What chance having a Jane and Janet in family.....

[AlanMC]

A wee puzzle to solve here in this family. I had the following names born in Cardross.

Margaret Stevenson born 1824.
Mary Stevenson born 1825.
Jane Stevenson born 1827.
Sarah Stevenson born 1829.

Mary Stevenson married John Cameron, and they were living in Glasgow.
For the 1871 census I have Mary Cameron wife age 46 born Cardross, then some of the children. Then at the bottom is Janet Stevenson sister-in-law widow age 40 Born New Mills (New Milns) Loudon.
Janet is not a sister of John Cameron so must be another sister of Mary, But a Jane and Janet in the same family. I know Jane was still alive in the 1841 census so not that she died and the Janet named after her, the girls had a brother Hugh who married someone with ties to Loudon area so I can understand the mother being there to have given birth there.
Would like to know what others think on this, would it be strange to have a Jane and a Janet in same family?

Alan

[StewL]

Alan

It is more than possible for there to be a Jane and Janet in the family.
My grandmothers Sunday name was Jane, but on her marriage certificate her name is down as Jeannie. I have a few cousins, a sister and an aunt named Jean. Apart from the aunt all mistakenly named Jean after my grannie.

So depending on what a person was known by it is quite possible names are mistakenly given to wains.

Then again they might just name the wain differently anyway.

[Jack]

Hi Alan,
Although Jane & Janet shouldn't really be interchangeable i've come across it happening a few times on censuses.
But some of my own lines have sisters Jane & Janet.
I've even got sisters Jane, Janet, & Jessie in the one family.
Jack

[JustJean]

Hi Alan

You've given me just enough information to make me ask more questions !

First off....possible to have a Jane and Janet in one family....maybe not overly common but my own family had a Jane and a Jessie so that is sort of proof that those interchangeable ones can be overused!!

But my questions upon reading your information....I assume Mr Cameron was still alive in 1871 since you state his wife as "wife" and not widow but you didn't state if he was at home? If he wasn't at home....well.....the relationships are spose to be stated as in correlation to the "head". And now I wonder if Janet Stevenson (whom you state as a widow) might have been married to a brother of Mary mn Stevenson Cameron.....that is if she had a brother Also the age is out on Janet if she were to be really Jane but Mary's is exact according to your birth info......would a sister let another get away with adjusting one age and not the other???....hmmmm.... Ok Ok I'll stop speculating here. Let's hope someone comes along wtih some hard evidence !

Best wishes
Jean

[Thrall]

Hi Jean, age "adjusting" seems to have been endemic in at least the late 19th.century, early 20th. with the odd year dropping off at each census, and the womenfolk seem to have agreed on this, even those past the age of "caring", as female households in my tree were all at it. My grandmother lost so many years between 1901 and her wedding in 1909 that I´m surprised her spouse-to-be was not "alerted". He was however a bank clerk and saw presumably her account! Fortunately for me, the wedding went ahead with the usual totally wrong names registered for parents-in-law and an optimistic 33yoa for the bride (knock on the odd 5 years) and "everything went my way". The amazing thing is that when she, my grandmother died, my father managed to place her age exactly right after a long family conference. How did he do it. (No bc.) These were pillars of the church and local community.(unlike myself.)

Good hunting,

Thrall

[Scozzie]

Names are frustrating, especially as lots of my rellies were given a name at birth, then were called something else! I also have two sisters named Jane and Janet........ and two sisters called Helen and Hellan! No wonder I'm going slowly maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!

[AlanMC]

Hi Alan

You've given me just enough information to make me ask more questions !


But my questions upon reading your information....I assume Mr Cameron was still alive in 1871 since you state his wife as "wife" and not widow but you didn't state if he was at home? If he wasn't at home....well.....the relationships are spose to be stated as in correlation to the "head". And now I wonder if Janet Stevenson (whom you state as a widow) might have been married to a brother of Mary mn Stevenson Cameron.....that is if she had a brother Also the age is out on Janet if she were to be really Jane but Mary's is exact according to your birth info......would a sister let another get away with adjusting one age and not the other???....hmmmm.... Ok Ok I'll stop speculating here. Let's hope someone comes along wtih some hard evidence !

Best wishes
Jean

Hi Jean you spotted it!
You are right John Cameron was not at home (been trying to find his death for ages 1875 - 1878)
Now slap me with a fish if you want but, you are spot on with Janet being the widow of Mary's brother I just don't know why I never made that tie-in, I did say that Mary's brother married someone from Loudon none other than a Janet Dykes Morton born 1825 in Newmilns Loudon, a woman lies about age again.
All I can say is I knew this person went to Australia, but thought it was before 1871.

Thanks for kick-starting my brain.
Now as to John Cameron Ah well another day.
Sneaks off to bury head in sand now

Alan

[JustJean]

Hi Alan

Oh gosh don't worry about hiding.....we've all been there before...

Maybe John Cameron is not home in the 1871 census because he was already dead by then??? I know that is a bit of a stretch as I know absolutely none of your details...but...have you considered widening the search to outside the 1875-1878 time frame? I suffer with an overactive imagination......

Best wishes
Jean

[AlanMC]

Hi Jean,

The reason I know that John Cameron died between 75 - 78 is two marriage certificates of sons, 75 still alive 78 pearly gates.
But the last I can place him is 1869 as the last mention of his business

TAKEN FROM POST OFFICE DIRECTORIES
1851 Cameron John of G & J Cameron, House 289 Belhaven Place, Sauchiehall Street
1852 Cameron John of G & J Cameron, House 91 North Hanover Street
1853 Cameron, John of G & J Cameron, House 91 North Hanover Street
1854 Cameron, John of McVey & Cameron House 75 Bath Street
1855 Cameron, John of McFarlane Cameron & Co. 29 Lancefield Quay House 206 Stobcross Street
1856 Cameron, John, of McFarlane Cameron & Co, 29 Lancefield Quay House 206 Stobcross Street
1857 Cameron, John & CO. Coppersmiths & Brass Founders 29 Lancefield Quay, House 206 Stobcross Street.
1858 Cameron, John & Co, Coppersmiths & Brass Founders 29 Lancefield Quay. House 35 Cranston Street
1859 Cameron, John & Co, " " " " " "
1860 Cameron, John & Co, " " " " " "
1861 Cameron, John & Co, " " " " " "
1862 Cameron, John & Co, " " "House 552 St. Vincent Street
1863 Cameron, John & Co, " " " House 552 St. Vincent Street
1864 Cameron, John & Co, " " " House 552 St Vincent Street
1865 Cameron, John & Co, 105 Elliot Street, House 552 St Vincent Street
1866 Cameron, John & Co. 105 Elliot Street, House 552 St. Vincent Street
1867 Cameron, John & Co. 105 Elliot Street, House 7 Breadlbane Street
1868 Cameron, John & Co. 105 Elliot Street, House 7 Breadlbane Street
1869 Cameron, John & Co. 105 Elliot Street, House 7 Breadlabane Street

I don't know what happened to business after this, wither taken over or closed down. I did start looking for his death from 69 on wards until I got the marriage certificate stating he was still alive 75.
His wife Mary died in 1879 in Dunbarton