Author Topic: Anne McNeil, mystery of marriage and death  (Read 707 times)

Offline garydevine

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Anne McNeil, mystery of marriage and death
« on: Tuesday 09 February 21 03:00 GMT (UK) »
Hiya,

Ive been trying to find the death of an Ann Mcneil, sometimes Neil or Neill. She was born in Tranent I believe to Ann Young and John McNeil.

The Neils (as i go by) are a very confusing family, as Tranent in the early 1800s was full of Neils/Neills/McNeills, the name varies so much and they all marry cousins or cousins of cousins with the same name lol Sometimes a birth of a Neil becomes a McNeil death and in my own line a born mcneil marries by Neill and dies Neil, so does get confusing and eventually ive had to stop going so far back because the first names are so common and with a mix match of surnames and constant breeding within short years, its difficult to pin point whos really who.

In the case with Ann i am struggling to find her death and marriage, but i think she might not have been married after all, but rather living with a common law husband perhaps which i need confirmation on.

my ancestor is living with Ann and her "husband" Walter McKay in Shotts in 1871 with his siblings, they are listed as boarders but they too were born in Tranent so im trying to figure out how they were related and i think she is their Aunt and their mother was Elizabeth McNeil. Ive got an Ann Neil born in 1829 in Tranent to John Neil and Ann Young, same parents as Elizabeth, and in 1871 census this Ann was 41 so im thinking they are the same person making her the Aunt of my ancestor. But i cant find a death certificate for her or a marriage, which brings me that point.

in the census Ann is down as married and has children Walter 15, William 13 and Beatrice 8. there is also her husbands mum but also a David McLaughlin listed as father in law from Fife. I got hold of Beatrice MACKAY birth in 1862 in Bathgate, it says parents were married March 1844 in Airdrie and mother was Ann McNeil but theres a correction which says: (picture) so im assuming Walter and Ann werent actually married and just living as man and wife to show face?

Which makes wonder what her name would be in her death cert is it the McNeil variants or McKay? cause i cant seem to find either and finding it might give her parents names to confirm her ties to my ancestor, because in 1833 in Tranent there is another Ann McNeil born to James McNeil and Beatrix Davidson and thought possibly because of their daughters name, maybe Ann is a cousin to my ancestor instead of an Aunt. Walter died in 1893 in Shotts with Ann signing the death cert and the baby Beatrice i think married William Phee and went to Australia after 1881. In 1891 Walter and Ann were still in Shotts with son Walter, there is also a service record coming up for Walter Jr that enlisted in 1876 but on census records hes just down as a coal miner so not sure if its the same one but same birth year and birthplace, Bo'Ness. Alos in 1861, Ann is with Walter and her kids in Dalzeil, but a step son Alexander Allan is listed aged 11 and in 1851 there a census of Ann born 1828 Tranent married to James Allan with a 1 year old Alexander in Carriden. I also got hold of Walter jr birth and it says mother was 25 Ann McNeil, doesnt give a marriage date like the others on the certificate and says on boy and girl living and 2 boys and 1 girl dead.

Any help would be great its driving me mad

Gary


Hamilton, Lanarkshire - Devine, McGarry, Daisley, McGuire, Mullen, Sheridan, Ford
Blantyre, Lanarkshire - Gibson, Hamill, McInulty
Avondale, Strathaven - Mulligan, Dempsey
Glasgow - Sinclair, Allison, McFarlane
Renfrewshire - Allison
Perthshire - Sinclair, Roy, Donaldson
Edinburgh and Caithness Thurso - Sutherland
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Offline Rosinish

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Re: Anne McNeil, mystery of marriage and death
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 09 February 21 04:38 GMT (UK) »
I'm going to suggest looking at one thing at a time as there's too much to consider in one go...

Can you tell us briefly where & when you last know of Ann to be alive.

It's possible for her to appear in the indexes under both surnames if the informant assumed she'd been married or using the surname MacKay.

The naming of Beatrice as a 1st daughter could certainly point to her own mother being named Beatrice/Beatrix.

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

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Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

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Offline ecksdochter

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Re: Anne McNeil, mystery of marriage and death
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 09 February 21 04:38 GMT (UK) »
     Although age is out, the Death Certificate for Ann Mackay other name McNeill who died 1894 at Shotts, Lanarkshire, age 51 years, might be worth a look. (Ref: 655/2 56 - ScotlandsPeople)
     Also worth a look is son Walter's Birth Certificate. Walter Mackay was born 10th October, 1855 at Bo'ness, West Lothian. (Found on A***try). 1855 Birth Certificates, the 1st year of official registration, carry extra information and should list birth place and age of both mother and father. (Ref: 663/00 143 - ScotlandsPeople).
     Hope this helps.     Regards,     Dod.
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Offline garydevine

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Re: Anne McNeil, mystery of marriage and death
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 09 February 21 07:41 GMT (UK) »
well i wasnt expecting that haha!

you were right Dod  ;D ;D ive come across ages that are a couple years about but never over ten years haha she must of looked good for her age! completely threw me off. her parents were John McNeil and Ann Young so my instincts were right in thinking that she was my ancestors aunt. Find it unusual how shes having children in Bathgate and such but in 1861 shes living in Lanarkshire then goes back to have kids again. She had a daughter Ann who married and moved to australia as well, im assuming with Beatrice. Anns second name in it is Neil and i found the death cert for the Alexander Allan in 1892 with his mum being Annie Mcneil and James Allan, james is dead. So im assuming shes married before meeting Walter although i cant find any marriage for Ann and James so perhaps she done what she was doing with Walter or maybe it was a one off. On her son walters birth there is no marriage listed, ive not checked the other children but Beatrice of course has been changed as if they were caught out lying trying to make out as if they were married but a son Thomas i found is down as illegitimate. so perhaps the children never knew their parents werent married. I cant find their son William he vanishes after the 1881 census, so possibly went to australia as well, and walter is gone after his mothers death and dont know where he is.

The other parents i thought being James McNeil and Beatrix Davidson i think are actually aunt and uncle to my Ann as ive found a tree online with them in it. need to look into it more
Hamilton, Lanarkshire - Devine, McGarry, Daisley, McGuire, Mullen, Sheridan, Ford
Blantyre, Lanarkshire - Gibson, Hamill, McInulty
Avondale, Strathaven - Mulligan, Dempsey
Glasgow - Sinclair, Allison, McFarlane
Renfrewshire - Allison
Perthshire - Sinclair, Roy, Donaldson
Edinburgh and Caithness Thurso - Sutherland
Edinburgh and Ayrshire - Sheridan