Moses Wyllie

Moses Wyllie was born and baptized on August 24, 1773 in Pollokshaws, Eastwood Parish, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the son of James Wyllie and Margaret Deans, who had married the year before. He had at least one younger brother, Thomas, born in 1776. Moses is my husband’s 4th great-grandfather.

Like many Scottish families, the Wyllies repeated names across generations, so this Moses is a different man from the one I’ve written about previously. The surname appears in records as both Wyllie and Wylie, a common variation in Scottish parish registers.

Moses as recorded in the Scotland birth register (1773)

Pollokshaws in 1773 was a small village beside the White Cart Water, a clear river that powered early textile work and fed the wide bleaching greens where cloth was soaked and laid out to whiten in the sun. A few stone cottages stood near the water, and families mixed farm labor with spinning and weaving. Most residents were tenants of the Maxwell estate at nearby Pollok House, and daily life moved at a quiet, steady pace.

By 1796, Moses had left Eastwood Parish and moved about 17 miles southwest to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. He married Janet Armour (or Armor) after proclamation on December 2, 1796, and worked as a weaver, later described specifically as a cotton handloom weaver.

Moses and Janet as recorded in the Scotland marriage register (1796)

Moses and Janet had at least five children, all born in Kilmarnock. Four of the birth records clearly identify each child’s birth order, allowing their family structure to be reconstructed even though the fourth child’s record has not been found. Their children, following traditional Scottish naming patterns, were:

1. Moses, born November 22, 1798, baptized November 25; named for his paternal grandfather, Moses Wyllie.
2. Thomas, born May 19, 1800; named for his maternal grandfather, Thomas Deans.
3. James, born August 5, 1802; named for his father, James Wyllie.
4. Unnamed daughter, birthdate unknown; likely named Mary after her maternal grandmother, possibly Mary Bowman.
5. Margaret, born August 30, 1808; named for her paternal grandmother, Margaret Deans.

Birth record for son Moses (1798)

Birth record for son Thomas (1800)

Birth record for son James (1802)

Birth record for daughter Margaret (1808)

The Wyllie children began forming their own households in the 1820s and 1830s. Son Moses married Mary Thomason in 1822; Thomas married Janet Dreghorn in 1823; James married Margaret Gilchrist in 1826; and Margaret married Robert Wyllie in 1835. All but Robert were living in Kilmarnock at the time of their marriages; Robert lived in the Low Church Parish.

In the 1841 census, Moses appeared alone on Back Street in Kilmarnock, working as a woolen‑loom weaver. This suggests that Janet had died before the census date of June 6, 1841. He was difficult to find because the enumerator wrote his name as “Mosey Wyllia” and recorded his age as 60. Adult ages in 1841 were rounded down, often by several years, which explains why he appears younger than his true age of about 67. His residence on Back Street also aligns with his daughter Margaret’s address when she married Robert Wyllie in 1835.

Moses in the Kilmarnock, Scotland census (1841)

By 1851, Moses was a widowed lodger, age 78, living in the household of Margaret McRay in Kilmarnock. The home also included Margaret’s daughter Janet Miller, her cousin Gavin Alston, an orphan named Ann Pairns, and another lodger, William Connell. The census described Moses as an “old weaver (pauper),” indicating he was no longer able to support himself through his trade.

Moses in the Kilmarnock, Scotland census (1851)

Moses likely died sometime after the 1851 census (taken March 30) but before December 30, 1854. This timing places his death just before Scotland introduced statutory civil registration on January 1, 1855. No death record for him appears in either the statutory registers or the Old Parish Registers on Scotland’s People, suggesting his death was not recorded, or the entry has not survived.

Kilmarnock in the years Moses lived there was a busy weaving town where handloom weavers worked in small shops or in the front rooms of their cottages. The narrow streets around the town center were lined with modest homes, workshops, and the steady activity of the textile trades. As mills and shoemaking grew, families like Moses and Janet found regular work in weaving while still living close to the surrounding farms and open fields. Moses likely led a simple working life, spending long days at his loom.

