Whom did Lilias Waddell marry? ***Completed, thank you***

[Forfarian]

Lilias Waddell was born at Balquhatstone in Slamannan on 21 May 1733, third daughter of James Waddell, 6th of Balquhatstone and his wife Elizabeth Coult. She was named after her father's mother Lilias Watt.

Her mother's brother Robert Coult wrote a will in 1771, in which he refers to (among others) the children of the deceased Lilias Waddell, 'procreated betwixt the said James Waddell and Elizabeth Coult my sister'. So clearly Lilias was married, had children and died between about 1750 and 1771.

The IGI has two possible marriages: to John Rankin in 1756, children James 1757, Robert 1758 and John 1760; to William Brown, children Agnes 1765, John 1768; all children born in Falkirk. Or these could even be two marriages of the same Lilias Waddell. I have yet to look up the originals of these five baptisms - I'm saving them for a visit to Edinburgh rather than using up SP credits.

Has anyone come across this Lilias Waddell anywhere?

[MonicaL]

Just adding to possibilities, Forfarian (can't see anything definite that helps so far). There seems to be other possible men around who were having children with a Lilias Waddell in Falkirk at around the same time!:

You have listed the following:

John Rankine m. 1756: James 1757, Robert 1758 and John 1760
William Brown m. ?: Agnes 1765, John 1768...and then also showing in Falkirk are the following

John Johnstone m. ?: Margaret 1761,
John Brown m. ?: Agnes, 1765, William 1769, Mary 1771

There might have been an error on recording of names for fathers? There can't have been that many Lilias Waddel's having children in Falkirk in a sequence!

Monica

Added: See the line of children stop at 1771. Maybe a co-incidence with the year of death for Lilias?

[MonicaL]

What is available on online trees is tricky and mixed (as always  ). Did see this though, which I thought relevant:

Mort Roll from 1781 in the Register House, Edinburgh - Rankine, John, merchant in Falkirk. See Waddell, Lillias.

Can't quite see the 'See Waddell Lillias' here http://www.archive.org/stream/commissariotreco19lana/commissariotreco19lana_djvu.txt

Added: OK, found it now on SP, the relevant entry for Lillias Waddell. I have added it below at the end, after John Rankine's entry:

An entry in Wills on SP:

John Rankine Senior 19 Jan. 1795. Merchant in Falkirk. Stirling Commissary Court - 7 pages.

Also now, the entry I found for Lillias his wife:

Lillias Waddell, late Spouse of John Rankine, Merchant in Falkirk, 5 April 1786. Stirling Commissary Court. I page.

Forfarian, with the death year of 1771 you have for Lillias, daughter of James Waddell, 6th of Balquhatstone and his wife Elizabeth Coult, what do you think? Likely you can discount the Lillias married to John Rankine...unless, estate for her was not settled until later. You will have to dig in deeper to establish whether Lillias, wife of John Rankine was alive after 1771 to help you further. The death date being quoted by some, of 5 April 1786, might simply be the date relating to the document.

Jury still out on the other men/children showing in Falkirk though. They remain as possibilities.

Monica

[Forfarian]

Lillias Waddell, late Spouse of John Rankine, Merchant in Falkirk, 5 April 1786. Stirling Commissary Court. I page.

Thank you.

The ways of SP are beyond the understanding of mere mortals such as I. I had searched the testaments for a will of Lil* Wad*l* and nothing appeared.

I've downloaded it, and it is indeed the one I am looking for. The document is very short, but it relates to £10 'being part of a legacy of £100 bequeathed by Robt Colt Esqr of Garturk to the said defunct. There is a blank space where the date of death ought to have been, and the name on the document is 'John Rankine junr merchant in Falkirk the said defunct's only son' So I can eliminate the possibility that she married twice (because William Brown's son was also John) and I know that her sons James and Robert died young.

The date of confirmation is between the death of Uncle Robert in 1785, and Lillias' brother George being served heir to Uncle Robert in 1787, so I surmise that it was part of the various legal processes following Uncle Robert's death, 14 years after he wrote his will.

[Skoosh]

The Lanarkshire Colt's are some connection to the Colt of pistol fame in the US.

Skoosh.

[Forfarian]

Yes. I gather they are also related to various Coutts and other wealthy and prominent families. However they're not in my direct line, which is Waddell, so I am trying to resist being sidetracked into researching them 

[MonicaL]

Wow, that is great. I was concerned about all the years being quoted whether everything would fit in the right timescales.

Lots around regarding the two John Rankines, father and son, such as www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/heritage/archives/finding-aids/docs/russel_aitken/18_-_Rankine.pdf

Monica

[Forfarian]

Thank, Monica.

Actually, that document isn't quite right. It misses a generation. I have now discovered that John (3) was the grandson, not the son, of John (2). Never mind, it just underlines Rule No 1: Never believe anything you find online