Jane McCallum, Buchanan, Brownlie

[Forfarian]

"My great-grandmother was born in Airdrie, Lodger."
I bet she was on that train Forarian!   

LOL!

[maxcam]

Many thanks for all the info. Looks like I am back to a great big sheet of paper and a pencil. I found it so difficult finding Jane, given all the different spellings of her surname. It will take me some time to digest all the data. No snow here! Just treacherous ice. Scary out there!

[Lodger]

Could there have been two Jane's? Cousins perhaps, one married to docherty and one married to Brownlie?

[maxcam]

After a lot of rooting around, I have come up the marriage certificate of Jane. Although the spelling of her surname is given as McCallion all other details check out. i.e.age, parents names, the fact that she is a widow. The groom,s name is noted as Jas. Docherty, widower. Both are living at 7 Quarry Row Cambusnethen. The first clue as to why Jas. may have changed his name to Brownlie is that his mother's maiden name is Brownlie. On the 1891 census both James now calling himself Brownlie, and Jane are living at 333 Craigneuk.4th Ward, Wishaw. with Jane's 5 children with Andrew Buchanan.. By 1901 James & Jane had James, born 1892, Annie born, 1896. One daughter was stillborn in 1894, another Mabel Florence died aged at 3 years . There seems to be some switching between the names of Docherty & Brownlie. Another of these little mysteries!

[MonicaL]

It may simply be that James's birth was illigitmate, reputed father Docherty and mother Brownlie. Very common at the time for children to use either surname or simply decide to use one and then stick to that.

Monica

[MonicaL]

... I am trying to trace Jane,s parents. Ann Nisbet and John McCallum who married February 1852 in St Mary,s R.C. Church , Hamilton. I have a feeling her father was born in Ireland so that might prove difficult but any help with her mother, Ann Nisbet would be appreciated.

You might have forgotten this old post of yours here www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=645243.0

Monica

[MonicaL]

This may be James' birth, from Family Search index (original on SP):

James Johnston Brownlie b. 25 Jul 1858
Birthplace CAMBUSNETHAN,LANARK,SCOTLAND
Mother's Name Elizabeth Brownlie

James' 1901 census entry gives his birth place as Cambusnethan c. 1859.

Monica

PS: To add to your mix of surnames, the surname Johnston in this James' name could indicate the surname of the reputed father for this birth...

[MonicaL]

So...possibility for James in 1861 - all the children born in Cambusnethan:

John Dougherty 35 labourer coal b. Wishaw, Lanark
Elizabeth Dougherty 35 b. Edinburgh
William Dougherty 11
John Dougherty 5
James Dougherty 3
Thomas Dougherty 7 Months

Address: Cambusnethan

However, not sure if Elizabeth married John as I think the youngest Thomas was also registered as Brownlie:

Thomas Brownlie b. 3 Sep 1860
Birthplace CAMBUSNETHAN, LANARK
Mother's Name Elizabeth Brownlie

From this, and a guess from me, a possibility that Elizabeth took up with John Docherty after the birth of James. The youngest Thomas born after they got together. Someone has a family tree (maybe yours?) with the original marriage cert for James to Jane in 1890. One of the witnesses showing as Thomas Docherty.

It may simply be that James's birth was illigitmate, reputed father Docherty and mother Brownlie. Very common at the time for children to use either surname or simply decide to use one and then stick to that.
 

The other alternative on use of names  is as we are potentially seeing above for this James, whereby mother marries or starts relationship with new man and the child may decide to take on (and off) the name of the step father or mother's partner.

Who said it was easy 

Monica

[maxcam]

Many thanks once again, Monica, for the further info as well as a possible reason for the use of two names. I shall keep going with the search.