Hi. I have a dilemma. I've come across a baptism record that reads like this: '1836 Janet, L.D (Posthumous) of Robert McArthur and of Sally McArthur of Ormaig was baptised.' My initial reaction was that the baby died and was baptised posthumously. However, wee Janet is alive and well and living with her grandparents in 1841 at Ormaig, but I can find no trace of her parents in any subsequent records. Does this mean that the 'posthumous' refers to both parents or perhaps to one? Has anyone else come across a similar record? Cynthia Wardle

Hi Cynthia, That is very interesting! I'm just going to make guesses, but L.D. could be lawful daughter and yes both parents could be dead, as is likely by her living with grandparents. I have a birth in my tree where the baby arrived 3 months after the father's death and we all know many mothers died in childbirth. Very sad story if that's the case. Mary Fletcher Harris

I agree it is interesting. I would like to ask some random questions that I think I would want to consider were it one of mine.. Could a child have been still born and another born with the same name? Did stillborn children get baptised. I seem to remember seeing names of still births on burial records Does anyone know the formalities of baptism. Is it the parents who put a child up to be baptised? Would there be any Parish baptismal records? Who were the God parents? When did the parents die in relation to the living child. Cant presume parentage. Are there death certificates for the parents? Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Harris" <r_harris@sympatico.ca> To: <sct-isleofmull@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 1:52 PM Subject: Re: [SCT-ISLEOFMULL] Posthumous baptism > Hi Cynthia, > That is very interesting! I'm just going to make guesses, but L.D. could be lawful > daughter and yes both parents could be dead, as is likely by her living with > grandparents. I have a birth in my tree where the baby arrived 3 months after the > father's death and we all know many mothers died in childbirth. Very sad story if that's > the case. > Mary Fletcher Harris > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCT-ISLEOFMULL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in > the subject and the body of the message

Hello Cynthia, This is a very interesting question. I do not know the answer, but how old was Janet in the 1841 census also is she still living with Grandparents in 1851? if so how old is she recorded as being then. That will show if she was baptized soon after birth. Are there any siblings living with the grandparents as well. It is possible that both parents died at the same time for example if measles or small pox went through the village - does anyone one else researching Ormsaig know of any deaths about that time. You will be lucky to get death records for the parents. I know on the Ross of Mull, some were recorded before 1855 but certainly not all, and then only vaguely. Good luck with your search, Kind regards Jan Peasnell On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 4:49 PM, Cynthia Wardle <levyward@bigpond.net.au>wrote: > Hi. > > I have a dilemma. I've come across a baptism record that reads like this: > > '1836 Janet, L.D (Posthumous) of Robert McArthur and of Sally McArthur of > Ormaig was baptised.' > > My initial reaction was that the baby died and was baptised posthumously. > However, wee Janet is alive and well and living with her grandparents in > 1841 at Ormaig, but I can find no trace of her parents in any subsequent > records. > > Does this mean that the 'posthumous' refers to both parents or perhaps to > one? Has anyone else come across a similar record? > > > > Cynthia Wardle > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCT-ISLEOFMULL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >