Death of John Walker

[Jokdy]

I'm having trouble finding the death of John, first husband to my great grandmother Catherine McGinnis Hilston.

He was born 1880 in Tarbolton.  He married Catherine in St. Quivox in 1903.  They had a daughter, Elizabeth Hilston Gray Walker, born about 1903/04.

Catherine later married my grandfather Alexander Watt Mitchell (although I am yet to find their marriage entry, but she is listed as having his name on her death certificate and my grandfather's marriage certificate).  They had children together from around 1917, although there could be earlier ones I have not stumbled across.  They moved to Glasgow.   Alexander was previously married to a Jessie Telfer (also in Ayrshire) who died in 1909.  So I'm trying to find out when John died so I can narrow the gap for when Catherine got together with my great grandfather. 

Can anyone help?

[hume]

Hi Jokdy,

Did John and Catherine's daughter marry? If so, it may be worth checking that out to see if her father is listed as deceased. It's possible he did not die until much later, therefore the reason why Catherine and Alexander may not have been able to marry.

hume

[Jokdy]

Good point!  I have her marriage certificate and just looked at it. 

She married in 1922 in Glasgow and John is listed as deceased, but Catherine is named as Catherine McGinnis Walker nee Hilston, and not Mitchell. 

I know my grandfather was brought up in Glasgow but I still haven't been able to discover whether he was born there or in Ayr, he was born about 1919/20. 

[Nicholas Muir]

Hi I have a record of Catherine marrying John walker on 16-9-1903 and a record of the birth of John Hilston Mitchell 16-6 1912 son of Alexander. That certificate should show the parents date of marriage. Next time I'm at the record office I will look it up. I am a descendant of Catherine's brother James Kerr Hilston. I have the Hilston's Back to the 1770s various spellings so was quite hard. Catherine also went by Hulston. Other variations are Houlston, Halston, Helston. If you would like any more info let me know . I would be grateful for any info you might have.

Mike

[Jokdy]

Mike... I've not been on here for such a long time, are you still around I wonder?  Would be good to hook up and exchange notes.

[Forfarian]

If Elizabeth married as Hilston, not Mitchell, and you can't find a marriage of Alexander Mitchell and Catherine Hilston, have you considered the possibility that they did not marry at all, and that the reason for them not marrying was that Catherine's first husband was still alive?

Have you actually got the birth certificate of one of their children? If not, you should get one and see what it says about the date and place of the parents' marriage.

[Jokdy]

I accepted a long time ago that was likely the case.  I have copies for most of their children and the date of marriage provided is actually that of Alexander's marriage to his first wife, and not to Catherine.