Janet (Wotherspoon) Easton (1835 - 1914)

Born 7 May 1835 in Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of Alexander Easton — married 27 Nov 1853 in Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 22 Oct 1914 at age 79 in Almy, Uinta, Wyoming, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tracey Gerrard [send private message]

Biography

Janet (Wotherspoon) Easton was born in Scotland.

Janet Wotherspoon was born in the parish of Polmont on 7 May 1835 and was the illegitimate daughter of George Wotherspoon and Janet Baff. There is no record they ever married.^[1]

On the 1841 census, Janet, aged 5 years, is living in Polmont with her grandmother, Jean Burt, and her maternal aunt, Jean Baff.^[2]

Janet married Alexander Easton in the parish of Polmont on 27 November 1853 and they had seven children.^[3]

1. Jessie Easton (1854–1856)
2. Andrew Easton (1856–1937)
3. George Easton (1858–1934)
4. Alexander Easton (1860–1898)
5. William Easton (1862–1928) (twin)
6. John Easton (1862–1881) (twin)
7. James Easton (1864–1916)

On the 1861 census, Alexander, a coal miner, and Janet are living in Wallacestone, Polmont, with their children: Andrew (4 years), George (3 years) and Alex (9 months).^[4]

On the 1871 census, Janet, a widow, is living on Wallacestone Row, Polmont, with her children: Andrew (14 years), George (13 years), Alexander (10 years), John (8 years), William (8 years) and James (6 years).^[5]

After Alexander's death, Janet had two illegitimate daughters whose births were registered under the surname Wotherspoon:

1. Janet Wotherspoon Easton (1872–1873)
2. Annie Wotherspoon (Easton) Hood (1874–1962)

While the father of Janet is unknown, there was a paternity decree brought against William Chalmers at Falkirk Sheriff Court regarding the birth of Annie on 26 September 1874. Annie's memoirs name her father as Alexander Easton but this is not possible as he died eight years before Annie was even born and it likely to have been a story she was told to cover up her illegitimacy.^[6]

Janet emigrated to the United States about 1885 when her sons, Andrew and George, converted to Mormonism. Annie recounts how her mother was initially reluctant to leave Scotland. You can read an excerpt of Annie's memories of growing up in Scotland on her profile page, however they paint a very idyllic life and contain factual errors.

On the 1900 census, Janet, a widow, is living alone in Almy, Uinta, Wyoming. However, she is living next door to her daughter, Annie, and her family.^[7]

On the 1910 census, Janet, a widow, is living in Almy, Uinta, Wyoming, with her son, James, who is a miner.^[8]

Janet Wotherspoon died, aged 79 years, on 19 October 1914 and was buried in Almy Cemetery, Almy, Uinta County, Wyoming.^[9]

Census Records

1841 Scotland Census

• Jean Burt, Head, Widowed, 70 years, Scotland
• Jean Baff, Daughter, Single, 40 years, Scotland
• Janet Wotherspoon, Granddaughter, Single, 5 years, Scotland

1861 Scotland Census

• Alex Easton, Head, Married, 31 years, Coal Miner, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• Janet Easton, Wife, Married, 25 years, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland
• Andrew Easton, Son, Single, 4 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• George Easton, Son, Single, 3 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• Alex Easton, Son, Single, 9 months, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland

1871 Scotland Census

• Janet Easton, Head, Widowed, 33 years, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland
• Andrew Easton, Son, Single, 14 years, Coal Miner, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• George Easton, Son, Single, 13 years, Coal Miner, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• Alexander Easton, Son, Single, 10 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• John Easton, Son, Single, 8 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• William Easton, Son, Single, 8 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland
• James Easton, Son, Single, 6 years, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland

1900 United States Census

• Janet Easton, Head, Widowed, 66 years, Scotland

1910 United States Census

• Janet Easton, Head, Widowed, 76 years, Scotland
• James Easton, Son, Single, 45 years, Coal Miner, Scotland

Sources

1. ↑ Birth or Baptism|Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms|National Records of Scotland, Ref: 30/107; Parish Number: 487; Frame: 748|https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople] (accessed 2 January 2024)|Janet Witherspoon born or baptised on 12 Jul 1835, daughter of George Witherspoon & Janet Buff, in Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1841 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Parish: Polmont; ED: 5; Page: 28; Line: 1080; Year: 1841. Original data: 1841 Scotland Census. Edinburgh, Scotland: General Register Office for Scotland. Reels 1-151. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
3. ↑ Marriage|Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages|National Records of Scotland, Ref: 30/295; Parish Number: 487; Frame: 844|ScotlandsPeople (accessed 31 December 2023)|Alexander Easton marriage to Janet Wotherspoons on or after 27 Nov 1853 in Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1861 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Parish: Polmont; ED: 5; Page: 7; Line: 6; Roll: CSSCT1861_65. Original data: Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1871 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Parish: Polmont; ED: 5; Page: 5; Line: 22; Roll: CSSCT1871_84. Original data: Scotland. 1871 Scotland Census. Reels 1-191. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
6. ↑ Scottish Indexes
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Year: 1900; Census Place: Almy, Uinta, Wyoming; Roll: 1827; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0059. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Year: 1910; Census Place: Almy, Uinta, Wyoming; Roll: T624_1747; Page: 2a; Enumeration District: 0125; FHL microfilm: 1375760. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21267983/janet-easton: accessed 31 December 2023), memorial page for Janet Wotherspoon Easton (7 May 1835–19 Oct 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 21267983, citing Almy Cemetery, Almy, Uinta County, Wyoming, USA; Maintained by Diane & John (contributor 46842343).