Alexander Aikenhead of Headhouse, East Kilbride had 2 chlidren:
Alexander b7 Jun 1774 Headhouse
James b3 SEP 1778 Headhouse
Alexander Aickenhead married Janet Mcfarlane on 27 Jun 1773 in EK.
Janet is definitly the mother of Alexander b1774. I noticed the gap between Alex and Jas and did some searching and came up with Alexander Aikenhead marrying Janet Hogg on 03 Aug 1777 in EK. Does anyone else think its possible or likely James is Alexander's half brother? There isn't another Alexander that fits that could marry Janet.
Both of these baptisms actually say 'in Philipshill'.
1774. Alexr son to Alexander Aikenheads in Philipshill June [born] 7 [East Kilbride Parish Register]
1778. James son to Alexander Aikenhead in Philipshill Sept [born] 3 [bapt] 6. [East Kilbride Parish Register]The four youngest children of James Aitkenhead and Anne Fleming were born at Headhouse between 1757 and 1766, as were the first three children of their son James A and Margaret Dykes between 1790 and 1793.
It's quite possible that Janet Hogg was a second wife to Janet MacFarlane's widower, but I'd want to see some more evidence for that. Just because there's only one obvious candidate in the records doesn't mean that (s)he is the right one, because there are so many baptisms missing from the records.
Alexander A died in 1855 at Shawmoss Farm, Eastwood. His death was registered by his son William, who gave his grandparents' names as Alexander A and Janet McFarlane.
James A died unmarried at Neilsland, Hamilton in 1863, aged 85. The death was registered by William A, nephew, Shawmoss, Pollokshields. William knew the name of his grandfather in 1855, so it seems odd that he didn't know it in 1863. On the other hand the fact that he didn't know the name of James' mother is evidence to suggest that she may not have been his own grandmother.
The 1851 census lists James A, 70, at Neilsland, but says he was born in Blantyre. I have yet to find him in 1861. He was buried in Hamilton, rather than in East Kilbride as one might have expected if he was the one born at Philipshill.
I do have this James down provisionally as the son of Alexander A and Janet McFarlane, but as I review the evidence now, it suggests that he isn't.