A handloom weaver in Kilmarnock during his lifetime would have worked at a large wooden floor loom—a sturdy, practical machine that filled much of a cottage room and produced the steady clatter that defined a weaver’s day. It would have been built mostly of oak or pine, with a wide rectangular frame standing several feet tall. Moses would have sat on a simple bench at the loom, using his feet to work the pedals that moved the threads into position. With his hands he sent a small wooden tool carrying the thread back and forth through the loom, then pulled the heavy frame toward him to press each new line of weaving firmly into place.

An example of the type of loom Moses might have used.
Catalan manual loom, photo by Enfo, licensed under CC BY SA 3.0, via
Wikimedia Commons. 

References

• 1841 census (1841 Census Questions), National Records of Scotland.
• James Wylie, Statutory Registers, Deaths 644/8/297, National Records of Scotland, 1873.
• James Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Births 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1802.
• Margaret Deans, Old Parish Registers, Births 562, Eastwood, 1752.
• Margaret Deans, Select Counties, Scotland, Church of Scotland, Marriages, 1615–1854.
• Margaret Gilchrist, Old Parish Registers, Marriages 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1826.
• Margaret Wylie, Old Parish Registers, Births 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1808.
• Moses Wylie, Old Parish Registers, Marriages 597/60 84, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1796.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/20/30, National Records of Scotland, 1851.
• Moses Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Births 562, Eastwood, 1773.
• Moses Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Births 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1798.
• Moses Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Marriages 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1822.
• Mosey Wyllia, Census 597/11/11, National Records of Scotland, 1841.
• Robert Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Marriages 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1835.
• Thomas Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Births 562, Eastwood, 1776.
• Thomas Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Births 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1800.
• Thomas Wyllie, Old Parish Registers, Marriages 597, Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1823. 

Moses Wyllie

Moses Wyllie was born on April 4, 1834, in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, to Thomas Wyllie and Janet Dreghorn. He is my husband’s 1st cousin 4x removed, sharing Moses Wyllie and Janet (his grandparents and my husband’s 4th great-grandparents) as their nearest common relatives. His birth is recorded as “Moses Wyllie, sixth child and third son of Thomas Wyllie, laborer, and Janet Dreghorn, his wife.”

Birth register for Moses Wyllie (1834)

Moses was one of at least five children documented as being born to Thomas and Janet: Maggie, John, Janet, Andrew, and Moses himself. In 1841, the Wyllie family resided at Robertson Place in Kilmarnock, where census records list Thomas’ occupation as “Th. L. W.,” likely an abbreviation for “Thread Lace Weaver.” The household included four children: Moses (age 5), John (age 3), Janet (age 2), and Andrew (9 months).

Census entry for the Wyllie family (1841)

By 1851, the Wyllie family remained in Kilmarnock at the Robertson Place home. Thomas had transitioned to agricultural labor, while Moses, at age 12, worked as a printer. Living next door were brothers Robert and James Wallace, calico printers—an occupation Moses would later adopt. A calico printer was a skilled artisan who crafted intricate designs on cotton fabric. Moses’ brothers, John and Andrew, worked as “tearers at print work,” likely entry-level roles in a textile mill. Janet, age 8, contributed to the household as a hand sewer. Every family member played a role in supporting their home.

Census entry for the Wyllie family and their next-door neighbors (1851)

When the 1861 Scotland census was taken on April 7, the household consisted of just Moses and his mother, Janet, living on Fitchfield Street. His father, Thomas, appears to have passed away, though Janet was still listed as married, not widowed. At the time of his death, Thomas was working as a carpet weaver. Moses, now 27, worked as a hammerman, a skilled metalworker, while Janet was employed as a tambouser, likely creating intricate tambour lace.

Census entry for the Moses and his mother, Janet (1861)

On December 31, 1861, Moses married Hannah McKay at 30 Robertson Place in Kilmarnock, likely her family home. Hannah, also 27, was employed as a boot (or book) binder, while Moses, residing on Fitchfield Street, worked as a laborer. Both Daniel and Margaret (Thomson) McKay, Hannah’s parents, had passed away by this time.

Marriage register for Moses and Hannah (1861)

Together, Moses and Hannah had seven children, all born in Kilmarnock: Thomas Wyllie, Agnes Wyllie, Margaret McKay Wyllie, Jeanie Buchanan Wyllie, Janet Dreghorn Wyllie, Duncan McKay Wyllie, and Hannah McKay Wyllie.

