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Hi Tania

From a newspaper article I hve we know that there is a strong connection to the Guthrie Church so maybe that it is another source to explore

Thank you very much for your help with this. I seem to have most of the information on the family once they arrived in the United States:
Alexander Skene (who was born Alexander Anderson) travelled to the US in 1869 and his wife Christina (Paton) followed with the children in 1870 (all except for William who had died as a young child). Alexander Skene, the eldest child, returned to Scotland and married Mary Wilson in 1851. They lived in Lochgelly and then Cowdenbeath.
The mystery remains, where does the name Skene come from, and who were Alexander Anderson Skene's parents?
Searching the IGI for children of Alexander Anderson & Christina Paton, most had the surname Anderson, one has Skene as a middle name, one has Skene as a last name. Alexander Anderson himself seems to have called himself Alexander Skene in the United States, as this is how his name appears on the censuses and his death record.
Confusing . . .

As an aside, do you think the Agnes Lighton who died in 1834 could be the same Anne Leighton who might be Alexander Anderson Skene's mother, or do you think the names are too dissimilar?

I'm starting to like Alexander Anderson & Helen Thompson for Alexander Skene Anderson's parents, because this Alexander Anderson is living very close to Christina Paton in the 1851 Census and we know she became pregnant to Alexander Skene Anderson in 1851. Also, this is a coal mining family, which seems to fit a bit close with the rest of our familiy history compared with a weaving family.

Tania..Can you confirm the date Alexander jnr. (Eldest child of Alex and Christina was born) and when he married Mary Wilson...You have 1851 as a marriage date..??

Thank you. I'm sorry I accidently wrote 1851, the date of Alexander and Christine's' wedding, instead of 1876, the date of Alexander & Mary's wedding. It gets confusing with all the Alexander Andersons / Skene.
Alexander Jnr (Eldest son of Alexander and Christina Paton) was born on 1 December 1851.
Here is one of the sources:
name: Alexr. Skene Anderson gender: Male birth date: 01 Dec 1851 birthplace: AUCHTERDERRAN,FIFE,SCOTLAND father's name: Alexr. Anderson mother's name: Christian Paton indexing project (batch) number: C11405-5 system origin: Scotland-ODM sou

Alexander Anderson Snr married Christina Paton in 1851.
His Son Alexander Skene Anderson married Mary Wilson in 1876. Here is a source: 1876 SKENE ALEXANDER WILSON MARY BALLINGRY /FIFE 408/00 0001

Any clues as to the identity of Alexander Anderson Snr and where the name Skene gets into the family are greatly appreciated.

I have a Scottish branch of my tree in which a lot of the men have the middle name Hopkirk. I've managed to get back to the 17th century and haven't found a single marriage to a Hopkirk.
My Scottish granddad had the middle name Simla. His Mum said he was named after the town in India. True, but actually it was the middle name of a wealthy man who helped the family and who I think was granddad's godfather. I found this out by pure luck. You may have to look further than mothers' maiden names to find where Skene came from! :-S
Good luck!

Tania....The reason I asked about Alex jnr. was because I have found reference to an Alex.Skene aged 69 (Foulford Street C'Beath) still working at Lindsay Colliery in 1945.Possible "son" of Alex.jnr.

I think this is Christian Paton:


Piece: SCT1841/405 Place: Auchterderran -Fife Enumeration District: 3
Civil Parish: Auchterderran Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 3 Page: 4
Address: Lancherhead
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Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
PATON James M 35 Coalminer Fife
PATON Ann F 30 Fife
PATON Christian F 10 Fife
PATON Isabella F 8 Fife
PATON Moriah F 5 Fife
PATON Janet F 3 Fife
PATON Ratchel F 1 Fife

Piece: SCT1851/405 Place: Auchterderran -Fife Enumeration District: 8
Civil Parish: Auchterderran Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Lochgelly
Folio: 405 Page: 34 Schedule: 115
Address: Launcher Head
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Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
PATON James Head M M 45 Collier Pauper Fife - Dunfermline Disability: Blind
PATON Ann Wife M F 42 - Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Christina Dau U F 20 Labourer On Coal Work Fife - Lochgelly
Page: 405/35 PATON Isabella Dau U F 18 Labourer On Coal Work Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Maria Dau U F 15 Agricultural Labourer Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Janet Dau U F 13 Agricultural Labourer Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Rachel Dau U F 10 Scholar Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Ann Dau U F 8 Scholar Fife - Lochgelly
PATON Betsy Dau U F 4 Scholar Fife - Lochgelly
[Lochgelly is in the parish of, and 4km SW of, Auchterderran.]
[Launcherhead Rd, Lochgelly, still exists - it's 100m S of the Rail Station on the N edge of town]

