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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Thinlizy on Sunday 14 June 09 07:17 BST (UK)
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This has been my huge brick wall since I started looking at the family. I hope there is someone out there in Rootchat world that can help.
Christina McLaren is my GGGrand mother Andrew Greenfield 28 Apr 1854 Leith. Her death cert 1868, shows Peter McLaren and Isabella Cealia Williams (b ? London around 1808 and died in Leith 1868), as her parents, both deceased. I cannot find any trace of a marriage but that may never have happened. Isabella seems to have a son John Williams (Census info). As for Peter McLaren cannot fin definite birth info, he may have been a shoemaker in Cannonmills Edinburgh and died around 1834 (from a will and disposal of estate but this may not be him) but cannot find him on 1841 census again perfectly feasible as may have been out of the country! All info abit tenuous to say the least, but over to all you folks out there, as this is really bugging me now. Thinlizy :)
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This has been my huge brick wall since I started looking at the family. I hope there is someone out there in Rootchat world that can help.
Christina McLaren is my GGGrand mother Andrew Greenfield 28 Apr 1854 Leith. Her death cert 1868, shows Peter McLaren and Isabella Cealia Williams (b ? London around 1808 and died in Leith 1868), as her parents, both deceased. I cannot find any trace of a marriage but that may never have happened. Isabella seems to have a son John Williams (Census info). As for Peter McLaren cannot fin definite birth info, he may have been a shoemaker in Cannonmills Edinburgh and died around 1834 (from a will and disposal of estate but this may not be him) but cannot find him on 1841 census again perfectly feasible as may have been out of the country! All info abit tenuous to say the least, but over to all you folks out there, as this is really bugging me now. Thinlizy :)
Not much help really.
As you'll have seen Isabella, John and Christina (till she takes her married name) have the surname Williams on census records from 1841 - 1861. I think if Isabella had still been married the children at least would have their father's name.
Did John marry? - I can't seem to find him after 1861. I wonder if it's worth looking for that to see what he says about his father.
What does Isabella's death entry say about her husband?
Regards,
Nel
PS I take it it was a slip of the keyboard giving Christina's death as 1868.
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I think John may have died later in 1861, after the Census. He was in the Royal Infirmary as a Patient in 1851 age 18; maybe he was not a well person from quite a young age.
Scotlands People has:
John WILLIAMS age 29, death registered Leith, 1861
Cheers
AMBLY
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Thanx, yes slip of keyboard Christina died early 1900's, it was Isabella who died in 1868. and her husband was deceased by that time.
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The extracted IGI entry for Christina McLAREN's marriage in 1854 to Andrew GREENFIELD says her father is Peter McLAREN.
Considering her mother Isabella WILLIAMS is a Shoebinder in Leith in 1841 with her WILLIAMS children Christina and John, I'd say the chances that the Peter McLAREN, Shoemaker, who died in Leith sometime prior to Nov 1834 (when the Inventory of his Estate was filed, Scotlands People), was her husband.
What does that Inventory say about this Peter? How did his possessions or money get distributed?
If Isabella was a widow circa 1834 with 2 very small children, did she remarry to a Mr WILLIAMS, who himself may have died before 1851?
Even though whatever is written may not be true, what was Isabella's marital status shown as on the 1851 and 1861 Census?
It was not uncommon in Scotland, for widows especially but also married women, to use their maiden names on Census. If she had reverted to her maiden name in widowhood, and remained a widow then I might have expected her children to still use McLAREN on the Census. The fact that her 2 children are consistently referred to as WILLIAMS on the Census, makes me think that was the name of a 2nd husband - and who may have been the only father the children knew? Albiet for a very short period of time?
This extracted marriage on the IGI is kind of interesting:
Peter McLAREN and Isabella BAIN, dau of Alexander BAIN
married South Leith, Dec 1821
As Nel says, the full 1868 death cert information for Isabella (which is indexed under the names McLAREN and WILLIAMS) and the probable death cert for her son John WILLIAMS in 1861 might now be of use to be able to sort this one out?
