.html
ev
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Hi William, thank you for your help, I will take a look at the websites you mention.
I have explored both the leads you suggest in the past and Alexander William with wife Elizabeth has come to a dead end as I am unable to locate neither a birth for the son Alexander or a wedding for them, I have posted previously, thank you Monica for the links - I forgot about this as it was some time ago.
The other Alexander living in Hebburn I explored but it appears that he returned to the Banff area with his family. I definitely know my Alexander married Catherine Rafferty in 1913 in Northumberland.
Oh how frustrating this is :)
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1891. Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
Alex Grant 22 Teacher b Keith, Banffshire.
Boarding with McDonald family.
1901. Elgin, Moray. Clackmarras Schoolhouse.
Alexander Grant 32 Headmaster b Keith, Banffshire.
Also wife Helen 26 b Mortlach, children James McD 2 & Nellie M Grant 5months b Elgin.
Scotlandspeople has a Marriage for an Alexander Grant & Helen Munro 1898 at Mortlach, Banffshire. Might be worth viewing for parent's names.
Regards, Dod.
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Thanks Dod I will check those leads out.
:)
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I have previously posted in this section in attempt to trace my GGGF Alexander Williams. I was having trouble finding out his DOB, however, thanks to the 1939 Register I have now got his DOB as 6 June 1868.
I have my GGGF history from 1891, when he lived in South Shields, Durham and then Tynemouth Northumberland but have not been able to locate his birth. The 1891, 1901 and 1911 census list him as being born in Banff, Scotland. I was hoping that with the release of the 1939 census I would easily be able to find his birth, however I am disappointed as I still cant.
I was hoping that my Alexander Williams was Alexander McWilliams (Grant) born illegitimate to Epeth (Elsie) McWilliam in Borham, Banffshire, unfortunately though they don't have the same birth date.
I wonder if anyone has a way where I can search for births in the Banffshire area on 6/6/1868 as it may be that he was illegitimate and was not born Alexander Williams, or even help me out with my search based on the information regarding his date of birth I have.
(please accept my apologies if I have duplicated as I am not sure of the correct process),
Topics merged.
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I wonder if anyone has a way where I can search for births in the Banffshire area on 6/6/1868
There is a way, but you will need to be very determined.
Go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi Untick 'Community contributed' at the top, and enter 'Banffshire' in the birth place field. Make sure to tick the box beside it. Then put 1868 in the 'from' and 'to' fields, and search. You should get a list of 1,938 births registered in Banffshire in 1868. Then you just have to plough through them to find the date you want.
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Hi
If you have a subscription to Ancestry you can search Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 using exact DOB. This record set includes Statutory Births 1855 to 1875, and for the years 1881 and 1891.
Keep in mind that people sometimes adjusted their ages so look at other years as well.
Andy
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Big thanks to you both, I will give both methods a try and thank you for the tips.... may take a while but i am determined, thanks again :)