Alive 1891; dead 1896. Can't find death certificate.

[maddymoss]

I have Michael McEwan, wife Mary and mother-in-law Selina Crawford at the same address, 1 Smith Court, Coatbridge, in the 1891 census. That’s the last trace I have of Michael. Five years later in 1896 Mary, now a widow, remarried Hugh Charters in the same area, which suggests to me Michael died here, too.

The problem is that I can’t find a death certificate anywhere in Scotland for Michael. He was born in 1855 so would have been between the ages of 36 and 41.

Any suggestions where to look now, anyone?

[winslowsmom]

Have you tried McKeown ?`

Failing that, wildcards would seem to be your best bet.
Happy Hunting
Cathy Hatfield (with lots of McKeowns with crazy spellings)
Fountain Valley

[paddyscar]

Hi Maddymoss:

Did you get no hits for Michael McEwan on ScotlandsPeople, or just none in Coatbridge?

Have you looked at these 2 hits?
Michael McEwan (Use Soundex)
Sex: Male
Date range: 1891 to 1896
Age range: 35 to 41
DOB: 1855
All Records
All Districts
What was his occupation? Would it be possible he might have been away when he died? My grandfather was a road worker and died while at work, so his death was registered in the area where he died, rather than where he lived.

If Michael and Mary had any children - did any get married 1891-96? If so, that marriage registration may help to narrow the time frame of his death.
Frances

[maddymoss]

Hi,

I've tried every which way including wildcards, etc. I've tried all the spellings for McEwan which have been attributed to our family - including McQuoron, which had me flummoxed for some time.

I'll keep looking.

Thanks.

[killearnan]

A couple quick ideas:

1) What newspaper covered the area? There might be an obituary. The chances of a non-obituary newspaper mention go up if he died in an industrial or other accident, or something else out of the ordinary. I narrowed down one great grandfather's death date and finally found his death certificate because he'd drowned a couple parishes away from where he lived, which was documented in a newspaper.

2) While you found his widow remarrying, is it possible they left and she returned? I kept looking for a couple great grandparents and their children (other than my great grandmother, who I could find), and no trace of them. Turns out that the rest of the family emigrated to the US... and I did find one sister in 1901, after discovering that she had moved with the family to the US in about 1889, married in Canada about 1894 and returned to Scotland about 1898, based on where the children were born.

[ninatoo]

What about this one?

1894 MCKEOWN MICHAEL M 38 COATBRIDGE OR OLD MONKLAND /LANARK 652/02 0418

Searched for M*c**e*n, M*l, born 5+ or 5- 1855.

[maddymoss]

Hi,

Thanks all for your suggestions.

Paddyscar: On Scotlandspeople I searched all districts under Michael Mc* age from 32 to 43 from 1891 to 1896. Michael was born in 1855 and married in 1880. He was a miner and was, as I said, with his wife in the 1891 census. I opened the DC of the likeliest looking with no joy. The others looked and sounded so unlike McEwan. I don't think Michael and Mary had any children. There were no children in the 1881 or 1891 census.

Killearnan: It is possible that they moved away and his wife returned.

Ninatoo: This Michael was the first one I checked but no go - wrong family.

Searching: McEwan, Leslie, Stanfield, Carr, McNamee, Queen/Quin, Diamond, Donnelly. All Lanarkshire but originally Ireland.

[Miss Poohs]

Hi there just another couple of suggestions.

I too am searching McEwans, only last week I had the name stated as McCue and McHugh, also check Michael as "Micheal".

The spelling in those days was a bit off, and people often wrote what they heard, which wasn't always correct.