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

[Forfarian]

So if we think that Hugh and Isabella in the 1841 census are brother and sister, if would follow that Isabella's parents were James Smith and Mary Reid.

What does Hugh's death certificate say was the occupation of his father James Smith?

Unless there were two James Smiths both married to Mary Reids, James and Mary got about a bit. See screenshot.

In 1851 James Smith, shoemaker, born Mauchline, is in Glasgow with wife Mary, 58, born New Cumnock and daughter Margaret, 21, born Mauchline, and a grandchild.

They might be the family in Fenwick in 1841: James, shoe maker, 50; Mary, 45; Mary, 19; John, 14; Adam, 16; William, 12; Margaret, 10; all born Ayrshire.

But if Isabella was 28 in the 1841 census, she was born in 1812/13 and Hugh was born 1818/19. Isabella's YoB is not a problem, but for Hugh to the theirs they must have moved briefly from Ayrshire to Troqueer, and then Hugh and Isabella moved back to Troqueer, so this family is probably a red herring.

[climbingthewalls]

I can't decipher what occupation James Smith had, maybe you will be better at assessing it!

[Forfarian]

Currier.

That's useful because it's not quite as common as some - ag lab for example. The James Smith in Ayrshire is a shoemaker, which is not the same thing, so tends to suggest that the Ayrshire couple, although the names match, are probably not the parents of Hugh and hence of Isabella.

[climbingthewalls]

Just to add a little more to this, I was looking at Male Heads of Families for Maxwelltown on the oldscottish website and there is a James Smith, Shoemaker for a number of years in the 1830's.

[Neale1961]

Just an update, downloaded the marriage records for both Isabella Smith / John McEwan  John McEwan is down as Smith at the "something illegible - potentially gas works" in Maxwelltown.

In order to try a find John McEwan in the 1841 census, it is fairly important to know more about his occupation / work. If you can't read the writing, please post, so we can help.
Knowing occupations is very important when tracing lives of ancestors.

[Neale1961]

So I have found the death certificate of Hugh Smith (well the one which someone on Ancestry used to state his parents were James Smith and Mary Reid). It is from 1885, his profession on it is Flesher (Master) so that ties on with his occupation throughout his life. His address is St Michaels Street which again ties in with his last known address. Why there is no record in 1881 of him is an anomaly I guess. Also his age is recorded as 64.

His son James is mentioned as informant.

This is good progress.      Do be aware that often death certificates can throw up wrong, or misleading information. The information regarding parents can be erroneous, simply because the informant didn't know or remember correctly. Important to keep an open mind at this point.

[climbingthewalls]

In order to try a find John McEwan in the 1841 census, it is fairly important to know more about his occupation / work. If you can't read the writing, please post, so we can help.
Knowing occupations is very important when tracing lives of ancestors.


This is the marriage record, hope you can decipher! I know he was a blacksmith in Liverpool so presume smith here is shortened from blacksmith

[Neale1961]

John McEwan Smith at the Gass Works Maxwelltown &
Isabella Smith Maxwelltown, both of Troqueer
Married at Maxwelltown by the Rev Walter McFarline

[Neale1961]

I have been looking through the Troqueer Graveyard Memorial Inscriptions.
There are quite a lot of Smith names that come up.
I offer two of interest.

432.  Sacred to the memory of Hugh SMITH who died 12th Decr 1885 aged 73 years.
Also Mary Bridges his wife who died 30th Decr 1889 aged 76 years.
Thomas SMITH son of Hugh SMITH flesher in Dumfries who died in infancy.
Also Janet SMITH daughter of the above Hugh Smith who died 23rd Sept 1859 aged 9 years
and 7 months. Also Mary DAVIDSON granddaughter of the above Hugh Smith
died 26th April 1871 aged 14 weeks. Also Robert SMITH son of James SMITH
flesher and grandson of Hugh SMITH who died 19th Decr 1879 aged 11months.
Also Janet SMITH who died 7th June 1887 aged 4 years. Also Hugh SMITH who
died 22nd Decr 1888 aged 6 years. Children of the above James SMITH.
And William JOHNSTONE his son who died 28th Decr 1891 aged 3½ years. Also the
said James SMITH flesher who died at Dumfries 24th August 1892 aged 38 years.
[a flat stone]

(Is Mary Bridges supposed to be Mary Grierson? Mis-reading or Transcription error?)



This is the only one that mentions a James Smith, but interesting that wife was a Reed/ Reid
 
476.   Erected by Agnes SMITH in memory of James SMITH her father and Catherine
REED his spouse who died of choleria 1839. Also Thomas SMITH their son who
died at Summer Hill March 18th 1836 aged 16 years.