Caveat: Transcripts Can be Wrong!

Janice Mann posted this query: I'm having trouble finding any information on a baby in my family tree. He's found in the 1871 census in McKillop Township as a 2 month old, illegitimate child - living with the McCallum family. There are 3 sisters in the family (aged 15, 20 and 24) and I presume one of them is his mother. I'm struggling to determine his name (it's transcribed as Morrison Rone) and I cannot find him after the 1871 census.

Transcripts Can Be Wrong
 
First let's clear up the misreading of this census image. The name of the child on that 1871 census is given as "Born Morrison" (not Morrison Rone) meaning that he was born a Morrison. Apparently he had not been given a first name when the census was taken.

The family in 1871 is given as
    
Name     Age
Zachery Mc Callum     54
Elisabeth Mc Callum     52
Margary Mc Callum     24 
Susanna Mc Callum     20
John Mc Callum     18
Elisabeth Mc Callum     15
Born Morrison     2/12

Birth Records

Since we know that the baby was born with the surname Morrison we might theorize that his biological father was a Morrison. We know from the census the child was a boy so we might look for a birth of a child in late 1870 or early 1871. The 1871 census was started on April 2, 1871 so we know the child was born before February of that year. If we could find out when the census taker was in McKillop we could narrow the child's date of birth.

We can look under the surname Morrison and McCallum but those are the only clues we have.

March 11, 1871 Birth: Anthony illegitimate son of Catherine Bellon McCallum in Renfrew found on Ancestry

I recommend searching local church records for a baptism record for this child.

Search the Siblings

I only took a few minutes to research all the children of Zachery and Elizabeth, but Janice would be wise to investigate the family thoroughly. Here is a start to the family:

• Margary Mc Callum  married Joseph Samme
• Susanna Mc Callum  married John Galbraith
• Elisabeth Mc Callum  baptised as Lydia Elizabeth married William George McSpadden
 

It's an interesting puzzle and I wish I had more time to investigate! 

No. 7 of My Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries: Who is Lionel?

A Facebook friend recently posted her top 10 Genealogy Mysteries.  They aren't brick walls because there is probably an answer somewhere, just waiting to be found.

I thought this was a great idea and I am following suit with my Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries. Of course any help or suggestions for further research are welcome. You can read my other Genealogy Mysteries at Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries

Here is my Number 7 of 10 Genealogy Mysteries:

Edith Winnifred Finch's father is a mystery. Edith was born 16 September 1870 in the St. Pancras Workhouse in Brighton, Sussex England to Martha Finch. 

The 1871 census for Sussex > Cuckfield > District Cuckfield Union Workhouse finds Martha and her daughter:
Martha Finch, pauper, not md, domestic cook, 32, b West Houghly, Sussex
Edith Finch, pauper child of 6 mos, b. Brighton Sussex

There were two possible birth registrations for little Edith but neither provided a father's name. Searching for her marriage record to Albert Charles Markham was more successful as it showed her father as "Lionel Finch" (mother's surname given?) 

12 Aug. 1895. Albert Charles Markham, 29, bachelor, sailor son of Henry John Markham, deceased, publican & Edith Winifred Finch, 25, spinster, d/o Lionel Finch, deceased, commerical traveller. Witnesses: Frederick James Markham, Alice Smith.

I was able to trace Martha, her mother, but with no clues as to the mysterious Lionel. Edith and her husband Albert both died in 1898 in London England, leaving 3 children under the age of 8. The youngest, Elsie Phyllis Markham was only 8 months old. The children were sent to Orphanages - Albert Finch, an illegitimate child born to Edith, was sent to Barnardos, Frederick Markham to Miller's Orphanage and baby Elsie to an older couple who had no children. With their unsettled lives and losing their parents at young ages, they had no family stories or knowledge to pass on to descendants.
 

We have young Albert Finch's records from Barnardos and details on his life in St. Mary's Ontario Canada. Albert was able to save his money and eventually he brought his sister Elsie (my husband's great-grandmother) and his brother Frederick to St. Mary's to join him.

Martha Finch, Edith's mother, had two more illegitimate children: Esther born 1859 in the St. Pancras Workhouse and John born 1863 in Horsted Keyes, Sussex. Esther was living with her grandparents in the 1861 census, then she herself ended up in the Race Hill Workhouse having 2 illegitimate children, Arthur and Ruth. 

I found it intriguing that Esther was given the middle name of "Martin". Perhaps this was her father's first name or surname?

Little John was raised by his grandparents and is last found in 1891 as a boarder at Hollycombe Stables, living on his own means.

Martha never married and is last seen in 1901 in Portsmouth, Hampshire where she is a servant in a household and listed as a widow. Her death was registered in Sussex in 1918. 

I am no closer to solving the mystery of Lionel than I was 15 years ago. I welcome any suggestions!