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Hi Monica,

Just come across this on the Maxwell site. I wonder whether it would be worth pursuing ?

Do you know what sort of detail is usually provided in this type of record ? Would the child's name be mentioned ?

Pursuer   Jean Henderson, Lockerbie
Defender   Francis McGlasson, son of and residing with John McGlasson, Innkeeper, Lockerbie
Year of Child's Birth   1856
Year Extract Isssued   1857
Sheriff Court   Dumfries
County   Dumfriesshire
NRS Reference   SC15/7/31 p. 274

Thanks Monica and Dorrie, for your assistance.

It is indeed a mystery, and the fact that she gave 5 different marriage dates when registering her children's births makes me wonder what was going on.

Would it have been possible or not unusual at this time in Scotland, for couples to be unmarried ?

I even checked a birth of an Elisabeth Brown Henderson in Ruthwell in 1963, but again her mother's name didn't match - aside from the fact that if it was the right person, she'd have only been 14 when her first child was born!

It's very difficult when the only known details are a mother's name of Jeannie Henderson (I assume this could also be Jean or Jane) and the implied birth dates from the census returns and death certificate.

If Elizabeth was born illegitimately, could there have been any paternity cases brought ? If so, do you know how I would be able to track down these records ?

My only other angle is the names of Simon Davidson and Jeannie Davidson m.s. Henderson that are given as parents on Elizabeth's death record. But I have no idea of when or where they might have married.

Steve

I forgot to add that the informant of the death of Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson was her son William John Walker who would have been about 26 at the time.

The maiden surname on the death record matches to that on the children's birth records, and I'm working on the assumption that Elizabeth's mother married at some point after she was born, with Andrew Davidson being her step father.

I'm hoping that I may be able to get some help or guidance regarding a particular brick wall concerning my great great grandmother.

She is shown in the 1881 and 1891 censuses as Elizabeth Walker, the wife of William Walker a fisherman, in Butts Street, Annan. In 1881 she is stated to be 24 and born in Ruthwell. In 1891 she is stated to be 35 and born in Annan.

In the 1901 census she is shown, along with her family, at Johnstone's Place, Scott Street, Annan, where she is said to be 44 and born in Ruthwell.

I have traced the birth records of the various children shown in the census records, and their mother's maiden surname is said to be Henderson.

Death records show that Elizabeth Walker died on 22nd January 1916, aged 61, at 12 Queensbury Street, Annan. Her parents were given as Andrew Davidson and Jeanie Davidson M.S. Henderson (both deceased). Presumably Andrew Davidson was a step father and Elizabeth was born illegitimately ?

The implied birth year from the census returns and death record is between 1855 and 1857.

However I'm unable to trace a birth in Ruthwell or Annan around this time for an Elizabeth Henderson.

Neither can I find a marriage record for William Walker and Elizabeth Henderson which matches to the known facts. The only one I can find is in 1879 in Kinning Park, Lanarkshire, where William Walker is 37, Elizabeth Henderson is 33, and their parent details don't match to what I know on either side.

The marriage of Andrew Davidson and Jeanie Henderson is also a mystery.

If anyone has any thoughts or guidance to help me with this branch of my family, I'd be very grateful.