Finding the right parents

[lpeake]

I seriously under-estimated how difficult tracing my Scottish ancestors would be and I am hoping someone can help point me in the right direction to find the correct set of parents.

My 4x Great Grandmother was Margaret Clark. She was born between 1814 and 1816 in Grahamston, Stirling. She married John Johnston in 1836 and he was born around the same time in the same area. According to the 1841 census he was aged 25 and a Smith in Grahamston which changed to an iron grinder in the 1851 census.

I am trying to find their parents so I can go back further with my research, but their marriage only lists Margaret and John, no parents (clip attached), and to date, I haven't been able to find a birth record for John.

Using the little I know and cross referencing various websites (findmypast, familysearch and ScotlandsPeople to name but a few), I think I have found Margaret's parents - Robert Clark and Janet Dun - (clip attached). It shows Margaret was born in Sept 1814 but baptised in Oct 1815. I think it also says illegit by the side of her name but I'm not sure if I am reading that correctly or what consequence that may have in terms of further research, if any.

I have pencilled in their details for now but it's a huge leap of faith and a very big rabbit hole to go down if it's not right, so I was wondering if anyone knows of other sources I can turn to to find/confirm the names of Margaret and John's parents?

Any advice or pointers will be very gratefully received.
Thank you.

[GR2]

If they died in or after 1855, there will be statutory death certificates on ScotlandsPeople which will give their parents' names, including their fathers' occupations and their mothers' maiden names.

Have you traced them through the censuses to find a rough time and area where they might have died?

[rosie17]

They were on the 1861 census
41 Grove Street Glasgow

John Johnston age 47 born Grahamston Stirling occupation iron grinder
Margaret Johnston 46 born Falkirk.
John Johnston 18 born Grahamston
Helen Johnson 14 born Maryhill
Jane johnston12 born Maryhill
Andrew Johnston 6 born Glasgow

Rosie

[rosie17]

Looks like this family moved to England so won't be a death on Scotland's People to help getting parents names .Unfortunately the old parish records don't give much information on parents names

Rosie

[MonicaL]

Mother and son Andrew may have been in Liverpool by the time of the 1871 census:

Margaret Johnston 55 widow b. Scotland
Andrew Johnston 16, apprentice moulder b. Scotland

Andrew looks to have headed off to the USA at some point, at least from the 1900 Census.

I wonder if John Snr died in Scotland or on arrival in England?

Monica

[rosie17]

Monica the father is not showing as deceased on their daughter Margaret's marriage in Liverpool 1867

Rosie

[GR2]

The following extracts are from the minutes of Falkirk Kirk Session.

1st January 1815:

Appeared Janet Dun saying
she had brought forth a child in fornica-
tion to Robert Clark a residenter in Falkirk,
which he has by a line acknowledged. But
in as much as it is a relapse the Session refer
taking her upon discipline.

4th June 1815:

Compeared Janet Dun who
has brought forth a child in fornication
to Robert Clark, which he formerly acknow-
ledged. They were both rebuked and or-
dered to appear this day two months.

6th August 1815:

Appeared Isabel Cox and Janet
Dun, who were again both rebuked for the
sin of fornication and admonished and
ordered to appear this day one month.

10th September 1815:

Compeared Isabel Cox and Janet
Dun both for the sin of fornication and
were again rebuked and admonished and
restored to the privileges of the Church.

[MonicaL]

That is great confirmation, GR2.

Poor Janet Dun....so many rebukes by the Elders!

Early born names of children for John and Margaret:

Marion
Janet
John  x 2?
Margaret
Helen
Jeannie
...gap of 5 yrs...
Andrew in 1855 and the start of official registration in Scotland.

Monica

[GR2]

As it said that it was a relapse (i.e. a second case of fornication), I looked beck in the minutes of the Falkirk Kirk Session and found the following:

1st November 1812:

Appeared Janet Dun, who says she is
with child and gives Arch'd Hutton flesh-
er in Falkirk as the father, which he ac-
knowledges himself by a letter.

6th December 1812:

Compeared again Janet Dun who was
rebuked a second time for the sin of fornica-
tion with Arch'd Hutton. She was ordered
to attend this day a month.

3rd January 1813:

Appeared a third time Janet Dun, who
was rebuked and restored to the privileges of
the Church.