Hi everyone, Either I'm going mad or my research skills are waning, but I cannot for the life of me find, in any post 1841 UK census, certain members of a key branch of my family. Yet they keep popping up in marriages and recorded as alive in such records. I've tried Soundex and wildcard searches; looked for remarriages and deaths as well as wider geographical searches, but to no avail. If sks could either confirm my madness or employ their greater research skills, then I would be very grateful. If they are not to be found, then of course I can consider them either abducted by aliens, or more probably emigrated. In the 1841 census they are enumerated at 1 St.John Street, Greenock. Also present is John Ferguson, the brother of Archibald Ferguson, the recently deceased head of the household. I cannot find any of them in the 1851 census. The remaining family are: Jean FERGUSON, nee RUSSEL(L); b. 4th July 1814, Greeenock. Last recorded as alive, but probably not present at her son Archibald's marriage to Mary YOUNG in St. Quivox, Ayrshire in December 1863. Jean FERGUSON; b. 13th May 1834, Greenock, daughter of the above Jean. Cannot find her in 1851 census, but after this I know exactly where she was as she married her first cousin John, in September 1855 and died in Feb 1870 in Greenock. Archibald FERGUSON; b. 9th September 1837, Greenock. Cannot find him 1851 census. 1861 census living in Southampton, England with fellow seamen. Married Mary Young in St. Quivox, Ayrshire, December 1863. Possibly in Liverpool, England for birth of twins Susanna and Janet in March 1866. Nothing after this. John Ferguson; 1841 census - recorded as born in Ireland in about 1836. Nothing after the 1841 record. I would love to find the family in 1851 when they are still likely to be together. Equally, any reference to the mother Jean after 1841; Archibald after his marriage in 1863 and just about anything on the probably adopted John. TIA Angus Ferguson. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Hello Angus I had a similar problem with one of my families from Cornwall. I knew that they were in Cornwall because they married or died or something after one or other census. I was lucky as I had one child in the family with a "not so common" first name (Rebecca). I went searching for that child by her first name only and her birth year (she would only have been 2yrs in the census I was looking. I found 3 children in Cornwall who could have been her. I then looked at each family and there I found a family with a mother of the correct first name and all the siblings. The mother had remarried and the family were listed under the new husband's surname. In subsequent censuses the family were easy to find. When each child married they of course married in the birth name not their adopted family name. This could be the case with your Ferguson's. However, you say you have looked for remarriages. Archibald aged 14 in 1851 could have been at sea then, if he was at sea in 1861. Jean aged 16/17 in 1851 was probably in service and living with another family. John Ferguson aged 15? Was he the son of Archibald (dec'd) or the brother? If the brother, does that mean Archibald (dec'd) was also born in Ireland? If the son does that mean the family traveled to and from Ireland? If Ireland - then a very very good luck as I have a huge brick wall in Ireland. Hope my suggestions are something to think about. Bye for now Patricia -----Original Message----- From: Angus Ferguson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, 16 July 2006 1:58 a.m. To: [email protected] Subject: [Renfrew] Lost Greenock FERGUSON family? Hi everyone, Either I'm going mad or my research skills are waning, but I cannot for the life of me find, in any post 1841 UK census, certain members of a key branch of my family. Yet they keep popping up in marriages and recorded as alive in such records. I've tried Soundex and wildcard searches; looked for remarriages and deaths as well as wider geographical searches, but to no avail. If sks could either confirm my madness or employ their greater research skills, then I would be very grateful. If they are not to be found, then of course I can consider them either abducted by aliens, or more probably emigrated. In the 1841 census they are enumerated at 1 St.John Street, Greenock. Also present is John Ferguson, the brother of Archibald Ferguson, the recently deceased head of the household. I cannot find any of them in the 1851 census. The remaining family are: Jean FERGUSON, nee RUSSEL(L); b. 4th July 1814, Greeenock. Last recorded as alive, but probably not present at her son Archibald's marriage to Mary YOUNG in St. Quivox, Ayrshire in December 1863. Jean FERGUSON; b. 13th May 1834, Greenock, daughter of the above Jean. Cannot find her in 1851 census, but after this I know exactly where she was as she married her first cousin John, in September 1855 and died in Feb 1870 in Greenock. Archibald FERGUSON; b. 9th September 1837, Greenock. Cannot find him 1851 census. 1861 census living in Southampton, England with fellow seamen. Married Mary Young in St. Quivox, Ayrshire, December 1863. Possibly in Liverpool, England for birth of twins Susanna and Janet in March 1866. Nothing after this. John Ferguson; 1841 census - recorded as born in Ireland in about 1836. Nothing after the 1841 record. I would love to find the family in 1851 when they are still likely to be together. Equally, any reference to the mother Jean after 1841; Archibald after his marriage in 1863 and just about anything on the probably adopted John. TIA Angus Ferguson. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.