Elizabeth mother of Andrew Skilling b 1850/1

[josey]

On his marriage certificate of 1871, Andrew is 19, states his parents as William Skilling wood cutter & Elizabeth MS Hilson. On his death certificate of 1913, registered by a son, they are stated as Samuel Skilling no occupation & Elizabeth MS Guthrie. On later censuses he is born in Ballantrae.

Family not found on 1841 census. ADDED: see next post
On 1851 census in Ballantrae there is a Samuel Skilling 69 born Ireland, ag lab wife Jane b Ballantrae with daughter Elizabeth Skilling age 37 as married and grandchildren Mary 15, Jno 8 James 4 [surname Shaw] & an unbaptised son 7 mo [transcribed as 1 mo as there is a line scored through it, image attached, bottom entry in age column]. Address illegible.
In 1861 Elizabeth is aged 50 marked as widowed with Mary 26, James 14 and Andrew 10 all born Ballantrae living at Karloch [sic] Cottage.
In 1871 she is 59 unmarried living with son James 24, her sister Janet Skilling 52 and nephew Edward 0 in Kerlock [sic] Cottage. ADDED Edward is actually son of Mary, born at Karloch Cottage. He died aged 10, MMN Garrett [cf 1841 census with Mary Garrat aged 4]
In 1881 aged 67 as Betty she is an unmarried servant living with a MacDowall couple in Glenapp House.
In 1891 aged 79 she is living with sister Janet aged 73 both UNMARRIED in Acuhencrosh Lodge.
In 1896 she died aged 86, registered by son James as SINGLE parents Samuel Skilling labourer & Jean MS McTyre.

An Elizabeth Skilling was baptised to Samuel Skilling and Jean McTyre in March 1812 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB22-1NL

What are your opinions on my surmising that the name Samuel on Andrew's death certificate was mixed up with his grandfather, and that 'William' on 1871 marriage certificate is made up, or maybe forename of biological father who was not married to his mother.

Many thanks as ever.

[josey]

I have found some of the family in 1841 as Skillin at Loom House Ballantrae, Samuel 50 ag lab b Ireland, Jean 50 , Alexander 15 NBIC , Mary Garrat 4, William McCracken 8 [from image at SP].  Elizabeth aged 30 FS is living with a William Mitchel 20 ag lab & John Skillin ag lab at Currarie [from FindMyPast transcription].

Maybe Mary Garrat is Elizabeth's child?

ADDED; I have looked for paternity suits for Elizabeth on OldScottish & Scottish Indexes but found none.

[MonicaL]

Josey, certainly Samuel is showing as grandfather to Andrew on the 1851 census. This is FreeCen's transcription for that census www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/64b5248bf493fd9a260b9af6/samuel-skilling-1851-ayrshire-ayr-1786-?locale=en

As you can see there, the address in 1851 was Mulbain.

On this transcript, Elizabeth is showing as married, but from you have found she was never married?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Not sure whether the baby grandson in the 1851 census is showing as 7 months. I month would fit better with him showing as unnamed and unbaptised at the time of the census. FreeCen do show him as 7 months.

From that FreeCen transcript side note re baby's surname. Is there a possibility that he could be showing as Shaw like elder grandson James?

Monica

[MonicaL]

On his marriage certificate of 1871, Andrew is 19, states his parents as William Skilling wood cutter & Elizabeth MS Hilson. On his death certificate of 1913, registered by a son, they are stated as Samuel Skilling no occupation & Elizabeth MS Guthrie. On later censuses he is born in Ballantrae.

I wonder if the surname Guthrie connects to Elizabeth's sister, Jane, who married a George Guthrie in Ballantrae in April 1834?

Jane's burial details here www.findagrave.com/memorial/193956307/jane-guthrie

Monica

[josey]

Thanks for looking.

As Elizabeth was baptised as daughter of Samuel Skilling & Jean McTyer on 9 Mar 1812
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB22-1NL and appears as unmarried in later censuses and on her death cert, I am sure she never married.

On the 1851 I agree, surname is not stated, so could be Shaw. I have a feeling though that the children were known by another surname [father's?]. Mary was Garret, James was Shaw, but they were known as Skilling on later censuses. Mary uses Skilling to record her son Edward's birth but Garret to record his death. James was Skilling when he recorded his mother Elizabeth's death.

ADDED Yes, maybe that is the Guthrie connection. The family seemed to be a bit free and easy with names!! I wonder if James was James Shaw Skilling?

[MonicaL]

James Shaw from 1851 kept Skilling throughout his life. He married in 1881 a Mary McDowall. His parents show as 'James Shaw, reputed father, deceased' and Elizabeth Skilling, housekeeper.

James's burial details www.findagrave.com/memorial/193710758/james-skilling

Monica

[MonicaL]

Just in case there is any connected family, have you had a look at the Skilling memorials at Ballantrae Cemetery? See www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2575196/memorial-search?firstName=&lastName=Skilling&includeMaidenName=true

Monica

[josey]

Thanks for both those, interesting about James....

I looked at the Ballantrae Old Cemetery on findagrave. I will investigate the names. There is a John Skilling died 1940 aged 83 but  no birth date on grave marker. They have birth year as 1836 so I emailed them to say it must have been 1856 or so [subtracting 83 from 1940] but got the reply
 
The following suggested edit you submitted for the John Skilling (1836–1940) Find a Grave memorial have been declined.
Reported Problem:   Suggestion does not match information I have for this person or memorial.
Notes:   You obviously didn’t research