So I think this Alex (in the same 1851 ED as Christian) is our Alex
[rg has already given this and 1841, but FreeCEN gives more details easily]:


Piece: SCT1851/405 Place: Auchterderran -Fife Enumeration District: 8
Civil Parish: Auchterderran Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Lochgelly
Folio: 405 Page: 17 Schedule: 59
Address: 92 Moor
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Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
ANDERSON Hellen Wife M F 39 Wife Of Alex Anderson Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Alexr Son U M 19 Engineman Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Euphemia Dau U F 15 Servant Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON David Son U M 14 Scholar & Coal Miner Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON James Son U M 8 Scholar Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Hellen Son U M 6 Scholar Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON John Son U M 4 - Fife - Auchterderran
ANDERSON Christina Dau U F 6m - Fife - Auchterderran
DRYBURGH David Lodger U M 12 Coalminer Fife - Wemyss



Results for: Fife, Scotland, British Isles
Father: James Paton, Mother: Ann Foster
3. CHRISTIAN PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 16 JAN 1831 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

7. ISABELLA PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 16 JAN 1833 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

2. MARIA PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 05 SEP 1835 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

1. JANET PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 26 FEB 1838 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

6. RACHEL PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 05 APR 1840 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

4. ANN PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 25 OCT 1842 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

5. BETSY PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 25 JUN 1847 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

[All extracted with batch#=c114055]


Results for: James Paton, Fife, Scotland, British Isles
Spouse: Ann Forrester
1. JAMES PATON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Marriage: 04 AUG 1830 Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland

[Extracted batch#=m114055 - note variation in Ann's surname]

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I should have said that Brazil is 25km ENE of Terre Haute IN in Vigo Co.
Vigo Co is on the IN-IL border, abt halfway down IN. Clay Co lies to E of Vigo Co, and Parke Co lies to N of both.
Mercer Co PA is on the PA-OH border, midway between L Erie and the Ohio R, abt 80km from each.


There is a Fife map showing parishes at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gazetteer/
Auchterderran Psh looks like a P fallen on its back (even down to the hole in the P - due to a detached bit of Ballingry Psh), so the leg sticks out to the E, where it abuts Dysart Psh.


Revisiting rg's 1861:
Name Parent or spouse names Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relation Civil parish County
Christina Skene Alexander abt 1830 Auchterderran, Fifeshire Wife Auchterderran Fife
[Alex + Jas pob=Auchterderran, Fifeshire; David + John pob=Hath Beath, Fifeshire]

[There is a Beath Psh that starts 5km E of Dunfermline and runs N to Kinross. Technically, it's adjacent to Auchterderran Psh.
I'm wondering if Hath Beath is a mistranscription of Hallbeath (or Halbeath as it now is). Halbeath is 4km E of Dunfermline town, and is in Dunfermline Psh]

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It would be interesting if someone could find Alex's sibs in 1861.
I'm wondering what surname they're going by.

Have you noted the Skene's (*Alex and Christian) had all Boys ..the Paton's all girls!!!

Thank you. I will look forward to reading all your information in detail. However, I tend to agree. I think we have probably found the correct Alexander Anderson, given that he is living in the very same town as his fiance.

I will try and explore the Anderson line a bit more - and see if I get lucky with the Skene connection.

I wonder if any of the other Andersons married any of the Paton girls??

Tania...Dont know if you have this relative to Christina's parents.....(assuming they are who mgnv found as poss/probs.)

James Paton b 1805 was son of David Paton and Eliz. (Isabel) Fairoul.. they married 1801 Beath....
Marriage of James to Ann corresponds with mgnv's findings.
James died Aughlerderran 1877.

Thank you.
Presuming that the correct family are the Andersons from the 1851 census mentioned above (copied below for reference). I cannot find any record of the son Alexander Skene born 1831 in Dysart to these parents (I've looked on Scotlands People & IGI) Nor can I find the other children.
Do you have any suggestions. Did some famlies just not register their children?

