Sneddon - Bo'ness & Alloa

[clarkie]

I was born in England but I have lived in Scotland for nearly 40 years.

Some time ago I researched my son in laws "Sneddon" ancestors. The line went back from Ayrshire to Lanarkshire and then to Bo'ness prior to 1815, with a possible line there back to about 1688.

My grandmothers maiden name was Trickett. I was aware when I researched my own roots that she had an ancestors who though born in the Midlands of England moved briefly to Scotland, married had 4 children in Scotland before moving back to England with his wife and 3 of the children.

Believe it or not I have just established contact with a descendant of the one that was left behind, he is still near to where his ancestors stayed and his great grandfather had married a Sneddon. Now his branch seems to originate from Alloa about 1660 is as far as I can see at present.

The naming pattern of the two families is incredibly similar, so much so that I think there must be a connection.

Two problems in my way, excluding name variations such as Snedden, Sneddan, Snedan even Snedoun etc, first IGI records, the further back you go have, have so many submitted entries that they have become somwhat entwined.
Secondly it would appear that the families could have merged at any point when somebody took the ferry across the water or walked around the Forth one way or the other.

It would seem to be that these two places were a hotbed of Sneddons. Does anyone know any early history of these places/people?

Regards

Clarkie

[sleuthjan]

Oh, I hope you are still poking about here! [-o< Please let me know if you are here and I can tell you about my Sneddons, as much as I know.

[clarkie]

Yes I'm still around but I have not looked at the Sneddon connections for some time.
Clarkie

[sleuthjan]

I'm glad you are here! Actually, it may turn out that you may be able to help me - I hope. Jean or Jane Sneddon was born sometime between 1808 and 1818. I think, from census records, it was closer to 1816. She was born in Bo'Ness, West Lothian. She married my great-great grandfather Alexander Brown on Nov. 24, 1838 in Polmont, Stirlingshire.

I found her in the 1851 census with her family in Armadale. In 1861, her husband is probably deceased and she lived in Slamannan. In 1871, Partick, Govan, and in 1891 and 1901 census records she was shown living with her son Robert in New Monkland.

Jean or Jane and Alexander Brown had 3 sons and two daughters. He was a coal miner (b. 1803 in New Monkland).

So the mystery for me is the names of her parents. Sons, in order, were William, Robert and John Brown. Daughters were Elizabeth and Mary. If going by naming patterns, one might expect that Jean/Jane's father was Robert - and maybe her mother was Elizabeth. But that's just based on the patterns and they may not have completely followed them.

I've seen records of a Jean Sneddon born 30 Mar. 1808 to John and Elizabeth Sneddon but she appears to have married a Thomas Aitken. Then there was a Jane Urquhart Sneddon born in 1818 but she seems to have married a David Sneddon in 1835.

One hunch I have is that Jane's parents could have been Robert and Mary Sneddon as they lived at the Binniehill Colliery in 1861 - as I recall, she is located near there in one of the census records.

So I don't know how much you've done with Sneddons or if you know my Jean/Jane but would welcome any help for sure . Thanks!

[clarkie]

I'm not sure if this will help but my son in laws connection to the name Sneddon is through his fathers ancestors. In the period you mentioned, below is the family concerned, I managed to track this back to Walter Sneddon born Bo'ness about 1688, he married Catherine Lumsdale about 1715.

Husband Walter Sneddon
Born 1791 Bo'ness, West Lothian
Married 6 June 1814 Bo'ness, West Lothian
Died 13 September 1851 Polmont, Stirling
Buried 13 September 1851 Polmont, Stirling
Parents John Sneddon and Margaret Anderson

Wife Euphemia Sneddon
Born 1791 Bo'ness, West Lothian

Children
1 M John Sneddon
Born 1815 Bo'ness, West Lothian
Spouse Margaret Gibb
Married 9 February 1834 Bothwell, Lanarkshire
Died 5 April 1892 New Stevenston, Holytown, Lanarkshire

2 M Alexander Sneddon
Born 1819 Bo'ness, West Lothian
3 M Walter Sneddon
Born 1822 Bo'ness, West Lothian
4 F Janet Sneddon
Born 1822 Bo'ness, West Lothian
5 F Margaret Sneddon
Born 1825 Bo'ness, West Lothian

6 F Euphemia Sneddon
Born 1827 Shotts, Lanarkshire
Spouse William Taylor
Married 14 December 1855 Polmont, Stirling

7 F Rachel Sneddon
Born 1835 Shotts, Lanarkshire

Clarkie

[sleuthjan]

I'm not sure either. You've a Janet born in 1822 but that seems too late. And there is no-one in my family named Walter ... for what that may be worth Are you pretty confident that is all the children Walter and Euphemia had?

But perhaps my Jean or Jane was the daughter of a brother of Walter. Do you know anything of Walter's brothers?

If I find a connection to Walter it would be pretty cool to have Sneddon ancestors back to 1688!

[sleuthjan]

Hi again. Further research today, really trying to focus between 1814 and 1819 for Jane's date of birth (since census records indicate that range), there were really only 3 distinct possibilities for her parents. She was probably born as "Janet." One born 7 June 1818 to Robert and Mary Snadden (I am leaning toward this couple as they lived in the same area as Jane in 1861), one born 13 April 1817 to Walter and Euphan Snaddon (these names are no-where else in my tree), and one to Richard and Rachel Snaddon on 1 June 1817 (don't know about this one but have no "Rachels" in my tree). Then there was one search result for Jane Urquart Snaddon, 20 May 1810, to Richard Snaddon and Helen Gray - but this one really seems to be too far off in date to be a match with census info. My last possibility is for a "Joanna" Snaddon born 20 Dec. 1815 to Robert and Mary. Is Joanna a form of Jean, Jane or Janet? How many variations can there be to Jean???

Anyway, if her parents are Robert and Mary, I will be able to build my tree. Think Robert was born 18 July 1785 in Bo'ness and I've seen other trees that take the line back to a Walter Snaden in 1662. But just how can I be sure?

[clarkie]

The Janet you have born 1817 to Walter is the one I sent to you but IGI note the dob as 30 September 1822.
As far as I know the family group for Walter & Euphemia (Various spellings) is complete.

Walter only had one brother Alexander Snaddon born 5 Aug 1789, bap 10 Aug 1789. Their father was John.

John's father was Alexander he had 8 children including John 1749, Walter 1753 & Richard 1756.

Alexander's father was Walter born about 1688 he also had 8 children including Walter 1718, John 1720, Alexander 1726 & twins Henry & Richard 1727.

The names Robert & Jane only appear in my tree much later in the 1800s.

If there is any connection I would guess it might be earlier in the 1600.

Clarkie

[sleuthjan]

I think I got that info straight. Thanks very much for sharing what you know with me. I guess the only real way I have to confirm Jane/Jean/Janet's parentage is to try looking for her death record again. I found one in 1902 or 1903 I think - but though she was married to a "Brown," it was not "Alexander" (which is the forename that should have appeared). I have census info showing her alive in 1901 so .... well, wish me luck!

[clarkie]

I note that a number of Ancestry members are researching your Jane, some have not yet decided on her parents, others have and they have reached different conclusions. Two think Jane died in Airdrie in 1903.

Good luck, Clarkie