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The plot thickens! I have found a copy of the death certificate of Alexander Skene, who died 1914, in Indiana, USA. It says he died on 21 September 1832, and that he was the son of Alexander Skene. No more information than this. So I am back to the question, who was his father? I can't find an Alexander Skene (or Skein or Skeen) born on this date or even a year or two either side. Still stuck I'm afraid.

Thanks Chris & rootgatherer. It was interesting seeing the link you posted from someone else working on the problem many years ago. I have sent them a message and will interested to see who they are.
I think my next step is trying to find the death certificate of Alexander Skene (Anderson) in the USA. I've looked online and it does not look easy to order a death certificate internationally from Indiana. Thank goodness Scotland make it so easy.

https://gw.geneanet.org/etakathyaolco?lang=en&pz=larry+k.&nz=dunn&ocz=0&p=helen&n=Thomson

(above from google has Alexander and Helen Thompson, if it helps with anything)

Chris :)

I agree the problem with the 1841 Census of the family of James & Jean Anderson is the age problem.
However, it is curious that the family were living with Isabella and James Paton. It just makes me wonder if this is how Alexander met Christina Paton, through this connection. Could be a co-incidence, but I wonder . . .

Thanks so much. Sorry for delay in posting response - very busy day at work. I'll have a look at all of this as soon as I can tonight.
Just as an aside, I love that one of the Anderson women was a "Fansy Knitter".

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1288511?d=asc

(somebody else looks to have been researching also. 2011)

(has below reference)

Chris :)

https://tinyurl.com/yawmhq93

(Find A Grave)


Christina Paton Skene

Birth: Jan. 16, 1832
Fife, Scotland
Death: Apr. 2, 1881
Clay County
Indiana, USA
Inscription: 49Y 2M 8D
Note: wife of Alex A SKENE
Burial:
Old Hill Cemetery
Brazil
Clay County
Indiana, USA


https://tinyurl.com/ydyxv4dp

David Anderson Skene

Birth: Mar. 16, 1858, Scotland
Death: Jul. 11, 1913
Brazil
Clay County
Indiana, USA

(...deceased was 57 years old and is survived by a widow, two sons, Alex and David, and a daughter, Mrs. John Lynch. An aged father, Alex Skeene, and four brothers, Alex, James, Chris and Henry Skeene...)


1900 US Census Transcription (Find My Past)

David Skene Self Married Male 43 1857 Scotland (Coal Miner)
Agnes Skene Wife Married Female 37 1863 Scotland
Alaxander J Skene Son Single Male 19 1881 Indiana
Mary Skene Daughter Single Female 16 1884 Indiana
David Skene Son Single Male 5 1895 Indiana
City/township Brazil
County Clay
State Indiana
(gives year of Immigration, 1870. Married 19yrs)


1900 US Census Transcription

James Skene Self Married Male 47 1853 (Month December) Scotland
Alice Skene Wife Married Female 39 1861 England
Percy Skene Son Single Male 17 1883 Indiana
Bessie Skene Daughter Single Female 14 1886 Indiana
William Skene Son Single Male 8 1892 Indiana
Alexander Skene Father Widowed Male 69 1831 (Month September) Scotland
City/township Wabash
County Parke
State Indiana
(Immigration for Alexander, 1869, James, 1870. James Married 18yrs)

Have now been able to view the birth record for Henry Norman Anderson, born in 1855 in Halbeath. There is no date and place of marriage for his parents. Father Alexander Anderson aged 45 years born Thornton. 4 boys living, 4 girls living, 4 boys had died and 1 girl had died. Mother Helen Thompson, aged 43 years born Dollar. Henry was her 14th. Child. The informant was Alexander who signed the register.

Have tried to look at the birth entry for the above youngest son as he was born in 1855. Birth entries in that year give more info than subsequent years. The image won't load for me so I have contacted Scotlandspeople but they may take 3 days to respond grrrrrrr!

I'm not seeing christening records for any of the children(including Alexander) who were born before statutory registration began.

I was hoping to find out Helen's maiden name (to much to hope that it would be Skene) and when she and Alexander married.

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Halbeath, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland

Alexander Anderson Head Married Male 51 1810 Coal Centractor Markinch, Fife, Scotland
Helen Anderson Wife Married Female 49 1812 - Fife, Scotland
Helen Anderson Daughter Unmarried Female 17 1844 Fansy Knitter Dysart, Fife, Scotland
Thomas Anderson Son Unmarried Male 7 1854 Scholar Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Henry Anderson Son Unmarried Male 5 1856 Scholar Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland

Same family in 1841


1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Balbiggie Coal Hill, Dysart, Fife, Scotland

Alexander Anderson Male 31 1810 Fife, Scotland
Helen Anderson Female 29 1812 Fife, Scotland
Alexander Anderson Male 9 1832 Fife, Scotland
Margaret Anderson Female 7 1834 Fife, Scotland
Euphemia Anderson Female 5 1836 Fife, Scotland
David Anderson Male 3 1838 Fife, Scotland
Agness Anderson Female 2 1839 Fife, Scotland
James Anderson Male 0 1841 Fife, Scotland
Thomas Davidson Male 10 1831 Fife, Scotland
Jean Davidson Female 1 1840 Fife, Scotland

Now, this may be a complete red herring so let's not get too excited before we follow it up.

