Scottish birth and bapism

[Millmoor]

The family appear to be in Turriff by the 1871 census. The death found by Scotmum, therefore, seems a good bet.

Here is a transcription of the birth certificate ( she was born after the start of civil registration in 1855) of a younger sister, Elspet Allan. Here the mother's surname is showing as Cowe.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9GN-THTD?lang=en

Again it might be worth obtaining the original from SP. Certificates for 1855 contain a great deal of detail.

William

[Millmoor]

This would appear to be Margaret Allan's marriage details. Again her mother's maiden surname has been transcribed as Cowe.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6TGJ-FZT7?lang=en

William

[issi]

Thank you very much everyone for all your help and suggestions . I managed to find Margaret Allan's d. cert (by accident - I'd tried everything to find it and then found it when I was looking for her mother's - it was under Margaret Stuart not Stewart which was on the m. cert), so far I've seen her mother's surname transcribed as Cowe (which I think it is), Howe, Cowie and Carne.

I have heard of familysearch, just not seen it abbreviated to f/s before.

Any suggestions on where I'd find the kirk records, please?

To fill in a bit of this Margaret (dau. of Peter and Margaret Cowe (MA snr))'s story (I'll call her MA jnr), she was a domestic servant had a son when she was 23, John Howitt Allan (JHA), no father's name on birth entry. (tho Knox or Allan is suggested in a transcript of another record I haven't seen). When he was 6 she married Alexander Stewart (or Stuart depending on which record you're looking at). Found her d. but haven't found any censuses with them both (he was present at her d. in 1884 in Aberchirder).

From censuses etc. it appears JHA was brought up by his grandparents, and became a house painter (his grandfather was a painter too). He had two marriages, 1st wife died at 27, after having at least 4 children (m. when 22). My grandmother was his daughter from his 2nd marriage (along with 2 sons who died in infancy). JHA emigrated to Canada (without his family) and died there.

There's a wee tragic story I realised when I found MA snr's (nee Cowe) d. entry. Was surprised to realise I already had a copy of it.  She died of bronchitis of 2 months, 81 years, living with JHA. I realised that the reason I already had a copy was because further up the page was the death of one of JHA's sons, 11 weeks old, 2 days earlier, from bronchitis of a few days. Awful for the family.

Thanks again everyone, glad to have been able to fill in more of Margaret Allan and her mother with your help, and to translate that entry.

[Millmoor]

The Kirk Session Records are to be found on Scotland's People. Go to Virtual Volumes and  in place search type Marnoch. The Kirk session records for Marnoch 1842 - 1896 can then be browsed. You only pay if you download  a page. Hope this helps.

William

[Isabel H]

I think the last lines are "The father being under church censure the mother alone was sponsor". 

[issi]

Thanks William , I didn't realise they were there.

and thank you Isabel H - lol, that confused me, I didn't remember writing that post, then I realised that you, Isabel H, aren't me (issi) - I'm an Isabel H too!

[Millmoor]

If you have access to FindMyPast  try this. Do a general search for Peter Allan with Marnoch as the location.. Choose Directories and Social History from all categories. This produces one result from a  series of booklets called The People of Banffshire and Moray. The transcript has this for Peter Allan

1844
Marnoch
Censured for antenuptial fornication with Jane Chalmers.

This could, of course, be a different Peter Allan. I have now looked at the Kirk Session Records myself and cannot see the original there related to the above. Further confusion arises from the fact that there seems to be a baptism for a Jane Allan in 1846 with parents named as Peter Allan, a farm servant, and Jane Chalmers.

Apologies if this simply muddies the waters!

William

[issi]

Thanks William. I had a look at the Marnoch kirk records but couldn't find a mention of Margaret and her illegitimate son John Howitt (or Howet) Allan. I'll try Turriff next. Thanks for the FindMyPast search tip. Tried Margaret but didn't find anything.

[issi]

William, thanks to your help, I've found a possible Turriff kirk reference to Margaret's illegitimate son John Howitt (or Howet) Allan who has no father listed on his b. entry in 1866, from April 1867, father from Edinburgh! Not that I can read it all. No idea what the 1st word is, they use it a lot.

At Turriff the 6th April 1867
Allan & Howit
? Margaret Allan residing Turriff who acknowledge herself guilty of fornication and charged William Howit Tailor No. 1 James' Square Edinburgh with being the father of her child xxxxxx [wish this bit wan't missing!] as directed ? ? summoned
(closed with prayer)