Genealogy Chat

My great grandfather was born in the aberdeenshire area in 1871and as born illegitimate, his father is not named on his birth cetificate and on that he has his mother's surname. However on his marriage certificate in 1898 it names his father and states he is deceased he is alo using his father's surname at that time. I have also discovered his mother married another man and on the 1881 census he uses his fathers surname not hs step father's. Is there any one out there who can give me a clue on where to find out who his father was as all I have is name and occupation.

Some names might help.......

my great grandfather's name was James Willox Mair born in 1871 Old Deer Aberdeenshire, his mother was Ann WIllox, he was born under the name Willox but by the 1881 census he was using the name Mair. His mother married in 1873 to a Robert Murdoch and they lived in the Cruden area aberdeenshire. james then married an Isabella Davidson in 1898 and on the marriage certificate it gives his fathers name as WIlliam Mair. no one in my living famiy have any information about this and I would like to know how to go about trying to find this William Mair.

Thanks

Amanda

James also had step brothers and sisters by the name of Murdoch but from the 1881 census it would appear he had no other siblings.
I can find several William Mair's in Aberdeenshire at the time but I don't know how to og about finding which one is my relative.

thanks for any ideas at all.

amanda

Hello Amanda.

Illegitemacy is a pain, as it leaves so many blanks. But the fact that James later used the surname Mair, and not stick with his mother's name,Willox, would, to me suggest a contact with his father. To have a father's name linked to an illegitemate birth, would suggest some involvement, for the father.

What will you finding the correct William Mair, solve? It may well take you back a generation, but, alas, with no concrete directions to follow, that might be a bit of a problem.

I have the same problem with my maternal grandfather. I have a name, occupation, area where he lived, and his father's occupation. Iam now 95 per cent certain, that I have found the family. Unfortunately, to tie up all of the loose ends, I need to have confirmation,
that my grandfather was, in fact a Glasgow tram driver, around 1928.

Sorry if I got a bit distracted, but just to let you know, with illegitemacy, there are always more hurdles to be crossed.

Take care

Gail

Helen
Unfortunately his occupation is an all too common one of farm labourer but thanks.

gail
I don't know what I'll solve by finding him i guess it is because Mair is my surname and i really want to know more about my links. If there was some sort of contact with his father does anyone know how i could discover that? like where i could look to try and find information? I am partly resolved to the idea that I may never find out but I suppose I have to try.

thanks for the information.

Joan

thanks I'll try the census. i live in N Ireland but most of my relatives live in the Stonehaven area now. I will be in Aberdeenshire soon and intend to visit Cruden and Old Deer and a few other places that my ancestors lived near just to see the places out of interest.

thanks

Amanda.

Hi, I've just come across your query.I'm wondering if your great grandfather was born in the latter half of 1871? I ask,because I managed to find my illegitemate ancestor's father in the same household as his mother 8 months prior to his birth! Like your James, the father's name didn't appear on his birth certificate but did on his marriage certificate. Farm servants tended to move at term times ie. May 28th & November 28th. I would imagine that if there was a William Mair in the same parish in 1871 there's a chance it may be him! Whereabouts in Old Deer was he born? Did you manage to visit the area?

This looks like the 1881 referred to:

1881 Scotland Census
Registration Number: 185
Registration district: Cruden
Civil Parish: Cruden
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: Heughhead
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 80
Page: 19;
Roll: cssct1881_57

Robert Murdock 39 Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire Head Crofer 8 Ac 4 Arable
Ann Murdock 38 Longside, Aberdeenshire Wife Crofters Wife
Mary Murdock 14 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire Daughter Crofters Daur
Annie Murdock 10 Cruden, Aberdeenshire Daughter Scholar
Willie Murdock 8 Cruden, Aberdeenshire Son Scholar
Alexander Murdock 4 Cruden, Aberdeenshire Son
Jane Murdock 1 Cruden, Aberdeenshire Daughter
James Willon Mair 9 Old Deer, Aberdeenshire Stepson Scholar


I couldn't find Heughhead, so I looked up adjacent h/h's.

Name: George Wallace
Address: Blackhill
Occupation: Farm Servant
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 78

Name: James McGarrol
Address: Longhaven
Occupation: Salmon Fisher
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 79

Name: Alexander Harper
Address: Longhaven
Occupation: Farmer Of 180 Ac Employing 4 Men 1 Boy 2 Women
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 81

Name: James Matthew
Address: Longhaven
Occupation: Quarry Worker
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 82



1871 Scotland Census
Registration Number: 185
Registration district: Cruden
Civil Parish: Cruden
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: Longhaven
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 46
Page: 11
Roll: CSSCT1871_37

Robert S Murdoch 31 Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire Head Stone Quarrier
Mary Murdoch 30 Kineff, Kincardineshire Wife Stone Quarrier's Wife
Robert Murdoch 10 Dunnottar, Kincardineshire Son Stone Quarrier's Son
Mary Murdoch 4 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire Daughter
Ann Murdoch 1 Cruden, Aberdeenshire Daughter
Ann Wells 28Aberdour, Aberdeenshire Servant Domestic Serv
Robertson Pirie 2MO Aberdour, Aberdeenshire Serv's Child (

Source Citation: Parish: Cruden; ED: 7; Page: 11; Line: 16; Roll: CSSCT1871_37; Year: 1871.


I didn't find Ann in 1861-71, but I think I've got 1851:

Piece: SCT1851/241 Place: Strichen -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Strichen Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 180 Page: 7 Schedule: 27
Address: Tarfat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
PATERSON William Head M M 62 Crofter 6 Acres Banffshire - St Fergus(Originally: Aberdeenshire - St Fergus)
DALGARDNO Anne Wife M F 54 Domestic Duties Aberdeenshire - Lonmay
PATERSON Amelia Dau U F 14 House Servant Aberdeenshire - Longside
WILLOX Anne Niece - F 10 Scholar Aberdeenshire - Longside
GIBSON Elisabeth Grndau - F 6 Aberdeenshire - Strichen
BRUCE Mary Anne Grndau - F 1 Aberdeenshire - Strichen


I don't know if there's a connection - this is the only Willox family in Longside 1841.


Piece: SCT1841/218 Place: Longside -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 4
Civil Parish: Longside Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 4 Page: 21
Address: Craibston On Scalthillock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
WILLOX Joseph M 55 Ag Lab Aberdeenshire
WILLOX Jean F 55 Aberdeenshire
WILLOX Jean F 24 Aberdeenshire
PATERSON Sarah F 2 Aberdeenshire
ROBERTSON Jean F 1 Aberdeenshire


Go to - http://www.streetmap.co.uk/
Look up 410900,839600 and 405200,843700 and 393600,855500
(You can zoom out step by step to see where you're at.)

It's easy to navigate to adjacent squares at:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NK1039
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NK0543
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ9355

There're maps showing the Scottish parishes on a county by county basis at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gazetteer/