Wife's maiden name on headstone

Churchyards and Monumental Inscriptions, Burial and headstone information

Moderators: Global Moderators, LesleyB

Post Reply
piperpaul
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
Location: Australia/Tasmania.

Wife's maiden name on headstone

Post by piperpaul » Sun May 02, 2021 7:39 am

Re. my last query concerning Mary Bogue who had married David Howie in accordance with the rites and procedures of the Church of Scotland in 1850.
Mary died in 1851 and a tombstone was inscribed In memory of Mary Bogue wife of David Howie. I now understand the Scottish Law and custom of the wife maintaining her maiden after marriage but would it be fair to also say Mary must have been Scottish?
David was born in Ceres and transported for felony. Thank you.

AndrewP
Site Admin
Posts: 6152
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 1:36 am
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Wife's maiden name on headstone

Post by AndrewP » Sun May 02, 2021 9:46 am

I don't think I would be bold enough to say that it proves that she was Scottish. She partook in a Scottish Presbyterian Church marriage in Tasmania. She married a Scotsman. There are a few Mary Bogues [and many more by the spelling 'Boag'] born in an 'appropriate' time frame who were baptised in Scotland and the records survive in the OPRs. However, none of these are proof of being 'your' Mary Bogue. All I could take from these statements is that there are possibilities that she was Scottish born, but nothing strong enough to prove it.

All the best,

AndrewP

piperpaul
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
Location: Australia/Tasmania.

Re: Wife's maiden name on headstone

Post by piperpaul » Sun May 02, 2021 11:25 pm

Thanks AndrewP, I have an idea Mary Bogue may have been born in Australia and wondered if her maiden name being on the inscription over road that idea? No doubt her husband had final say in the wording.

Falkyrn
Posts: 295
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Wife's maiden name on headstone

Post by Falkyrn » Mon May 03, 2021 11:36 am

With her husband being Scottish or at least raised in Scottish traditions that may have influenced any decision made.
However regardless of her origins under the traditions of a Scottish based society in which she appeared to have lived her maiden name would have been her "real" name and possibly that societies standards would have been the primary influence.
Even today if a married Australian woman was unfortunate enough to die while visiting Scotland the Scottish records would show her maiden name followed by her married name
~RJ Paton~

piperpaul
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:44 am
Location: Australia/Tasmania.

Re: Wife's maiden name on headstone

Post by piperpaul » Tue May 04, 2021 12:42 am

Thanks everybody, Very interesting and I think we have got to the bottom of our story now.

Post Reply