Let’s take another look at John Saunders. I think that for aunt Bridget (Saunders) Ryan to have some say and collect Catherine from the orphanage in Scotland that there must have been some acknowledgement that John Saunders was the child’s father (assuming for the moment that he is indeed Catherine’s father). Might there be Scottish records of maintenance?
We know that John was born 1897 in Derry and married in 1914 to Margaret Jane Quigley.
Now, in Derry Cemetery online records is this interesting record-
- Rose Anne Saunders,
parents- John & Mary Struthers, born Derry, residence 109 St. Columbs Wells, age 4 months, died 24 May 1922, buried 25 May 1922 [proprietor Bridget Dalby 68 St. Columbs Wells]
Does this death fit with this marriage in Scotland?
SAUNDERS JOHN STRUTHERS MARY 1918 575/2 16 Scotstoun and Yoker
Death (Saunders with other name Struthers)- born c1884 (see below)
SAUNDERS MARY 75 1959 493/ 29 Bonhill and Renton
Now here’s another interesting record I’d mentioned earlier in anther context- John’s brother William Saunders married Ellen Diamond but William died in 1913.
Could John Saunders & widowed sister-in-law have had a child in 1916? From a registration point of view it’s possible. Birth registered by mother and her surname was Saunders with maiden name Diamond so she could have said father was John Saunders and the registrar wouldn’t have suspected child was illegitimate.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1916/01328/1548457.pdf So,
if this all ALL the same John Saunders-
1897- born Derry
1914- married Margaret Jane Quigley
John only about 17- was marriage annulled, did Margaret die 1914-1918 or they simply parted?
1916- child of John Saunders & Ellen (Diamond) Saunders born Derry
Ellen died 1919 so what happened to this child? An online tree has William as John’s father (with no death date for William so it’s not clear if they know William couldn’t be the father)
1918- married (Scot.) Mary Struthers (born 1883 according to online tree with fits age of death- above)
Another online tree has this- 31/05/1918. Scotstoun/Yoker, Glasgow. Mary [Struthers] married John at 2 Scotstoun Place, Scotstoun. Sister Jane was a witness, Mary was working as a Domestic Servent, John as a Bricklayer.
1922- Rose Anne Saunders born cJan/Feb. & died May
When is the last record you've found for John Saunders?