Moses’ younger brother, Thomas, was born at the family home, 30 Robertson Place, on October 22, 1862. While no middle name was recorded on the birth register, it noted their mother’s maiden name as “McKie” instead of the more commonly recorded “McKay.” At the time, Moses was working as a calico printer.

Birth register for Thomas Wyllie (1862)

Janet, Moses’ mother, passed away at Grougar Row, near Kilmarnock, on September 27, 1864, after a two-week battle with diarrhea. Her death was officially recorded by Moses, who served as the informant on the register. The location of her burial remains unknown.

Death register for Janet Dreghorn Wyllie (1864)

Around 1865, Moses’ sister Agnes was born. Unfortunately, the only records I have been able to locate for her are the Scotland census entries. The 1871 census lists her birthplace as Lanarkshire, Glasgow, which stands out as unusual given that all the other Wyllie children were born in Kilmarnock. The 1881 census records her birthplace as Kilmarnock. Without a birth register to verify, the exact location remains unclear. However, considering the Wyllie family’s strong ties to Kilmarnock, it seems likely that this was her true birthplace.

Another sister, Margaret McKay Wyllie, was born on October 2, 1867, at the family home at 36 Robertson Place. At that time, Moses was employed as a laborer.

Birth register for Margaret McKay Wyllie (1864)

Twin sisters, Janet Dreghorn Wyllie and Jeannie Buchanan Wyllie, were born at the family home on Robertson Place on October 22, 1869. Janet, the elder of the two, arrived at 12:30 PM, followed by Jeanie five minutes later, at 12:35 PM. At the time of their birth, Moses was recorded as working as a hammerman.

Birth register for twins Janet Dreghorn Wyllie and Jeanie Buchanan Wyllie (1869)

Whooping cough devastated the Wyllie household between late 1869 and early 1870, claiming the lives of three young children. The outbreak began in mid-November 1869, when Jeanie, one of the six-week-old twins, fell ill. After two weeks of suffering, she passed away at the family home on December 2, 1869.

Death register for twin Jeanie (1869)

Heartbreak struck once more when two-year-old Margaret, called Maggie, fell ill in late November. After battling the disease for just two weeks, she passed away at home on December 10, 1869.

Death register for sister Margaret (1869)

Shortly after Christmas, Janet, the surviving twin, contracted whooping cough. She endured the illness for 10 days before sadly passing away at the family home on January 4, 1870. At the time of her death, Janet was just over two months old.

Death register for twin Janet (1870)

The three children were laid to rest together in Kilmarnock Cemetery.

Duncan, the sixth child and second son of Moses, was born on February 5, 1871, at the family home on Robertson Place in Kilmarnock. He was given his mother Hannah’s maiden name as his middle name. However, as with his brother Thomas, the birth register mistakenly recorded it as “McKie” instead of “McKay.”

Birth register for Duncan McKie Wyllie (1871)

On April 2, 1871, when the census was taken, Moses, Hannah, and their three surviving children—Thomas, Agnes, and Duncan—were still residing at their home on Robertson Place. Moses remained employed as a hammerman. Among the children, only eight-year-old Thomas was attending school at the time. The census also noted that their home had only one room with a window.

Census entry for the Wyllie family (1871)

Moses’ youngest child, a daughter named Hannah McKay Wyllie, was born on July 11, 1873, at the family home on Robertson Place. As with some of her older siblings, she was given her mother’s maiden name, McKay, as her middle name.

Birth register for Hannah McKay Wyllie (1873)

Tragically, Hannah fell ill with diphtheria and passed away at the family home just three days later, on May 24, 1876. She was only 2 years and 10 months old when her life was cut short. Hannah was laid to rest at Kilmarnock Cemetery alongside her siblings.

Death register for Hannah McKay Wyllie (1876)

The Wyllie family remained in their home at 36 Robertson Place in Kilmarnock in 1881, with Moses continuing his work as a hammerman. The census that year split the family’s record across two pages: Moses appeared on one page, while Hannah, Thomas, Duncan, and Agnes were listed on the next. Notably, this census marked the first instance of Hannah being recorded with an occupation, described as a “hammerman’s wife.” At the time, Thomas, aged 18, was employed as a baker, while Agnes, aged 16, worked as a weaver. 

