Janet Tennent wrote:
Alistair,
I have already tried this. The couple in question Duncan CAMERON and his wife
Margaret MAITLAND disappear shortly after their sons birth about 1848.
Wives tend to outlast husbands. And in Scotland, wives often use their maiden surnames
regularly. In company there I would often introduce my wife to folk as MARY FERGUSON.
So consider the possibility that you Margaret Maitland did just that and when widowed, she
remarried. Not knowing her SECOND married surname it might not be easy to select her now,
in the Deaths Index.
Now look at <this> Margaret in the 1881 census:
===============================
Dwelling: 56 Crossburn St
Census Place: Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203657 GRO Ref Volume 644-8 EnumDist 25 Page 1
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Margret MAITLAND M 58 F Girvan, Ayr, Scotland
Rel: Head
Robt. GIBSON U 25 M Lochwinnoch, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Dairyman
==========
The IGI shows her son Robert was born Lochwinnoch on 22 Jan 1856, and his father was John
and Gibson, mother Margaret Maitland. How certain are you of Margaret's birth year
"about 1828"?
I think you need look to the possibility of Duncan dying before 1855, and marrying John
Gibson. Consider finding their marriage and from it see the marital status of the bride.
That plus the marriage location may point toward the place where Duncan died.
My story above proves nothing. Coincidences however can give direction to productive
research.
I can't get access to the death records from before 1855. I
have checked every source for MI's inprint for the surrounding areas. No luck there.
I also believe this part of my family to have been Catholic and the only other thing I can
think is when and if I get a chance to go back to Scotland start checking the Catholic
graveyards.
You might do better when looking for Catholic events, to consult the Non- Conformist
registers at General Register House. Graveyards are usually disappointing because most
buried folk had no stones, and what stones exist may be very short on inscribed data.
Thanks for the suggestion even though I have tried it.
Don't give up!
Cheers.........
ALISTAIR
http://quozl.netrek.org/cameron-research/