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Hi all. I’m hoping for some help, please. This post may be a bit long, but please bear with…

My 3x great-grandfather William McLean was born about 1843 in Rutherglen. His origins remain a mystery to me and his parents have proved elusive. In the past year I’ve discovered that he was raised by the Docherty family and used that surname in the years prior to his marriage.

He’s recorded as “William Lee” on the 1851 census, a 7-yr-old boy who “Resides” with Andrew and Margaret Dochedy, and their children Elizabeth, James and Margaret, at Main Street, Rutherglen. (I believe Andrew is a mistake and should actually say Edward)

On the 1861 census, he’s living in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, under the name “William Dougherty.” He’s described as a brother to the head of the household, another William Dougherty. This older William is married to Margaret and has five children. James Dougherty, another brother, is also living there.

An illegitimate daughter named Janet was born in March 1861 at Rutherglen to Jane McComb(s). Her name on her birth certificate was Janet Docherty, and both parents registered the birth. Baby Janet is tacked on to the very end of the 1861 census pages for Rutherglen. Her address is 38 Main Street, the home of her grandmother, Ruth McCombs.

William and Jane married on 31 December 1861 at Chapel, in the parish of Cambusnethan. He was resident of Chapel, Jane resident of Rutherglen. He is 20, she is 22. William’s parents are named as William McLean, Weaver (Deceased) and Betsy McLean. No maiden surname is given for his mother.

William and Jane’s illegitimate daughter Janet died in March 1862 at Chapel. Her surname at death was McLean.

William and Jane had 11 more children:

Sarah - b. 1862, Chapel (died aged 13mos)
Thomas - b. 1864, Chapel
James - b. 1866, Chapel
Margaret Docherty - b. 1868, Waterloo
William - b. 1870, Overtown (died aged 2yrs)
Janet - b. 1872, Larkhall (died aged 6yrs)
William - b. 1874, Larkhall
Rebecca Love - b. 1875, Larkhall (died aged 7yrs)
Jane - b. 1877, Larkhall (died aged 15mos)
Peter - b. 1879, Larkhall
George Simpson - b. 1882, Larkhall

The McLeans moved to Larkhall in around 1872, and William died there in 1887. Daniel Munro, a neighbour, registered his death. He named William’s parents as George McLean, a labourer, and Rebecca McLean, maiden surname McLean.

I’ve spent some time researching the Docherty family to see if I can find any link to William or any McLean family, to no avail. There appears to be two branches of the family descended from two brothers, Edward (the Andrew “William Lee” resided with as a child), and James, the sons of Edward Docherty and Rebecca Glen.

Edward/Andrew Docherty’s daughter Margaret married her cousin, James Docherty Love, son of John Love and Rebecca Docherty. The Loves later moved to Larkhall and lived near to William and his family.

Seeing as my William McLean named two of his daughters after Margaret Docherty and Rebecca Love, I’m certain that William Lee/William Docherty/William McLean are all the same man.

I’ve checked the Kirk Sessions for Rutherglen and can find no mention of little William being placed with the Docherty family or anything similar.

Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could look next to discover William’s parentage?

Thanks in anticipation!

Part 1

Hello all. I've came across a wonderful newspaper article which names many people in my extended family - the only trouble is, I have no idea what it is all about! 

I'm not very knowledgable in legal matters, and I've not seen anything like this before.

I have transcribed the article, although it wasn't very clear and there was some smudging, so please excuse any errors.

