Joan McEwan

[littlefacey]

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone could help me? I'm not the greatest at researching Scottish ancestry! I was looking for the parents of Joan McEwan who was born in Fife about 1845. Joan was married on Christmas Day 1866 in Camberwell to George Kerr Paxton where her father was named as William McEwan but I can find anything listing him or her baptism record? I've tried looking on SP but no joy? 

[ColC]

Well I cannot find Joan but I think I have found her family.

WILLIAM MACEWAN/JANET HODGE
Children baptised Inverkeithing

James 1841, Archibald 1846 & Alexander 1851 – no girls

1851 High St. Inverkeithing, fife   Age   All born Inverkeithing, fife
William Mcewan    37   labouer
Janet Mcewan    36   
Helen Mcewan    12   
James Mcewan    10   
Archd Mcewan    4   
William Mcewan    1   
William Fleming    22   lodger

I think this might be the family later.
1861 Church St   Age
Wm Mcqueen    47
Janet Mcqueen    45
Arch Mcqueen    14
Alex Mcqueen    9

1871 Church St   Age
William Mcewan    55
Janet Mcewan    53
William Paxton    2
Walter Beveridge    21

By 1881 William is a Pauper Patient Fife and Kinross Asylum

Colin

[CaroleW]

Her fathers occupation is shown as Quarryman on the 1866 marriage cert

If Joan was born 1845 she should be on the 1851 census?

William Paxton aged 2 was b Edinburgh Midlothian

FS has  a possible baptism/birth 13.7.1869 parents James Paxton and Jane Bartie

[Forfarian]

I think this is a more likely family, in Inverkeithing in 1851
Alexr McEwan, head, unmarried, 46, quarryman
James McEwan, brother, unmarried, 39, weaver
Helen McEwan, sister, unmarried, 40
Johan McEwan, daughter, 7
Mrs Alexander, visitor, married, 38
Helen Alexander, visitor, 1
all born Inverkeithing except Helen Alexander, who was born in Dunfermline

Joan/Johan/Joanna/Johanna/Joanne are used interchangeably in Scotland.

Helen Alexander, daughter of John Alexander and Janet McEwan, was baptised in Dunfermline on 7 December 1849.

Jessie McEwan or Alexander, aged 69, died in Inverkeithing in 1891. She might be another sister, and if so her death certificate will tell you the names of Jo(h)an's paternal grandparents. Or she might be a cousin.

The paternal grandparents might be James McEwen and Helen Henderson, who had four children baptised in Inverkeithing - Alexander 1804, Robert 1806, Helen 1809, and James 1811, who match exactly the ages of the three siblings in the 1851 census.

[CaroleW]

Paxton births - mmn McEwen

Janet Hodge Dec qtr 1867 Camberwell
Mary Baillie June 1869 Newington
William Dec qtr 1870 St Saviour

Father was William McEwen  not Alexander

[Forfarian]

Father was William McEwen not Alexander

Noted, but in that case where is Joan in 1851? And Alexander's occupation matches. Could there be an mistake in the marriage certificate? or in the census? Maybe Joan was Alexander's niece rather than his daughter.

Janet Hodge Paxton certainly points to Janet Hodge as Joan's mother. And Joan's age in 1851 fits her in the gap between James 1841 and Archibald 1846.

Alexander McEwan, mother's maiden surname Henderson, died in Inverkeithing in 1857, aged 53. His death certificate might be enlightening.

James Henderson, aged 69 died in Inverkeithing in 1881. Helen McEwan, 92, died in Inverkeithing in 1901.

[CaroleW]

I wonder if Joan was the illegitimate daughter of Helen?

She perhaps made up a fathers name of William but used her uncles occupation when she married in London

Quite a common practice with illegitimate children to make up a father so as to appear “respectable”

[ruthhelen]

I think it's highly likely that these two households are from the same family.

James McEwan and Helen Henderson (m. 1803, Inverkeithing) had 7 children baptised in Inverkeithing:

• Alexander, 1804 (this looks to be the unmarried Alexander in the 1851 census)
• Robert, 1806
• Helen, 1809 (the sister of Alexander in 1851)
• James, 1811 (the brother of Alexander in 1851)
• William, 1814 (the right age for the William who married Janet Hodge in 1835)
• Johan, 1819
• Janet, 1822

There's a Joan McQueen of the correct age for your Joan as a servant in Inverkeithing in 1861.

Johan/Joan McEwan/McQueen and George Kerr Paxton had a bunch of other children after the three mentioned above - at least three of whom seem to be named for their McEwan/McQueen relatives. From the 1881 and 1891 censuses:

• George Kerr Paxton, abt 1872
• Helen McEwan Paxton, abt 1876
• Alexander McEwan Paxton, abt 1878
• Andrew Brown Paxton, abt 1879
• Archibald McEwan Paxton, abt 1881
• John Paxton, abt 1883
• Catherine Bathgate Paxton, abt 1885
• Annie Paxton, abt 1887

Doesn't really shed any more light on the parentage of Joan/Johan though 

Ruth

[CaroleW]

In 1871 she is Ann Paxton - not Joan.  In 1881/1891/1901 she is Joan

1901 confirms her birthplace as Fife