I looked at Christopher's birth registration on Scotlandspeople and his father's occupation was an Engine keeper.

Could this be your Alexander Anderson? Age more likely to be the husband of Christina.


1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Moor, 92, Auchterderran, Kirkaldy, Fife, Scotland

Helen Anderson Wife Married Female 39 1812 Wife Of Alex Anderson Dysart, Fife, Scotland
Alexander Anderson Son Unmarried Male 19 1832 Engineman Dysart, Fife, Scotland
Euphemia Anderson Daughter - Female 15 1836 Servant Dysart, Fife, Scotland
David Anderson Son - Male 14 1837 Scholar & To Coal Miner Dysart, Fife, Scotland
James Anderson Son - Male 8 1843 Scholar Dysart, Fife, Scotland
Helen Anderson Daughter - Female 6 1845 Scholar Dysart, Fife, Scotland
John Anderson Son - Male 4 1847 - Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland
Christina Anderson Daughter - Female 0 1851 - Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland
David Dryburgh Lodger - Male 12 1839 Coal Miner Wemyss, Fife, Scotland

I'm not really convinced of that but then I like a paper trail lol. The Alexander on the 1841 census seems too young to me to have fathered the Alexander who married Mary. The Alexander on the 1841 census is born about 1835. Of course it is possible that he married in 1851 and did father young Alexander. Now, the Alexander who married Christine Paton gives his birth year as 1830 on the American 1870 census. That would seem more likely. So I am not sure that he is the same Alexander as the one with James and Jean in 1841 as I think they wouldn't mistake their 10 / 11 year old son for a 6 year old.

Maybe it will remain a mystery. I'm very grateful for your help. At least I am pretty sure now that the Andersons / Skenes here are the same family. I'll keep searching for a skene somewhere in there.

Do you think I am right in thinking Jean Spence and James Anderson are the correct ancestors?

Thanks again

Not that it helps.........


1880 US Census Transcription

Alex Skene Self Married Male 45 1835 Scotland
Christine P. Skene Wife Married Female 45 1835 Scotland
Thomas Skene Son - Male 15 1865 Scotland
Christopher Skene Son - Male 14 1866 Scotland
Henry Skene Son Single Male 10 1870 Scotland

From the information gathered, the Alexander who married Mary seems to have emigrated to America with his parents and siblings around 1869 (although no record found). He must have returned to Scotland to marry Mary although his parents and siblings remained in America. Haven't seen a record of his return but the surname Skene is open to so many mistransciptions. Of course, he may have been using the surname Anderson.

With regard to his father Alexander, he married using the surname Anderson. Usually a reason for a change of surname would be illegitimacy or the father dying young and the mother remarrying and the child taking a stepfather's name. Neither seem to fit your Alexander who married Christian.

The marriage certificate says,
Alex Skene (coal miner), Bachelor, married Mary Wilson (domestic servant), spinster on 31/12/1875. The grooms parents were Alexander Skene (coal miner) and Christina Skene M.S. Paton.

Still trying to dig out Alexander Skene & Mary Wilson marriage certificate, but I think I have found the oldest boys:
Alexander Skene Anderson born 1/12/1851 to Alexr & Christian Paton (Auchterderran)
James Anderson born 25/12/1853 to Alexander Anderson & Christian Paton
David Anderson born 8/3/1856 to Alexander Anderson & Christian Paton
John Anderson born 24/4/1858 to Alexander Anderson & Christian Paton (Dunfermline)
William Anderson born 20/6/1860 to Alexander Anderson & Christian Paton (Auchterderran).
It's like the eldest 5 children were called Anderson and the younger children were called Skene.

Good morning! I'll have a look for those things now. Will post soon.

TabithaQueensland, can you tell us please

(1). Do you have a copy of Alexander and Mary's marriage registration?

(2). If so, who does he name as his parents?

(3). Do you have a copy of the birth registration in Scotland for one of the children on the 1880 census?

(3) if so, when and where did the parents marry?


If the Alexander who married Mary was born before statutory registration began, you can only hope to find a christening record (that's what the Old Parish Records are on Scotlandspeople). Not all children were christened so unless you find him on an earlier census, he may not "appear" on any official records prior to his marriage.

Trees on Familysearch are submitted, so are other people's research and not always accurate. Best to double check and where possible, access primary sources for yourself.