Thomas Wilson, born c.1776 at St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh - correct parents?

[Jonesey2]

I’m trying to identify the parents of Thomas Wilson, my 3x great grandfather, who died at Kirkwall in 1855. I have his death certificate, his headstone image, and his marriage entry to Ann Muir (Moar) at Kirkwall, plus his military history and Chelsea Pensioner documents. I also have the 1841 and 1851 censuses with birth dates of 1776 and 1773 respectively.  On his death certificate his father is shown as William Wilson, and his mother is shown as ‘unknown’. I’m tending to give most weight to the dates on the military documents, which show him as 20 years old on enlistment in April 1795, and ‘about 41 years of age’ in July 1816 when discharged, giving a birth year of about 1775. His birthplace is shown on this document as ‘Westkirk’, Edinburgh, which I believe is the same as St Cuthberts. I found, on the ‘Scotland’s People’ site, his birth record (I hope) with a birthdate of 25th Aug 1776, showing his parents as William Willson, farmer, and Susanna Veitch. I also have located a marriage record dated 25 Nov 1775 for these two on the same site. It shows Susanna’s father as ‘Walter Veitch’. All of these show ‘St Cuthbert’s’ as their parish.

I’m wondering if I have enough to believe that this William and Susanna are the correct parents of Thomas. I’m in Australia, so I can only use online material, but I’m hoping somebody could give an opinion as to whether I’m on the right track, and whether there’s somewhere else I can look for verification. I don’t want to get it wrong.
Margaret

[Forfarian]

What is his birthplace according to the 1851 census?

The original UK census never gives a date of birth. It gives the age people said they were on their last birthday before census day. In 1841 ages were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years. the 1841 census was taken on 7 June and the 1851 on 30 March. Unfortunately transcriptions often (mis)calculate the year of birth by subtracting the age from the census year.

So if Thomas was recorded as aged 65 in the 1841 census, and assuming that is accurate, he would have been born between 8 June 1770 and 7 June 1776. If he was recorded as aged 78 in 1851, and that is accurate, he would have been born between 31 March 1772 and 30 March 1773.

If he was 20 on enlistment in April 1795, and he was telling the truth, he would have been born between April 1774 and April 1775.

As his year of birth from his enlistment papers and his age from the 1851 census do not overlap, one of the stated ages has to be inaccurate.

So strictly speaking if either his age as stated in the census or in his enlistment papers is accurate, he would not be the one born in 25 August 1776. That one would have been only 19 by April 1795. On 7 June 1841 he would have had his 64th but not his 65th birthday, and should have been recorded as aged 60. On 30 March 1851 he would have been 74.

[Jonesey2]

Thank you, Forfarian, for such a detailed reply. Of course  you’re right - the censuses give an age, not a birth year. The 1841 census has him 65 years, and the 1851 one has him 78 years and born in Edinburgh. He went to Orkney with the 9th Royal Veterans’ Battalion and was there in 1810 when he married. He remained in Orkney till he died. His headstone has him as 82 years old when he died in 1853.

Maybe I’ve been placing too much faith in the military records. I know I have the correct Thomas Wilson in these because of references to his health circumstances plus other details that match up. There is a Thomas Wilson born at St Cuthberts in 1871 to William Wilson and Euphan Somervill - I had found this one already but discounted it because of the military documents. Now I'm thinking this is most likely him. I wonder why he wouldn’t have given his correct age when enlisting. Would there have been any advantage in pretending to be 20 when in fact he was about 24? Such a frustrating puzzle.

[Jonesey2]

Just correcting a date error in my previous post. Of course the birthdate of the Thomas Wilson born to William Wilson and Euphan Sommervill is 1771, not 1871.

[ColC]

As you say Thomas married Anne but looking at their children below I’m not so sure about William & Susanna being the correct parents?

THOMAS WILSON   Married    ANN MUIR   12/11/1810   Kirkwall

From the 1841/1851 census returns and SP records it would appear that
THOMAS WILSON & ANN MOAR or Moir had the following children in Kirkwall.

Robert Edmeston 1811
Mary Barker Edmund 1813
George 1816
Thomas 1818
John Urquhart 1820
George 1824
Margaret 1826
Anne 1828
William 1830
Henry Hervay 1832
Alexander Dugui?? 1835 & 1837
Robina  Bankier 1839

Colin

[Jonesey2]

Thanks for your post, ColC. Yes, since posting my earlier question, I've concluded that Thomas's parents were William Wilson (as identified on his death certificate) and Euphan Sommervil, and that Thomas was born in 1771. I've found a birth entry from St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, that fits these names and date. The children he and Ann Moar had in Kirkwall are as you say, plus there was a James Pollexfen Wilson born to them in 1822.