My Elusive Gt Gt Grandmother

Keatley · Post by **Keatley** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:47 pm

I am hoping someone could help me with my elusive Gt Gt Grandmother.
Jessie McEwan (or McGowan) was born in Perthshire between 1821 and 1828 (depending on which census you look at...1871/1881) but her death cert's age is either 59 or 69(illegible)...which makes her birth either 1817 or 1827!
She had at least 7 children to John McArthur, all shown as illegitimate, which is why I can't find a wedding cert.
Although on the census she is shown as Wife and later Widowed.
On her death cert in 1886 she is also shown as Jessie McArthur, widow of John McArthur. Her parents are named as James McEwan(Seaman/Merchant Service) and Janet___ .
I have no other details about her parents.
Would her name on a birth certificate and earlier census likely to be Janet?
Is it normal for a year of birth to fluctuate so much and why would she change her marital status?
Any help to enable me to further research this line would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Paul

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:16 pm

My great aunt Jessie was christened Janet.
Can't help you much with the different ages. My 2 times gr g'mother was 76 in 1881 when she was staying with her daughter & son in law and 76 in the 1891 census when she was in the Workhouse. I think in those days some people had more to worry about than what age they were, unfortunately.