Mary Stevenson or Mary Stevens born about 18.....

[stephlangan]

I am trying to locate some more info on my GG grand mother and I have hit a road block. The info that I have been able to confirm is :

Mary Stevens was born to Archibald Stevens and Ann McIlvoy (McAvoy) in about 1853-1855 in Glasgow Scotland. Prior to the birth of her brothers ( William and John )about 2 and 4 years later the family moved to Liverpool. By 1860 they were back in Glasgow and two sisters ( Ellen and Annie) were born in 1860 and 1862. Her mother died in 1868 in Glasgow and the children went to live with her mother (Mary McAvoy) and were still with her at the time of the 1871 Census. Mary Stevens married Michael Cosgrove in 1874 at the Sacred Heart Chapel . In 1875 they had a daughter called Sarah ( my Great Grand Mother), James in 1880, John and William in 1882 and Thomas in 1890. There is no census listing for this family in 1881 that I can find At some point Mary went from being called Stevens to Stevenson (which is used on her marriage and death certificates). I have not been able to locate a birth certifcate for her by either searching the Statuory or OPRs on Scotlandspeople.

Can anyone recommend how to go about tracking down the birth of Mary Stevens or even the 1881 Census entry for the Cosgrove family.

Thanks

Steph

[Jack]

Hi Steph,

Seems the family was as STEVENSON in 1861 - but can't see father Archibald in Glasgow. Do you when & where he was born?
--
1861 census 644-3 Ed 72 p 13
Ann STEVENSON, 30, b Glasgow
Mary 7, b Glasgow
William 6, b England
John 4, b England
Helen, 1, b Glasgow
--
Sorry unable to get any more details at present.

Jack

[stephlangan]

HI Jack

Thank you so much for that quick answer...this info is very very helpful!!!! I have been at the brick wall on this family for a long time and I have been waiting patiently for more info to appear on Scotlandspeople.

I have a strong feeling that Archibald was from Glasgow but have not been able to conifrm that. All I know is that he was a Jouneyman/Blacksmith. My best guess is that he was born in the late 1820s or early 1830s.

I was hoping that once the 1851 and 1861 census info became available later this year that I would be able to get more info about him. According to Mary's marriage certificate he was deceased by 1874 when she wed but I believe that he may have taken off after his wife passed in 1868 ( it was not noted on her death certificate whether on not he was deceased).

I did locate an Archibald Stevens in the 1881 England census living in West Ham who is a Blacksmith and about the right age and it says he is born in Glasgow. And then in the 1891 England Census he is there again but this time is an inmate in a workhouse.

So as you can see, Archie has been causing me some grief!!

Thanks again for the lookup you did...that info is brilliant!!!

Steph

[JustJean]

Hi Steph & Jack

Just thought we should make a special note of this......TalkingScot just passed it's 10,000 post mark this evening....I just missed seeing it happen due to a pesky thundershower but I'm pretty sure Jack takes the prize with his post made at 10:59 pm 1 Aug in this thread.......Steph was 10,001 with her post at 11:49pm 1 Aug. Well done everyone!!! Keep posting!!!

From all your friends at TalkingScot........

[Andy]

Here's Michael and Mary in 1881:

Dwelling: 39 Charles St
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203634 GRO Ref Volume 644-2 EnumDist 28 Page 8
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Michael COSLOW M 34 M Ireland
Rel: Head
Occ: Iron Moulder
Mary COSLOW M 27 F Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Occ: Cotton Millworker
Sarah COSLOW > 5 F Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Daur
James COSLOW 10 m M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Elisabeth SINCLAIR U 60 F Thurso, Caithness, Scotland
Rel: Boarder
Occ: Domestic

[stephlangan]

Andy

Thank you so much for locating that entry. I would have never discovered that by myself. I have tried many variation of the spelling of Cosgrove/Cosgrave but that is just amazing you found it. I honestly can't thank you and Jack enough for all your assistance. I am just amazed!!!!

Steph

[DavidWW]

Andy

Thank you so much for locating that entry. I would have never discovered that by myself. I have tried many variation of the spelling of Cosgrove/Cosgrave but that is just amazing you found it. I honestly can't thank you and Jack enough for all your assistance. I am just amazed!!!!

Steph

Steph

The technique is to use wildcards.

There's two main strategies.

Firstly, throughout the surname, retain what you think are the most likely elements to survive, - as few as possible, but not too few to send the search engine into orbit, e.g. in this case I'd have tried searching on CO*V*.

Secondly, if that doesn't work, and bearing in mind the same cautionary note as in option one, just search on the first few letters of the surname, e.g. in this case, searching for James COS*, born 1880 +/- 1 year, produces the following hits in the Scottish LDS "Lowland" CD, -


Census: Lana Shettleston
COSLOW, James Son <1880> Birth: Lana Glasgow
Census: Lana Barony
COSSAR, James Son <1879> Birth: Mlot Dalkeith
Census: Edin Dalkeith
COSSAR, James Scott GSon <1880> Birth: Berw Ladykirk
Census: Berw Ladykirk
COSSOR, James Neph <1880> Birth: Mlot Leith
Census: Edin South Leith
COSTLY, James Son <1880> Birth: Lana Cambusnethan
Census: Lana Cambusnethan
COSANS, James H. Son <1880> Birth: Lana Glasgow
Census: Lana Glasgow

However unlikely COSLOW, or for that matter, COSANS and the other hits look, it only takes a few seconds to check out the full entries.

