Hannah Malcolm - Gone to America

[SarahND]

Good morning, Bill
If this is your family in 1851, then I think I have found several of them in Tama County, Iowa in 1880. Hannah's John appears to be there too, so he definitely looks like a relative, but I'm still not sure whose son he is...

1851
Grange, Rhynd, Perthshire
John Swan, 56
Euphemia Swan, 49
David Swan, 14
John Swan, 12, Son, born Rhynd, Scholar
James Swan, 11
Mary Swan, 7
Peter Swan, 5

Here are the 1880 records:

Someone who looks like Hannah's uncle John is in Crystal Township, Tama County, Iowa. He seems to have just married his second wife, who was previously married to a McDowall.

Swan, John, 41, married, Farmer, born in Scotland
___Sarah F, 36, wife, married within the census year, Keeping House, born in Ohio
___Elizabeth, 15, Daughter (on the day of the enumerator's visit she was suffering from pleurisy), born in Scotland
___Adlaide, 10, Daughter, Attending(school?), born in Scotland
McDowall, James, 4, Step Son, born in Iowa


There are two households next to each other in Grant Township, Tama County, Iowa
Swan, Peter, 33, single, Farmer, born in Scotland
Johnsan, Marena, 54, widowed, Keeping House, born in Denmark

Swan, John, 22, married, Farmer, born in Scotland (on the day of the enumerator's visit he was suffering from "water in chest" )
___Elisabeth, 20, wife, Keeping House, born in Scotland
McDonald George, 25, half-Brother, single, Farmer, born in Scotland

John's children in 1880 correspond to this couple in the IGI:
John Swan and Adelaide Lawson married 23 Oct 1857 in Perth, Perthshire

Children:
Jane Ann Keilor Swan 20 Jun 1860 Kinnaird by Errol, Perth
Elizabeth Swan 8 Dec 1864 Dundee, Angus
James Swan 13 May 1867 Dundee, Angus
Adelaide Swan 2 Jun 1869 Dundee, Angus

So Adelaide Lawson must have died either in Scotland or soon after they got to the U.S. Jumping ahead to the 1900 census, when John is still in Crystal, Tama, he says he came over in 1871-- he also has a third wife by then, who he married 13 years before, so poor Sarah F didn't last very long

In 1900 Hannah's uncle Peter Swan is still in Grant Township, still single, and still next door to George McDonald, who now has a wife named Hannah (born in Ireland). Both George and Peter came to the U.S. in 1868.

I've been trying to link the younger John Swan with George McDonald as a half brother and so far all my theories have gone up in smoke. For example:

In the IGI, the only Sep 1858 birth (which is what John gives in the 1900 census) is a John William Swan 10 Sep 1858 in Edinburgh
Father: John Swan
Mother: Helen Whitelaw

Another child to that couple:
Christian Fair Swan
3 Jul 1853
Ayton, Berwick

Their marriage was 13 Dec 1846 in Ayton, Berwick

On 22 Dec 1854 a Helen Whitelaw married Charles McDonald in Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh. Her father was James Whitelaw

BUT, their only child in the IGI is Jessie McDonald, born 8 May 1855 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh

And anyway, the timing is odd, since by their ages one would expect that George's father was the mother's first marriage, not her second (or during her marriage with John Swan )

Oh well... any leads today in your research?
Regards,
Sarah

[SarahND]

Got 'em in 1861 Together on the same census, but still no clear relationship... a "grandson" and the son of a "visitor" hmmm. k But the visitor is clearly Hannah's aunt and so it looks like John WAS her first cousin.[-X

1861
Crown Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire
Betsy Scott, 58, head, born Angram, Roxburghshire, Washer Woman
George McDonald, 6, Grandson, born Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scholar
Adelade Swan, 25, Visitor, born Auchterarder, Perthshire
John Swan, 3, Visitor, born Auchterarder, Perthshire
Jane A H Swan, 10 Mo, Visitor, born Kenaird, Perthshire

[SarahND]

Here's Adelaide in 1841:

North Side of the Sheet of Auchterarder, Auchterarder, Perthshire
Ebenezer Lawson, 30, born Perthshire, Surgeon
Elizabeth Lawson, 32, born Scotland
George Lawson, 9, born Perthshire
Adelaid Lawson, 6, born Perthshire
Helen Lawson, 3 born Perthshire

And in 1851

Auchterarder, Perthshire
William Taylor, 34, Head, born Blackford, Perth, Grocer and Spirit Dealer
Janet Taylor, 23, Wife, born Blackford, Perth
David Taylor, 2, Son, born Auchterarder, Perth
Robert Taylor, 1 Mo, Son, born Auchterarder, Perth
Mary Cadie, 20, Sister, born Blackford, Perth, Farmer's Daughter
Adalade Lawson, 18, Servant, born Auchterarder, Perth, House Servant
Cesie Jally, 16, Servant, born Muthil, Perth, House Servant

Ebenezer Lawson married Betsy Brown 24 Jul 1850 in Hale, Lancashire, England
So maybe Betsy isn't Adelaide's birth mother...

