William's Story.....

[Jean Jeanie]

I have a William Fraser b. 29 Oct 1809 Parents James Fraser and Jean McDonald. I have seen the OPR at ANEFHS and it shows on the SP site.

An IGI search using James Fraser and Jean McDonald as parents yields the above William and Anne Fraser or Fletcher b 25 Mar 1812, both extracts. SP shows an Ann Fraser born this year. IGI yields a marriage for James Fraser and Jean McDonald in 1808. this is, however, a submission.

On visiting the ANEFHS last week I searched the censuses from 1841 – 1881.

Results from this as follows:-

In 1841 a William Fraser, aged 30, is living with an Anne Fraser, aged 65 and a Lilias Fraser, aged 15 at Faebuie, Cromdale.
No relationships are shown on the 1841 census.

In 1851 a William Fraser, aged 41,is found with his wife and family at Anenabord, Parish of Cromdale. This family are all confirmed as mine from statutory records.

In 1861 and 1871 William, his wife and family are all found at Faebuie, Parish of Cromdale.

William’s death cert in 1878 (he died at Faebuie) shows his parents as James Fraser and Anne McDonald. Informant to death – son James Fraser.

Now comes the query. William’s birth shows his mother as Jean. His death cert shows his mother as Ann.

So I do an IGI search for children of parents James Fraser and Ann McDonald. This yields the following:-

Ann Fraser b. 19 Mar 1817
Jean Fraser b. 17 Apr 1820
Lillie Fraser b. 29 Aug 1822

NO WILLIAM !!!

Three other children appear in this IGI search for a James Fraser and Ann McDonald. Due to the years of birth being 1801, 1805 and 1807, I think this must be another James Fraser and Ann McDonald.

I am pretty sure that the William in 1841 aged 30 living with Ann Fraser aged 65 is my William. Main reason being that I visited the cottages at Faebuie last week and there are only 5 of them now. In 1841 there were 5 cottages on the census and in 1881 there were 7 cottages on the census. So the population at Faebuie doesn’t increase very much. Also his age ties in.

In the 1851 census Ann Fraser, aged 33 and Jean Fraser, aged 30 are living with their Mother Ann Fraser, aged 74 at Faebuie Cromdale.

Could it be that James Fraser was married twice? First to Jean McDonald and had William and Ann. Then to Ann McDonald and had Anne, Jean and Lillie?

When William died in 1878, perhaps his son, James, showed William’s mother as Ann McDonald, because that was the only grandmother he had known. Jean having died sometime between 1812 and 1817. There are no OPR death records for Cromdale.

This would make William and his full sister Anne, half brother and half sister to Anne, Jean and Lillie.

If you can follow the tale, because it is rather long and complicated, are there any other records I can check? Is there a statutory record that I have missed, that I can check and find anything on? Can I safely take it that James Fraser married twice?

**Note for Davie Webster**

In the 1861 census Ann Fraser, aged , 43, is living at Faebuie. She is the head. The others are her daughter Ann Calder, aged
7, daughter, Elspet McDonald, aged 35, cousin visitor. Alexander Cameron, aged 11, cousins boy visitor. Jane Fraser, aged 8, cousins daughter visitor.

This Jane Fraser is Elsie’s mother.(Elspet Fraser born 1875)

Jean

[Jean Jeanie]

much snipped.

In the 1851 census Ann Fraser, aged 33 and Jean Fraser, aged 30 are living with their Mother Ann Fraser, aged 74 at Faebuie Cromdale.

Could it be that James Fraser was married twice? First to Jean McDonald and had William and Ann. Then to Ann McDonald and had Anne, Jean and Lillie?

Jean

I have now found the death cert for Ann Fraser aged 74 ( Above)
It doesn't show her husband's name, only that she is a widow of a hand loom weaver. However, the informant to death is her son in law Alexander Martin. Alexander Martin is the husband of Lillias Fraser. So the Lillias Fraser in the 1841 census is Ann Fraser's daughter.

Am I anywhere nearer to proving that William Fraser in the 1841 census is the step son of Ann Fraser.

What else can I check.

Am I correct in concluding that a death cert for Jean McDonald is the only way of proving this? And a death cert I cannot have.

Jean

[Jack]

Hi Jean,

I know you have all these births etc - and all are OPR extracts.

Could ANN(E) McDONALD have been the mother of ALL of these children - but a slip of the pen (or whatever) for William 1809 & Anne 1812 with mother as Jean? It can happen!

You mention a submitted 1808 marriage for James FRASER & Jean McDONALD.
But if the submitter is a descendant of William (or Ann) they would be thinking the mother was Jean? And because William was born 1809 has thought his parents were married about a year before?

Mother Ann was born abt 1776 and having her 1st born in 1801 fits well - as was the last in 1822. Many of my ancestors had their children over a 20 to 25 yr period.