Cheers
AMBLY
For Reference Only:
CENSUS 1841:
St Andrews St Leith - Isabella WILLIAMS 40, Shoebinder, Christian WILLIAMS 12, John WILLIAMS 10, Alexander NESBIT 45, Pauper
All stated as b Midlothian.
CENSUS 1851:
7 St Andrews St Leith - Isabella WILLIAMs 50 b England, Dau: Christina b abt 1831, Lodger William LINDSAY 18, Ropemaker and 2 other Boarders.
Son John WILLIAMS 18, Ropemaker appears to be in the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh as a patient.
CENSUS 1861:
Christina b abt 1831 Sth Leith and husband Andrew GREENFIELD are in Leith with their children; M-I-L Isabella WILLIAMS 50 (60?) b England and B-I-L John WILLIAMS 28, Ropemaker are in the house also,
CENSUS 1871:
Christina b abt 1831 Sth Leith and husband Andrew & children are in Leith.
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http://www.scottap.com/family/Lanark/MLNTestaments/MLNTestaments1Mc.html
Peter McLAREN shoemaker Leith - died 18 Jan 1830
This might make Christina his daughter, but John the son of either a 2nd husband or illigitimate son, of his widow
Cheers
AMBLY
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The inventory is dated 19 Nov 1834. Peter McLaren was a shoemaker and appeared to have died 18 Jan 1834. Unfortunately it is some 12 pages long! It is also very difficult to read because of the very cursive nature of the hand writting. I can't make out if there is a daughter, wife or other family mentioned but there seems to be plenty of seem to be business men's names. This inventory is freely available on Scotlandspeople if anyone can help deciphering it. Thanx
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Hi
I'm sure many will leap at the chance to help you dechipher the inventory! I'm happy to have a go ;D The index entry is freely available on SP but to see the whole thing, one has to part with 5 quid. If you already have the document downloaded and and want me to have a try, let me know and I'll PM you my email address where you can forward a copy.
Cheers
AMBLY
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Any help is more than welcome :) PM your e-mail and will send to you for the challange I hope you have lots of time on your hands!
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Just today I found the tombstone of Peter McLaren shoemaker of Leith who features on my family tree. It is in South Leith Parish Church Kirkyard nr Edinburgh.
I came upon your correspaondence from last year after Googling his name!
Hope this is of interest! can send photos of tombstome if you wish
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Hi Sharkman, Sorry for the delay in repling. Just taking the opportunity on a rainy afternoon to follow up you message re Peter McLaren. Thanks for the info. Had a look round and found a photo of a headstone in South Leith Parish Churchyard, the wife is Mary Jackson and seen a bit early. Could you send me the info you have on your Peter McLaren. As you will be aware I have a copy of a Peter McLaren's inventory in the event of his death. There seems to be no mention of my GGGmother Christina McLaren as a member of the family or a beneficiary. I keep coming back to this in the hope of finding some clue but to no avail.
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Hi Thinlizy,
Given Peter McLaren lost two wifes, both at 27 years old and lived to 72, it is feasible that he fathered Christina McLaren after both previous marriages.
I have a copy of the marriage certificate for Christina McLaren and Andrew Greenfield on April 28 1854. If her age was say 25, she would have been born 21 years before Peter McLaren died in 1850.
I also have a copy of the Birth Certificate for the birth of a daughter Isabella to Andrew and Christina on 30 October 1854, from whom I am descended on my paternal grandmother's side.
Any chance you could copy the Inventory to l(*) ?
Hope this helps,
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Sure will convert it into a PDF over the weekend. Already have the cert for McLaren/Greenfield marriage as they are also my direct descendents through Elizabeth, Isabella's sister. I have never been able to find anything about the McLaren/Williams relationship or anything about her as uncetain exactly where she was born or if there was indeed a marriage. I guess every family has one or two like this. Thanks for you help.