Hello! Could anyone please direct me in the right direction? I am looking at a particular family living in Forfar that birth records are not listed on Scotland's People. The birth records are however on Familysearch.org. I suspect that the William Lawson listed below could be my ggg,grandfather. Alexander Lawson born about 1762 married Ann Fotheringham in Kirkliston, West Lothian on October 3, 1876. The following children were born to them: MARGARET Louson christened July 1, 1787 Kirkliston, West Lothian Scotland CHRISTAN Louson christened December 21, 1788 in Kirkliston, West Lothian In Forfar under the surnames Lowson or Lawson: ALEXANDER born October 18, 1790 JANNET born 1792 ROBERT born 1794 married Janet Lemon ANN born April 13, 1797 HELEN born June 19, 1799, WILLIAM born February 1, 1802 and christened February 23, 1802 in Forfar JAMES born September 16, 1804 married Margaret Kyd The reason I believe that William Lawson, my ggg,grandfather could be the son of Alexander Lawson and Ann Fotheringham is because William lived in Parish 288 in Forfar in the 1841 Census. Alexander lives with his son James in the same parish. William Lawson dies or disappears from Forfar after the 1841 census. His wife and children stay in the Forfar, Kirriemuir and Glamis areas. Finding a death record for William Lawson could be crucial if parents names were listed on the death record. The marriage record of William Lawson to Agnes Volume does not indicate parents names. Are my hands tied here? Have I hit a brick wall? Scotland's people does not have the death record nor does it have the birth records above. Thanks for any help or ideas! Sandy Lovell

> Could anyone please direct me in the right direction?  I am looking at a particular family living in Forfar that birth records are not listed on Scotland's People.  The birth records are however on > Familysearch.org.  I suspect that the William Lawson listed below could be my ggg,grandfather. I don't understand why you can't find them on SP. I just looked for births, father L*son and mother Fotheri*, and they are all there 1 01/07/1787 LAWSON MARGARET ALEXANDER LAWSON/ANNE FOTHERINGHAM FR583 (FR583) F KIRKLISTON /WEST LOTHIAN 667/00 0020 0206 2 21/12/1788 LOUSON CHRISTAN ALEXANDER LOUSON/ANNE FOTHERINGHAM FR587 (FR587) F KIRKLISTON /WEST LOTHIAN 667/00 0020 0212 3 21/10/1790 LOWSON ALEXANDER ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANNE FOTHERINGHAM M FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0030 0336 4 04/05/1797 LOWSON ANN ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANN FOTHERINGHAM F FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0090 5 10/06/1799 LOWSON HELEN ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANN FOTHERINGHAM F FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0124 6 30/08/1804 LOWSON JAMES ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANN FOTHERINGHAM M FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0189 7 09/09/1792 LOWSON JANNET ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANNE FOTHERINGHAM F FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0023 8 19/11/1794 LOWSON ROBERT ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANNE FOTHERINGHAM M FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0053 9 23/02/1802 LOWSON WILLIAM ALEXANDER LOWSON/ANN FOTHERINGHAM M FORFAR /ANGUS 288/00 0040 0158 > The reason I believe that William Lawson, my ggg,grandfather could be the son of Alexander Lawson and Ann Fotheringham is because William lived in Parish 288 in Forfar in the 1841 Census.  Quite possibly. His age is a little out, however. As he was born on 1 February 1802, he would have been 39 years old on census day 1841, and because adults' ages in the census were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years he should have been recorded as aged 35. Someone listed as aged 40 could in fact have been 44, therefore born any time between 7 June 1796 and 6 June 1801. However an error of a single year is inconclusive. FamilySearch lists five other William Lawson/Lauson/Lowson/Lousons born in Angus between 1796 and 1802 Son of John L and Margaret Edward, baptised Dundee 5 January 1796 Son of Robert L and May Ogilvy, baptised Lintrathen 1 March 1800 Son of William L and Mary Mill, baptised Maryton 12 October 1800 Son of James L and Jean Mitchell, baptised Barry 23 August 1801 Son of Peter L and Margaret Stroke, baptised Barry, 21 December 1801 and the first three of these ought all to be aged 40 in the 1841 census, if they were listed at all, of course. Also, the names of the children of Williamn and Agnes don't appear to fit the naming pattern if William's father was Alexander. It may be that William and Agnes didn't follow the pattern, or that there are children missing from the baptism records whose names did conform to the pattern. I agree that the one in the 1841 census in Forfar could be the son of Alexander Lawson and Ann Fotheringham, but you cannot be sure. > William Lawson dies or disappears from Forfar after the 1841 census.  His wife and children stay in the Forfar, Kirriemuir and Glamis areas.  Finding a death record for William Lawson could > be crucial if parents names were listed on the death record. If he died before 31 December 1854, and there is a death record (which there may not be) it will not list the names of his parents. I take it that you have checked SP for deaths both before and after 1855? Angus Council, in its **wisdom, has made its burial records available at Deceased Online, but there is no record there of a burial of William Lawson in Forfar between 1841 and 1854. There is one more slim possibility. Some years ago I saw in a council office at the Cross in Forfar a manuscript book listing burials in the parish kirkyard of Forfar, going back to the 18th century. All the other burial books were in the council offices in the former County Buildings, and then were moved to Ravenswood in New Road. I copied down burials of the Binny family from the manuscript. I've just checked my Binny file, and I see that I have in my file 41 burials of Binnys in Forfar between 1700 and 1854, of whom 6 are in Newmonthill and 35 in the parish kirkyard. Angus Council has put its burial records on Deceased Online, and I note with great interest that a search on Deceased Online for Binny burial between 1700 and 1854 produces just seven results, all in Newmonthill. Therefore the information in the manuscript I saw has not been included in Deceased Online, so I think the manuscript must  have escaped the net when the council handed the burial books over to Deceased Online. There was a typed transcription of the book in Forfar Public Library, or you could try Angus Archives. If you can track down the book or a transcript, it is just possible that you might find a date of burial for William Lawson/Lowson. If you do, however, it will not confirm the names of his parents, so it will not get you any further. > The marriage record of William Lawson to Agnes Volume does not indicate parents names.  No. Generally speaking you don't often get the names of parents for marriages before 1855. > Are my hands tied here?  Have I hit a brick wall?  Scotland's people does not have the death record nor does it have the birth records above. I suggest you go back to SP. Having said that, if William died before 1855, your chance of finding documentary evidence of his parentage is negligible. Anne