Agnes R Simpson

[Jane Eden]

Hi I am looking for Agnes R Simpson born 1902, Midlothian, Scotland. She may have been born Agnes Ritchie as illegitimate and then adopted to a family called Simpson.
Unfortunately adoption records are not available for this era, they may have been charities or even unofficial. Legal adoption was much later, 1930.
She emigrated to Portland, Oregon, USA, in 1923-25, and married Joseph Harold Comery from Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Died Oregon 1986.
She was a direct relative but having trouble finding her between when she was born either as Ritchie or Simpson from 1902 to 1925. I met her in the 1960s and 1970s as she was the wife of my granny’s husband’s brother. I’m in touch with her grandchildren and would like to close the gaps. I suppose things like this were not spoken about.
Any ideas on the way forward would be fantastic.
Thanks so much
Jane

[Neale1961]

Have you looked at this birth record on ScotlandsPeople

Agnes Ritchie in 1902 Colinton
Ref 677/47

Also available on ScotlandsPeople
In the 1911 census, there is an entry for Agnes R Simpson, age 8 in Leith South, Midlothian. Ref 692/2 27/25
The index shows in the house:
Alexander Simpson age 57
Janet Simpson age 25
Annie Simpson age 23
Alexander Simpson age 12
Agnes R Simpson age 8

You need to see the original to know relationships and all other detail.

If this is the correct person, then her father was possibly  RITCHIE, and her mother was SIMPSON – might be Janet Simpson, who would have been about 17 in 1902.

I can’t see an entry for Agnes R in the 1921 census in Leith, but she may have moved away or emigrated by then.

[Neale1961]

Well, I am sure now that I have the correct family posted above in the 1911 census. I am thinking that Agnes Ritchie Simpson’s mother might have been Janet Simpson …..

Janet Simpson (born 29 Aug 1886) was the daughter of Alexander Simpson and Janet Anderson Penman (married 1874 Leith)
Janet 1st married Robert Page in Leith on 7th April 1911 (just 5 days after the 1911 census)
She then 2nd married Thomas Mitchell in Leith on 24 July 1914.
Then there is a third partner named George Barnett
and Janet died with that surname in Cardiff in 1968.
(There is a tree for Janet on Ancestry which includes a photo. There might be similarities with the photo of her daughter that you posted here?) 

Janet Simpson/Page/Mitchell had an older brother named George Simpson who was born 1882 and died in 1963 Michigan.
His wife was Helen Reid Kerr (married in Leith in 1910) – they had a son named Alexander Russell Simpson, and a daughter named Jeanie.
The family emigrated to USA in 1926.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZQWF-JLPZ

The 1920 & 1925 valuation rolls for Scotland show George living at 5 Stanwell St, Leith. He is there in 1921 census too.


This is your Agnes R Simpson on her Canada Border Crossing - emigrating in 1923.
Agnes Simpson, age 20, from Leith, going to Portland, Oregon
She gives her “brother” George Simpson as nearest contact- 5 Stanwell Street Leith.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99D9-4RNN?i=1004&cc=2185163&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQK3T-FQLH

In reality, George would be her uncle, but she may not have been clear about who were her parents or grandparents. She may have lived with her grandfather, Alexander Simpson, until he died in 1917, and thought he was her father.

[Neale1961]

Have you looked at this birth record on ScotlandsPeople

Agnes Ritchie in 1902 Colinton
Ref 677/47

I think you should get this birth certificate in the chance that it is the correct person, and might give you information about the parents.

[Margow]

Re Agnes Ritchie born in 1902 in Colinton 

SP Ref 677/47 - details as follows:

Agnes Ritchie (illegitimate) born 21 April 1902 at Poorhouse, Craiglockhart, Parish of Colinton, to Margaret Ritchie, domestic servant. (No father's name given.)  Informant = Eliz. F. Lawrie, Matron.

[Neale1961]

21 April 1902 matches the date of birth for Agnes Ritchie Simpson seen on American documents.

I wonder if “Margaret Ritchie” was a made-up name, or a real person.

Agnes was certainly living with the previously identified Simpson family by the 1911 census.

When Janet Simpson married in 1911 her occupation was domestic servant.

[Forfarian]

1901 Census: Alexander Simpson, 48; wife Janet, 47; son Alexander, 17; daughters Janet, 14; Annie, 13; Christina, 11; "relative" John P Simpson, 50; grandson Alexander, 2.

Perhaps Agnes was the daughter of Alexander, who was 17 in 1901, or even of George? Or of one of their older brothers Robert and James, who are in the 1891 census?

The birth certificate of grandson Alexander might also be interesting.

[Neale1961]

I think George was in the military and “out of the way” in 1901-02, but I did wonder about Alexander.
He was a carter by occupation, and married in 1907 to Nellie Banks.

Robert and James and John Simpson were all married before 1900, so less likely to be them (but not impossible).

[Forfarian]

I wonder if “Margaret Ritchie” was a made-up name, or a real person.

I doubt it.

As she gave birth in the poorhouse and Margow did not find another address for her on Agnes' birth certificate, she must have been resident in the poorhouse.

The parochial board would have made extensive enquiries to find out where she was born and who her parents were. This was standard practice before taking anyone into a poorhouse, because if the parochial board could find evidence that she did not have 'settlement' in their parish they could charge any expenses incurred on looking after her to the parish where she did have 'settlement'.

So if she had given a made-up name it would pretty soon have been revealed that she wasn't telling the truth.