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Hi...I am trying to find details re an Alexander Donaldson. Found his marriage certificate...he married a Margaret Hunter in Alva, Scotland on 31 Dec 1913. Said his age was 23 so I assume born 1890. Certificate gives his parents names as Alexander Donaldson (a ploughman) and Ann Donaldson (m/s Smeaton). Cannot find a birth or a death certificate for him. It is also possible he may have remarried and/or moved from Alva as Margaret Hunter died in 1918 at Alva aged 26. Can anyone help...Thanks

Who were the witnesses to the marriage please?

Have you looked on Scotlandspeople for a possible marriage for his parents?

Witnesses are Janet Hunter & Archie Donaldson. The only marriage for Donaldson/Smeaton on Scotlands People around that time was a John Donaldson who married Ann Smeaton at Errol on 28 Nov 1890. He was from Monzievaird & Strowan, she was from Comrie...had a look to see if there was a borth for Alexander Donaldson from that area but could not find any

Trying a search of census for Alexander with sibling Arch*, this came up and may be worth further research - even just to eliminate them. He looks like the son of the couple whose marriage you have found?

1901

Name: Alexander Donaldson
Age: 10
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891
Relationship: Son
Father's Name: John Donaldson
Mother's Name: Ann Donaldson
Gender: Male
Where born: Stirling, stirlingshire
Registration number: 383
Registration district: Monzievaird and Strowan
Civil parish: Monzievaird and Strowan
County: Perthshire
Address: Farm Servant House W F
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 4
Household schedule number: no 6
Line: 4
Roll: CSSCT1901_123
Household Members: Name Age
John Donaldson 30 Farm Servant, b. monzievaird & strowan, Perthshire
Ann Donaldson 30 b. Blackford, Perthshire
Archie Donaldson 13 b. Blackford, Perthshire
Alexander Donaldson 10
Mary Ann Donaldson 6 b. monzievaird & strowan, Perthshire
John Donaldson 3 b. monzievaird & strowan, Perthshire


You could look to see if you can find the above family in 1911? If father John had died, it may be that Alexander gave the wrong christian name for his father?


The other possibility was that Alexander and Archibald were from a previous relationship that Ann had?

This is evidently the family of John Donaldson and Ann Smeaton at 1901.
Note: They do have a son called Archie!

1901 Scotland Census
about John Donaldson
Name: John Donaldson
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Ann Donaldson
Gender: Male
Where born: monzievaird & strowan, Perthshire
Registration number: 383
Registration district: Monzievaird and Strowan
Civil parish: Monzievaird and Strowan
County: Perthshire
Address: Farm Servant House W F
Occupation: Farm Servant Working Houes
ED: 4
Household schedule number: no 6
Line: 1
Roll: CSSCT1901_123
Household Members: Name Age
John Donaldson 30
Ann Donaldson 30
Archie Donaldson 13 b Blackford, Perthshire
Alexander Donaldson 10 *** b STIRLING***
Mary Ann Donaldson 6 b Monzievaird and Strowan
John Donaldson 3 B Monzievard and Strowan

Same couple in 1891 - so Alexander was born after the 1891 census was taken?

Name: John Donaldson
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Ann Donaldson
Gender: Male
Where born: Comrie, Perthshire
Registration number: 333
Registration district: Blackford
Civil parish: Blackford
County: Perthshire
Address: North Side Old Street
Occupation: Brewery Labourer
ED: 1
Household schedule number: 92
Line: 3
Roll: CSSCT1891_107
Household Members: Name Age
John Donaldson 21
Ann Donaldson 21
Archibald Donaldson 2

Looked at his birth - Alexander was born 8th May 1891 At Stewarthall Farm, father John was a Ploughman and his mother Annie ms Smeaton were married 6th November 1890 at Errol.

It could be accidental that Alexander gave his father's name as Alexander rather than John on his marriage. What you need to do now is look for the deaths of John Alexander and his wife Ann* Smeaton to check who the informants were. Also you could look for a marriage for some of the other children to see if Alexander was a witness?

That Alexander was the informant on his mother's death but no address given.

1946 SMITTON ANN DONALDSON F 76 ALVA (CLACKMANNAN) /CLACKMANNAN 465/0B 0013

Thanks for the info above.....will have a look tonighnt .

James,
If you can, try to find John and Ann Donaldson on the 1911 census return and check the address against the one on Alexander's marriage cert..
There is almost a 3yr gap, but it may provide an insight.
I have a few marriage certs where a parent's name was recorded incorrectly.

1911 census shows them living in Logie district of Stirling. Alexander is aged 19 and is a Maltman (Distillery worker). This is the same as on his marriage certificate in 1913. The marriage certificate shows him living in Menstrie which is only about 2-3 miles away from Logie district.Parents John and Ann are on the census there too

I am pretty certain that this will be Alexander's parents.
If Alexander married and used the traditional naming convention, normally his first son would be named for his own father, ie John.
The tradition was however, dying out around this time.

Have got everything now for Alexander Donaldson. His wife died in 1918 and he remarried in 1919 to a Jane Paterson. He died in Alva on 12 Nov 1958. Only thing now is I cant find a birth certificate for his wife...although I have everything for about 3-- 4 generations before her !!! Her name was Margaret Hunter. She was aged 21 on the marriage certificate on 31/12/1913 so was born about 1892.

