Who are you? McMullin, McGowan or McCafferty.....

bethsam · Post by **bethsam** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:06 pm

Hi Everyone

I've spent some time and a lot of credits in the pursuit of my Great Great Grandmother with no results. Can I ask for your invaluable help and advice in tracing her, please? I've tried marriage, census 1881, 1891 and 1901 and deaths of a Catherine McMullin (various spellings) McGowan and McCafferty and have gotten nowhere. No birth, marriage, census or death records.

She is Catherine McMullin (various spellings) married to James McGowan. According to my Great Grandmother's birth certificate - Agnes McGowan born 17 October 1884, they were married on 31 October 1877, in Paisley. It does state on this certificate that she was previously McCafferty.

I have the same details on another child's birth certificate in 1881, Elizabeth McGowan. The McCafferty reference was missing and the marriage date is 15th November.

Her husband James died in 1894 and his death was recorded by the House Surgeon of Paisley Royal. Catherine is still alive at this time. That's as much as I know about her.

I'd be very grateful for any help or hints.

Bethsam

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:29 pm

Sometimes best to check first marriages:

Think this could be Catherine:

CATHERINE MCMILLAN
Female Family

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
Birth:
Christening:
Death:
Burial:

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Marriages:
Spouse: JAMES MCCAFFERTY Family
Marriage: 20 FEB 1865 Abbey (Paisley), Renfrew, Scotland

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Messages:
Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the marriage date

bethsam · Post by **bethsam** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:07 pm

Thanks Andy

As her marriage was 1877, it didn't occur to me to check IGI. However, I've just tried to find that first marriage on scotlandspeople but get no hits at all. It should be there as it is 1865

Any ideas where I am going wrong? I've even searched on McCaff* James and McMull* Catherine. One does show up but it's not until 1877 - too late as Catherine had married my Great Great Grandfather by then. Does anyone know if thereis a void in the Paisley records 1865 -1877?

Help much appreciated
Bethsam

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:30 pm

Hi Bethsam

I don't think there are any obvious holes in the Paisley records. We have used them extensively for about 5 family lines from the OPR right through.

I wondered if it was the transcription which is causing the problem locating Catherine and James.

When searching for any 'Mac' name on scotlandspeople I always put in M*c* For McMullan I would try 'M*c*M*l*n*. This would also bring up McMillan but tied to M*G*W*n and with Catherine in as *ath*r*n* it would improve your chances.

Hope this helps.

Russell

bethsam · Post by **bethsam** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:59 pm

Hi Russell

Thanks for the tip, unfortunately, it only brings up the wrong 1877 marriage between Patrick James McCafferty and Catherine McMullen. By 1877 she's allegedly married my Great Great Grandfather James McGowan.

I've had more success with her first marriage and found James McCafferty's death in 1876. I think I may have found him and Catherine in the 1871 census, living at 14 Cotton Street, Paisley but there are no children listed to check birth certificates for the right parents.

There is also a James McCafferty a little older in the Lower Paisley parish but I'll have to wait until next week to see if he too has a wife called Catherine, I've used up all my credits for this week.

Thanks for helping and keep in touch if you get a brainwave!
Geraldine

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:21 pm

Hi Geraldine

At least you have located them in Paisley itself. The landward parishes which come under Abbey can be murder. Some are now an integral part of Paisley.

Paisley was a hotbed of religious dissension in the 1850's and later many people were in breakaway religious groups. The largest congregations were Baptist.
If they were Roman Catholic and perhaps second generation migrants from Ireland that might also explain possible missing records.
That would not explain the absence of census entries though.
I had a look for the first marriage and she appears to be under Catherine McMil*n marrying James McCafferty in 1865 but in Abbey - not in Paisley.

There is only one marriage of a Catherine McCafferty married in 1877 in Paisley, but that is to a William Tinney.
I had no credits left and had to do that search the hard way. Substituting each letter of the alphabet in turn until I built up his forname and surname.
I didn't have time to do another reverse search but there were no obvious McGowan marriages at all in that year in Paisley.
What was his occupation - in case that might help ?

