Was there a Scottish tradition of using the mother's maiden surname on the headstone of her deceased adopted/fostered child?
The era in question concerns the mid 1800's.
Any known examples would be very helpful.
Thanks to TalkingScot members I am now familiar with the use of a wife's maiden surname in inscriptions.
Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Moderators: Global Moderators, LesleyB
-
piperpaul
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
- Location: Australia/Tasmania.
-
apanderson
- Posts: 395
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Stirlingshire
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
No tradition as far as I'm aware - unless possibly the child was the woman's illegitimate child (or perhaps the child of a previous marriage), so wouldn't have he same surname as the present husband.
Now and again I've seen 'her' child - indicating that's it not 'their' child, but this has been on much more recent stones, i.e. 1880's onwards.
As for adopted or fostered children - I have no idea, sorry.
Anne
Now and again I've seen 'her' child - indicating that's it not 'their' child, but this has been on much more recent stones, i.e. 1880's onwards.
As for adopted or fostered children - I have no idea, sorry.
Anne
-
piperpaul
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
- Location: Australia/Tasmania.
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Thanks for that Anne. A quick response.
The details on the headstone in question have lead to some conspiracy theories - that don't add up.
Regards, piperpaul
The details on the headstone in question have lead to some conspiracy theories - that don't add up.
Regards, piperpaul
-
apanderson
- Posts: 395
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Stirlingshire
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Another thought ......
This wee one may not have been the child of the lady who you think might be the mum (adoptive or whatever).
Could be the child of a brother or an unmarried sister who obviously would share the 'mum's' surname, or a cousin ......? There are a lot of possibilites here, so without knowing exactly what the inscription says, it's difficult to hazard a guess.
It was very common practice for couples to purchase lairs 'in advance', so if, for example, there was an existing family lair, all sorts of family members could be laid to rest there.
I'm presuming that as you said mid 1800's, this would be a Churchyard stone rather than a Cemetery one? If so, do you know if there are Burial Records in existance?
Anne
This wee one may not have been the child of the lady who you think might be the mum (adoptive or whatever).
Could be the child of a brother or an unmarried sister who obviously would share the 'mum's' surname, or a cousin ......? There are a lot of possibilites here, so without knowing exactly what the inscription says, it's difficult to hazard a guess.
It was very common practice for couples to purchase lairs 'in advance', so if, for example, there was an existing family lair, all sorts of family members could be laid to rest there.
I'm presuming that as you said mid 1800's, this would be a Churchyard stone rather than a Cemetery one? If so, do you know if there are Burial Records in existance?
Anne
-
piperpaul
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
- Location: Australia/Tasmania.
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Thanks Anne,
I need some help please. What is a lair?
Records are lost but my calculations indicate that the child was the son of the wife's husband's sister.
See my post for Mary Bogue.
Most of the inscription has now been weathered away unfortunately but I am able to piece things together from marriage and birth records and some inquest details.
Regards,
Piperpaul
I need some help please. What is a lair?
Records are lost but my calculations indicate that the child was the son of the wife's husband's sister.
See my post for Mary Bogue.
Most of the inscription has now been weathered away unfortunately but I am able to piece things together from marriage and birth records and some inquest details.
Regards,
Piperpaul
-
apanderson
- Posts: 395
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 9:05 am
- Location: Stirlingshire
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Oh - sorry - Lair = Plot = Grave, three different words for the same thing!
I read through the Mary Bogue thread yesterday - I didn't know the two threads were connected, so I've added a link back and forward:
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=16176
If I'm understanding things correctly, this stone doesn't actually mark a place of burial - it's just a commemorative stone?
If the child was the offspring of the husband's sister, then wouldn't the surname have been Howie? That's presuming the 'sister' didn't marry the father - if she did, then this would introduce yet another surname?
Anne
I read through the Mary Bogue thread yesterday - I didn't know the two threads were connected, so I've added a link back and forward:
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=16176
If I'm understanding things correctly, this stone doesn't actually mark a place of burial - it's just a commemorative stone?
If the child was the offspring of the husband's sister, then wouldn't the surname have been Howie? That's presuming the 'sister' didn't marry the father - if she did, then this would introduce yet another surname?
Anne
-
piperpaul
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
- Location: Australia/Tasmania.
Re: Adopted/Fostered child's name on monument.
Hello Anne and others who are intersted.
This is a very intersting story concerning a Scottish family who lived in Tasmania mid 1800's.
The headstone is in memory of David Howie's wife (Mary Bogue) who went missing in a boating capsize, presumed drowned, in August 1851 and "their son David" drowned in the same accident
The body of the 14 month old boy was found in the vessel and was listed on inquest doccuments, plus the death register, as David Howie Bogue.
My investigations suggest by calculation that the boy was actually the son of David Howie's sister Mary who was married to a John Watts when the birth was registered.
The birth for this lad was registered as David Howie Watts (by David Howie) in the District of Horton in Tasmania but there is no registration for a son of David Howie.
What happened to Mary and John Watts is still undiscovered.
The headstone is located in what was a grant of land made available for a church and grave yard for the Presbyterian Church.
Whether the lad's body was interred at this location is yet unknown.
If, as I have come to believe, that David Howie and Mary Bogue took over the care of young David Howie Watts it would have sounded a bit odd to have called him David Howie Howie!!
The missing link in this narrative concerns the identity of Mary Bogue, the subject of my original post
Boy oh boy it is very tedious.
Regards,
Piperpaul
This is a very intersting story concerning a Scottish family who lived in Tasmania mid 1800's.
The headstone is in memory of David Howie's wife (Mary Bogue) who went missing in a boating capsize, presumed drowned, in August 1851 and "their son David" drowned in the same accident
The body of the 14 month old boy was found in the vessel and was listed on inquest doccuments, plus the death register, as David Howie Bogue.
My investigations suggest by calculation that the boy was actually the son of David Howie's sister Mary who was married to a John Watts when the birth was registered.
The birth for this lad was registered as David Howie Watts (by David Howie) in the District of Horton in Tasmania but there is no registration for a son of David Howie.
What happened to Mary and John Watts is still undiscovered.
The headstone is located in what was a grant of land made available for a church and grave yard for the Presbyterian Church.
Whether the lad's body was interred at this location is yet unknown.
If, as I have come to believe, that David Howie and Mary Bogue took over the care of young David Howie Watts it would have sounded a bit odd to have called him David Howie Howie!!
The missing link in this narrative concerns the identity of Mary Bogue, the subject of my original post
Boy oh boy it is very tedious.
Regards,
Piperpaul