In a message dated 15/01/2008 18:00:05 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes: I have a Mgrt Innes b Rathven but not on the OPR's, who married 7 Jul 1849 to Alexander Gordon in Bellie. The entry in the OPR shows the Banns were proclaimed on 15/6/1849 and they confirm the marriage did take place on 7/7/1849. A look at the 1851 Census on Ancestry.co.uk shows them at Auchinhalrig and William is aged 41 while Margaret is aged 29. They have a son Alexander born in 1845 shown as having been born in Bellie but I have searched the OPR for his baptism without success. For this I tried using the surname Gordon and also Innes in case he was Margaret's child. It also occurred to me that if Alexander had been married previously his wife may have died in or shortly after childbirth so I had a look at the list of burials on the OPR and found a Mary Garden Gordon who was buried on 24/4/1844 and also a Janet Hay who was buried on 14/3/1845. Mary died at Nether Dallachie and Janet at Auchinhalrig I believe Alexr to have been married before and his wife had died. On the '51 census they show up at Auchinhalrig, Bellie with an Alexr Gordon age 6, Scholar. The birth info for Alexr Sr on all records including his death, is Golspie, Sutherland. The Census I looked at confirmed Alexander Sr was born in Golspie. But here's a connection that's odd. On the '41 I think Mgrt shows up at Fochabers, Bellie working for Wm Innes, shoemaker and his wife Jane Hay, and their children. Would the Bellie info show any information on the Gordon family or mention the death of his first wife? Only as I have mentioned above. The OPR entries are basic recording only that a child was baptised and whether or not it was 'Natural' or 'Lawful' and any witnesses along with the parents names. Marriages only mention the parties involved and where deaths are recorded they are normally only one line notes of a burial which may or may not include the age of the deceased and their residence. I believe her to be Isobella Anderson who married Alexr Gordon 20 Dec 1834, Drainie. I looked at the IGI for the children of Alexander Gordon and Isabella and this revealed that all their children were born in Drainie whereas the 1851 Census shows Alexander Jr was born in Bellie. In addition the Drainie Births show that the Alexander born to Alexander and Isobella was born late 1846 which would not match a census age of 6 in early 1951. This may help a little but it would be more satisfactory if a birth entry could be found in the OPR for the six year old in the 1851 census or if it could be confirmed whose child he was. I have instances where a widow with children remarrying results in the children 'adopting' the new husband's surname. Ian