Interesting that all births were in the same place - but importantly, none were in the same year. If any were - that would make me suspicious, and have me thinking there were 2 James FRASERs - both married to McDONALD girls.
--
JANET FRASER - Christening: 03 SEP 1801 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
JANNET FRASER - Birth: 09 MAR 1805 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
JAMES FRASER - Birth: 15 JAN 1807 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
WILLIAM FRASER -Christening: 29 OCT 1809 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland [mother as Jean]
ANNE FRASER - Birth: 25 MAR 1812 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland [mother as Jean]
ANN FRASER - Christening: 20 MAR 1817 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
JEAN FRASER - Christening: 19 APR 1820 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
LILLIE FRASER - Christening: 31 AUG 1822 Cromdale And Inverallan And Advie, Inverness, Scotland
--
So was son James correct with father William's mother as ANNE on the 1878 DC?
It's a possibility he was, but all just guesswork - no proof.

Jack

[Jean Jeanie]

Hi Jack

Thanks for replying.

I have always wondered why I could only find 2 children for James Fraser and Jean McDonald. As all my families(and everyone else's) had lots of kids in those days.

Your assumption is good. I did see an actual OPR whereby you could see that the Jean could be Anne. Difficult to explain on a computer, but the A of Ann started with a curly bit at the front of the "A" that could be mistaken fora "J"

Its the fact that Faebuie is such a small place that I find it difficult to believe that it is not the same family.

I could easily adopt this lot as mine, but I do like to have conclusive evidence.

The Frasers are a nightmare to trace.

Perhaps James was correct and that his father's mother was Anne.

How Will I ever know?

Perhaps I need to think again and see what else I can dig up.

Any suggestions?

Jean

[StewL]

Jean

I hope this is not muddying the waters.

But as has been said it is possible Jean and Anne are one and the same. For reasons known only to the family perhaps Anne was a pet name used for Jean.

Just a thought

[Jean Jeanie]

Hi Stewie

Doesn't muddy the water at all. In fact if this is the truth that Jean and Anne are the same person then all becomes clear.

Jean

[Jean Jeanie]

Things are looking better.

An IGI search for a marriage of James Fraser and Anne McDonald yields the following:-

James Fraser and Anna Mackdonald. 31 May 1800 Cromdale and Inverallan and Advie.

The fact that Anna has 4 letters as has Jean, shows how On the OPR the funny curly A could be mistaken for a J and is read as Jean.

On further reading of things. Anne's death cert shows her mother as Janet Grant. The first child born to James Fraser and Anne Fraser is called Janet.(one of the birth's I discounted)

Question - Is this enough for me to call them mine?

Anyone's opinions please !!!!!

Jean

[Jack]

Hi Jean,

Great find! On the face of things i'd say you could claim them - but i think the opinions of our resident experts would be best on whether there is enough "proof".

The IGI only gives the basic details - sometimes there is more info.
Personally, i'd have a really good look at the entries on the original OPR film for ALL the children mentioned - just to see if there is anything of interest.
But in particular these -
--
31 May 1800 marriage - to see if there are any more details for James Fraser & Anna MackDonald.

29 Oct 1809 christening of William - to see if it could be Anne.

25 Mar 1812 birth of Anne - likewise.
--
As all the records into the IGI were transcriptions then maybe Jean was what they thought it was - but a close examination might prove otherwise. Hope so!

So order the films and read the entries - a decent magnifying glass is often useful.
Also have a good look at how the letters & names of other entries on pages before and after were written. Look at as many as you need until you "get into" his style of writing.

Jack

[Jean Jeanie]

Hello Jack

I think you are spot on.

After the holiday weekend, and the grandkids have departed, I must look at the films.

This, I think, will prove it one way or another.

However, if the writing is crystal clear and doesn't tie up with our conclusions then I'll be suicidal

Jean

[Jean Jeanie]

Hello Jack

Don't know if you'll remember this saga or not. I hope so.

I viewed the film this morning at my local LDS centre and here's what I found out.

William's birth entry definitely shown his mother as Jean
Anne' birth entry definitely shows her mother as Jane
All the other births definitely show the mother to be Ann(e)
The marriage of James Fraser and Anna Mackdonald is definitely shown as James Fraser and Anna Mackdonald.

However in the margin of the marriage entry her surname is spelled McDonald and James's name is shown as James Fraser alies (I presume it means alias) Fletcher Weaver. At first I thought "Fletcher" might be his occupation but on studying other entries, the occupation followed the name and therefore his occupation is weaver.

On Anne' birth entry the father's name is shown as James Fraser alies (spelling again) Fletcher.

So it would appear that the same James Fraser marries an Anna McDonald/Mackdonald and is the father of an Anne Fraser whose mother is shown as Jane McDonald.

Am I any nearer to claiming this lot as mine?

I look forward to your reply and to any one else who may have some input

Jean