Where is the Marriage any Marriage?.....

[joette]

My very elusive Waddells have started to give out some answers.
In the 1851 Census Ann Graham is there with her children Jane Graham(10)
James Cooper(8)
Thomas Waddell(2).No sign of Alexander Waddell her ?husband.
In the 1861 Census all are Waddell & Ann has just died.In 1873 James marries Mary Bryce & is now back to being Cooper he gives his parents as
James Cooper dec.Ann Waddell formerly Cooper mn Graham.
Same info on his unfortunately accidental? death in 1888.
In the 1881 Census his half-brother William is living with him but down as boarder-similarly John Waddell is living with his half-sister Jeannie Graham now Gibson & again as Boarder.
Now neither Jeannie(Jane)or James give any indication of being illegitimate.As they were both born before Stat Reg what would they if anything have to show of proof of Birth in order to marry?
In the 1851 Census Ann describes herself as head of household & unmarried.Alexander is off on Mars I presume or not in Scotland!
Can find no marriage for Ann Graham to a Sommerville(name Jane,Jeannie gives as Father.) to a James Cooper or to Alexander Waddell.
What are the chances that three marriage records did not survive?The only Christening Records are for the youngest two John 1856 & William 1859.
I can find no marriage/death records for Thomas(1849c) or Margeret(1854) who were Waddells either.

[Liz Turner]

Hi Joette

This is certainly not stratighforward - I most certainly don't envy you trying to sort through it all. Have you made some progress?

Liz