Not really sure which board this belongs but I’ll post it here. It involves three countries, a possible name change and I don’t really know where to look.
I’m quite good with the Scottish records and know my way around Scotland’s people but when it comes to international and English searches I’m lost. I find SP much more user friendly than searching the GRO but anyway. Lack of experience really.
I’m trying to figure out what happened to two of my 4th Great-Grandfather’s sons William and John.
John was born in Linton Roxburghshire and baptised at Morebattle on 17 December 1848 and William was also born in Linton and baptised 28 July 1850 again at the Morebattle Free Church.
The parents are William Hogg (b 1809) and Mary Waldie (b 1810).
For now I’m focussing on John.
There is a
John Hogg who marries a
Jane Stewart Dunn and has a son
William Waldie Hogg. Born 26th November 1878 Northumberland.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DTNQ-HB3ZThis John appears to be a Town Missionary in the 1881 census - if this is the right John. - 2 Rosedale Place. Parish Byker. County Northumberland.
This get confusing as this son ‘appears’ to change his name to
William Waldie Davidson. Davidson is William Hogg (1809) mother’s maiden name. Ancestry is full of trees that have copied this information. I don’t trust them. The ancestry trees mostly list
"John (William) Hogg" as the father and have the birth year Abt. 1851. More confusion with the brackets.
GRO Death entry:
Name:
Age at Death (in years):
DAVIDSON, WILLIAM WALDIE
45
GRO Reference: 1924 D Quarter in BRISTOL Volume 06A Page 249
I don’t know if two people have been confused here or whether William Waldie did indeed change his last name. I guess I need to order the above death certificate from the GRO to see for myself if John Hogg is the father.
I have messaged a couple of the tree owners but so far have not received a reply.
To add to my confusion there is a John Hogg who marries a Susie Backman (Abrams) in Manhattan, New York. The estimated birth year is a little out but it does list his parents as William Hogg and Mary Waldie.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24SH-SJGI don’t find anything else on this couple, I’m somewhat lost when searching for American records.
Both of these John’s are interesting candidates as my 3x Great grand-uncle, obviously Northumberland is a lot closer than New York to the rest of the family in Roxburgh, and I’d love to find something that confirms a link to either.
The names John and William are incredibly common. I’d love to try and find John Hogg’s death certificate, the marriage certificate, or any obituary - my findmypast subscription has ended so don’t have access to the newspapers section now. I may renew this soon.
If any one can help me clear up this muddle I would be most grateful.
Thanks in advance.