Cautiously optimistic about Issac.....

Looking for Scottish Ancestors

Moderator: Global Moderators

fmackay
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: East Lothian

Cautiously optimistic about Issac.....

Post by fmackay » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:03 pm

Thought I would share my recent,hopefully,correct find and another piece of my jigsaw puzzle.
I have a Issac Spence born c1849 illegitamite son of Isabella Spence.After 1851 census where he is listed with his mother and extended family there was no record of him at all. So I put him on the back burner so to speak.
Last week I tried again and put in a search for Issac Spence's death to see what would come up - what came up was an entry for a Issac Mowat - :-k . Right approx age , only snag was his mother's name was listed as Elizabeth,but it did list that his parents weren't married so I still thought I was on the right track.
Went back to Orkney then and checked for his marriage under Mowat and there it was with his mother listed as Isabella and not married to father. I've since found a couple of census entries for him under the name Mowat.
What do you think? Have I found my man :?:
Looking for
Mackay Morrison Manson - Sutherland
Bain Sinclair Gunn Henderson Levack Dunnet Lyall More Corner Miller-Caithness
Wylie Brown Louttit Banks Hourston Spence Drever Bews Irvine Whitelaw/Whitelay Linklater - Orkney
Top
Jean Jeanie
Global Moderator
Posts: 1288
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:54 pm
Location: Stafford West Mids

Post by Jean Jeanie » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:13 pm

Hi

There is a birth for Isaac Mowat on the IGI


ISAAC MOWAT
Male

Event(s):
Birth: 13 NOV 1849

Christening: NOV 1854 Birsay, Orkney, Scotland

Parents:
Father: ANDREW MOWAT
Mother: ELIZABETH SPENCE

Looks good to me

Jean
Top
fmackay
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: East Lothian

Post by fmackay » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:20 pm

Thanks for that Jean - never thought to check birth under Mowat as he is listed as Spence in the 1851 census :oops:
Do you think Elizabeth and Isabella are interchangeable? Not too sure about that bit?
Fiona
Looking for
Mackay Morrison Manson - Sutherland
Bain Sinclair Gunn Henderson Levack Dunnet Lyall More Corner Miller-Caithness
Wylie Brown Louttit Banks Hourston Spence Drever Bews Irvine Whitelaw/Whitelay Linklater - Orkney
Top
Jean Jeanie
Global Moderator
Posts: 1288
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:54 pm
Location: Stafford West Mids

Post by Jean Jeanie » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:24 pm

Hi

YES THEY ARE :D

See http://www.whatsinaname.net/index.html

Best wishes
Jean
JJ
Last edited by Jean Jeanie on Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
fmackay
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: East Lothian

Post by fmackay » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:27 pm

Hi Jean
Thanks very much!
I will pencil in what I've found so far just in case!!
Fiona
Looking for
Mackay Morrison Manson - Sutherland
Bain Sinclair Gunn Henderson Levack Dunnet Lyall More Corner Miller-Caithness
Wylie Brown Louttit Banks Hourston Spence Drever Bews Irvine Whitelaw/Whitelay Linklater - Orkney
Top
Jean Jeanie
Global Moderator
Posts: 1288
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:54 pm
Location: Stafford West Mids

Post by Jean Jeanie » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:29 pm

Hi Fiona

This looks like him in 1881. Could Ann Spence be related?

Dwelling: Swannay House
Census Place: Birsay & Harray, Orkney, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203396 GRO Ref Volume 013 EnumDist 6 Page 5
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James DREVER M 49 M Westray, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Farmer
Margaret Fulton DREVER M 43 F Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Occ: Farmers Wife
Ann SPENCE U 38 F Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: General Servant (Domestic)
Isaac MOWAT U 33 M Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant (Foreman)
William JOHNSTON U 22 M Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant
John JOHNSTON U 22 M Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant
John JOHNSTON U 18 M Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant
Robert HARVEY U 16 M Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant
May BAIKIE U 56 F Sandwick, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Dairymaid
Elizabeth STANGER U 28 F Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant
Catherine LINKLATER U 27 F Birsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: Farm Servant


Jean
Top
fmackay
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: East Lothian

Post by fmackay » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:32 pm

Hi Jean
It's not his half sister which I thought it might've been but the name Spence in Birsay is like Mackay in Sutherland so anythings possible!
thanks
Fiona
Looking for
Mackay Morrison Manson - Sutherland
Bain Sinclair Gunn Henderson Levack Dunnet Lyall More Corner Miller-Caithness
Wylie Brown Louttit Banks Hourston Spence Drever Bews Irvine Whitelaw/Whitelay Linklater - Orkney
Top
fmackay
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: East Lothian

Post by fmackay » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:21 pm

Have just returned from a visit to Orkney with some success in my search for confirmation that Isaac Spence/Mowat was the son of Isabella Spence,
Isabella died in the poorhouse in Kirkwall - I was able to access the poorhouse records in the Archive Dept of the Kirkwall Library and it quite clearly states that Isabella Spence had an illegitimite son known as Isaac Mowat. It seems that he was unable to care for his mother.

The records made for fascinating reading - it gives the hour and date the application was made by Isabella which was 11am on March 4th 1884, the inspector visited her at home at 4pm that day, she received poor relief of 5/- and continued to receive help up until July 11th 1885 when she was removed to the poorhouse.
Looking for
Mackay Morrison Manson - Sutherland
Bain Sinclair Gunn Henderson Levack Dunnet Lyall More Corner Miller-Caithness
Wylie Brown Louttit Banks Hourston Spence Drever Bews Irvine Whitelaw/Whitelay Linklater - Orkney
Top
Jean Jeanie
Global Moderator
Posts: 1288
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:54 pm
Location: Stafford West Mids

Post by Jean Jeanie » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi Fiona

I'm so pleased for you :D

No doubt now that Isaac is "yours"

Best wishes
Jean
Top

Return to “Scottish People”