Hello Looby and William
sorry for not replying earlier been at work
I don't know the area at all although I have been up there as a child but remember nothing of it.
I do feel that William was illegitimate and probably brought up by William and May as mention of his mother is vague but haven't yet looked at possilbilities as to why.
I've looked at the John at burnside quite a few times and I also spotted recently a John Davison 13 in upper Auchinreath Bellie a farm servant for Alexander Watt (farmer) in 1841 but as I have not found a birth/baptism for John not sure at all. I discounted John in Huntly as been mainly concentrating on farm servants or labourers but might look again at that one.
Thanks for helping
Fiona