3x Great Grandmother Ann Fimister

[Neale1961]

Where is John in the 1871 census?

[Kevin Malley]

James is a boarder in an Inn in Tobermory in the 1871 census.

Yes I did spot that young Ann Femister who didn't live far from James. Its possible that James 23 and Ann 15 had a child I think. Not nice from a modern perspective but very possible. Also different religion factor may have been an issue with marriage.
Problem is how do you prove it.
Where some illegitimate children's births just
not recorded?

Thanks Neale

[Neale1961]

Before civil registration not all children were baptised or recorded, even those who were legitimate.

I know where James was in 1871, but where was his son John?

[Kevin Malley]

Sorry yes

I'm not sure if I ever found him on 1871 census yet. Probably more because John MacDonald is a common name. Will double check. He is an Innkeeper at Commercial Inn, Lennoxtown in 1876. Don't know how he ended up in Lennoxtown from Inverness.

[dowdstree]

Reply#8  Neale 1961 -

May not be any help to Kevin but the May Femister you mention is my husband's 2 x Great Grandmother. I can confirm that her son Robert Thom was indeed illigitimate. May sometimes Marjory Femister - spelling differs over various records and is sometimes Fimister, Phemister or Phimister just to confuse matters.

Could May and Ann have been sisters? There is that possibility and I will go over my records to see if I can connect the two ladies.

Dorrie

[Kevin Malley]

Worth a look thanks Dorrie

[MonicaL]

Kevin, from what you have said, father James showed as single when he died in 1874?

The details for John's mother, Ann Fimister, came from son John's marriage and death regs? Apart from her name, any other info given for her on these registrations? Alive or deceased, other surnames etc.

Monica

[Kevin Malley]

Yes James death it states, widower of Ann Fimister but in every census I've found him in he's single/unmarried.

John's  death 1881 Lennoxtown aged 29 it states mother as Anne MacDonald M.S. Garden deceased. This is an error by his wives family I think as Garden is his grandmother's maiden name.

John's marriage 1876 Lennoxtown it states his mother as Annie McDonald M.S. Filster or Fikster it reads. Also deceased. Maybe he wasn't to sure of his mothers surname

[Neale1961]

Could May and Ann have been sisters? There is that possibility and I will go over my records to see if I can connect the two ladies.

I don’t think they will be sisters. In the 1851 census, they are in different households. May with her mother Mary, and Ann with her mother Isabella.

If we have identified the correct Ann Fimister, her father, John, had died in 1849. It could be that her child John McDonald was named after her father.

I would look for that Ann in the 1861 and 1871 census, and see if you can find any link between John and that Fimister family.
At least you have a name of both parents, which is quite often not the case with illegitimate children.
John does seem to have known her name, and to me that suggests some sort of contact, although it might have been minimal.