William Diamond c1818 & Sarah Mahood c1816 ( or McWhood variant ): Stoneykirk

[CEC]

I am trying to identify which William Diamond the above is as he would be my GGGG Grandfather on my Mother's side.

Background -

From birth cert - parents named.

William Diamond (c1818) agri. labourer & Sarah Mahood (c1816) domestic [have seen recorded as McWhood] produced a 'natural son' at Stoneykirk 20/9/1839 - John Diamond b1839-d1921 Stranraer.

From birth & marriage certs -  above parents named.

John Diamond married Mary Lavery (1840-84) at Stoneykirk 5/6/1862 - 1st wife : 5 sons + 5 daughters.
2nd wife Agnes Craig Gray (1857-?) married 2/3/1885 at Stranraer : 1 son = 1 daughter.

Mary Diamond (1876-1956) married John Halley Walker. married at Stranraer 31/12/1895 :1 son + 3 daughters.

Mary Walker (1898-1998) married John Hill Cuthill (1893-1929), Glasgow : 1 daughter

Mary Diamond Cuthill (1926-1972) - my Mother.

Given the number of William Diamond's living around the area at the time of John Diamond's birth, I cannot seem to determine which one could be the father.
I am hoping that the unusual Mahood/McWhood surname may resolve this query.
Should anybody have such a surname featured in their tree or research and can shed some light on William Diamond's origins I would appreciate hearing about it.
Many thanks,
Colin

[MonicaL]

Hi Colin

The Old Parish Register entry for John's birth in 1839 and the use of 'natural son' indicates that parents were not married at the time of John's birth. Have you found John in the early censuses of 1841 and 1851 to see who he was living with? Who did Sarah Mahood (and variants) go on to marry?

What did John say regarding his father in his marriage certs? Occupation, alive/deceased etc.?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Sarah Mahood (c1816) domestic [have seen recorded as McWhood]

Have you this possible birth entry for Sarah in Stoneykirk? https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY4L-2C9

Sally can be a first name variant for Sarah. See www.whatsinaname.net/php/search.php?action=search2&search_name=sally

Monica

[CEC]

Hi Monica,
Many thanks for your input.
I did not see the Sally Ann Mahood reference until you pointed it out. She married Edward Johnston on 26/6/1860 @ Stoneykirk, aged 46.
Regarding her son, John Diamond, I have him in the 1841 census living with John, Elisabeth and Sarah Mahood in Stoneykirk.
Strangely, I cannot find any reference to them in the 1851 census?? Will keep searching.
On John D's & Mary Lavery's wedding cert. ( 29/4/1862 ) both father and son are stated as ploughmen. Mother - Sarah Mahood.
On John D's & Agnes Gray's wedding cert. ( 2/3/1885 )  John D is a mason.
Parents - William D. - farm labourer and Sarah 'Hood' - Housekeeper.
Also of interest or coincidence is that the male witness is a William D Hood.
The plot thickens.
John D's death cert. 21/3/1921 - profession - Mason. Lavery & Gray wives stated. Age- 77? [ 82 actual] Informant - William Campbell; son-in-law - was 2nd husband of Annie Bella Diamond.
Parents - John Diamond, mason, deceased, & Elizabeth Diamond nee Caldwell, deceased??
Was John farmed out to one of his Father's brothers thus the assumption they were his real parents?
Did William Campbell just make it up to fill the box?

This is what keeps me going - there is an explanation, I just cannot see it yet.
Regards,
Colin

[MonicaL]

Colin, I have found John and mother Sarah in 1851 I think, in Stoneykirk. Likely that Sarah had another 2 children by different fathers. FreeCen has a great transcription for them. Search for Sarah as Sarah MCWHID age 38 www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl Son John Diamond down as aged 5 (likely why you hadn't found the entry). Maybe original image is poor? A/try have John Diamond as aged 15.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Also of interest or coincidence is that the male witness is a William D Hood.
The plot thickens.

There is this 1861 census entry:

John Hood 35 Dealer Or Green Grocer
Elizabeth Hood 27
Mary A Hood 5
William D Hood 2
John Hood 2 Months

Everybody born in Stranraer apart from father John showing as born in Stoneykirk. Likely this birth entry for Willam D Hood https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7MC-D4S

Monica

[CEC]

Hi Monica,
What a colourful lady Sarah is turning out to be. Life could not have been easy for her. I do hope she is my distant Grandmother! I must now check the farms around Stoneykirk for the respective fathers. Similar examples can be found on my Father's side of the family, also from around the Stoneykirk area.
Likewise, with W D Hood - a nice bit of detective work!
Thank you for your time and effort, I do appreciate the stimulus you have given me to adopt a more holistic approach to database use. I have tended to use only one or two sites, however I am learning.
All the best,
Colin

[Kevin Sarwar Polley]

I am trying to trace the Macpherson family members. My mother was Marie Macpherson of Stoneykirk
I was born Nicholas Macpherson in 1964.