Genealogy Chat

How inconsiderate of Annie not to slip a few clues in!

Bearing in mind Donald's mother was listed as Anne Isaacs, I still think Annie was his mother- and that Catherine knew the secret.

I think it's odd that Annie doesn't mention Donald in the will- as her son, adopted or by birth, I would have thought there would've been mention of him. However, as you say, Catherine was likely to have needed the money more than Donald at that time- and Annie probably knew that Catherine's estate would eventually go to Donald.

I also wonder if their were conditions in her father's Will.

Frustrating to say the least!

I know that there was a codicil in the father's will but that was probably due to the fact that his eldest son had died the year before.

I also thought it odd that Donald wasn't mentioned at all in the will as his address was still given as Lathbury Rd in Oxford, where the sisters stayed, at the time of his name change in 1924, only 3 years before this will was executed.

I'll probably go ahead with getting copies of father and sisters wills but I am not optimistic that they will reveal anything. Donald was executor of Catherine's will so would have known of any revelation in it - and my father does not think he ever knew.

hmmm...(and some things just remain hidden, and a mystery forever!)

Never say Never though, lol...

Chris :)

I have now looked at Catherine's and Rev JF Isaacson wills. Catherine' s leaves everything to Donald apart from 3 small legacies to her nieces. Will was written in 1932 after Annie died - so no surprises and no clues.

Father's will was detailed in what was given e.g. splitting the family silver etc but otherwise not very helpful

So it looks like it will remain a mystery unless I can unearth anything else in family letters etc.

Such a shame- sorry they weren't of help. I can't really think of anywhere to go from here.

Perhaps photos? Any similarities between the Isaacsons and Donald?

DNA Testing?

Thanks AustinQ for your suggestions. I am visiting my family at the end of July and will be looking through the photos etc for any clues

If I think of anything else I'll let you know- keep us updated. I hate to see a mystery go unsolved.

I had an idea. I checked for other children born around the same time as my grandfather in Barton Regis, and there are quite a few, however I can not see parents on any - does anyone else have those details and if so do any of them match Donald Isaacs/Anne Stewart

Births Sep 1885 (>99%)
Innes Florence Beatrice Bristol 6a 20
(mms Sealey)


Births Sep 1886 (>99%)
Innes Mabel Louisa Bristol 6a 25

This birth isn't on the GRO site, so I don't know what her mother's name was.


she died in infancy:

Mabel Louisa Innes
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
Name: Mabel Louisa Innes
Estimated birth year: abt 1886
Registration Year: 1886
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at Death: 0
Registration district: Bristol
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 19

Florence Beatrice's parents were Richard and Mary.

Now looking for Isaacs births - there were several in Bristol 1881-95.

Ellen 1882 mms Dyment
Ada Isaacs 1885 mms Dyment
Mabel Beatrice 1885 mms Thornell
Charles Edwin 1887 mms Dyment
Henry 1888 mms Foster
Elsie Emma 1893 mms Cole
Ada Hester 1895 mms Cole


Nothing linking with Anne Stewart, anyway. Haven't checked censuses yet re their fathers' names.

Ellen - parents James & Emma.
Ada - ditto
Charles - ditto
Henry died 1888.
Elsie & Ada Hester - parents Alexander & Alice

No sign of Donald, I'm afraid.

Hi ArgyllGran - Thanks for looking into this. I'll see if I can find anything more on Mabel Louisa Innes.

Looked at Florence Beatrice Innes, born 1886, to see if her parents had had a child who died - in case Mabel was her sister.
Unfortunately Florence's mother Mary Ann died in 1899, so the 1911 doesn't give any clue.

A little more information - My father's DNA indicates that all his grand-parents are of English ethnicity (bar a few minor others) so this rules out Donald Isaacs or Anne Stewart being Welsh, Scottish or Irish (so no idea where all the Scottish names come from)

If "Anne Stewart" was one of the Isaacson sisters, then she was English.


The Wikiwand quote posted on page 1 says "he appears to have been a Jew of Scottish descent", but that's not a definite fact. The Jewish idea is probably because of the name Isaacs, and the Scottish idea is because of the names Donald and Innes.

But really, we know nothing about his father.

Good to hear from you again

This increases the likelihood that Annie Isaacson was the mother as I know the Isaacsons are English from my grandmother who was Annie's niece

Probably just a red herring, but Isaacs means laugh in Jewish and is supposed to come from Elizabeth's happiness when she conceived John the Baptist in her old age - Annie would have been 37

Unfortunately I'm not sure where to go from here!

rder by
Doc True
(purchased) Mr Donald E. Innes, reader in geology at St Andrews University, is to broadcast to Scottish schools during the autumn
Mr Donald E. Innes, reader in geology at St Andrews University, is to broadcast to Scottish schools during the autumn
Mr Donald E. Innes, reader in geology at St Andrews University, is to broadcast to Scottish schools during the autumn term. He will broadcast in the science course " The Story of the Earth " on Wednesdays.
03 October 1931 - Dundee Courier - Dundee, Angus, Scotland


--------------------------------------

Doc True
(purchased) UNIVERSITY INTELLIG
UNIVERSITY INTELLIG
N. fichurch; William G. Trower, New College; * F. Winmill, Magdalen. Satisfied the Moderators: Arnold W. DeakiOi Donald E. Isaacs Innes, University. WOMEN. Classes I. and II.: None. Class 111. t Winifred E. B. Blacker, Sons and Violet Wingfield, Lady
07 July 1909 - Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Eng

??

One DNA match is of possible interest indicating 3rd to 5th cousin. This person's grandmother was Elizabeth Russell (nee Stuart) born about 1888 in Ireland whose mother is Anna Stuart born in Ireland in 1857 it is possible that Anna Stuart is also my great grandmother Anne Stewart.

Just in case:


Annam Stuart
in the Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915
Name: Annam Stuart
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 1857
Baptism Date: 26 Mar 1857
Baptism Place: Armagh, Armagh, Ireland
Diocese: Armagh

Record is in Latin:
Infrascriptus baptizavi (sub conditione) Annam Stuart ([ something] Anglicana) . . .{something] Maria Hughes. Priest's signature is J Rafferty.

The undersigned baptised (conditionally) Anna Stuart ( English female ? possibly "of the Anglican church"?) . . . . . Witness? (or godparent?) Maria Hughes.


Interesting , if the child was either English or of the Anglican Church, and the RC priest baptised her - why? because there was no Anglican cleric to do it ??

Possibly not your Ann(a) - it's a very common name , but the English connection is intriguing.

And no parents are mentioned, whereas they are in other children's baptisms recorded on the same document.