Author Topic: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan  (Read 3208 times)

Offline steveg6638

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Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« on: Thursday 04 May 17 17:33 BST (UK) »
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.

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 04 May 17 18:53 BST (UK) »
Hi Steve

Welcome to RootsChat  :)

Have you seen the original birth certs for any of the children of Elizabeth and William Walker? Normally, parents' marriage details are included on the birth certs of their children as routine from the early 1860s (and 1855).

Monica
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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 04 May 17 19:03 BST (UK) »
Just beat me to it Monica.

Steve - a welcome to RootsChat from me too.

The parents named on Elizabeth's death certificate may not be accurate, it happens depending on who the informant was.

Monica has given excellent advice regarding information on birth certs of her children.

Dumfries-shire is not very far from the English Border could Elizabeth and William have married there?

Dorrie
Small, County Antrim & Dundee
Dickson, County Down & Dundee
Madden, County Westmeath
Patrick, Fife
Easson, Fife
Leslie, Fife
Paterson, Fife

Offline steveg6638

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 04 May 17 19:09 BST (UK) »
Hi Monica and Dorrie,

Thanks for the welcome.

Yes, I have looked at the birth records of the children and the mother's maiden surname is stated to be Henderson.

The current problem is finding the birth of Elizabeth Henderson or her marriage to William Walker.

On the children's birth records various dates are given for the marriage -

28th April 1876, Annan
May 1867, Annan
May 1876, Annan
August 1871, Annan
September 1879, Annan

Unfortunately none of these bear any fruit. The only marriage of a William Walker and an Elizabeth (or variant name) Henderson that I could find anywhere was the 1879 one I mentioned in my post which doesn't match to the other facts.

Their first child was born in 1877.

I did look across the border as well, as some of the Walker ancestors were from Cumberland - but no luck there either  :(


Offline steveg6638

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 04 May 17 19:28 BST (UK) »
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.

Offline kall

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 04 May 17 20:14 BST (UK) »
Hi Steve
There is a marriage on Scotlandspeople for Elizabeth Henderson to William Walker in 1879 in Kinning Park....Glasgow. Don't know if you have Ancestry but there is some information about Joseph and Amos
Karen
Forrest - Blantyre
McLellan - Dumfriesshire
McCracken - Dumfriesshire
Harkness - Dumfriesshire
Adamson - Dumfriesshire

Offline steveg6638

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 04 May 17 20:33 BST (UK) »
Hi Karen,

Thanks for the response.

I did trace the 1879 Kinning Park marriage, but unfortunately the ages and parents name didn't match.

In this marriage William was stated to be 37, whereas the William Walker from Annan would have been 22 (confirmed from birth record). Elizabeth was stated to be 33, whereas Elizabeth Henderson from Ruthwell or Annan would have been around 22-24 if the other documents are to be believed.

I am on Ancestry - same user name as here and have a public tree. Joseph and Amos Walker are two of William and Elizabeth's sons.

Offline kall

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 04 May 17 21:01 BST (UK) »
Had a quick look at Joseph and Amos. This family tree business is interesting and also very frustrating....keep coming up against brick walls with my tree too.
Good luck. The people on here are very good and I am sure someone will knock down that wall for you
Forrest - Blantyre
McLellan - Dumfriesshire
McCracken - Dumfriesshire
Harkness - Dumfriesshire
Adamson - Dumfriesshire

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Re: Elizabeth Walker M.S. Henderson of Ruthwell or Annan
« Reply #8 on: Friday 05 May 17 09:48 BST (UK) »
Morning Steve,

Clutching at straws here but have you looked/ruled out the following births on Scotlandspeople Index? I did a search with just putting the surname of Henderson, female, births 1855 to 1858 in Dumfries-shire and these are what I came up with.


1.   Elizabeth Henderson  -  born 1855 in the Parish of Kirkmahoe - its 3 miles from Dumfries.
2.   Mary Elizabeth Henderson - born 1857 in the Parish of Tundergarth - its 3 miles from Lockerbie.
      Perhaps known by her middle name.
3.   Elisabeth Henderson  - born 1858 in the Parish of Hoddom - its 4 miles from Annan. Notice the
      spelling of her name an S instead of a Z.

I would look at number 3 first.

Let us know how you get on.

Dorrie
Small, County Antrim & Dundee
Dickson, County Down & Dundee
Madden, County Westmeath
Patrick, Fife
Easson, Fife
Leslie, Fife
Paterson, Fife