Milligan & Smith Families

[jacquik1]

Hi, I am looking to trace the parents of Mary Milligan born c. 1830 Kirkcudbrightshire, she had an son born 'out of wedlock' named John Smith born c1854 baptized in Blackcraig- can anybody help?

[Gadget]

Hi Jacquie

Welcome to Rootschat 

There are two possible Mary Milligan's showing in the Old Parish Records baptisms:

8th April 1827, parish of Kirkpatrick Durnam.  Parents given as William Milligan and Jane McMillan

and

24 June 1829, parish of Dalry. Parents -  Archibald Milligan and Janet Gordon.

Have you got any more information on Mary - did she marry, is she on later censuses, etc. If she died in Scotland after Jan 1855, her death certificate will show her parents.

Regards

Gadget

[Gadget]

Is John the one baptised Minnigaff 6th August 1854?

There is also a Mary Milligan, a dairymaid, aged 20, b. Dalry,  on the 1851 Census in Kells - Burnfoot,  in the house of James Canmore.

Gadget

For maps of the location of the parishes in Kirkcudbrightshire see:

http://www.scotlandsfamily.com/parish-map-wigtown.htm

[jacquik1]

Hi Gadget, I believe the John baptized on 6th August was my GG Grandfather, who married Mary Donaldson 29th November 1872 in Penninghame. The marriage banns show John Smith to be his father and Mary nee Milligann to be his mother, but I can't find any reference to their marriage in the records I have located.
What do you think?

Thanks
Jaq

[Gadget]

Hi Jacqui

They weren't married when John was born because the records says:

John Smith illegitimate son of <blank> and Mary Milligan was born at Black Craig and baptized in the presence of the Kirk Session August 6 1854.

His father might have been a John Smith (worth checking on the 1851 for Minnigaff*) It was not uncommon for people who were illegitimate to give fictitious names on their marriage certificates. Do you have John's death certificate?

As yet I can't find a marriage in Kirkcudbrightshire 1855-1870 of Mary Milligan. I'll do some more checking and also look at Wigtownshire (Minnigaff was adjacent).

* http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/historicalindexes/census.aspx has a free index for the 1851


Regards

Gadget

[jacquik1]

 
many thanks Gadget!
I will try to trace death certificate of John Smith.
Jaq

[Gadget]

Hello again Jacqui

I'm having a bit of bother locating John on the 1861. I've tried both Smith and Milligan as surnames but nothing seems to fit properly 

Which is the earliest census that you have him on?

Regards

Gadget

[jacquik1]

Hi Gadget, the earliest i can seem to get back to was on the 1881 census, where he resided at Rasheypark, Minnigaff, with his wife Mary and children, at this point he was a leadminer.
There is a John on the 1861 census living with parents Philip and Agnes, residing in Lower Blackcraig, presumably close to where John was baptized, maybe they 'took him in'
Jaq

[Gadget]

I'll have a good look for him later, Jacqui. I don't like to give up on things 

Gadget