Peter Johnston or Johstone

[Philldw]

 Jane had a sister Barbara Martin Cruickshank 1883- 1940 Husband was John Mair 1879 - 1963
 Probably the witness'

[Forfarian]

Yes. The only thing I couldn't decipher on the certificate was Barbara's middle initial.

[ruthhelen]

A puzzle indeed. So we seem to have three documents for Peter Johnstone, with different fathers:

His marriage in 1887 to Mary Adam in Kemnay:
Father: William Johnston, farmer; Mother: Elizabeth Third, married to John Blackhall, farmer

His marriage in 1902 to Jane Cruickshank in Kemnay:
Father: Peter Johnston, farm servant (deceased); Mother Elsie Davidson m.s. Third

His death in Newhills, 1926:
Peter Johnstone, farm servant, (widower of Mary Adam)
Father: John Johnstone, farm servant (deceased); mother: Elsie Third, domestic servant (deceased)
Informant: George Johnstone, son

Interestingly, there's a tree on Ancestry that has Elspet (Elsie) Third's death certificate, 13 May 1917 in Peterhead, aged 69. Parents: Peter Third and Ann McGregor. She's noted as being single - her daughter Christian Kelman was the informant (born Christina Third, 1880 Old Deer; m. William Kelman, 1912, Peterhead).

I'm still struggling to find her in 1891, but in 1901, she's keeping house for one William Wilken in New Deer. She appears to have a number of potential children with her.

William Wilken, joiner, 59, New Pitsligo
Elspet Third, 44, housekeeper, Old Deer (seems to have lost 10 years...)
Jessie Third, 24, servant, Old Deer
Sarrah Third, 22, servant, Savoch
Georgina Third, 16, servant, Old Deer
James Third, 16, servant, Old Deer
John Third, 2, Peterhead
Alexina Third, 2, Peterhead

James Third is definitely her son, as the Ancestry tree has a copy of his birth certificate, but I'm not so sure about the others - the youngest two seem likely to be the children of one of the elder girls.

In the 1881 census, Elspet's parents, Peter Third and Ann McGregor have a whole load of grand-children with them, all with different surnames.

Peter Third, 76, head, Old Deer
Ann Third, 50, wife, Old Deer
Ann Third, 28, daughter, Old Deer
Christian Milne, 10, granddaughter, Old Deer
William Davidson, 8, grandson, Old Deer
Ann Sorrie, 6, granddaughter, Old Deer
Mary Finnie, 4, granddaughter, Old Deer
Jessie McCrae, 4, granddaughter, Old Deer
Wilhelmina Robertson, 4, granddaughter, Old Deer
Sarah Wood, 2, granddaughter, Old Deer
Alexander Third, 7m, grandson, Old Deer
Christian Corsie, 7m, granddaughter, Old Deer

Sarah Wood is possibly the Sarah Ann Wood Third, born 1878 Savoch, who is Sarrah Third in 1901. Jessie Mcrae in 1881 is possibly Jessie Third, born 1876 Savoch, the Jessie Third aged 24 in 1901. And Christian Corsie must be Christina Kelman (ms Third), the daughter who registered Elsie's death).

Going to take a while to work out if these are all Elsie's children, because her sister Ann seemed to have some illegitimate children too  However, the William Davidson, aged 8 who appears in 1881 is interesting - as that is the surname that Peter Johnston gave for Elsie at his 1902 marriage. There is a birth for a William Third in Ellon, 25 Jan 1872, mother: Elsie Third, which must surely be him.

Ruth

[rosie17]

Tree on Ancestry has details of all the illegitimate children of Elspet Third some with certificates
I think we have came to the conclusion that Peter Johnstone did not know who his father was 

Rosie

[Forfarian]

Tree on Ancestry has details of all the illegitimate children of Elspet Third some with certificates
I think we have came to the conclusion that Peter Johnstone did not know who his father was 

He doesn't seem to have been very sure about his supposed stepfather either!

[rosie17]

Just a guessing game  He never appeared in any census forms with his mother either same with his other siblings they seem to be with the mother on the 1901 census

Rosie

[flst]

I have a copy of William Third's birth certificate. There is a RCE naming his father as Thomas Davidson, farm servant. Elspet (aka Elsie),Third is his mother.
Fortunately, both Thomas & Elspet appear together in the 1871 census, as servants, at Nether Hawkhillock, Old Deer parish.
It was very common for illegitimate children to be known by either their father, stepfather, or mother's surname. Their birth would be registered in their mother's surname unless the father was present at the time.  I have many of these in my family tree! 
Regarding Peter's death certificate, I am not surprised that the informant did not know his grandfather's christian name.
flst

[flst]

Ruth, Elspet is a dairy maid,at Shannas, Old Deer, in the 1881 census.
flst

[ruthhelen]

Ruth, Elspet is a dairy maid,at Shannas, Old Deer, in the 1881 census.

I have her in 1881 - it's 1891 that I can't find her.

Digging around with her sisters, I may have found a possible for the Johnston connection. Elsie's sister Sarah Third (b. 1852) had a child with one John Johnston, farm servant, Pettymarcus in 1876 - Mary Ann Third or Johnston. If this is, indeed, the John Johnston who also fathered Peter Third or Johnston with Elsie Third, then he would have only been about 15 or 16 at the time of Peter's birth - but if not him, then perhaps the same family.

What a family - I've only looked at three of the Third sisters so far, and already a host of illegitimate children 

Ruth