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

[Forfarian]

I did find this possibility, which may be of interest.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d38e9379091b14930cf/agnes-mcken-1841-kirkcudbrightshire-troqueer-1781-?locale=en

FindMyPast also transcribes it as McKen but Scotland's People thinks it's McHen.

[Forfarian]

Getting back on to the McEwan angle for a minute, I started looking at the Kirk Session Minutes in Troqueer for 1810. I came across this entry, can't fully decipher it all, but it looks like a marriage between a John McEwan and an Agnes Smith in 1810. The John McEwan I am looking at was born in 1811, so would tie in.

There's a baptism in 1815 in Dunscore of James McKown, son of John McKown and Agnes Smith, on 28 September 1815.

[Neale1961]

The only other 1841 census for John McEwan that I tagged as a vague possibility was this one in Dumfries, but it holds little information, and I think it is unlikely.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5902e791e9379091b1d2c8cc/john-mckain-1841-dumfriesshire-dumfries-1806-?locale=en

[Neale1961]

I would love to get as close to 100% on Isabella being the brother of Hugh, there are enough pointers to suggest this is the case - but still no silver bullet yet!

I don't think you'll find a silver bullet. But isn't the purpose of DNA to find matches that cannot be found in documentation.
In my opinion (for what it's worth), Isabella and Hugh were siblings.

[Forfarian]

In my opinion (for what it's worth), Isabella were Hugh are siblings.

I concur.

[Neale1961]

There's a baptism in 1815 in Dunscore of James McKown, son of John McKown and Agnes Smith, on 28 September 1815.

Also a son named Thomas baptised in Troqueer in 1821.

[climbingthewalls]

I think it is really difficult to pinpoint McEwans down as there are so many variations on the name being transcribed, I've seen MacEwan, McKewn, McKune, McKen, Mackewen, McEoun and Mackeown in various trees - and I seem to have DNA matches to people sharing all the above names. Matching back to Agnes Smith seems the easier route and that gives me John McKown which is the one you mention above. Thank you again for the help provided!

[climbingthewalls]

As to point out the fact further this is the transciption (I think) of the John MacEwan / Agnes Smith marriage on Ancestry!

[climbingthewalls]

Not 100% on James McEwan / Agnes Smith angle, but all dates tie in. I did a little more digging there was an Agnis Smith b.1789 in Troqueer to a James Smith and Janet Primrose. They had other children as I can see Kathrine Smith and David Smith.  A bit more digging around the Primroses see that some of them are Curriers & Tanners in Troqueer - which may be a link.

On the Isabella Smith side, I can see a James Smith being born to a John Smith & Mary Pagan in Troqueer in 1785.

and as an alternative, a James Smith being born to a John Smith & Catherine Herries, in Kirkgunzeon in 1787.

I've got a Mary McKenzie Reid being born in 1785 in Troqueer, to a James Reid & Margaret McDonald in 1785.

and as alternative a Mary Reid being born to a Peter Reid & Mary Kelly in 1782 again Troqueer.

I've some Herries and Pagan's in DNA matches so it's difficult to plump for either one without further proof.

Also found out that there at least a couple of fleshers in Maxwelltown/Troqueer in the early 1800's with the name McKune ( a Joseph & William )- which could have been a variation on McEwan.

I know with many braches of my family tree around this time, many people married others from similar professions, areas and families - so this could all be slightly interlinked. But who knows!