good advice Anne and many thanks. Yes, I am searching for further evidence...found that one daughter of Ths Nicoll and Jean Chalmers married a JOHN SPINK in 1820 Dundee. my ancestor, JAMES NICOLL [and Jean Nicoll Spink's sister] and his wife, Margt Ogilvie Robertson had a son named JOHN 1822 "named after uncle-in-law JOHN SPINK" I believe this JOHN SPINK NICOLL was the husband of MARY BAXTER and their children born Dundee between 1856-1867. They too used second given names [great stuff!] such as ROBERTSON, REID, SPINK and CHALMERS. Seems to tie the families together. BTW found Hugh Wallis' site for second names on IGI extremely helpful here. I cannot find on igi or ScotlandP...any marriage for John Spink Nicoll and Mary Baxter but their children are there. and the family is in censuses...he as "John S Nicoll'. > > So yes, it's quite conceivable that your Jean is the daughter of > James Chalmers and Jean Reid, but I'd want to see a little more > evidence to be sure. For example, were the witnesses at the > baptisms of all the children of Thomas Nicoll and Jean Chalmers > named in the baptism records? no witnesses but 'named after" helped here. > Were there any with connections in > Banffshire? Were their relationships to the child recorded? > (This information was sometimes included in Dundee baptisms.) > Are there any other Chalmers in the Howff who might be related > to Jean Chalmers or Nicoll? Or indeed Reids? will continue with looking for burials..thanks again, liz > > Anne

> I believe this JOHN SPINK NICOLL was the husband of MARY > BAXTER and their children born Dundee between 1856-1867. I > cannot find on igi or ScotlandP...any marriage for John Spink > Nicoll and Mary Baxter Download the image of the birth certificate of one of the children - it will tell you the date and place of the parents' marriage. Anne