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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Moray (Elginshire) => Topic started by: boltz1972 on Sunday 13 November 16 17:03 GMT (UK)
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Looking for records for Jessie McLauchlan, my great-grandmother.
In the 1901 Scotland census, she had married Alexander McGruer and stated her birth place as Grantown (now Grantown-on-Spey) in 1870.
Her marriage record to Alexander on 18 January 1898 has her age as 28 with parents John McLauchlan (deceased, profession slater/journeyman) and Jessie McLauchlan (deceased, maiden name Leslie)
I cannot find any records for John and Jessie's marriage or anything else for them on BMD records. There is a marriage record for John McLauchlan and Jessie Greig in 1859, but can't be sure these are the same parents for my Jessie.
Any idea? I've gone through Scotlands People and Ancestry until I've gone cross-eyed!
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Did Jessie die in Scotland? It can be a good double check on names of parents in searches like this.
Monica :)
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Possible entry for Jessie in 1891 before her marriage:
Jessie McLachlan, 22, domestic servant b. Grantown, Inverness-Shire
She is working at the Rankine household, 'Mary Villa' Banff.
Monica
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There's a death record on Scotlands People for Jessie McGruer on 1 January 1954 that states her age as 81 (so born 1872, not 1870 on the 1901 census?) with same parents and husband. Informant was grand-daughter Elizabeth Joyce Morrison (Morrison? can't read the writing clearly). Record attached.
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Hi Monica, yes - I had seen this, the name matches and the estimated dates of birth are within a couple of years. Still can't see the birth record or her parents.
Possible entry for Jessie in 1891 before her marriage:
Jessie McLachlan, 22, domestic servant b. Grantown, Inverness-Shire
She is working at the Rankine household, 'Mary Villa' Banff.
Monica
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Ages vary in records (except for birth certs!) so good to look a couple of years either side.
Can't easily see anything for Jessie around the 1870/80s so far. Jessie is a common variant of Janet and interchangeable (see www.whatsinaname.net/female-names/Jessie.html) so always worth double checking entries on either name.
There is a John McLachlan, slater born in Kirkmichael, Banff around 1842. He shows in census for 1871 as a boarder in Cromdale and Advie, Moray and 1881 he is in Forfar with a 2 year old Johan Meldrum aged 2 showing as his daughter. Good to check originals always...
It may be that Jessie's parents were not married and names became confused over the years?
Monica
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It may be that Jessie's parents were not married ....
One possible birth entry here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYGB-Z6X
Monica
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That's a possibility, thanks!
It may be that Jessie's parents were not married ....
One possible birth entry here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYGB-Z6X
Monica
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:-\ Just been checking deaths for mum Jessie and there is a death in 1870 Grange for a 2 yr old Jessie Ann Leslie...think that likely connects to that birth in 1869.
Monica
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Grange is a long way from Grantown in 19th century terms and in a different county (Banffshire).
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The birth record I attached shows place of birth as Hillhead, and that was the poor house of the parish.
:-\ Just been checking deaths for mum Jessie and there is a death in 1870 Grange for a 2 yr old Jessie Ann Leslie...think that likely connects to that birth in 1869.
Monica
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If only there was an easy way to find out information for Jessie between the 1911 Scotland census living with Alexander and five living children and her death on New Year's Day 1954. Hopefully, someone reading here will have the missing pieces.
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Hard search for Jessie. Not surprised you are banging your head a bit/lot on her searches...
Assuming we have her correctly in that 1891 census entry mentioned earlier, this could fit for her in 1881:
Jessie McLauchlan, 14, domestic servant born Cromdale, Elginshire
She is working at the McGregor household in Wester Cotterton, Cromdale, Moray.
Monica
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Looks promising - but suggests DoB in 1866/7 not 1870.
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Possible 1881 census - age 14 - born c. 1866/67
Possible 1891 census - age 22 - born c. 1868/69
Marriage 1898 - age 28 - born c. 1869/70
1901 census - age 30 - born c. 1870/71
1911 census - age 42 - born c. 1868/69
Death in 1954 - age 81 - born c. 1873
Not too bad really!
She doesn't seem to have used either of her reputed parents names (John and Jessie) for her children that I can see.
Husband Alexander also illegitimate? McGruer and Robertson surnames?
Monica
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Husband Alexander also illegitimate? McGruer and Robertson surnames?
Monica
Only found this out recently:
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She doesn't seem to have used either of her reputed parents names (John and Jessie) for her children that I can see.
They did have a daughter Jessie though didn't they. From 1911:
Maggie 16
Alex 12
Robert 7
Jessie 2
Elizabeth M under 12 months
A daughter Mary J showing in 1901 aged 7 months, may have died young or away from home for 1911.
Monica
Added: A death showing for a Mary Jane in Portsoy in 1910, aged 9. Also, a death in 1907 in Portsoy for an Edith McGruer (born in Portsoy 1906).
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Hi Monica,
Yes, these are the children of Jessie McLauchlan (nee Leslie) and Alexander McGruer (formerly Robertson). Robert aged 7 there is my grandfather.
I'd like to do some more research into Jessie, try to find the exact birth record and her mother Jessie Leslie, and more research on John McLauchlan, the slater.
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Not sure this John, the slater, is right as Jessie's 1898 marriage record states her father as deceased, and the same John is shown on the 1901 census, a slater born in 1842 in Banffshire.
Ages vary in records (except for birth certs!) so good to look a couple of years either side.
Can't easily see anything for Jessie around the 1870/80s so far. Jessie is a common variant of Janet and interchangeable (see www.whatsinaname.net/female-names/Jessie.html) so always worth double checking entries on either name.
There is a John McLachlan, slater born in Kirkmichael, Banff around 1842. He shows in census for 1871 as a boarder in Cromdale and Advie, Moray and 1881 he is in Forfar with a 2 year old Johan Meldrum aged 2 showing as his daughter. Good to check originals always...
It may be that Jessie's parents were not married and names became confused over the years?
Monica
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Not sure this John, the slater, is right as Jessie's 1898 marriage record states her father as deceased, and the same John is shown on the 1901 census, a slater born in 1842 in Banffshire.
It wouldn't be the first time I've seen someone described as deceased on the marriage certificate of an illegitimate child, when the person concerned was still alive and kicking.
Sometimes the person who brought the child up might tell the child that the missing parent is dead, or maybe the child just decided to lie to save awkward questions.