McGregor Mystery

[Maxie]

Hi everyone!

I'm hoping that some of you clever people may be able to help me find some missing McGregors, particularly when it comes to the census - I dread to think how many credits I've spent on Scotland's People looking for this lot!

I'll try and put it as simply as possible but its complicated by some... manipulation of dates!

So, my great great grandfather John McGregor was born 12th February 1861 at 148 High St, Glasgow. According to this certificate his parents James McGregor and Mary Ann McGlinchy were married on 27th July 1855 in Glasgow. So I looked for their marriage and eventually found it in 1862, their address was again 148 High St. James was 26 and Mary Ann 24. Obviously an attempt to cover up John's illegitimacy.

I decided to check their other childrens births to see whether they had changed their marriage date again. Their first child Catherine was born in 1858, Thomas was born in 1862 (at 148 High St) and Ann was born in 1865. All had different dates for their parent's marriage. Catherine sadly died age 3 in December 1861 again at 148 High St.

Mary Ann later died aged 29 in 1867 in Glasgow.

So my only chance to find the whole family together is the 1861 census although that has so far proved impossible, although they should be at 148 High St, High Church, Glasgow as John was born there in February 1861 and Catherine died there in December 1861. I'm hoping someone else might have better luck.

I also can't find any of the family in the 1871 Census or the father James' death, i think he probably remarried - but no luck there either. My great great grandfather John McGregor is next found getting married in 1879 and his father is apparently still alive.

Sorry for the long message but if anyone can help I will be eternally grateful!

Maxie

[AndrewP]

Hi Maxie,

148 High Street consists of 76 households, spanning all 15 pages of enumeration district 45 in the High Church registration district of Glasgow. One family looks suspicious. See what you think.

Robert Wilson, married, 25, shoemaker
Mary A Wilson, married, 23
Catherine Wilson, 3
John Wilson, 2 months
(all born Glasgow; split across pages 1 and 2)

What occupation did James McGregor declare on his marriage certificate?

Could Robert Wilson and James McGregor be the same person?

All the best,

AndrewP

A little later...

I took a look at the marriage certificate of 15-May-1863. Guess what - James McGregor was a shoemaker. That looks too much like co-incidence for me.

[SarahND]

Hi Maxie and Andrew,
Talk about suspicious households... what about this one in 1871? Using the first wife's maiden surname

1871
4 Guildry Court, Glasgow St James, Lanarkshire
Thomas McGlincy, 36, Head, born Glasgow, Lanark, Shoemaker
Ann McGlincy, 30, Wife, born Glasgow, Lanark, Shoemaker
John McGlincy, 10, Son, born Glasgow, Lanark, Scholar
Thomas McGlincy, 7, Son, born Glasgow, Lanark, Scholar
Ann McGlincy, 5, Daughter, born Glasgow, Lanark, Scholar

I love this family!!!!! A new surname every census And the father changes his first name also Brilliant!

All the best,
Sarah

[AndrewP]

Hi Maxie,

In the 1881 census, John McGregor & Ellen (ms. Stewart) are with their son Robert (age 1) and a boarder, Thomas McGregor (age 19, presumably John's brother). They are in 239 Bernard Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow. Both men are apprentice curriers, which for John matches the 1879 marriage certificate.

The question remains - where is James, the father?

All the best,

AndrewP

[Maxie]

Wow thanks guys - no wonder I couldn't find them! I thought I was missing something really obvious!

So the lying continues...

Andrew thanks for your detective work it certainly does seem too much like a co-incidence! I don't understand why they would change their name to Wilson, I've looked back over the certificates and there doesn't seem to be any other Wilson's around. I wonder what drove them to it? And why only on the census?

Although there is some history of using an alias in this family. James' mother Catherine McConnochie remarried after James' father died, however her husband George Duncanson deserted her a few years later in 1852, and she went by McGregor instead. I think she must have been in on this name change as she is the informant on little Catherine's birth and death.

Sarah thanks for your help. I think that this family could be Mary Ann's brother as he was a witness to Mary Ann and James' marriage and also the informant on Mary Ann's death. However I wouldn't put it past this family to have yet another alias!

So, did James keep using the alias of Wilson after Mary Ann died? - even though they are recorded as McGregor on Mary Ann's death and John obviously used McGregor. And where on earth did James end up? the plot thickens...

thanks,

Maxie.

[SarahND]

Sarah thanks for your help. I think that this family could be Mary Ann's brother as he was a witness to Mary Ann and James' marriage and also the informant on Mary Ann's death.

Do you know if he was also a shoemaker and had children with the same names as his sister and brother-in-law? Or are you thinking that he and his wife took in his sister's children after her death?

A fascinating family!

All the best,
Sarah

[Maxie]

Hi Sarah,

I'm thinking that Thomas and his wife took in his sister's children. I'm not sure what his occupation was, i'll have to try and find his death certificate and see.

I wonder where James - or should I say Robert - took off to? It's all very strange. In the little story that i've made up about them, I didn't think James would leave his children as he had had the same experience with his step-father.

In this line, history seems to be repeating itself, a number of McGregors have wandered off and got lost!

Maxie

[SarahND]

Hi again,
So who are these people in 1851? I was trying to go back to find Mary Ann and brother Thomas in the same household. No luck, but here is the Wilson motif again And who are the Latta in-laws?

11 Cotton Street, Paisley Abbey, Renfrewshire
Pater McGlinchy, 56, Head, born Ireland, Dyer
Margaret McGlinchy, 52, Wife, born Paisley, Renfrewshire, Tambourer Muslin
David Wilson, 14, Son, born Paisley, Renfrewshire, Dyer
Agnes Wilson, 20, Daughter, born Paisley, Wender in Thread Mill
Mary Ann Wilson, 18, Daughter, born Paisley, Renfrewshire, Warehouse Sewer
John Latta, 23, Son-in-law, born Paisley, Renfrewshire, Clerk in Parish Office Railway
Jean Latta, 23, Daughter-in-law, born Paisley, Renfrewshire

Who are Mary Ann's parents on her death cert?

Regards,
Sarah

[SarahND]

Ah, this could be Mary Ann and Thomas together in 1841. Mary Ann is still older than she is supposed to be, but that's no surprise.

1841
Mitchels Close, Glasgow Bridgegate
Nancy McGlinchy, 50, born Scotland, F S
Murdoch McGlinchy, 15, born Lanarkshire, Tobacconist Ap
Thos McGlinchy, 10, born Lanarkshire, Tobac Ap
Mary Anne Mcglinchy, 7, born Lanarkshire
Agnes Giant, 1m, born Lanarkshire
James Burns, 45, born Lanarkshire, Dresser
James Burns, 15, born Lanarkshire, H L W
Jane Burns, 40, born Lanarkshire

Cheers,
Sarah

[Maxie]

Hi Sarah,

Mary Ann's parents are Thomas McGlinchy, a tailor and Ann Grant according to Mary Ann's death certificate; both are dead by 1862. So i'm not sure whether that is Mary Ann and Thomas together in the census - i'm not having much luck finding them myself.

I had a look for Thomas' (Mary Ann's brother) death. The only one that I could find that looked right was in 1896 in Blackfriars, he was 65 and a Harbour Porter. According to the certificate his parents were Thomas McGlinchy, a tailor and Lily whose surname may be Grant but i'm not entirely sure. Ann is probably the right name as Thomas was the informant at Mary Ann's death.

However it seems that if this is the right Thomas he was married twice, 1st to Margaret Knight and 2nd to Janet Hutcheson which conflicts with the 1871 census that you found. This lot just get more difficult

Thank you for all your help,

Maxie.