Census entry for the Wyllie family (1881)

By 1891, Moses, Hannah, and their son Duncan had taken up residence at 30 Robertson Place, a home with sentimental value as it was where Moses and Hannah had been married three decades earlier, in 1861. The property is believed to have originally belonged to the McKay family. The house was modest, with only two rooms featuring windows. At 55 years old, Moses continued to work as a hammerman. Hannah, however, was not employed, likely managing household duties. Their son Duncan had embarked on a career as a tailor. Once again, the census year split the family’s record across two pages: Moses and Hannah appeared on one page, while Duncan was listed on the next. 

Census entry for the Moses, Hannah, and Duncan (1891)

Moses passed away at the family home at 30 Robertson Place on April 4, 1894, following a month-long illness caused by sub-acute Bright’s disease, a kidney condition now recognized as nephritis. He was 59 years old at the time of his death. His son, Duncan, served as the informant on the death register.

Death register for Moses Wyllie (1894)

Hannah, Moses’ wife, survived him by just over a year. She passed away at their home on September 28, 1895, after enduring a yearlong struggle with emphysema. In the month leading up to her death, she also suffered from lung congestion. As with Moses, their son Duncan served as the informant on her death register.

Death register for Hannah Wyllie (1895)

Both Moses and Hannah were interred alongside their children, as well as a granddaughter, at Kilmarnock Cemetery.

Moses passed away without leaving a will. As his next of kin, his son Thomas was appointed executor of the estate by the Ayr courts on December 18, 1896. The estate was valued at £28, 15 shillings, and 9 pence—equivalent to approximately $4,375 in today’s U.S. dollars.

Moses erected a large memorial stone at Kilmarnock Cemetery to honor and commemorate his family. The stone reads:

ERECTED BY MOSES WYLLIE

IN MEMORY OF HIS CHILDREN

MAGGIE. WHO DIED 22D DECR 1869. AGED 2 YEARS.

JEANIE. WHO DIED 11TH DEC. 1869 AGED 6 WEEKS.

JANET. WHO DIED 24TH MAY 1876 AGED 2 YEARS & 10 MONTHS.

THE ABOVE MOSES WYLLIE DIED 7TH APRIL 1894, AGED 59 YEARS.

HIS WIFE, HANNAH MCKAY DIED 29TH SEP. 1895, AGED 62 YEARS.

ALSO HIS GRAND CHILD HANNAH MCKAY WYLLIE, DIED 9TH SEP. 1913,
AGED 4 YEARS & 8 MONTHS

There are a few inconsistencies between the dates of death recorded on the memorial and those documented in the official death register. Maggie’s death is noted as December 22 on the memorial, whereas the death register records it as December 10. Similarly, Jeanie’s tombstone lists her date of death as December 11, but the death register states it as December 2. Additionally, his grandchild Hannah, who was the daughter of his son Duncan, is also referenced. You can view the memorial on Moses’ Find A Grave memorial.

References

• Calico; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico.
• Duncan McKie Wyllie, Statutory Registers Births 597/155, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Hammerman, The Trades House of Glasgow; https://www.tradeshouse.org.uk/crafts-hammermen/. 
• Hannah McKay Wyllie, Statutory Registers Births 597/592, National Records of Scotland, 1873.
• Hannah McKay Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/268, National Records of Scotland, 1876.
• Hannah McKay Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/279, National Records of Scotland, 1913.
• Hannah Wyllie, Census 597/15/15, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Hannah Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/454, National Records of Scotland, 1895.
• Janet Dreghorn Wyllie, Statutory Registers Births 597/750, National Records of Scotland, 1869.
• Janet Dreghorn Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/6, National Records of Scotland, 1870.
• Janet Willie, Census 597/26/15, National Records of Scotland, 1841.
• Janet Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/450, National Records of Scotland, 1864.
• Jeanie Buchanan Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/554, National Records of Scotland, 1869.
• Margaret McKay Wyllie, Statutory Registers Births 597/759, National Records of Scotland, 1867.
• Margaret McKay Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/577, National Records of Scotland, 1869.
• Merton Priory, History: Calico Printing; https://www.mertonpriory.org/history/calico-printing/. 
• Moses Wyllie, Calendar of confirmations and inventories granted and given up in the several commissariots of Scotland : Scotland. Probate Records 1896, image 268, FamilySearch.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/15/12, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/15/14, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/18/16, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/18/30, National Records of Scotland, 1851.
• Moses Wyllie, Census 597/20/33, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Moses Wyllie, Old Parish Registers Births 597/Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1834.
• Moses Wyllie, Statutory Registers Deaths 597/168, National Records of Scotland, 1894.
• Moses Wyllie, Statutory Registers Marriages 597/193, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• So Your Ancestor Worked in the Iron Industry?, North Lanarkshire Council; https://www.culturenlmuseums.co.uk/story/so-your-ancestor-worked-in-iron-industry/. 
• Thomas Wyllie, General Register of Poor Belonging to the Parish of Kilmarnock, Poor Law Records 1908–1922, image 65, FamilySearch.
• Thomas Wyllie, Statutory Registers Births 597/866, National Records of Scotland, 1862. 