Fathers name was Andrew Hunter (born 1871 in Alva...died 1917 in Larbert). Mothers name was Elizabeth Hunter (m/s Stewart)..Born 1862 in Alva..died 1925 due to drowning in River Forth. They married in Alva on 8 Aug 1890

Continuation from previous post (hit submit too early)...there are 3 generations before that of the same family...all from Alva...fathers name...all Andrew Hunter...all worked in the coal mines...so I take it that Margaret Hunter would have been born in Alva as well ?..just cant find certifcate......Thanks

I took a look at Scotlands People and found 3 possibles: Searched 1890 - 1894

Margaret Hunter, 1891 Alloa.

Margaret Ann Hunter, 1893 Alloa.

Margaret Sincair Hunter, 1892 Tillicoultry.

All are in the region of Clackmannanshire. It would need five SP credits to open each entry.

I wonder if this is them??

1901 census transcription details for: 13, Roughlands, Larbert
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National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG13
Piece: 485
Folio: 8
Page: 23
Reg. District: Larbert
Sub District:
Parish: Larbert
Enum. District:
Ecclesiastical District: Larbert
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 13, Roughlands, Larbert
County: Stirlingshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
HUNTER, Andrew Head Married M 32 1869 Coal Miner
Alva, Stirlingshire
HUNTER, Lizzie Wife Married F 39 1862
Alva, Stirlingshire
HUNTER, Andrew Son M 10 1891 Scholar
Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire
>>HUNTER, Maggie Daughter F 8 1893 Scholar
Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire
HUNTER, Janet Daughter F 6 1895 Scholar
Alva, Stirlingshire
HUNTER, James Son M 4 1897
Alva, Stirlingshire
HUNTER, Lizzie Daughter F 2 1899
Carron, Stirlingshire



parents: Andrew Hunter,? Elizabeth Stewart Hunter

name: Andrew Hunter
gender: Male
birth date: 21 Apr 1891
birthplace: Carriden, West Lothian, Scotland
father's name: Andrew Hunter
mother's name: Elizabeth Stewart Hunter
indexing project (batch) number: C01954-5
system origin: Scotland-EASy
source film number: 255150


CARRIDEN, West Lothian

"Carriden, a coast parish of Linlithgowshire, containing the villages of Blackness, Bridgeness, Grangepans, and Muirhouses. It approaches within 3 furlongs and 1 mile of the post-towns and railway stations of Borrowstouness and Linlithgow; and is bounded N by the Firth of Forth, E by Abercorn, S by Linlithgow, and W by Bo'ness.


1891 census transcription details for: Grangepans, Carriden
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National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG12
Piece: 664
Folio: 3
Page: 47
Reg. District: Carriden
Sub District:
Parish: Carriden
Enum. District: 3
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: Grangepans, Carriden
County: Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
HUNTER, Andrew Head Married M 21 1870 Coal Miner
Alva, Stirlingshire
HUNTER, Elizabeth Wife Married F 27 1864
Alva, Stirlingshire

Possible birth.

1 1892 HUNTER MARGARET F CARRIDEN /WEST LOTHIAN 664/00 0089

??

1881 census transcription details for: 2, Ochil Road, Alva
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National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG11
Piece: 470
Folio: 0
Page: 14
Reg. District: Alva
Sub District:
Parish: Alva
Enum. District:
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 2, Ochil Road, Alva
County: Stirlingshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
STEWART, Margaret Head Widow F 52 1829 Winder Woollen Yarn
Monzie, Perthshire
RUSSELL, Ellen Daughter Widow F 25 1856 Winder Woollen Yarn
Gask, Perthshire
STEWART, Edward Son Unmarried M 21 1860 Weaver Woollen
Auchterarder, Perthshire
STEWART, Elizabeth Daughter Unmarried F 17 1864 Factory Worker
Alva, Stirlingshire
STEWART, Jean Daughter Unmarried F 15 1866 Factory Worker
Alva, Stirlingshire
WAUGH, William Grandson M 11 1870 Scholar
Alva, Stirlingshire
RUSSELL, William Grandson M 5 1876
Alva, Stirlingshire
SINCLAIR, John Grandson M 0 1881
Alva, Stirlingshire



1871 census transcription details for: Island, Alva
Print Close

National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG10
Piece: 470
Folio: 1
Page: 12
Reg. District: Alva
Sub District:
Parish: Alva
Enum. District: 1
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: Island, Alva
County: Stirlingshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
STEWART, Margaret Head Widow F 40 1831 Window (Wool) Monzie, Perthshire
STEWART, Catherine Daughter Unmarried F 21 1850 Mill Worker (Wool) Monzie, Perthshire
STEWART, William Son Unmarried M 18 1853 Weaver (Wool) Monzie, Perthshire
STEWART, Margaret Daughter Unmarried F 16 1855 Mill Worker Monzie, Perthshire
STEWART, Helen Daughter Unmarried F 14 1857 Mill Worker Monzie, Perthshire
STEWART, Edward Son M 11 1860 Scholar Auchterarder, Perthshire
STEWART, Elisabeth Daughter F 8 1863 Scholar Alva, Stirlingshire
STEWART, Jane Daughter F 5 1866 Alva, Stirlingshire
WAUGH, William Grand Son M 1 1870 Alva, Stirlingshire

Hi Alviegal...Yes this is the right one. Checked Scotlands People...Margaret Hunter..born 12 Nov 1892 (so would be 8 yrs old at the 1901 census which agrees with the above) at Carriden. So thanks for that and thanks to all others who have replied on this post. Have now completed the direct ancestry line as far back as I can go (or want to go) for my aunt (Margaret Hunter was her grandmother).....will have a look at censuses later to get details of siblings of the direct line