This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: BMcDowall119573 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.wig.general/2168.1.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Barry, The Wigtown parish registers were poorly maintained. The numbers of baptism entries (from Scotlandspeople) for period surrounding Samuel's birth possibly explains why you found a record for Dorothea but not for Samuel: 1769 - zero entries, 1770 - 4, 1771 - 23, 1772 - 7, 1773 - 1, 1774 - 4, 1775 - 3, 1776 - 2, 1777 - 5, 1778 - 1, 1779 - 13, 1780 - 27, 1781 - 16. If Samuel was truly 80 on his date of death in 1856, he may have been born in either 1776 or 1775, depending on his date of birth. If he was truly 74 on 30 March 1851, (census night), he would have been born in 1777 or 1776 depending on his birth date being prior to or after 31 March. His age recorded in the 1841 census would have been rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5, (if the enumerator followed instructions), so he may have claimed to be 64, but recorded as 60. Bruce Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.