William Irving

[Forfarian]

Ecclefechan is in the parish of Hoddom, so the 40-year-old Mary Ann Dalrymple in 1891 at Muirbank, Hoddom would certainly fit.

The 1891 transcription I'm looking at doesn't say where in Dumfries-shire she was born.

She is a near match to the 1861 listing in Annan of Mary Ann Dalrymple, aged 9, granddaughter of John D and Mary Rae, except that this gives her birthplace as Middlebie.

This also matches Mary Ann D, dairymaid, aged 30, born Middlebie, in the household of Peter Carruthers in Cummertrees in 1881.

In 1861 there is also a grandson John D, aged 1, born Annan. This looks like John Rae Dalrymple, son of William Rae Dalrymple and Janet Lawson, born 16 June 1859 in Annan. William R Dalrymple and Janet Lawson were married in Annan in 1850. They also had a daughter Mary Ann, born in Middlebie in 1852 (SP index says 1832 but it's wrong - I've reported it).

Mary Ann Dalrymple, mother's maiden surname Lawson, died in Dumfries in 1905, aged 51.

So I think that the mother of William Beattie Dalyrmple was the daughter of William Rae D and granddaughter of John D and Mary Rae.

EDIT (Posted before I saw Millmoor's most recent post. I'm glad to have my hypothesis confirmed!)

[Kay99]

In 1861 I think Mary Scott/Irving/Johnston and Mary Ann Dalrymple were living as near neighbours at  Newbie Barns to the south of Annan

[Forfarian]

Following on, we know that Mary Scott or Irving or Johnston was a daughter of John Scott and Mary Dalrymple, and that Mary Dalrymple was the daughter of John D and Mary Rae.

William D, mmn Rae, died in Annan in 1891 aged 63. So he seems to be the brother of Mary Scott or Irving or Johnston. If William Beattie D is, as I believe, William's grandson, that makes him great-nephew to Mary D or I or J.

It still doesn't explain why Mary D/I/J is named as his mother in his military records, but as his mother died in 1905, his brother in 1912, his sister in 1889, his grandfather in 1891 and grandmother in 1860, all before he enlisted, she was certainly his next of kin.

[Nodrogw]

Further to the foregoing, I have now discovered that Mary Scott/Irving/Johnstone was a niece of William Dalrymple, her mother's brother. I had not found out until further investigation  that William was married twice. Firstly to Janet Lawson who died in 1860, and then to Ruth Irving. Janet gave birth to Mary Ann Dalrymple in 1852 which makes her a cousin of  Mary S/I/J . When Mary Ann gave birth to William Beattie Dalrymple he was Mary's second cousin. As Mary Ann died in 1905 and William was still living g with Mary Johnstone this is almost certainly why she was named as his next of kin on his attestation.