9 August 1882 - The Glasgow Herald

IN THE SHERIFF COURT OF LANARKSHIRE AT HAMILTON.
In the ACTION of MULTIPLEPOINDING and EXONERATION at the instance of GEORGE SELLAR, Esquire, Sheriff Clerk of Lanarkshire, Nominal Raiser and Pursuer, against WILLIAM ARCHIBALD, Weaver, Newmilns, in the County of Ayr; ANDREW ARCHIBALD, Labourer, Well-land County, Thorold Post Office, Canada West; MRS CHRISTINA McDONALD or ARCHIBALD, residing at Back Road, Strathaven; ANDREW ARCHIBALD, Wright, Sorn in the said County of Ayr; MRS MARION ARCHIBALD or ANTON, wife of JOHN ANTON, Farmer, Triploch Burn, by Ochiltree, Ayrshire; the said JOHN ANTON; ANDREW ARCHIBALD, Baker, Strathaven; SAMUEL ARCHIBALD, Labourer, Dumbarton; JOHN ARCHIBALD, Baker, Strathaven; MRS MARION ARCHIBALD or RICHMOND, wife of ROBERT RICHMOND, Miner, Sandknowe, Strathaven; the said ROBERT RICHMOND; MRS MARION HAMILTON or McKEAN, Widow, No. 78 Muslin Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow; MRS ISOBEL HAMILTON or MILLER, wife of ARCHIBALD MILLER, No. 3 Newhall Terrace, Bridgeton, Glasgow; the said ARCHIBALD MILLER; MRS AGNES HAMILTON or FLEMING, wife of JOHN FLEMING, No. 13 Houston Place, off Houston Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow; the said JOHN FLEMING; IRVINE ARCHIBALD, Weaver, now or lately an inmate in the Poor’s-House at Irvine, Ayrshire; JOHN McGREGOR, SENIOR, No. 779 Duke Street, Glasgow; JOHN McGREGOR, JUNIOR, Son of the residing with the said John McGregor, Senior, as his Administrator-at-Law; ALEXANDER McGREGOR, Son of and residing with the said JOHN McGREGOR, Senior, and the said JOHN McGREGOR, Senior, as his Administrator-at-Law; ROBERT TORRANCE, No. 119 Reid Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow; MRS MARGARET TORRANCE or CHALMERS, Widow, No. 96 Abercromby Street, Glasgow; ANDREW TORRANCE, Miner, residing in Glasgow, but whose precise address is unknown, and AGNES TORRANCE or MURRAY, wife of ALEXANDER MURRAY, Combination Poor-House, Hamilton – both Children of the Deceased Janet Archibald or Torrance and Andrew Torrance, sometime Labourer in Strathaven, afterwards residing in Rutherglen; the said ALEXANDER MURRAY; DAVID ORR, Weaver, Todshill, Strathaven, Executor-Nominate of the Deceased William Donald, Wright in Edinburgh; THOMAS LONGMUIR, Weaver, Flemington, Strathaven; MATTHEW NISBET, of Township of Glover, Co. Orleans, State of Vermont, North America; all Heirs or Representatives of Heirs of the Deceased MISS MARY DONALD, sometime residing in Strathaven, and who died there on or about the 15th day of February, 1848, and Tutors or Curators of such of them as may be in pupilarity or minority if they any have; WILLIAM HORN, sometime Weaver at Annethill, thereafter residing in Glasgow; and MRS MARGARET BARRIE or HORN, his wife, for their interest, whom failing their Representatives and the Tutors or Curators of such of them as may be in pupilarity or minority, if they any have; and MRS MARGARET YUILL or McARTHUR Grain Merchant, Glasgow, as Executrix-Dative qua Relict of the late WILLIAM YUILL, Victualler in Glasgow, and the said JOHN McARTHUR, whom failing the legal Representatives of the said WILLIAM YUILL, and the Tutors or Curators of such of them as may be in pupilarity or minority, if they any have, Defenders, praying the Court to find that the Nominal Raiser and Pursuer is Holder of a Sum of £99 2s 9d sterling, being the Balance of a Fund consigned in the Sheriff Court of Lanarkshire at Hamilton, on or about the 15th day of December, 1851, with the Interest periodically accrued thereon, said Fund being so consigned in an Action of Multiplepoinding brought in said Court at the instance of the now Deceased MUNGO COCHRAN, Weaver in Strathaven, Nominal Raiser, against the also now Deceased MRS HELEN DONALD or LONGMUIR, who resided in Strathaven, and others, the Summons in which Action is dated in or about the month of October, 1851, and also to find that the Pursuer is only liable in once and single payment of the said sum, with the interest accrued and to accrue thereon until paid, and is entitled on payment thereof to be exonerated therefrom, the Sheriff-Substitute has pronounced the following Interlocutor: -

Hello all 

My 5x Great Grandparents were Robert McKEITH and Mary BERTRAM who went on to live in Jarrow/South Shields, Co. Durham.

Their eldest son John was born on 28 December 1802 in Calton, Glasgow and then baptised on 23 January 1803 at the same place. His parents were recorded as Robert McKEIGH and Mary BARTRAM. As far as I can tell, there are no further children born in Scotland.

The couple next appear in the parish records for St Hilda's, South Shields, Co. Durham when they baptise three children at once:

John - b. 28 September 1802, bapt. 5 January 1808. (The same John already baptised in Scotland, but with a different birth month).
Robert - b. 28 May 1805, bapt. 5 January 1808.
George - b. 23 May 1807, bapt. 5 January 1808.

The family surname is recorded as MACKEITH, and Mary's maiden surname as BARTRIM. Robert is stated to be a sawyer, and a native of "Perth, North Britain." Mary is said to be a native of "Pensis Bania, America."

Robert and Mary went on to have at least three more children.

Thomas born 13 December 1808 and baptised on 27 August 1809 at St Paul's, Jarrow, Co. Durham. The surname is recorded as McKEITH and Mary's maiden name as BERTRAM. Robert is recorded as being a native of Monzie, Perthshire and Mary is now a "daughter of John Bertram of Pensylvania [sic], America.

Bertram baptised on 21 June 1813 at St Paul's, Jarrow. His parents are Robert McKEITH, a sawyer and Mary BERTRAM. No additional information is given.

Margaret born on 5 May 1815, and baptised at St Paul's, Jarrow on 23 August 1815. Parent's details are the same as the latter.

There is a possible birth that matches Robert in 1778 at Monzie, Perthshire. The son of John McKITH and Margaret McARA. His father is also recorded as John McKEICH on his marriage to Margaret.

I attempted to find the marriage of Robert McKEITH and Mary BERTRAM in Scotland but nothing could be found. The same for South Shields/Jarrow. I soon came across a marriage between a Robert MCKEIGH and Mary BARTRUM on 17 February 1802 at St Mary's, Chatham by license. A witness to the marriage was John BARTRUM. I've attached the image for this marriage below.

Although the names 'match', I'm still unsure whether this is the marriage of my 5x Great Grandparents. I wondered if any marriage licenses for this period survive, or if not if there were anyway to prove that this was them.

Sorry for waffling on. I didn't realise I had written so much! 

Thanks very much,
pckl

Hello all

Have just today came across this photograph of my Great Grandmother, Grandma and Great Uncle and Aunt.

If the photograph could be tidied and patched up with the marks removed please, along with the creases and tears that would be amazing. Also the little bit of tape and writing in the top right.

I'm awful at scaling down images, so thanks to tommyfromri for resizing this one. I do have a larger size file if anyone would like to work off that. Just send me a pm, and I'll e-mail the larger file to you.

Thanks so much,
pckl

Hello all - would very much appreciate if the marks, blemishes and creases could be removed from this photograph please.

Thanks! 
pckl