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Hi Bruce,
So glad you've posted your message on RC. It's been so long since I've had time to look at my family history 'stuff' - it's made me look it all out and got me enthused again! I too have a copy of the will you're after, which shed light on John Anderson having a 2nd wife Janet Rae (b. Shotts 1797). Janet Rae and John married 30 Jan 1831, their children, John Rae, Peter, Christian and Janet (but you possibly know this already). Interestingly, whilst John Rae became Mayor in Illinois, John's (rural postman in Bathgate) son to his first wife Janet Binning, Smith Anderson, became Lord Provost of Kilsyth in the late 1800's. That Smith Anderson is my 2x Great Grandfather.  Will send you a personal message as I've other things to ask you.
Kind Regards,
Lesley

Well done Anne!  Many thanks to you and Billy for you help and perseverance!  It would be great to see a copy of the obit.  I'll send you my e-mail address in a PM.  I already have Provost Smith Anderson's death cert but would be interested to also see the other Smith's death cert who died in 1929.  I don't have that one.  Thanks again.

Lesley 

Hi Gill,
Did a search for Dow tonight and found your postings.  Don't know if there is a link but I have researched my Dow's, many of whom were in Falkirk at least from 1840's and prior to that appear to hail from Perthshire (I have dates back to 1790's) with a James Dow who married a Margaret Millar in Fowlis Wester in 1792.

One branch of the Dows I have also discovered moved to Linlithgow with a David Dow who went on to have children in Philpstoun and Edinburgh. 

I am still very much piecing this bit of my tree together.  Have you come across an Alexander Cummings Rutherford Dow in your research?  He is my G Grandfather on my mum's side and married an Elizabeth Cox Maxwell in Falkirk in 1868.  I have discovered a James Dow (flesher) who was the son of David Dow and Jane Main and brother of Alexander CR Dow.

I look forward to hearing if any of this is ringing bells with you.

Kind Regards
Eastend

Hi Billy and Betty (sounds like a double act!!)
From bits and pieces I've found out I am thinking that the older Smith who died in 1900 was the Provost. As Betty already knows I had discovered a few months ago passport applications for the younger Smith Anderson though until tonight didn't have the final piece of the jigsaw that confirmed it was our Smith Anderson.  Tonight I found his death certificate (20 April 1935) and it confirmed his parents as Smith Anderson, Colliery Manager, and Marion Benny.  It also noted his usual residence as Alameda, California, USA which ties in with the passport applications I have. He died in Kelvingrove, Glasgow, so I'm guessing it was just chance that he happened to be visiting here when he died of prostate cancer.

From the passport papers and various US Federal Census' he emigrated in 1882.  He was widowed at age 52 in 1913 when his wife Emma Bartlett died.  The 1910 Census shows children Helen M Anderson age 17 and Smith C Anderson, aged 10.  Betty and I know through my dad that we had relations over in America called Smith Chesley Anderson so this might fit.

Attached to papers in 1918 is a letter from the National War Work Council of the YMCA of US certifying that he was appointed a Secretary for service with the troops of the American Expeditionary Force In France.  1921 papers show that he was coming back to the British Isles on family business and to attend a Rotary Convention.  His occupation in America at that time was Dairyman, and on his death certificate he is noted as a Company Director. 

The long and short of all this, is that I don't think Smith Junior was the Provost 'cause he was living in America at the time. But I think the rest of it makes interesting reading too.  I did wonder if the YMCA would have any archive information.  Good luck at the library Betty.