Problems looking for Mair !

sheep · Post by **sheep** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:55 pm

I have found a William Mair b.1851 in my tree.

On his marriage cert. to Christian Murray in 1876, his father is named as ALEXANDER Mair, day labourer (deceased), and his mother as Margaret Scott.
But, on his Death cert. in 1929 his father is named as JAMES Mair, farm labourer (deceased) and his mother as Margaret Scott.

ALEXANDER Mair married Margaret Scott in 1836, and died in 1864, but on ALEXANDERs death cert. there is no father named ?

I can find no further info on Alexander or anything on a James Mair.

Does anyone have these people on their tree with more info ?

Thanks

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:40 pm

Hi sheep,
Sorry, I don't have these people on my tree (as far as I know!), but is Alexander the crofter, age 48, born in New Deer who appears in the 1861 census in Stevensburn, New Deer? (That's the only one I found with a wife Margaret and son William of the right age) If so, he is 36 in 1851 (so birth date is loose...) but still maintains he was born in New Deer.

You'll have noticed that there is no such person born in New Deer at the relevant time

It's possible that his family were not Church of Scotland. Many of my Aberdeenshire rellies were Episcopalian, and are not to be found in the OPR-- I sympathize!

If the Scottish naming pattern applies (which it doesn't to my lot

) Then... judging by the children in 1851, his parents should have been James and Ann. Not much help, I know...

All the best,
Sarah

sheep · Post by **sheep** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:04 pm

Thanks SarahND,

Yes it is the same Alexander as on the 1861 census.

I have since found a birth entry for Alexander Mair in 1815 in Inverkeithny.

It says that his father is also Alexander, but doesn't name his mother.

excuse my ignorance, but if the family were Episcopalian, where should I look for more info ?

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:14 pm

Hi again,
I found some of mine at the Aberdeen University Archives. But they were living in Aberdeen City, so might have been easier to find:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/Intro.shtml

The people there might know where else you could look.

Good luck!
Sarah