Margaret Kerr (bef. 1805)

Born before 1805 in Scotland

Wife of Joseph Plumbtree — married 23 Feb 1821 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Scotland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Melanie Paul [send private message]

Biography

Margaret Kerr was born before 1805, presumably in Scotland as that's where she married, had her children, and died.

Margaret married Joseph Plumbtree on the 23rd February 1821, at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[1]
Over the next thirteen years Joseph and Margaret had six children, a daughter and five sons, one of whom did not live to his second birthday.

1. Richard Plumbtree (1822—1900)
2. ⛼ Joseph Plumbtree (1826—1828)
3. Joseph Plumbtree (1829—1899)
4. William Plumbtree (1831—1917)
5. ⛼ Margaret Plumbtree (1833—)
6. Thomas Plumbtree (1834—)

On the 6th June 1841 Margaret, now a widow of some six years, was living as a servant in the household of William Doughlie, an upholsterer, at number 70 Bridgegate, Glasgow. With her were her sons Joseph (aged 12 years), and William (aged 10 years). Other members of the household were William Doughlie's wife, Mary, their children, William, and Catherine, William Robison (a shoemaker), his wife, Catherine, and their children, Robert, and Helen, Ann Baird (another servant to the household), Thomas Yuil (7 years), Janet Yuil (1 year), Gavin Laurie, and his family, James *12 years), Robert (10 years), Duncan (8 years), and John (6 years).^[2] Eldest son Richard (one of 162 young males, mostly between the ages of nine and twenty) was living as a tailor in the House of Refuge for Boys, in Barony (another part of the greater Glasgow area of Lanarkshire).

Margaret Kerr, widow of Joseph Plumbtree, passed away sometime after the 1841 census was recorded. Her death is quite possibly one of those registered in 1843, or 1846.

Research Notes

Family connections believe that Margaret Kerr was born 15/03/1810, at Paisley Burgh or Low, the daughter of James Kerr and Jean Cockburn. My problem with this is - that would make her 11 years old at the time of her marriage to Joseph Plumbtree (23 Feb 1821), and 12 years old at the time of the birth of her first child, Richard (29 Jun 1822).
Is this possible? Yes. Is it probable? I don't really believe so, but am willing to accept actual evidence that it was so. Paul-5413 18:12, 10 July 2020 (UTC)
Updating thinking : If the age Margaret gives for the 1841 census is correct, taking into account the rule to round down ages of those over 15 years, she would be between 35 and 39 years old, making her year of birth between 1802 and 1806.
It is still possible that the 1810 registration is hers, but that she was baptised some years after she was actually born. (I am not in a position to pay to view that particular register entry.)

Sources

1. ↑ Scotland's People online index search Old Parish Registers Banns or Marriage: Surname KERR, Forename MARGARET, Spouse Name JOSEPH PLUMBTREE/FR1127 (FR1127), Date 23/02/1821, Parish Number 573/3, Ref 50 196, Parish Paisley Burgh or Low (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)
2. ↑ "Scottish General Register Office: 1841 Census Returns database, FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14efb3f4040b9d6ef760f8 : viewed 9 Jul 2020), Margaret PLUMBTREE in household of William DOUGHLIE, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland; from 1841 "England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images; citing The National Archives HO 107/17, Folio 24, Page 70, Schedule Bridgegate, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

• Church registers - Old Parish Registers.