Watson, Agnes Mabel 1850's

[MonicaL]

Just a little advice to help....

Don't believe everything that you read  With illegitimate births, there is a lot of fluidity on facts  All the obvious reasons of people trying to cover up their origins and passing off their parents as having been married is very common. Also, very often these children as adults may have had little to no contact with either or both parents, so would either make up info for their registrations or make errors along the way.

It can lead you on a merry dance trying to work from just what is written on certs when you hit problems finding info as you have....

Monica 

[MonicaL]

A case in point, is the birth place Catherine Reddie is giving in later censuses. We had her in 1861 showing her birth place as Newburgh. 1871 and 1881 she is showing as Brechin. From 1881:

John Laing 45
Catherine Laing 48, factory worker b. Brechin
Margaret Laing 22
Elizabeth Laing 19
John Laing 14
Alexander Laing 10
James Laing 8

Address: 2 Wallace Lane, Brechin (Wallance Lane is also where we have Catherine Reddie for her 1861 entry).

Daughter Margaret's birth entry on the index for IGI, who we had in 1861 with Catherine, shows as: Margaret Laing or Riddie, daughter of John Laing or Catherine Riddie b. 4 March 1859 in Brechin, Angus.

Monica

[bethsdragon]

Looking abck at all my information I realized how little I had on John and Catherine.
I did have a "maybe" document of a John and Catherine but she was from Ireland.
I am keeping your finding as the most likely
I can't seem to connect anyone with any certainty.
Oh the joys of geneology! lol

Thanks again for your help, sometimes a fresh set of eyes and a different outlook make all the difference.

If anyone else has information on this line I'd love to hear it.

[bethsdragon]

I was pondering something I noticed on the birth record. (I know you said not to take much of it to heart because they could've lied ) It said he was a labourer from Abernethy.
Turns out there is an umarried John Pearson living in Abernethy Perth in 1851. Listed as "nephew-in-law".
He was 23 (so about the right age) would have been born about 1828.
I'm thinking this may be my John.

[MonicaL]

I did see that entry in 1851 and thought it would be the John we had in 1841, son of William and Christian. He didn't show in the household in 1851 so that entry for 23 yr old John Pearson would fit well.

.......Hadn't gone on to check for him in later censuses but now have!

This John I think shows in 1861 here (getting hotter by the moment!). Everyone born in Abernethy apart from youngest, Catherine:

John Person 33, Stockerson Gas Work (as transcribed) b. Abernethy
Elizabeth Person 35
Elizabeth Person 9
Christina Person 6
Ann Person 4
Catherine Person 3 Months b. Perth
William Withaspoon 16, stepson
Laurance G Withaspoon 14, stepson

Address: 99 Canal St, Perth, Perthshire

The Gas Work ref above fits well with what you had (gas manager) on the certificates for Agnes.

Monica

[MonicaL]

I think Elizabeth above has a maiden name of Greenhill. A number of births for children in the 1860s for this couple would include the parents' date and place of marriage to help you with dates. Nothing shows after 1855 so likely marriage before this date. The only way to confirm this John's parents is likely his death cert therefore.

David Pearson - 1863 in Abernethy
James Pearson - 1869 in Abernethy

Just some of the births showing for them which should include date and place of parents' marriage.

Monica

[MonicaL]

1871 and a better hit on that occupation for this John:

John Searson 43, gas manager
Elizabeth Searson 45
William Wotherspoon 26
Christina Pearson 16
Ann Pearson 14
Catherin Pearson 9
David Pearson 7
John Pearson 4
James Pearson 1

Address: Watson Road, Abernethy

[bethsdragon]

I looked up David Pearson 1863. John Pearson Gas Manager is his father! 
Elizabeths maiden name is Greenhill!
One thing I don't understand is He was born July 1863. birth was registered AUg 1863 but under her maiden name it says
16th Deecmber 1865 or 1863 (?) Abernethy. - Very hard to read.
Could this be his baptism date?

I am looking for their marriage between 1851-1853. First daughter was born abt 1852. It looks like she may have been married previously with the withaspoons as his step kids.

I love this stuff 

[bethsdragon]

I just found something that makes me 90% certain this is the correct family.
On the 1881 LDS census it lists two of Johns sons as Salmon Fisherman.

Thank you sooo much for your help. I was going in the completely wrong direction before. I'm so glad I posted and you answered.

One of these days I will wander down the road of Catherine Reddie, Reedie, Ready, Laing. lol. I will save that for when I am frustrated on another line.