What to do next ?

Shortfuse · Post by **Shortfuse** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:48 pm

Hello again
Hoping for a bit of guidance regarding what way to go next.
We have a Ellen Stewart married to a William Steel in Glasgow Feb 1885.On the wedding cert Ellens father is Francis Stewart Seaman Royal Navy ( deceased ),and her mother is Elizabeth McGovern.previously Stewart m/s Gay. Ellens age is 22 ( dob C1863 ) On Ellens death cert Jul 1944,Glasgow it gives the same information.On the 1891 Census,Glasgow, Ellen gives her place of birth as England.This is as far as we could get.I've tried SP IGI Free BMD and can't find anything linking Gay with Stewart,apart from a possible seaman Francis Stewart dob 1847 from the National Archives ( probably a bit young ).
I know its a bit long winded but we have ran out of ideas ,regards sf

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:27 pm

Hi sf

I'm going way out on the end of the limb for this one. I haven't found the proof yet but the circumstantial evidence (aka coincidences) on this is compelling me to at least throw out this possibility and see if you can add anything to it....

First take what we know. Ellen's mother was still living when she wed in 1885 and her married name was McGovern. Taking a huge leap I searched for a marriage in Scotland between a McGovern and an Elizabeth Stewart and there is one! Now it starts to get sticky....the marriage is in Camlachie in 1881 and the chaps name is Francis McGovern and the brides name is Jane Elizabeth Stewart and the maiden name is hard to discern because the writing/ink is not the greatest!! It actually almost looks like Prey to me but I'm not going to swear to that!! Anyhow...armed with the location of the marriage and the fact the two gave the same address as their usual residence I opted to check out the 1881 census to see what their household looked like.

Here's that household in 1881....

Name: Jane E Stewart
Age: 55
Estimated birth year: abt 1826
Relationship: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: England, Cornwall
Registration Number: 644/2
Registration district: Camlachie
Civil parish: Glasgow Barony
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 334 Great Eastern Rd
Occupation: Dress Maker
ED: 71
Page: 14 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 73
Line: 6
Roll: cssct1881_218
Household Members: Name Age
Francis McGovan 38
Jane E Stewart 55
Ellen E Thomas 17

Now according to the MC above Jane was age 45 and a widow so not sure if the age 55 is accurate here. Anyhow.....the thing that now caught my eye is the daughter named Ellen who is a nice age to be your Ellen Stewart. The details on her are:

Name: Ellen E Thomas
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relationship: Daughter
Mother's name: Jane E
Gender: Female
Where born: England, Stonehouse
Registration Number: 644/2
Registration district: Camlachie
Civil parish: Glasgow Barony
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 334 Great Eastern Rd
Occupation: Cotton Weaver

So now we have an Ellen born in England of the right age with a mother named Jane Elizabeth McGovern. She also has the right occupation to go with the Ellen Stewart who marries William Steel. The downside? Jane Elizabeth married in the Catholic Church and your Ellen married in the Church of Scotland.

What are the odds that this might be your Ellen and she has gotten her info crossed up (or perhaps her father was really named Francis Stewart...or maybe her father was really named Thomas....or maybe...well you can see where I'm at.....

What does anyone think????? Are we on the right trail????

Best wishes
Jean

Post by **HeatherH** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:15 pm

I think you have a good lead to follow there Jean. My grandfather has on his marriage cert his father was William Johnstone however on his birth his mum was married to Robert Johnstone. Same sort of situation as My grandfather grew up with out his father . In a similar situation Prudence Stewert marries John Meiklewee ( McIlwee) and they have a bairn Jane McIlwee. John died before Jane was 2 and on her marriage cert she states her father was William McIlwee. ( Her son gets it right on her death cert) I would look for these families on all possible census and also look for Elizabeth McGovern's Death to see what it might have to say. There is some possibles with a McGovern/ Stewert ( No Gay though).
The thing to remember is when our rellies had these forms filled out they gave the information to the best of their knowledge ( or hid it depending on how you look at it) All sorts of mix ups have happened leading us all down strange roads. Like my Great Grans death where her hubby put her sisters name on it or Stew Laurie's rellie who ruined his last chance at finding a rellies parents by Putting his own parents names on his wife's death cert.
Best of luck Shortfuse. Looks like you have an interesting trail to follow.
HeatherH

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:21 pm

I'm definitely with you Jean!!!

Sherlock Holmes eat your heart out.

As you discovered Ellen was born in Stonehouse which, as far as I can make out, is in the heart of Royal Navy territories.

So perhaps she was right about the Navy connection and on the census she was given her real father's name.

Kind regards,
Annette M

Shortfuse · Post by **Shortfuse** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:41 pm

Hi Jean
Just read your post and would like to thank you for the time and effort.I've got the print out from SP of the wedding cert and they are going to clean it up a bit in the meantime they e-mailed me a "cleaner" version.Under Signature of parties It has Thomas scored out and Francis wrote above it.Parents of Jane Elizabeth Stewart are Nicholas Brey and Sarah Brey m/s Mckee.The reason we never followed this any further is that on the death cert of Francis Stewart it gives his wifes as 1) Jane Elizabeth Bree or Thomas and 2)Mary ann Dunlevy.This is in 1913, and as There was no mention of Gay we never followed it up.Now you have given us something to work on ( I still have not got my head round it ) Thanks again for everything sf (with a headache coming on )

Shortfuse · Post by **Shortfuse** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:48 pm

OOPS should say on the death cert for Francis McGovern Not Francis Sterwart sorry all sf

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:30 pm

Hi all

I'm not sure I have my head around it either !

It does look very likely then that this is your Ellen. Sounds like you were already on the right trail but just needed a little convincing to keep going.

Best wishes
Jean

Shortfuse · Post by **Shortfuse** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:40 am

Many thanks to all who replied,have started to make a bit of headway
thanks to Jeans help sf