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