Margaret Nelson / Neilson - Who Were Her Parents?

[q98929]

Margaret NELSON or NEILSON was born circa 1847 at probably New Luce, Wigtown.

During 1871, she married John McCREADIE. The Marriage Extract records her parents as "James Nelson, blacksmith and Margaret Innis, both deceased". Margaret was resident at Girvan. John died in 1879 with the family resident at 8 Allison Street, Newton, Ayr.

During 1882, she married Robert SMITH. The Marriage Extract records her as "Margaret Neilson, (married Surname not recorded), Widow, 8 Allison Street, Newton. Parents Alexander Neilson, Blacksmith and Jessie (?) Neilson (m.s. Robertson), both deceased".

To confirm her parents, I would greatly appreciate a look-up/s of the 1851 & 1861 Census if any reader has them on CD.

Thank you.

[WilmaM]

How confident are you that the 2 marriages are for one and the same person?

Have you found her death certificate? that should confirm the 2 spouses names and see what the informant thought her parents' names were.

If her parents died when she was young she may have lived with her grandparents and got a bit muddled up!

Freecen have all the census records for New Luce [1841-71] and there was no sign of the family there.
Worth having a look about yourself with various names and spellings.
Only 2 Margaret Nelsons in Wigtonshire in 1851:

Piece: SCT1851/896 Place: Portpatrick -Wigtownshire Enumeration District: 1
Civil Parish: Portpatrick Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Portpatrick Village
Folio: 874 Page: 15 Schedule: 58 Address: Main Street
NELSON John Head M M 50 Shoemaker, Proprietor Of House Ireland - -
NELSON Agnes Wife M F 46 Wigtownshire - Glenluce
NELSON Agnes Dau - F 12 Scholar Wigtownshire - Portpatrick
NELSON Janet Dau - F 10 Scholar Wigtownshire - Portpatrick
NELSON Sarah Dau - F 8 Scholar Wigtownshire - Portpatrick
NELSON Margaret Dau - F 5 Scholar Wigtownshire - Portpatrick

and

Piece: SCT1851/895 Place: Penninghame -Wigtownshire Enumeration District: 1
Civil Parish: Penninghame Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Newton Stewart
Folio: 865 Page: 22 Schedule: 78 Address: Gorbals
NELSON Mary Head M F 34 Sewing Agent Kirkcudbrightshire - Minnigaff
NELSON Jane Dau U F 12 Sewer Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart
NELSON Jessie Dau U F 11 Sewer Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart
NELSON Mary Dau U F 8 Scholar Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart
NELSON Hamilton Dau - F 3 Twin At Home Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart
NELSON Margaret Dau - F 3 Twin At Home Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart
NELSON John Son - M 10m At Home Wigtownshire - Newton Stewart

The iGI have a Margaret Nelson born 1846 in Portpatrick Wigtonshire John Nelson & Agnes Skimming, however there were a lot of Irish folk settled in Dumfriesshire so births may very well not appear on OPR records.

[q98929]

Thanks WilmaM

During 1871, Margaret NELSON married John McCREADIE. On John's 1879 DE, his address was recorded as "8 Allison St, Newton". On the 1881 Census, Margaret was recorded as "Widow, 8 Allison St, Newton" with 3 children; Jane, Isabella and John.
On her 1882 ME to Robert Smith, she was recorded as "Margaret NEILSON, Widow, 8 Allison St, Newton". "Widow" and the same address confirm, to me, they are one and the same lady.

Following her marriage to Robert Smith, the family emigrated to Queensland, Australia.

Ah well, obviously I have to hunt down more clues to get to the bottom of this.

Thanks again.