Assistance with Findlays of Ayrshire please

[JRFindlay]

I am trying to clear a block in my family tree research. My GGFather, John Findlay, married Janet Blair on 29 September 1874 at Saltcoats. I believe he was born about 1844 but cannot find any birth details nor information about his parents, Matthew Findlay and Mary Ann Shaw or McAsland. They are both listed on the marriage certificate as deceased. If anyone can assist it would be greatly appreciated. John Findlay, Victoria, Australia.

[SarahND]

Hello John and
I have a few questions to help us narrow down the possibilities, since there are so many John Findlays in Scotland:
What birth location does John give on the censuses?
What occupation does he list for his father Matthew on the marriage record?
What was John's occupation?
What are the names of Mary Ann's parents and her father's occupation? There is a Matthew Findlay in the home of James and Agnes Shaw in 1841 that looks intriguing (if those were the names of her parents).

Every tidbit of information you can give us will help.

All the best,
Sarah

[nelmit]

Here he is in 1901 at Paisley Sarah.

John Findlay 55 born Glasgow, Private Watchman
Janet Findlay 53
James Findlay 21
Alex Findlay 18
Marthew Findlay 17

In 1871 he is on a vessel berthed at Rutherglen as he was a sailor as Janet said in 1881 at Ardrossan.

That's about as far as I've got so far.

Regards,
Annette

[SarahND]

Thanks Annette
That's killed my latest theory nicely
Back to the drawing board...

Sarah

[trish1]

There is a Matthew Findlay marrying a Mary Ann McAsland 3 Sep 1841 Old Kilpatrick,Dunbarton,Scotland from Family search

[SarahND]

Nice find, Trish!
There is a Mcausland family in Old Kilpatrick in 1841 but Mary Ann, if she is one of the daughters, is not at home on census night:

Duntocher William St, Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire
Archd Mcausland, 50, born Scotland, Cotton H L W
Mary Mcausland, 45, born Scotland
Jean Mcausland, 25, born Scotland, Cotton H L W
Eliza Mcausland, 17, born Scotland, Cotton H L W
John Mcausland, 15, born Scotland, Cotton H L W

In 1851 Archibald is shown to have been born in Paisley. There are a couple of possible Mary McAuslands in 1841 who could be Mary before her marriage.

All the best,
Sarah

[trish1]

Hello Sarah - New Year's greetings
I intially confused myself - thinking I wanted a Matthew and Janet! sigh. Then I found this family in 1851 but no John.
Living Toll Gatehead Ayrshire
Matthew Findlay 30 born Galston Ayrshire innkeeper head
Mary Findlay 24 born Kilmaurs Ayrshire wife (perhaps too young to have married in 1841)
Elizabeth Findlay 2 dau
Grao Maclean 15 servant
no sign of a son - I suppose he could have been at school? I cannot find a death for Mary Ann post 1855 - and the only possible Matthew I can see - no age given on index died at Govan 1862

A different Mary - born in Glasgow
Mary McAslan age 17 living in Barony Middle Calton in 1841 - parents John and Margaret. Birth on family search
Mary Mcaslan birth 30 Apr 1822 christening 26 May 1822 GORBALS,LANARK,SCOTLAND parent John Mcaslan, Margaret Mcadam

I'm wondering if both parents of John died before 1855 - or even before 1851

Trish

[SarahND]

Hi again Trish

I intially confused myself - thinking I wanted a Matthew and Janet! sigh.

I have been known to confuse people between two unrelated posts on TS and waste hours trying to find a family that never existed

Yesterday, when I was playing with the search on SP, I came up with these OPR deaths:

One Mary Fin*l?y died in Newton on Ayr in 1852
One died in Loudoun in 1847
One died in Loudoun in 1852
One died in Loudoun in 1854

A Matthew Fin*l?y died in Maybole, Ayr in 1854

I believe I was only looking at Ayr

All the best to you in 2013!
Sarah

[JRFindlay]

Thanks for the help so far everyone. Sarah, unfortunately one of the blockers is that I don't know where John was born and could not be sure which census record is accurate. I have no conclusive evidence that Matthew was born in Galston but somehow that was the information I had - he was recorded on the marriage document as having been a journeyman potter - an artisan I am guessing. John, himself was a coal miner and a seaman/sailor. I have no concrete details about Mary - I am certain her surname is SHAW but you could easily read it to be McASLAND on the marriage record. If it helps, they too had a son John - Dob 11/6/1877 and I think siblings, Andrew, James, Alexander and Martha or Margaret, all born in Ardrossan/Saltcoats/Stevenston. I really appreciate the efforts of all of you to help.
Regards, John.