Alexander Fotheringham and Jane Ritchie - married 1820, no earlier information

[sdgillen]

Hello; I've been researching this branch of the family tree for some time now, and have yet to find any definite information. I haven't had any luck finding information about this couple on Ancestry or on Scotland's People, so I figured I'd ask for help on here.

Alexander Fotheringham and Jane Ritchie had at least three children that I'm sure of - Jane, Elizabeth, and Anne. Elizabeth Fotheringham (married name Elizabeth Gordon) is my direct ancestor, and was born in Arbroath in 1826. Jane (married name Jane Cameron) is also my direct ancestor, due to her marrying her first cousin. She was born in 1821 in St. Vigeans. Both of them are buried in Arbroath.
Anne Shield Fotheringham, born 1827 in Arbroath, is the other child that I have a decent amount of information on; she never married and she died in Arbroath.

Based off of records I've found with the couple's names, they may have also had a William and James, and there is also an Alexander and an Isabella, but the mother's name on those records is "Jean Ritchie". Their birth years range from 1823-1837.


There is a record on Scotland's People that shows an Alexander Fotheringham born in Inverkeilor in 1793, son of James Fotheringham and Margaret Henderson. I've never traced a relative from scratch like this before, so I don't know whether or not that's my ancestor.

Edit: some additional info: Alexander and Jane married in St. Vigeans, and Alexander worked as a weaver.

Thank you

[GordonFindlay]

First off, ignore Jean/Jane differences. Same name, different spelling. Janet too.  Lots of people will have some records as Jean, some as Jane.

I find these 8 children on SP. One has the intriguing second forename of Shield, which may be a mother or grandmother's maiden name.

FOTHERINGHAM JESS
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JEAN RITCHIE
U 01/03/1837 272/ 60 225 Arbroath

FOTHERINGHAM ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JEAN RITCHIE
M 03/06/1833 272/ 60 165 Arbroath

FOTHERINGHAM JAMES
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JANE RITCHIE
M 17/12/1830 272/ 60 134 Arbroath
 
FOTHERINGHAM WILLIAM
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JANE RITCHIE
M 23/07/1823 319/ 40 45 St Vigeans
 
FOTHERINGHAM ANNE SHIELD
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JANE RITCHIE
F 07/11/1827  272/ 60 99 Arbroath
 
FOTHERINGHAM  ELIZABETH
ALEXR. FOTHERINGHAM/JANE RITCHIE
F 19/01/1826 272/  60 76 Arbroath
 
FOTHERINGHAM ISABELLA
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JEAN RITCHIE FR1379 (FR1379)
F 01/03/1837 272/ 60 225 Arbroath
 
FOTHERINGHAM JANE
ALEXANDER FOTHERINGHAM/JANE RITCHIE
F 13/09/1821 319/ 40 23 St Vigeans
 

[sdgillen]

So I found something very interesting: On Elizabeth Fotheringham's baptism record, it lists two witnesses, one of them named Janet Milne.

I found a Jane Ritchie born 1793 in Inverkeilor, and her mother is listed as "Janet Miln".

What do you think? Is that enough of a connection?

[Rosinish]

Where/when did Jane/Jean Ritchie/Fotheringham die?

If she died in Scotland post 1854 the DC should name both parents with mmn if known to the informant.

Annie

[sdgillen]

Where/when did Jane/Jean Ritchie/Fotheringham die?

If she died in Scotland post 1854 the DC should name both parents with mmn if known to the informant.

Annie

I've yet to find a possible death certificate for either person. I haven't had any luck with the censuses either, despite how much time and money i've spent on SP.

[sdgillen]

Where/when did Jane/Jean Ritchie/Fotheringham die?

If she died in Scotland post 1854 the DC should name both parents with mmn if known to the informant.

Annie

I found a possible match for Alexander, though:

Burial record in Dundee, 1842 - Alexander Fotheringham, weaver (which I know was his profession), died at age 67, born in the parish of Libbermuir, Perthshire.

However, there's no birth/baptism record that shows that, nor an 1841 census that shows a 66 year old man of that name.

Edit: 1841 Dundee census: Alexander "Fatheringham" age 67, and his wife Jean, age 50.

[Forfarian]

There's no parish of Libbermuir; there is a Tibbermuir in Perthshire.

[ev]

1841 Census transcription from FreeCEN -
West Mary Street , Arbroath , Angus
Jean Ritchie 45 born Angus
James Fotheringham 10 born Angus


ev

[sdgillen]

1841 Census transcription from FreeCEN -
West Mary Street , Arbroath , Angus
Jean Ritchie 45 born Angus
James Fotheringham 10 born Angus


ev

Someone on Ancestry.com showed me that, as well. I wonder why nobody else is listed in that census.