Actually in this case, since there is no certainty that James survived to the date of the 1881 census, the search should have been for Sarah COS* b 1875 +/- 1 (adjusting that range as necessary), which gives the following hits........

MC COSH, Sarah Dau <1874> Birth: Irel
Census: Lana Glasgow
COSLOW, Sarah Dau <1876> Birth: Lana Glasgow
Census: Lana Barony
COSTELLA, Sarah Dau <1876> Birth: Renf Paisley
Census: Renf Abbey

Davie

[stephlangan]

Davie

Thanks for the tips..I will certainly put them to use to chase my next ghost.

Once again a million thanks to you and Jack for all your assistance, I would have never have figured that out by myself and would have wasted a lot of money on SP trying to figure it out.

Stephanie Langan

[Jack]

Hi Steph,

If Ann STEVENSON (McAVOY) as a widow in 1861 is correct, then who is the father of wee Ann born 25 Aug 1862...?!
What exactly did Ann's 1868 DC say? Married to Archibald? Widow of Archibald? Or what?
These may be your McAVOYs on the undernoted censuses?
But Archibald is proving a wee bit more elusive - possibly not with parents in 1841 or 1851.
--
1841 cens 622 Ed 85 p 20 (Bridgeton)
McKerrars Land, Main St.
John McAVOY, 45, cotton hand loom weaver, b Ireland
Mary McAVOY, 40, cotton hand loom weaver, b Ireland
James McAVOY, 10, cotton piecer, b LKS
Ann McAVOY, 10, ----------- b LKS
Mary McAVOY, 2, --------- b LKS
Joanna? McAVOY, 1yr 3m, --- b LKS
--
1851 cens 622 (601) Ed 20 pp 24-25 (Bridgeton - Calton)
11 Savoy St.
John McAVOY, head, marr, 56, carter, b Ireland
Mary McAVOY, wife, 51, -------- b Ireland
James McAVOY, son, u/m 24, coal miner, b Glasgow, LKS
Ann McAVOY, daur, u/m 20, weaver, cotton factory, b Glasgow, LKS
Mary McAVOY, daur, 12, scholar, b Glasgow, LKS
James CALACHAN, lodger, marr, 26, coal miner, b Glasgow, LKS
Mary CALACHAN, lodgers wife, 24, powerloom weaver, cotton, b Glasgow, LKS
Michael CALACHAN, son, 6, ------ b Glasgow, LKS
Janet RITCHIE, lodger, u/m 18, cotton factory worker, b Ireland
Mary BANNEGAN, lodger, u/m 16, cotton factory worker, b Ireland
Janet CAIRNS?, orphan, 5, ---------- b Glasgow, LKS
--
1861 cens 644-3 Ed 73 p 19 (Bridgeton - Calton)
14 Savoy St.
Mary McAVOY, head, widow, 60, ------------ b Ireland
Mary McAVOY, daur, u/m 20, carder in cotton mill, b Glasgow, LKS
John McAVOY, son, 14, carder in cotton mill, b Glasgow, LKS [missing from family in 1851]
Theresa McCORMICK, boarder, 14, cotton carder, b England
Ann GILMOUR, boarder, u/m 37, cotton carder, b Glasgow, LKS
Mary GILMOUR, boarder, ---- 18, cotton carder, b Glasgow, LKS
----
1861 cens 644-3 Ed 72 p 13 (Bridgeton - Calton)
15 Dale St.
Ann STEVENSON, head, widow, 30, winder, weaving factory, b Glasgow, LKS
Mary STEVENSON, daur, 7, scholar, b Glasgow, LKS
William STEVENSON, son, 6, scholar, b England
John STEVENSON, son, 4, --------- b England
Hellen STEVENSON, daur, 1, ----- b Glasgow, LKS
--
Jack

[stephlangan]

Hi Jack

Just checked the BC for Ann Stevens born Aug 25 1862 and it lists Archibald Stevens ( Blacksmith /Journeyman) as the father. As does the BC for Ellen on March 12 1860 ( address is 14 Savoy Street which matches the 1861 Census location). I don't have anything yet for the two boys or my GG Grandmother Mary.

The DC for Ann Stevens (nee McAvoy) in 1868 just says married to Arhibald Stevens. Strange.

I have not doubt that all the census info that you have provided here is definately my McAvoys ( WOW I would have had to wait years to get all hthis info - this is amazing!!!)- but it is strange that Ann lists herself as a widow in 1861 and then proceed to have another child by her dead husband about 18 months later!!! I really was hoping that Archibald would be be living with his wife and family in 1861 so I could get an idea of his birthplace. He and Ann McAvoy were married in Bridgeton on or about May 31 1852 according to the copy of the Bann I have and that is the only documentation besides the BC for the children that I have any info about him from - not much to work with!!!!

I wonder if something happened to Archie while Ann was expecting Ellen and she brought the family back to to Glasgow to stay with her mother. And then proceeded to have an illigitimate child. However as I mentioned in a ealier post I did locate an Archilbald Stevens in the 1881 and 1891 English Census Occ Blacksmith born in Glasgow.

Maybe Archie just took off - wouldn't be the first time in my family tree :

Jack..I once again can't thank you enough for all your help. This info is just amazing!!! My little brain in going to be in overdrive tonight!!!


Steph