YES!!!!! George Lawson was born 27 Jan 1855 in Auchterarder, Perth
Mother: Adelaide Lawson

So George was the illegitimate son of Adelaide before her marriage to John Swan and was, indeed, the half-brother of John Swan born 1858. Whew!

Now I have really got to go do something else!!

All the best,
Sarah

[Billmalc]

Goodness Sarah

You have been extremely busy on my behalf

It will take a while to digest all of the infomation you have given me and work out the connections.

I had a quick look at the IGI this morning and I think I have found a connection with John b1861 and Peter Swan. It looks like Peter was his uncle.

Unfotunately I didn't have long. Promised my wife that we would go out for a picnic, mainly to make up for the amount of time I spend glued to the laptop

I am going to have a look at the IGI this evening and get all of the info I find on to one document, so that I can make some sense of it.

Thanks again for all the time and energy you have put into this for me. When I first posted this query, I had no idea that I would end up with so much information in such a short time

Hopefully, you can get on with your own research now. You must be exhausted after the Malcolm, Swan marathon

Cheers and kind regards

Bill

[SarahND]

Hi Bill,
It suddenly occurred to me I had forgotten to mention this from the IGI:

John Lawson
Birth: 12 Sept 1857 Auchterarder, Perth
Mother: Adelaide Lawson

Looks like John Swan married her 6 weeks after wee John was born...

Hopefully, you can get on with your own research now. You must be exhausted after the Malcolm, Swan marathon

My own research will have to wait also... I'm supposed to leave for France in a couple of days and needless to say have a long list of things to do first


Sarah

[Billmalc]

Right Sarah

I have pasted all of your findings into a couple of Word docs, 7 pages no less

It looks like I'm in for a long, but worthwhile, night.

I'm off now to see what I can get from the IGI and then hopefully piece it all together

Hope you get everything organised for your journey to France.

Will let you know how I get on with the IGI, but from what I've read of your findings up to now it looks quite promising

All the best

Bill

[Billmalc]

Hi Sarah

Good morning, Bill
If this is your family in 1851, then I think I have found several of them in Tama County, Iowa in 1880. Hannah's John appears to be there too, so he definitely looks like a relative, but I'm still not sure whose son he is...

1851
Grange, Rhynd, Perthshire
John Swan, 56
Euphemia Swan, 49
David Swan, 14
John Swan, 12, Son, born Rhynd, Scholar
James Swan, 11
Mary Swan, 7
Peter Swan, 5

Well done This is indeed the correct family. Had a look at the IGI and found the following by searching for children of David Swan & Margaret Murray and got the following:

• Parents: David Swan & Margaret Murray
  
  Children:
  John Swan: born 04 May 1861 – Perth
  Jessie Swan: born 09 Nov 1862 – Tibbermore, Perth
  Alexander Thomas Swan: born 31 July 1864 – Tibbermore, Perth
  David swan: born 11 Jul 1874 – Crieff, Perth

Also checked SP for marriage of David and Margaret and this confirmed that Davids' parents were John Swan & Euphemia Anderson. I already knew that they were the parents of Mary, who was Hannah Malcolm's mother.

Next was a search for John and Euphemia and children:

• Parents: John Swan & Euphemia Anderson
  
  Children:
  David Swan: born 24 Jun 1836 – Rhynd, Perth
  Christ. 22 Jul 1836
  John Swan: born 24 Aug 1838 – Rhynd, Perth
  Christ. 30 Sep 1838
  James Swan: born 28 Feb 1841 – Rhynd, Perth
  Mary Swan: born 22 Apr 1843 – Rhynd, Perth (mother of Hannah Malcolm)
  Peter Swan: born 17 Oct 1845 – Rhynd, Perth

This ties in with what you found on the 1851 census. Have you ever thought of becoming a detective It also confirms what you had already figured out, that John and Hannah were indeed first cousins.

