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My great-grandmother (Ada Laing) was born in 1884 in Dundee, Scotland.  I have her parents as James Laing and Robina.  Recently I came across an Ellis Island entry for when a then married Ada Lane (nee Laing) came into the U.S. with her two eldest sons.  This was August 1913 and Ada lists her closest relative in the country she departed as an Aunt Meg Laing on 10 Barrack Street, Dundee.

I assume Meg is short for Margaret and it could be either her married or maiden name. 

Any help would be most appreciated, thank you!

Pitminster Confidential: Better than Fiction: Not a Nott?  25 Years a Lane, Remarried to a Rochester (and one for 41 years), Daughter of William Hartnell???


My 4xGGrandfather (Robert Lane b. abt. 1800) married Ann Nott (b. abt. 1804) on 15-10-1823 in Pitminster, Somerset, England.  This was the name on her marriage license.  They proceeded to have at least 6 children (all sons) John, James, George (my 3xGGf), Robert, Charles and Mark born between 1826-1842.  I have a great deal of information about George’s family and a little about Mark. 

According to my records (Pitminster), Robert (the elder) passed away in September 1845.  Then Ann Lane married Richard Rochester on 3-9-1848.  On Richard’s marriage document (according to Pitminster records) he is a widower son of Joseph and Ann is the widow daughter of William Hartnell. 

I cannot find any reference to an Ann Hartnell born around 1804, I think there is one in 1809, but wouldn’t that be too young to get married in 1823?  Plus, the 1881 census lists the year of birth as 1804 and birthplace as Pitminster.  Was she married to a Nott before married Robert Lane?  Was she simply an illegitimate child born to her mother’s name?  But I can’t find her mother?  I have to assume that the William Hartnell reference is correct, but I don’t know.  What else could explain its appearance?

I am not concerned with the social implications of these matters, I would just like to know who is who and build my family tree back for my own personal benefit.

Any help in these matters (including what happened to her sons) would be of great help, if there is interest, I’d gladly share the information that I have.  She was too old to bear children by the time she married Rochester, and the 1881 census shows her living in Blagdon Hill (Lane home for decades) as a pauper with two elder lodgers and the Death Index that she passed away in Q3 1889.  Sounds like a very sad story.

Sue,

We are actually 10th cousins, if you can believe it.  Roger Hinder had 9 children, as far as I can tell.  One was your great-grandfather Henry and another was James.  James had Sarah Ann Hinder, who married my great great great grandfather.  He was named Walter Lane, as was his son and grandson.  I am the third Robert Lane since that.  I have a good deal of information about the generation of Henry Hinder and his children's generation, but I would greatly appreciate any further information you have and would happily share what I have with you.  email address removed by moderator  I get a ton of spam on this account (and will probably get more now), so include HINDER Family Info.

All the best, Robert