Piece: SCT1851/405 Place: Auchterderran -Fife Enumeration District: 8
Civil Parish: Auchterderran Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Lochgelly
Folio: 405 Page: 17 Schedule: 59
Address: 92 Moor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
ANDERSON Hellen Wife M F 39 Wife Of Alex Anderson Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Alexr Son U M 19 Engineman Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Euphemia Dau U F 15 Servant Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON David Son U M 14 Scholar & Coal Miner Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON James Son U M 8 Scholar Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON Hellen Son U M 6 Scholar Fife - Dysart
ANDERSON John Son U M 4 - Fife - Auchterderran
ANDERSON Christina Dau U F 6m - Fife - Auchterderran
DRYBURGH David Lodger U M 12 Coalminer Fife - Wemyss

Tania - re "Did some famlies just not register their children?"

Well, some families were not at all religious. On the other hand, some were quite religious, and I can't see RCatholics or jews being thrilled at having their kids christened in a C of S kirk. Also, halfway thru their kids, there was a major schism in the C of S, and a third of the ministers left the C of S to form the Free Church of Scotland. If Alex and Helen were free-kirkers, I could easily imagine they were dissatisfied with the C of S pre-schism, and not going to the C of S. (A major concern of the schism was that the appointment of ministers was in the hands of the rich land-holders, who foisted their choice on the congregation, irrespective of the desires of the congregation.)

I think what you need to do is find the deaths of the parents, hopefully 1855 or later, and also the marr or death of one or more kids, again 1855 or later. The M/D.cert will have details of both parents of the subject of the cert, including the mum's MS. I think 1855's a bit late for Helen to be having more kids, so b.certs seem out of it.

Thanks. That is a very interesting suggestion, because I know the son Alexander Skene (who married Mary Wilson) was a very religious man who apparently started a church in Cowdenbeath and one of his daughters subsequently became a missionary (to Canada).
I will follow your suggestion and see how I go.

Does anyone have any suggestions for obtaining death records from Indiana in the USA? Alexander Skene / Anderson (1831-1914) and his wife Christina Paton both died in Indiana. All his children (except one, Alexander Skene (1851-1941) who married Mary Wilson in Scotland) also lived in Indiana. I can find the indexed information through familysearch.org and ancestry.com but I'm having a little trouble working out if there are any on-line copies of the certficates themselves or perhaps I just need to write to the government department in question. I have looked again at Alexander Skene Jnr death record (1851-1941) but it wasn't any further help in finding his dad's birth record or his grandparents names. Thanks

Tania...Alex and Christina are buried in the Old Hill Cemetry Brazil...you can find their headstone (in case you dont have it ) on Find a grave .com
You need to wait a while for the focus to come into play....

The general proceedure I would use for US BMD certs is to go to:
http://www.cyndislist.com/us/
then pick the state, then BMDs and look the links over. Here I would opt for:
http://www.in.gov/isdh/20444.htm
Check out this last URL.


https://www.familysearch.org/s/collection/list#page=1®ion=NORTH_AMERICA
Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920

Name:Alexander Skene
Event:Death
Event Date:02 Mar 1914
Event Place:Brazil, Indiana
Age:82
Estimated Birth Year:1832
Gender:Male
Race:W
Source Location:City Health Office Brazil
Source Notes:The source of this record is the book CH-8 on page 71 within the series produced by the Indiana Works Progress Administration.
Registration Notes:


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One reason for not finding BMDs in Scotland is there's a gap in the OPRs, so go to:
http://www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk/research/list-of-oprs.html
Parish #s for Fife are in range 399-459 (incl):
http://www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk/pdf/list-of-oprs-399to459.pdf

There's no gap for Dysart.

SP also has RC OPRs now, so check out:

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/images/ScotlandsPeople%20CPR%20Missions.pdf
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/images/Catholic%20Parish%20Registers%20%20maps.pdf

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In addition to the above, you still need to find Alex 1832's sibs from 1861 forward to see what surname they use, as well as assisting in pinning down Alex & Helen's d.o.d, and possible M/Ds for the sibs. (In case Alex & Christina's d.certs don't have enough info).

Many thanks. That gravestone is very interesting and gives us Christina Paton (Skene) birth year.
I'll order the cerificates from the States and see what a find (might be a few weeks to get them)

Tania

The baptism record on Scotland's People for Alexander and Henry have their parents as Alexander Anderson (Weaver) and Ann Leighton. No mention of Skene.

Witnesses for Alexander were J Kilgour and A Spencer. For Henry J Kilgour and J Dryburgh. Can't see the name of the church.

Vera