It also looks like the Peter Swan you found in 1880 was Hannah's uncle, as you thought.

It will take me a wee while longer to get my head around the rest of the info you sent, as the names are less familiar. Think I will get as much as I can on to Family group Sheets which should help me see the various relationships.

The main thing is that I now know what happened to Hannah Malcolm, but it's such a great bonus to have all of the additional info along with it.

Now Sarah, your job here is done, make sure you get everything organised for going to France, and enjoy

Thanks gain, I'm jumping for joy here


Bill

[SarahND]

Hi Bill,
Still can't let this one go
So... looks like there are too many John Swans about now If I understand correctly, you are thinking that the John Swan who married Hannah was the son of David? And I ended up thinking that he was the son of David's brother John... Sorry, I must have not made my thinking clear when I posted earlier today I'd better explain where I was coming from and you can judge.

What we know:
There is a John Swan age 22 in Iowa who is the half-brother of George McDonald.
George McDonald was the son of Adelaide Lawson, the first wife of Hannah's uncle John. He was born 27 Jan 1855 in Auchterarder, Perth and we find him on the 1861 census with his mother Adelaide Swan and his grandmother Betsy Brown/Lawson/Scott
The 1900 US census asked the question of the exact birth year and month. George, who was still in the same town in Iowa, stated he was born in January of 1855. A perfect fit.

Now for his half-brother John. It turns out that his mother Adelaide had another child before marriage. This was John Lawson born 12 Sept 1857 in Auchterarder. By the 1861 census he has become John Swan because his parents married 6 weeks after his birth.

I think I have now established that John and George, sons of Adelaide Lawson, are the ones who are living together in Iowa in 1880.

The next thing to prove is that this John is the one who married Hannah. Going to his 1900 census record in Montana, we see that he claims to have been born in September 1858-- right month, a year off for the John in Iowa. I would think that he would more likely make a mistake on the year than the month of his birth, so am willing to accept that this is the right man.

In addition, none of the data we have found in the U.S. ties into a John Swan born in May of 1861-- so I really don't think he is the right one.

Have I convinced you yet?

The best way to convince is to find the 1861 John in later censuses to prove he wasn't in Iowa and Montana. So...

1871 (indexed as the Sevan family )
King Street, Crieff, Perth
David Sevan, 34, Head, born Rhynd, Perthshire, Railway Guard
Margaret Sevan, 34, Wife, born Monzie, Perthshire
John Sevan, 10, Son, born Perth, Perthshire, Scholar
Jessie Sevan, 8, Daughter, born Tibbermore, Perthshire, Scholar
Catherine Sevan, 7, [no relationship given...], born Alloa, Clackmanan, Scholar
Alex Sevan, 6, Son, born Tibbermore, Perthshire, Scholar
Andrew Rodger, 28, Boarder, born Crieff, Perthshire, Deaper Assistant

1881
22 Gallowhill, Crieff, Perthshire
David Swan, 44, Head, born Rhynd, Perthshire, Railway Guard
Margaret Swan, 45, Wife, born Monzie, Perthshire, Railway Guard wife
John Swan, 19, Son, born Perth, Perthshire, Plasterer's Apprentice
Alexander Swan, 16, Son, born Tibbermuir, Perthshire, Railway Clerk
David Swan, 6, Son, born Crieff, Perthshire, Scholar

Since he stayed on in Scotland and his age is consistent, I don't think he was in Iowa in 1880 age 22. I believe by 1891 he has married Mary McCulloch and is living in Muthill, Perthshire with his mother-in-law and his 5 children

Sorry to have been so confusing before, and I hope I have clarified things a bit Put it down to me trying to do too many things at once!

All the best,
Sarah

[Billmalc]

It's ok Sarah

I think it's just been a case of me not reading your comments properly. It takes me a while to take in so many names and dates I know, not a good thing when you are researching family history
I have probably taken what looked like the easiest solution and not looked at the detail.

It will probably take me a few days to go through everything, but I will get there

I'm glad you pointed it out before I got too far with the Family Group Sheets.

Hopefully it will all make sense when I have a closer look. I have no doubts that you will be correct, it's just a case of me getting the hang of it.

I think I probably jumped to conclusions at John's death, where it estimated his year of birth as 1861 as that tied in with John, son of David being born in 1861.

Jings, doesn't this game get confusing at times

Many thanks Sarah

Bill