--=======70D87EA0======= Content-Type: text/plain; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-4C4B2462; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit A couple of things you need to remember: many baptisms were not performed until the child was older so the year of baptism can not be taken automatically as the year of birth. For example, one of the Earls of Caithness had his 13 children baptised all at the same time, when the eldest was 21. So Maggie GUNN born in Orkney may have been some years older. Another point, marriage at the age of 16 was not at all uncommon. In fact in the Statistical Accounts of Scotland you'll find complaints about the increasing youth of people getting married - this was from the 1700's. There were several marriages where the bride was 13 or 14, and 16 was not at all uncommon. Other than that, Latheron and Bower are not particular far apart and our ancestors travelled far more readily and often than we currently do. Latheron and Bower are separated only by the parish of Watten, so how far apart they were is really dependent on where in Latheron and Bower they came from. Also, it's important to remember that Censuses are not always accurate and many people would put down where they were living as where they were born, and ages are so inaccurate it's amazing to us in these days where everything has to be so precisely timed. My great great grandparents ages were the same at their deaths as they were on the 1881 census, even though they died some 4 and 6 years later. There was five years age difference between them on one census, when in reality there was only one year difference. Censuses are only guides. Another thing that is important to remember is that many of the records are NOT available on the IGI - not all the records that have been filmed have been extracted for the IGI and many records have not been filmed. However, I'm afraid I don't see the link between Donald Sinclair and your ancestor, William HALCROW? As to why he moved - probably for work! You'll probably also find he had family in Renfrewshire. I have several Sinclair/Gunn marriages, as do, I think, many others on this list - Wanda - you have some of those too don't you? Anyway, hope this helps. Margaret Stokes Genealogist - Clan Sinclair Australia Head - Sinclair One Name Study. >The 1881 census CDs produced a fine printout of my Great Grandfather >William HALCROW, who was born Orphir, 1856. He married in 1879 and went >to Renfrewshire [have no clue why] and became a Police Officer after he >arrived there. The Mitchell Library has documents on his 8 or so years >as a Constable there, they are being sent soon. He had 3 daughters >while in the Glasgow area, and returned to Orkney by the time his next >child, my grandfather - also a William was born in Orphir, 1885. > >We had no clues as to why he would have gone to Glasgow, but some are >beginning to surface today. Got the actual film of the 1881 census for >Eastwood, Renfrewshire, and found him as expected. What was NOT >expected was to see a 'Sergant of Police' living a few doors down - a >Donald SINCLAIR, the census says he was born Latheron, Caithness. And >his WIFE, Maggie was born Orkney ! There is a daughter, Mary who is 4. > >The IGI has produced records saying a Donald SINCLAIR married a Maggie >GUNN in 1861, Thurso, Caithness. However this means she married at a >tender 16. Unusual if true. The one birth found by the IGI as a >possibiity is not indicative of this Donald SINCLAIR, it shows Bower as >the birthplace, not Latheron - are these near each other ? >Haven't belonged to this List for awhile, is there a way of finding out >about this mystery man ? Free Church birth ? > >Is anyone researching thse lines ? I am able to order the film >containing this Thurso marriage, but the ages simply don't fit the >census data. - Meg Greenwood / >Oklahoma, USA --=======70D87EA0======= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-avg=cert; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-4C4B2462 Content-Disposition: inline --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.381 / Virus Database: 214 - Release Date: 2/08/02 --=======70D87EA0=======--