I still think the lack of census entries is because of the spelling. If only you had found even one child it would probably open things up.

I'll keep puzzling though

Russell

bethsam · Post by **bethsam** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 7:31 pm

Hi Russell

Yes, I'm pretty sure that James McGowan and Catherine McMullan were Catholic but I don't understand why that would mean the details would be missing. Surely they had to comply with Statutory Registration too? It was 1877, then again, I can't find Catherine's 1865 marriage to James McCafferty either.

I'll need to have a look at a map as I thought Paisley was just Paisley! I'll improve my geography if nothing else today!

James McGowan was a road surfaceman in 1884 and a labourer in 1894 when he died aged 57.

James McCafferty was a furnace labourer when he died in 1876 aged 38.

Thanks again for you help and interest.
Bethsam

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:49 pm

Hi Bethsam

This could be them in 1881

Dwelling: 3 Highland Lane
Census Place: Abbey, Renfrew, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203584 GRO Ref Volume 573 EnumDist 78 Page 25
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James MC GOWAN M 46 M Ireland
Rel: Head
Occ: Labourer
Cath. MC GOWAN M 35 F Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Wife

or

Dwelling: 20 Middleton Place
Census Place: Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203640 GRO Ref Volume 644-3 EnumDist 64 Page 3
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James MC GOWAN M 40 M Ireland
Rel: Head
Occ: Boilermaker Labourer
Catherine MC GOWAN M 35 F Ireland
Rel: Wife
Occ: Housewife
James MC GOWAN U 16 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Glass Bottle Worker
John MC GOWAN 10 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Francis MC GOWAN 6 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Catherine MC GOWAN 3 F Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Daur

These are the only 2 entries I can find for James McGowan with a wife, Catherine McGowan in the Lowlands of Scotland.

If it's the first one, then sadly there are no children listed. Agewise this one fits better. Does the address mean anything to you?

I nearly discounted the 2nd one because of the ages of the children. However, is it possible that James was married to someone else before his marriage to Catherine? This could account for the ages of the older children. Age of this one doesn't fit as well as the other!

Jean

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:22 pm

Hi Geraldine

Nope - neither of these occupations is of much help. How frustrating

You're right about the post 1855 records. There should be a Register entry for them. All the more reason to suspect some sort of mis-transcription.

Abbey was the wide area around Paisley taking in lots of small places like Johnstone, Elderslie, Ferguslie to the west; Neilston, Barrhead, Mearns, Thornliebank, Pollokshaws to the south east.
Historically Paisley Abbey held a huge swathe of land across Renfrewshire so in many places even where there was a church it was still afilliated to the Abbey.

I found Catherine's marriage to James McCafferty 20th Feb 1865 listed on IGI M115591 in Abbey, Paisley so it may be you missed trying McMillan as her entry. Doing a parent search produced no children by the first marriage being recorded. Doesn't mean there weren't any though.
I've checked all Renfrewshire parishes for McCafferty births. There are plenty but none that we're looking for. (IGI counties check)

This is becoming more and more puzzling

k

Russell

bethsam · Post by **bethsam** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:52 pm

Hi Jean Jeanie & Russell

Jean - the first one is definitely my Great Great Grandparents - well done.

How did you find them? My Great Grandmother was born at 3 Highland Lane, Paisley in 1884 as was her sister in July 1881, just missing the census. I've not found any other children but now I know where everyone was born and their ages to look further. Many, many thanks. Please let me know how you found them so that I can hopefully trace them in future census records - they were both still alive in 1891 at least and my Great Grandmother got married from Cotton Street in 1904.

Russell - Thank you for clearing up the Glasgow geography. I was brought up east of Glasgow but rarely ventured further than Sauchiehall Street!

I'm hoping mis-transcription will be the key to finding them. Thank you so much for your help.

Regards
Bethsam