> Thanks Ray - it's not what I wanted to hear - doesn''t fit with everything > else. Could Jessie Shiach have been a second wife of George Duff? I see that George Duff and Jane Shand had a daughter Margaret in 1850, and that George Duff and Jessie Shiach had a daughter Georgina in 1871. Have you checked Georgina's birth certificate for the details of the marriage of George and Jessie (I note that it isn't listed in the IGI) and/or the death certificate of the George who died in 1909? There's only one George Duff of the right age, born in Banffshire, listed in the online 1841 census: Piece: SCT1841/162 Place: Mortlach-Banffshire Enumeration District: 4 Civil Parish: Mortlach Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: - Folio: 4 Page: 5 Address: Master Town Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks DUFF Peter M 43 Farmer Banffshire DUFF Jannet F 27 Banffshire DUFF George M 13 Banffshire DUFF Helen F 11 Banffshire DUFF John M 8 Banffshire DUFF Peter M 5 Banffshire DUFF James M 4 Banffshire DUFF William M 2 Banffshire DUFF Elspet F 6m Banffshire MILNE Elspet F 20 Female Servant Banffshire ANDERSON Helen F 16 Female Servant Banffshire WRIGHT James M 17 Male Servant Banffshire The IGI lists the following children of Peter Duff, born in Mortlach Robert, born 1 December 1825, mother Elizabeth McDonald George, 31 August 1827, mother Elizabeth McDonald Helen, 10 May 1830, mother Bartridge McDonald John, born 23 September 1832, mother Beatrize McDonald Peter, born 22 September 1835, mother Janet Milen James, born 11 February 1837, mother Janet Milne Elspet, 16 November 1840, mother Janet Milne Elizabeth, born 17 March 1843, mother Janet Milne Alexander, born 7 August 1845, mother Janet Milne Jane, 7 October 1849, mother Jannet Milne Jessie, born 4 December 1854, mother Jannet Milne This list matches exactly the ages of the children in the 1841 census, except that William is missing from the parish register. Peter Duff married Janet Milne 1 December 1834, Mortlach. So I surmise that Elizabeth/Beatrice MacDonald died some time after the birth of John in 1832 and Peter's re-marriage on 1 December 1834. I also note that Peter must presumably still have been alive in early 1854, so there is a good chance that there will be a death certificate in SP. If not, you know for certain that he must have died in 1854. Also, Peter Duff must have been born 1797/8. I suggest that you need to find Janet and children in the 1861 census to narrow down still further Peter's death date. HTH Anne