John McEwan marries Isabella Smith in Troqueer, 1846 - Help!!

[climbingthewalls]

This is my brick wall as I can't find anything about these relatives, in terms of parents.
I know they married in Troqueer, 11 August, 1846. They must have moved to Liverpool soon afterwards as a child is born there in 1848, and the 1851 census has them living in Liverpool.

From that census John McEwan was a blacksmith.

I struggled to find out much about them but recently found their grave in Liverpool. Of which this is the inscription, In memory of / Isabella Smith, / wife of John McEWAN, / late of Dumfries, who died / Septr. 5th 1868, aged 58 years. / Also John McEWAN, died / Decr. 19. 1879, aged 68 years.

I've tried looking to get more info re: their wedding, birth records, census etc but can't find anything - and for some reason I can't log into the scotlandspeople website.  I've found no one on ancestry that has a shared link to them, or a DNA match - so they are quite the mystery.  The grave they were buried in was part of the non-conformist section of the cemetary, so wondering if that is the reason why records pertaining to them are difficult to find.

Any help would be hugely appreciated as I've lost count of the number of hours I've spent looking into them to hit this brick wall!!

[rosie99]

Death 
MCEWAN, ISABELLA       age 51 
GRO Reference: 1868  Sept Quarter in LIVERPOOL 
Volume 08B  Page 52
 

[Neale1961]

What information, if anything, is on their marriage record?

Possible 1841 census for Isabella.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d38e9379091b1492f62/isabella-smith-1841-kirkcudbrightshire-troqueer-1813-?locale=en

[climbingthewalls]

This is the only info I have gotten,

Name   John McEwan
Gender   Male
Marriage Date   11 Aug 1846
Marriage Place   Troqueer, Kirkcudbright, Scotland
Spouse   Isabela Smith

I've not seen a certificate, or such like. Just this I'm afraid

[climbingthewalls]

What information, if anything, is on their marriage record?

Possible 1841 census for Isabella.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d38e9379091b1492f62/isabella-smith-1841-kirkcudbrightshire-troqueer-1813-?locale=en

That looks promising, I will do some digging around on that info - many thanks. I guess Hugh was her brother? or close relation?

[Neale1961]

The marriage record is available on Scotlands People. It is the church record, not a certificate, but might give the parish of origin or place names, or names of a witness. Worthwhile obtaining.

The 1841 census, I think Isabella and Hugh are more likely to be siblings.

[Neale1961]

Hugh Smith married Mary Grierson in 1844 in Dumfries.

Census records shows him as born in Troqueer.

[climbingthewalls]

Yes, I saw that I've just found him on the 1851 census, in which he's also got his sister in law living in the house an Eliza Grierson. So that works out. I'm trying to see if there are any records showing who his parents are, as that would presumably be Isabella parents too (if the calculated guess that they are siblings is correct!)

[climbingthewalls]

If I can get 100% that Isabella and Hugh were siblings that would really crack this open I think! More digging methinks this evening for me! Not sure on the McEwan side of things, but I'm thinking he may not have been from this area of Scotland? I am registering on scotlandspeople to see if the marriage record offers any clues - is it correct that you can't get PDF downloads or suchlike? but just actual physical copies for £12?