William Whitecross and Helen Bonniman

[agray1949]

I wonder if anyone can shed some light on a headstone that I have seen for William & Helen.
It includes William, Thomas & John who died in infancy.
William & Helen married in 1837 at Keith, Banffshire & from what I have found on census returns etc. they had 8 children:
George Stuart 1838, born Grange, Banffshire
Alexander 1840 born Grange, Banffshire
James 1843 born Grange, Banffshire
**John 1844 born Grange, Banffshire**
**William 1849 born Grange, Banffshire**
Jane/Jean 1850 born Grange, Banffshire
John 1853 born Grange, Banffshire
Jessie Ann 1856 born Grange, Banffshire
Initially I thought that John & William as starred were the children mentioned on the gravestone but other sources (family trees) show that William died in 1899 & he is alive in the 1851 & 1861 census. No sign of John in 1851 or 1861.
Also there is no sign of a Thomas
Thanks in advance
William, Thomas & John are also mentioned on Libindx which I think is taken from the gravestone.

[Forfarian]

Well.

The IGI lists the births of George on 19 March 1838, Alexander on 24 March 1840, James on 3 August 1842, and John on 26 September 1844; the IGI dates correspond to those in the SP index, as indeed they should, as the IGI is an index to the births and baptisms in the OPRs which are on SP.

The 1851 census lists George, 13; Alexander, 11; James, 8; William, 3; and Jane, under 1 year. As the census was taken on 30 March 1851, this should mean that William was born between 31 March 1847 and 30 March 1848, and Jane on or after 31 March 1851.

The 1861 lists William, 12; Jean, 10; John, 8; and Jessie Ann, 5. The census date in 1861 was 7 April, which should mean that William was born between 8 April 1848 and 7 April 1849, Jane between 8 April 1850 and (from the 1851 census date) 30 March 1851, and John between 8 April 1852 and 7 April 1853. Jessie Ann was born on 5 May 1856. This suggests a gap of about 4 years between John in 1844 and William in 1848/1849, which is long enough for another child.

The fact that John is not in either census, and that a later son was named John, suggests that John b 1842 did indeed die in infancy. Perhaps Thomas and the William who died in infancy were twins born between John in 1844 and the William who survived?

The LIBINDX reference is indeed from the gravestone.

From previous attempts to find deaths in 1842 in Grange for someone, I am fairly sure that the Grange burial records for that period have not survived, but there is a chance that there might be something in the Grange Kirk Session records - see https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx and search for reference CH2/541

[agray1949]

I notice that there are no birth registrations after John in 1844 & could it be that after the 3 children had died as infants that they did not want to register any more & as you have said there is a gap of 4 years between John & William. At what age would a child be called an infant as shown on the headstone.

[Forfarian]

I notice that there are no birth registrations after John in 1844 & could it be that after the 3 children had died as infants that they did not want to register any more & as you have said there is a gap of 4 years between John & William. At what age would a child be called an infant as shown on the headstone.

More likely that they left the Church of Scotland and joined the Free Church, which is the commonest reason for missing baptism records from 1843 onwards.

I don't know when a child would cease to be an infant. You read about infant schools, and infants in primary 1, which is about 5 years of age, but in terms of a gravestone it may be younger.

[agray1949]

I think I saw something on facebook from Aberdeen Family History about Presbyterian records being brought online for some areas but not Banffshire yet.