The mysterious Mr Innes

[trish1]

I'm wondering if Mr Innes (John or William) can be found - or is he a figment of someone's imagination?

SP Marriage Index 02/06/1846 HAXTON ALEXANDER ISABELLA INNES/ M KIRKCALDY /FIFE 442/ 0060 0173
Haxton & Innes - Upon the 31st May 1846 were proclaimed Alexander Haxton Carter of the Parish of Dysart son of Alexr Haxton and Isabella Innes of this Parish daughter of John Innes & mard 2nd June by Rev James Bain

1851 Kirkcaldy, Fife 442 ED 2 P 17
High Street East port
Helen Ferguson 55 head Dysart, Fife Publican
Alexander Haxton 30 son in law Kirkcaldy, Fife carter (correct birthplace, his family later moved to Dysart)
Isabella Haxton 24 daughter Dysart, Fife
Marion Whitehead 13 niece Dysart, scholar

Death of Isabella - Kirkcaldy/Abbotshall age 56 (she was listed as 54 on the 1881 census)
1881 Haxton Isabella (Statutory deaths 442/00 0240)
Died at Harbour Head, Kirkcaldy, husband Alexander Haxton, Publican was the informant
Parents - William Innes, gardener domestic, defautist? Father (decd) mother Helen Whitehead domestic servant (decd)

Death of Alexander Haxton - informant was brother John Haxton
SP Death Index 1896 HAXTON ALEXANDER M 76 MARKINCH /FIFE 447/00 0051
Alexander Haxton retired wine merchant widower of Isabella Whitehead
It seems brother John has no knowledge of Mr Innes.

Helen Whitehead married George Ferguson, Dysart, Fife 5 Jan 1838
Helen died Harbour Head, Kirkcaldy age 67 - Jan 16 1861 parents Thomas Whitehead and Isabella Fife.
Witness was neighbour Sophia Haxton (probably mother-in-law of Helen's daughter Isabella)

On the census, Isabella says she is born Dysart (1851), Aberdour (1861) and Kirkcaldy (1871, 1881)
Possible 1841 79 year old Thomas Whitehead and in the same household Isabella Whitehead 16
George and Janet Whitehead and children including 3 year old Marion are in the same household

I find a marriage in 1788 for Thomas Whitehead and Isabella Fife. I cannot find any baptisms for their children, nor a baptism for Isabella Whitehead or Isabella Innes. Would there be anything in any other records related to Mr Innes or the birth of Isabella.

Trish

[SarahND]

Hi Trish,
I had a look in the censuses for a Mr. Innes, gardener and here are the results:

In 1841 there are two Innes gardeners: John age 35 in South Leith, Midlothian and James age 37 in Hobkirk, Roxburghshire

In 1851 John reveals himself to have been born in Symington, Ayr in about 1805 and James in Kirkton, Roxburghshire also in about 1805. The only William Innis, gardener in 1851 is in Elgin, Moray, born in Cruden, Aberdeenshire in about 1814-- a bit young to be Isabella's father.

Moving onto 1861, John is still in South Leith with the same birth date, now a Master Garder 6 acres employing 8 Man 1 Woman

There are now two William Innes, Gardeners, who emerge: One born Errol, Perthshire who is a Ploughman and Gardener in St Madoes, Perthshire, age 57 (looking back we see he was an Ag Lab in 1851)

The other a Jobbing Gardner in Longside, Aberdeenshire (age 76). Not a prime suspect because of age and location.

in 1871 John in South Leith is a Market Gardener, James in Roxburghshire is still a Gardener and William born in Errol appears to have died.

Since we know Isabella's father was deceased at her death (at least, if we believe Alexander's word) it looks like John of South Leith is out of the running, since he is still there in 1881, age 76. He appears to have died in 1885.

So... that leaves us with James of Roxburgh, who is neither John nor William and thus not high on our list, or William of Perthshire who disappears between 1861 and 1871, although I don't see his death in that decade. He is married with 5 children by 1841 and an Ag Lab in St Madoes. I suppose, having looked at a number of death certs, that it is only important that he have been working as a gardener by the end of his life, not necessarily when he conceived Isabella. So this one could be possible.

Sorry, nothing conclusive But at least it's a start.

All the best,
Sarah

[trish1]

Many thanks for the interesting search through the census records. Both South Leith and Perth don't seem to be too far away. I probably would have left him as a rememberance of a young pregnant servant girl's past - but the info on the death certificate seemed to indicate that the issue had been discussed before and/or during the marriage - so I will see if I can find any links with any of these folks

thank you for looking

Trish