Robert Wylie

Robert Wylie was born on December 17, 1880, at home on 10 David Street in the District of Camlachie, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His parents, James Wylie and Jane Williams, had been married for 11 years. James Wylie worked as a cabinet maker (journeyman) at the time. The Wylie family had lived at the David Street home since 1874. 

I have been able to document six children born to James and Jane: James Williams Wylie (born in 1871, High Church, Glasgow), Margaret Williams Wylie (born in 1873, Bridgeton, Glasgow), Elizabeth Kirkland Wylie (born in 1874, Bridgeton, Glasgow), Helen Campbell Wylie (born in 1875, Camlachie, Glasgow), Robert Wylie, and Alexander McKenzie Wylie (born in 1879, Camlachie, Glasgow).

Birth registry for Robert

Robert is my husband’s 1st cousin 3x removed. Their nearest common relatives are James Wylie and Margaret Gilchrist, Robert’s grandparents, and my husband’s 3rd great grandparents.

Before Robert’s birth, Elizabeth, Robert’s sister, passed away on November 14, 1874 at the tender age of six weeks. She succumbed to bronchitis at the family home on David Street. Elizabeth was laid to rest in Lair 728 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. In 1875, Robert’s sister Helen was born. Although the family still resided at 10 David Street, the district name shifted from Bridgeton to Camlachie. Tragedy struck once again before Robert’s birth. Alexander, another sibling, was born on March 15, 1879, but his life was cut short just 28 hours later. The cause of Alexander’s death was recorded as “exhaustion from abnormal parturition,” indicating extreme fatigue and weakness during childbirth due to irregular labor patterns. Alexander was laid to rest on March 17 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow.

In 1881, when the census was conducted, the Wylie family still resided at 10 David Street. At that time, Robert was the youngest member of the family, just three months old. His father had taken up work as a chair maker, while his brother James and sisters Margaret and Helen were attending school.

1881 Scotland Census

On June 5, 1889, tragedy struck the Wylie family when Robert’s mother, Jane, passed away suddenly at home on 36 East John Street in Camlachie. Her cause of death was recorded as a cerebral hemorrhage, which had taken place the day before. Two days later, on June 7, Jane was laid to rest in Lair 728 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery. Robert, now motherless, was 8 ½ years of age.

In 1891, when the census was conducted, the Wylie family resided at the East John Street home where Robert’s mother had passed away. Robert’s widowed father continued to work as a chair maker. His sister Margaret, enumerated as Maggie, was employed as a silk weaver, while Helen worked as a warper. A warper was “a textile worker who arranged the individual yarns which created the ‘warp’ of the fabric upon a large cylinder called a beam” according to the World Through the Lens website. Robert, aged 10, was attending school.

1891 Scotland Census

In late 1898/early 1899, Robert worked as a French polisher. In that capacity, he was considered a skilled craftsman who used a specific technique to polish furniture to a mirror-like shine. Around that time, he fell ill with phthisis, also known as pulmonary tuberculosis. After suffering from this disease for five months, Robert, aged 18 and single, passed away on May 9, 1899 at the family home on East John Street in Camlachie. His brother James was with him at the time of his death.

Robert was laid to rest at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow on May 12, 1899, in Lair 728 along with other family members.

