help with reading a census entry

[MonicaL]

You mentioned she showed as widowed in 1871? Was she down as McMillan or another surname then?

What was the baby's name and where was he born?

Sorry...questions always seem to lead to more questions!

Monica

[Glanteg]

Hi Monica - she claimed to be a widow and her son on his marriage certificate stated his father (whom he never knew) was called George, an engineer. This was always assumed to be true. However with the benefit of ancestry etc - we now know more about her and it appears that on the 1871 and 1881 census in Liverpool she is unmarried and working in service. Her son, also called George, was boarded out to presumably enable her to work. By 1881, he was working and mother and son were living together( recorded as widow on 1881) - no place of birth ever provided for her other than Scotland. Young George however kept in contact presumably via his mother, with two "cousins" neither of which were Mc Millans however having traced them back - it is their grandparents who were brother and sister mc millans. Bit of a giant leap but I am working on the premiss that his mother Catherine was a younger sibling of Hugh and Ann McMillan. And as i say I have the 1841 where Hugh and Ann are recorded with a younger siblings, John Janet Catherine and Angus. Have been looking for baptism
 records to tie all together but have not been successful. Re the baby George, always recorded as born Liverpool - have baptism record (no father mentioned) but no official birth record - baptism recorded birth as 2nd October 1868.

[MonicaL]

If only Catherine was as well documented as her son George www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X921-1B7  The only info I couldn't see for him was a possible 1871 census entry?

Given the name used at his baptism, George Taylor McMillan, I would suggest you consider that his father's name could have been George Taylor. Quite common for this naming of illegitimate children. Also common for them to switch between surnames. George though was consistent with his use of McMillan wasn't he.

Following from 1851, there is a further possible entry for Catherine in 1861:

A/try have it indexed as:

Catrin Mcmillan 25 b. Strontian. She is showing as working as a kitchen maid at Corson's, Morven. David Corson, Estate Manager Achronich, is head of family there.

Guess one of the cousins you mention for George is the one showing with the family in 1911? www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWTJ-1KT - James McArthur McLaren born c.1870 in Dumbarton, with the McA for middle name abbreviation.

Who do you have as his parents?

Monica

[MonicaL]

If George's father was a George Taylor, you might want to have a look at this marriage:

George Gordon Taylor, engine fitter, married a Hannah Rebecca Fisher on 17 April 1870 in Liverpool. He lived at Roscoe Street at the time of the marriage and his father was Richard Taylor, a tailor by trade.

Will be hard to confirm either way though 

Monica

Added: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NNSQ-TC9  Also, www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F5GL-GM1

[Glanteg]

Funny that George Taylor should live in Roscoe Street cos Roscoe is my surname!! Re George Taylor as father's name - I too have been thinking along those lines although I have recently come up with an alternative theory which unfortunately I cannot prove. I have searched for George McMillan in 1871 census and cannot find him. Based on his baptism as living in Trowbridge Street, Everton, I trawled through the whole street in case there were transcription errors.Didnt find a Mcmillan but I came across an entry for a George Taylor aged 2 born Liverpool son of George Taylor and Rebecca Taylor. Now I have researched George and Rebecca Taylor (nee Barber) and as far as can see they were a childless couple having been married since 1848 and no children recorded on any of the preceding census.Nor is there a record of a George Taylor being born in  1868/69 with a mother's maiden name of Barber My theory is that Catherine and her baby had boarded with the Taylors since his birth and in acknowledgment/thanks she gave her son the middle name of Taylor when he was baptised at 1 year old. In 1871 she herself is in service on the Wirral. In 1881 young George is still in Trowbridge Street but lodging with another family.
Re James McArthur Mclaren - his parents were Peter Weir Mclaren and Mary Mcmillan. Mary was the daughter of Hugh Mcmilland and Catherine McArthur. If my belief is correct this would mean that James was in fact George's first cousin once remove.  We have a book gifted to George McMillan by his cousin Aggie and she turns out to be the daughter of Ann(sometimes Agnes) Stewart nee Mcmillan. Hugh and Ann were siblings and I believe Catherine was a younger sibling so this would make Aggie and George full cousins.

[MonicaL]

....although I have recently come up with an alternative theory which unfortunately I cannot prove. I have searched for George McMillan in 1871 census and cannot find him. Based on his baptism as living in Trowbridge Street, Everton, I trawled through the whole street in case there were transcription errors.Didnt find a Mcmillan but I came across an entry for a George Taylor aged 2 born Liverpool son of George Taylor and Rebecca Taylor.

Good theory  Would also explain where little George was in 1871. I couldn't find him at all!

Monica

[Glanteg]

As I say though, may be a good theory but not going to be able to prove it. George Mcmillan is my husbands g grandfather. We therefore did the DNA of my mother in law as George was her grandfather, in the hope that we might come across a descendant of a Mcmillan - no such luck as yet. Think my next task will be to try and trace the other siblings from the 1841 census - John, Angus and Janet. Have Angus and Janet in 1851 ( janet living with Ann Stewart and Angus living with Hugh McMillan) but have not got them in subsequent census nor John at all. Had hoped to find a death record for one of them after 1855 which might give parentage details. Hugh died between 1851 and 1855 and when Ann died her husband knew the father's name but not her mothers's!!  Thank you for all your help - if you have any Welsh connections you need any assistance with just let me know!!

[MonicaL]

Thank you 

Re Angus when he was with big brother Hugh in 1851, he showed as a cotton dyer didn't he. I thought this might be him in 1861:

Angus McMillan, 23, boarder, cotton dyer b. Ardnamurchan, Argyllshire

He shows at 136 Old Dalmarnock Rd in the Bridgeton area of Glasgow boarding with a McDougal family.

I can't see him in Scotland after this easily, nor England. Also nothing obvious in deaths. Wondering if he left the UK after this census?

Monica

[MonicaL]

A new line to work on....

I have been looking at the names of Ann McMillan's children with Allan Stewart. Given his parents names look to have been John and Ann, the next stand out names are Dugald and Mary. So, wondered if Allan and Ann used Scottish naming pattern (lots of links on this such as www.halmyre.abel.co.uk/Family/naming.htm - not always followed, or to the order, but amazing always how this did influence the naming of children).

Working on the names Dugald McMillan and Mary brought up this potential marriage, which is very close to the areas we have for the family in Argyll:

www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTK4-68F - Dougald MacMillan and Mary MacPherson marriage or banns in 1819 in Acharacle.

The first hard facts you have for the family is from 1841 and the children all showing to be living with an Archibald and Mary McLaughlin. Everyone showing as born outside of the county:

Archibald Mclauglin 30 cotton dyer
Mary Mclauglin 35
Ann McMillan 15
Hugh McMillan 15
John McMillan 10
Janet McMillan 9
Catharine McMillan 8
Angus McMillan    5
Angus Mcgilvery 15

Address: Renton Back St, Cardross Dunbartonshire

Ages as you know were rounded down to the nearest 5 years this census. Children under 15 were supposed to show at their actual age.

You wondered who this couple was earlier on. Could she be their mother? If Dugald McMillan died and mother Mary McPherson (theory!) remarried. There is a corresponding marriage to fit this possibility:
   
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTRN-ZJG - Archibald Mclachlan and Mary McPherson marriage or banns in Cardross in 1838.

This would explain this household in 1841.  Need further corroboration though...

Monica