Alexander Maitland b 1810

[paulsue38]

Good afternoon, my name is Paul from the Wirral. I am looking for information about my 3rd GG Alexander Maitland. He is something of a mystery man!

I think he was born in 1810, in the 1881 census he is living in Hartford in the South of England. He indicates here Musselburgh as place of birth. He died in 1888. No idea who is parents were.

However, the DNA matches I am picking up all have links to Maitland's in Aberdeenshire.

He marries Harriet Walthew in Liverpool in 1834 and they go on to have three children. At his wedding one of the witnesses was a Ann Jaffrey nee Maitland she was born in Newhills, Aberdeen in 1809 and she died in Liverpool in 1841. Was this his sister or a cousin?

Ann was one of a number of Maitland's that settled in Liverpool. One of these Maitland's was John born Aberdeen 1815 died 1881 Liverpool. He was a printer and (wealthy) newspaper proprietor.
Alexander Maitland (my 3rd GG)  was a Book Binder / printer my trade. Was he brought to Liverpool to work in a relatives business?


In the 1851 Census Alexander was lodging in Hay on Wye, Mid Wales. This is a centre for books so was he there on business? It appears that he became estranged from his wife and although he indicates that he was a widow I don't believe this to be the case. 

I can find no trace of him in the 1861 or 1871 census. Did he go back to Scotland or did he emigrate before finally appearing again in the 1881 census? Some of the Maitland's did leave for New Zealand so did he do the same?
Any help would be gratefully received.
Best wishes
Paul

[GR2]

In the early 19th century there are two sets of Maitlands recorded as having children in the parish of Inveresk (which includes Musselburgh):

Alexander Maitland and Elizabeth Ewan have William and Agnes in 1808, and Elizabeth in 1810.
James Maitland and Sarah Symon have Jean in 1804 and Hannah in 1806.

There may be other unrecorded children to these couples and other Maitlands whose children's baptisms are unrecorded.

[paulsue38]

In the early 19th century there are two sets of Maitlands recorded as having children in the parish of Inveresk (which includes Musselburgh):

Alexander Maitland and Elizabeth Ewan have William and Agnes in 1808, and Elizabeth in 1810.
James Maitland and Sarah Symon have Jean in 1804 and Hannah in 1806.

There may be other unrecorded children to these couples and other Maitlands whose children's baptisms are unrecorded.

Thanks for replying. As an update I have discovered that Alexander remarried in 1853 in London to a Phoebe Packer. On the wedding certificate his Father is listed as John Maitland a Bookseller.
Paul

[MonicaL]

There is this possible entry from Family Search for Alexander www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYF4-GM1 Not Musselburgh/Inveresk, Midlothian though as you have for 1881.

Alexander Maitland, chr 29 Jan 1811 in Oyne, Aberdeenshire. Only father John Maitland named. Often happens at this time in the Aberdeenshire area that clerks did not include mother's name when recording christenings/births in the area. You would need to follow up to see if this John was connected to the book trade.

Added: Looking at later censuses, I think the Oyne children look to be connected to farming rather than bookselling.

What other details do you have on your Alexander? Do you have the names of the children born from Alexander's marriage? If he followed Scottish naming pattern, you might get some clues on mother's name. See www.halmyre.abel.co.uk/Family/naming.htm (lots of info links for this online).

Monica

[MonicaL]

... At his wedding one of the witnesses was a Ann Jaffrey nee Maitland she was born in Newhills, Aberdeen in 1809 and she died in Liverpool in 1841. Was this his sister or a cousin?

Ann was one of a number of Maitland's that settled in Liverpool....

There are a number of Maitland entries for births and christenings in Newhills, where fathers show as William and George in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

One of these looks to potentially be George, son of William www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYFQ-3VW I think this might be this George in a later census:

George Maitland 63 Bookseller Agent b. Newhills
Margaret Maitland 51 wife
Elspet Maitland 22 daughter
Clemintina Eming 22
William Hadee 42

Address: 255 George St, Aberdeen

Possible connection to Ann and/or Alexander?

http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/people/people_report_view.asp?REF_ID=NM123694

Monica

[paulsue38]

... At his wedding one of the witnesses was a Ann Jaffrey nee Maitland she was born in Newhills, Aberdeen in 1809 and she died in Liverpool in 1841. Was this his sister or a cousin?

Ann was one of a number of Maitland's that settled in Liverpool....

There are a number of Maitland entries for births and christenings in Newhills, where fathers show as William and George in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

One of these looks to potentially be George, son of William www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYFQ-3VW I think this might be this George in a later census:

George Maitland 63 Bookseller Agent b. Newhills
Margaret Maitland 51 wife
Elspet Maitland 22 daughter
Clemintina Eming 22
William Hadee 42

Address: 255 George St, Aberdeen

Possible connection to Ann and/or Alexander?

http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/people/people_report_view.asp?REF_ID=NM123694

Monica

Many thanks Monica. I now believe that Alexanders Father was John Maitland a Book Seller in Liverpool born Aberdeen 1785 and he possibly married Ann Gray b Aberdeenshire 1784.
Thank you so much for taking the trouble to search for me. No idea why Alexander was born in Musselburgh unless they were visiting relatives?
Best wishes
Paul

[MonicaL]

Is this Ann's daughter living with them in 1861? www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M75V-XT7

Monica

[MonicaL]

Paul, there is a well researched tree for the line of John Maitland and Ann Gray on Ancestry www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/3547560/person/-1243190522/facts You need a subs to view it though which you may not have.

The first born child it has is the son John you have mentioned (newspaper owner) who was born in Newhills in 1815. I can't easily see a marriage for John and Ann in the Old Parish Registers which is not uncommon pre the start of official registration.

You have Alexander born c 1810.

However, I found one document which is promising. I am not familiar with this type of doc, Record of certificates under the Act for providing Relief to the Families of Militia men and men under the Army of Reserve Act, but it states that a John Maitland and wife Ann Gray had three children in 1813 whilst in Aberdeen....so room for Alexander's birth there  www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Militia_6_-
_Aberdeenshire_Relief_Certificates_1813-1816_0.pdf

From this earlier document in 1808, www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/sites/default/files/AS-AMil-6-1_(1)_Record_of_Certificates_granted_for_the_relief_of_the_wives_and_families_of_militiamen_0.pdf John and Ann showed with no children.

Monica

[MonicaL]

I can't find the FS entry to link, but from the transcript on Ancestry. Note spelling of Maitland:

1861 in St Saviour Southwark:
Alexander Martland 51 b. Scotland
Phebe Martland 55 b. Somerset
Sarah Packer 25 daughter in law
William H Cunall 19 lodger

1871 and he is in Brecon, Wales:
Edward Bayley 51
Susannah Bayley 53
George Wall 53
Alexander Martland 60 widowed lodger b. Musselburgh Scotland
Thomas Jenkins 64

Monica