Complete puzzle..

[Lou]

I have an interesting puzzle that I woudl love someone to help solve if possible...

My gtgtgt grandfather (David Bogle) was the illegitemate son of Janet Bogle bn 1814 in Biggar. Janet later married and had a daughter Christina Wilson in 146 and daughter Stewart Wilson in 1853 then after (presumably her husbands death) another illegitimate daughter named Janet Bogle in 1857, Janet Jnr later adopted the surname Wilson.


My problem arose when trying to trace the lines of these daughters.....

I have found the marriage of Stewart to a George Nelson in 1876 but in all future census records George's wife is recorded as being Janet jnr with D.O.B et al consistant with Stewart's sister !!

I haven't found a death for Stewart nor a re-marriage for George Nelson and to all intents it appears that Stewart has stolen her sister's identity ! with Stewart disappearing completely from trace.

Any ideas? anyone?

[ellenavon]

Hi Lou

I love a puzzle, but I'm not sure I'm getting anywhere with this one!

I believe that its young Janet that has gone awol, and that Stewart has become the new Janet as it were.

Let me check I've got my facts right so far:

1861 census Janet snr is in Biggar with her children William 13, David 10, Stewart 8, and Janet (bogle) 3, plus her brother William Bogle 51.

1871 census Janet snr is now in Edinburgh with William 22, David 19, Janet (Bogle?) 14, her brother William now 59, and a visitor, James Cranston.

A possible/probable, although birthplace is slightly out, on the 1871 for Stewart is Stewart Wilson, 18, Domestic Servant, b. Riggs, Lanarkshire @ 2 Allanton Terr, Govan with family Armson.

1876 marraige in Edinburgh Stewart Wilson/George Nelson. I haven't checked the actual cert for Stewart's age.

1877 birth of Esther Eliza Nelson in Edinburgh to George Nelson and Stuart (sic) Nelson nee Wilson, married 9th June 1876. George is a Corporal in the 1st Royal Scotts (sic).

1881 census George Nelson and Janet, wife/Esther Eliza, daughter, in Yorkshire. "Janet" Nelson is now giving her age as 23. Geroge is now a farm labourer.

1891 census George and "Janet" are back in Edinburgh with Esther 14, adopted son Andrew 4, and "Janet's" mum, Janet Wilson snr. "Janet's" age now given as 34. Geroge is a labourer/lorryman.

Do you have the marraige cert for George and Stewart 1876 - if so what age does Stewart give???

I reckon its young Janet we are looking for as the missing one.

Have to go out and do some work now, but will be back later to follow up!

Cheers

Ellen.

[ellenavon]

Just thought reading that lot back through - wonder if Stewart died in England and George remarried Janet in Yorkshire?? Have you checked the English records?

Ellen.

[ellenavon]

Have had a quick look on Ancestry for a marraige in England, with no luck so far - but I am rubbish at the stuff south of the border!

Ellen.

[Lou]

Stewart was aged 22 at her marriage according to the certificate which ties in nicely with her birth. I haven't been able to find anything in teh English records so far .................but I admit I am also pretty rubbish at finding anything out when it comes to English records so I could easily be missing something there.

[trish1]

There is a marriage on FreeBDM for Jun Qtr 1879 for George Nelson - one of the others on the page is Janet Boyle ref Dewsbury 9B 733

The page is typed, so could be a bad transcription of Bogle?? I can't find a record of a death for Stewart.

Trish

[trish1]

Just found a death Dec Qtr 1878
NELSON Stuart Whiteman Age 22 Ref Dewsbury 9b 445

Is the Whiteman part of her name? and the age?

(I didn't check the alternate spelling of Stewart originally)

Dewsbury is in West Riding of Yorkshire
http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/dist ... sbury.html

An English death certificate will give little information - you MAY get husbands name. The marriage should give name of the fathers of both parties

Trish

[Lou]

Trish I think you solved this for me THANKYOU !

I've found a lot of my Bogle's under the name of "Boyle" so I think it's safe bet that this is definately the correct marriage and as for the middle name of "Whiteman" ? I don't have any record of a middle name for Stewart HOWEVER ....... Janet Snr's mother was called Stewart WIGHTMAN.......so it seems like too much of a coincidence for this not to ber her.

Would it have been common for a widower to marry his dead wife's sister? She must have died quite soon after the birth of her daughter Esther so maybe it was a practical thing to do?

And I just realised that George's 2 children would have been not only half siblings but also cousins !! that's gonna confuse my tree a little bit lol.

Thanks again Trish, that's another brick wall broken through

[trish1]

Hi Lou

It was Ellen who first mentioned the possibility in Yorkshire - I am used to the English indexes - being 37.5% English 37.5% Scottish and the rest Irish - so thought it was worth looking for them. There is talk of improving the English indexes - would be lovely.

If you use genuki http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/ and find the right local register office in Yorkshire, they would have copies of the "original" certificates if you wanted to confirm anything - but at 7 pounds each (I think some are now more) they do not provide alot of information.

I have had the situation of a widower marrying the wife's sister in the 1800s - I think with some of my families they were so isolated the women rarely met any eligible men, so if a sister died another went off to mind the children! I have no idea on the church view of this happening? Others may have information on same.

Glad it was sorted - despite the complications of recording the new relationships!

Trish

[ellenavon]

Great work Trish - thank goodness its solved, its been driving me nuts these last couple of days.

Really must do some practice on the English stuff!

Cheers

Ellen.