Marion Buchanan

Name known from our own family records, but no dates. Dates of christening (17 August 1798) and death and names of parents found on FamilySearch IGI. Mother's name Lilias matches name of a daughter.

Marriage date from "Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT2L-WYH : accessed 03 Jan 2013), Archibald Buchannan and Marrion Barr, 27 Nov 1818; Ref FHL microfilm 1041472.

In the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Archibald (45) is the head of the household in George Street, Parish of St Quivox, Ayrshire. Original document not seen and the transcription has spelling errors (e.g. 'Buchamen' throughout). Marion is listed as 'Martan' (40) and was born in Ayrshire. The others in the household are 'Jullies' (female,11), Archibald (9), William (7), Robert (5), Marian (9m) and Ressa Muchan (15).

The 1851 census shows a remarkable split in the family. Marion's husband Archibald is with their eldest daughter and her husband at Kirkport, just south of the river Ayr, and he is working as a muslin weaver. Her son William (17) and daughter Helen (7) are with her father Joseph Barr just north of the River Ayr. And Marion (52) is seven miles north at Loans, with her aunt Marion Barr (86) and three children: Joseph (30), Robert (14) and Marion (10). What had happened to split up the family? It is this census return that states she was born in Coylton.

Ten years later, in the 1861 census, Marion is still at Loans and now described as a shopkeeper. Living in the household are her daughter Marion (20) and her husband William Neil (25) who is an innkeeper, and their two children Joseph (3) and William (1). There is also a 15-year-old domestic servant, Janet Hamilton.