Hitting a brick wall ????

[lorraine76]

For some reason on scotlands people 1871 census there is a entry for Margaret Black born tongland aged 7??? That doesnt work out right. but that would be marys age at the time

[kiterunner]

1878 Births in the Parish of Girthon in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright
Name and Surname: Mary Margaret Black (Illegitimate)
When and Where Born: 1878 September 21st 6h 0m am Townhead
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother: Mary Black, Farm Servant
Informant: Mary Black, mother
When registered: 1878 October 10th

[lorraine76]

Good Morning all . Up again , Going to try find who Margaret married before John Thom. Which should be Mary's Dad

[Shona]

Originally Posted by Mary from Italy

Margaret Black, laundress, widow, 47, Midpark, parents John Sommers?,
labourer and Mary Sommers, maiden name Kennan?

The witnesses were Anna Miras? and Hugh Rodgers.

I haven't found Margaret or Mary Black in 1871 yet.

Kennan in a Scottish surname. Miras? Perhaps a variant of Moris?

[Mary from Italy]

I've been trying to find a marriage for Margaret Sommers to a Black, with matching census references. I thought I'd found the right marriage, but it led to a family who looked entirely wrong on the censuses (especially as Mary's age and birthplace were all wrong).

However, I've found a very interesting newspaper article, which suggests that I may have found the right family.

This is the article; not sure if we're allowed to paste it onto the thread, Kite?

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/v...18940110%2f077

It relates to the fact that Mary and some of her children were given parish relief, and the interesting thing is that the article, published in 1894, says that Mary Black was born in Elgin 36 years ago (ie. about 1858), and moved with her parents to Crossmichael.

Elgin is miles away from Crossmichael, in Moray, which is where I found what I think may be the right family.

[Mary from Italy]

I'm a bit short of time because I'm supposed to be working, so I'll summarise what I've found so far.

This is what I think is the right marriage:

Marriages Mar 1853
BLACK David Liverpool 8b 240
MILLER Alice Gardiner Liverpool 8b 240
SHEARDOWN William Henry Liverpool 8b 240
SUMMERS Margaret Liverpool 8b 240

Lancs BMD confirmed that David Black married Margaret Summers, and the cert's on Ancestry:

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/21...nSearchResults

It doesn't give their ages, but Margaret's father is John, and David's a widower, brass founder, father James, a lighthouse keeper.

[Mary from Italy]

A David Black, brass founder, born Scotland c 1812 is in Liverpool in 1851 with a wife Eliza and two children.

In 1861 David Black, brass founder, and wife Margaret (surname transcribed as Blach) are in Elgin, Moray; Margaret's birthplace is Tongland, Gallowayshire, and Mary's is Elgin!

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...v=try&h=934450

[Mary from Italy]

And in 1871 Margaret's in Crossmichael with Mary (14) and Harriet:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...v=try&h=828968

[Mary from Italy]

So I think this is more likely to be the correct Mary in 1881 (servant to the Maxwell family in Balmaghie):

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...off=&ml_rpos=1

[lorraine76]

Does that tie into the correct children?? Its a big old mess and I'm back to confused. Could explain why she called a son David if her dad was david. Or do you think there's 2 Mary blacks having illegitimate children at the same time??

I think so far we have Mary , George , Elizabeth and David all fathers unknown.

I'm not sure hows its crossed to the McCourty family in 1881