Mystery Birth Date.....

[Hertsunited]

I have traced my Gt. Gt. Grandfathers marriage, and death and have found him on the 1871 & 81 Census. When I take the age from each of the documents they all give a different date of birth.

William McKenzie marriage age 29 1857 to Jane Mclachlan age 23, Govan.

No trace upto 1871 although they had a son John in 1861 while still in Glasgow and he went to live with grandparents and is on the 1861 census in Dervaig.

1862 had 2nd son living in Tobermory, short distance from Dervaig.

1864-71 4 more children born in Muckairn.

1871 Census. Blackmill. William aged 42

1881 Census. Blackmill. William 52

1887 death 1885 aged 52 !!!!!!!!

All the above I have got from Scotlands People and are really clear and are definetly all the same family.


When I take the age at census away from the age registered I get a different age to that when he died.

I have found a perfect match for a birth with the correct parents in the correct place of birth in 1824. This is from LDS but I do not know what to do with GEDCOM files or what they will give me or if I have to pay.

So you see my dilemma.

Is there anybody who can solve this mystery for me.

Has anyone got any other suggestions to try and find an answer.

[Andy]

Remember he didn't register the death himself and the information given is only as good as what is known by the informant. Also, the person reporting the death is not going to be 100% with the stress etc. so mistakes on Death Certs occur frequently.

On the face of it you've got the right family but it may be worthwhile to find the relationship to Adam McKenzie who witnessed the marriage, he's not a recorded brother.

There were two couples, John McKenzie and Catherine McLennan, who married within two years of each other and another couple twenty years later in Ross & Cromarty. So there is a possiblity of another couple who didn't record William around 1829.