Esson/Ledingham families

[carom]

Is anyone else researching these two families in Chapel of Garioch and surrounding areas from 1750's onwards?
My 2x great  grandmother Mary Esson was born in 1817 in Premnay. Her death cert. shows her parents as Alexander Esson and Jane Ledingham.
This is where the confusion begins. The only birth of a Mary Esson in 1817 in Premnay was to Forbes Esson and Mary Leddingham.
Both families were fairly prolific in a small area!
I've been in touch with the owner of the Esson family history site who has written about the Essons of Bennachie, but nothing proven either way as yet.

[Forfarian]

My 2x great  grandmother Mary Esson was born in 1817 in Premnay. Her death cert. shows her parents as Alexander Esson and Jane Ledingham.
This is where the confusion begins. The only birth of a Mary Esson in 1817 in Premnay was to Forbes Esson and Mary Leddingham.

Just because it's the only one does not mean it is the right one. It is possible that there were two Mary Essons born the same year in the same parish but only one baptism record has survived. On the other hand errors do occur in the records, especially in the deaths records where the informant is more likely to get the information wrong.

Actually, having said that, the baptism records do look a bit odd
Forbes Esson and Jean Ledingham
Elspet, 29 September 1812, Premnay
Jean, baptised 26 April 1822, Chapel of Garioch

Joseph Esson and Jean Ledingham
Mary, 8 September 1812, Premnay

Forbes Esson and Mary Ledingham
Mary 10 February 1817
Alexander 13 November 1819

Forbes Esson and Jean Ledingham were married in Premnay in 1810, and Joseph Esson and Jean Ledingham in 1812. However both marriage records are out of sequence and on the same page of the register, so it just might be worth a look at that page. Also at all those baptisms to see whether they contain any clues.