Death registry for Eastern Necropolis Cemetery

Lairholders registry for Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Lair 728

References

• Alex Wylie, Daily interment books, July 1878-December 1885, image 137, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJJ-FK46?i=136&cat=1323530 (requires free account).
• Alexander McKenzie Wylie, Statutory registers Births 644/2 326, National Records of Scotland, 1879.
• Alexander McKenzie Wylie, Statutory registers Deaths 644/2 243, National Records of Scotland, 1879.
• Elizabeth K. Wylie, Daily Interment Books, January 1874–June 1878, Cemetery Records for Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, 1861–1995, image 133, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3ZK-1242?i=132&cat=1323530 (free account required).
• Elizabeth Kirkland Wylie, Statutory registers Births 644/3 2574, National Records of Scotland, 1874.
• Elizabeth Kirkland Wylie, Statutory registers Deaths 644/3 2074, National Records of Scotland, 1874.
• Helen Campbell Wylie, Statutory registers Deaths 644/2 1489, National Records of Scotland, 1875.
• James Williams Wylie, Statutory registers Births 644/2 674, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• James Wylie, Census 644/217/14, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Jane Wylie, Statutory registers Deaths 644/2 462, National Records of Scotland, 1889.
• Margaret Williams Wylie, Statutory registers Births 644/3 1889, National Records of Scotland, 1873.
• Mrs. Margaret Wylie, Cert. No. 6899, Lairholders, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland.
• Obscure Old English Census Occupations, World Through the Lens; https://www.worldthroughthelens.com/family-history/old-occupations.php. 
• Robert Wylie, Census 644/223/3, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Robert Wylie, Daily Interment Books, December 1897-August 1912, Cemetery Records for Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, 1861–1995, image 105; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1323530?availability=Family%20History%20Library (requires free account).
• Robert Wylie, Statutory Registers Births 644/230, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Robert Wylie, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/2371, National Records of Scotland, 1899. 

Janet Armour

Through my research on the ScotlandsPeople website, I have been able to document a portion of the life of my husband’s fourth great-grandmother, Janet Armour. I successfully traced her marriage and the births of four of five children. My working hypothesis places her birth on September 27, 1777, in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland—a town located about 25 miles from Glasgow. While I have a clue that her father was John Armour, the identity of her mother remains a mystery.

Janet married Moses Wylie in Kilmarnock after proclamation on December 12, 1796. The only detail I have for Moses is that he spent his entire adult life as a weaver.

During their marriage, Janet and Moses were blessed with at least five children: Moses Wyllie, Thomas Wyllie, James Wyllie, an unknown fourth child, and Margaret Wyllie. The birth registers for all four children clearly indicate the birth order of each child.

Their firstborn, a son named Moses Wyllie, was born in Kilmarnock on November 22, 1798, and received baptism just three days later. Interestingly, their surname was spelled Wyllie (with two ‘l’s) instead of the more common Wylie. 

Their second child, a son named Thomas Wyllie, was born in Kilmarnock on May 19, 1800. 

 

Their third child, a son named James Wyllie, was born in Kilmarnock on August 5, 1802. It is through this lineage that my husband traces his roots.

On August 30, 1808, birth records reveal that Janet welcomed her fifth child in Kilmarnock—a daughter named Margaret Wyllie. Regrettably, no records exist for the fourth child, but it is evident that there is a more substantial age gap between James and Margaret compared to the other children.

Janet’s paper trail ends here, at least within the records accessible to me. When her son James passed away in 1873, his death register revealed that both of his parents were deceased. James was laid to rest at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. Given this connection, and the presence of other Wylie family members buried there, it seems possible that Janet may also rest there. Unfortunately, the Eastern Necropolis Cemetery files are unindexed on familysearch.org, requiring manual searches. Although I did manually search the index for burials dated from the early to mid-1800s, I did not find Janet.

References

• James Wylie, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/8 297, National Records of Scotland, 1873.
• James Wylllie, Old Parish Registers Births 597/Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1802.
• Janet Armour, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, National Records of Scotland, 1564–1950.
• Margaret Gilchrist, Old Parish Registers Marriages 597/100 141 Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1826.
• Margaret Wylie, Old Parish Registers Births 597/Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1808.
• Moses Wylie, Old Parish Registers Marriages 597/60 84 Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1796.
• Moses Wyllie, Old Parish Registers Births 597/Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1798.
• Thomas Wyllie, Old Parish Registers Births 597/ Kilmarnock, National Records of Scotland, 1800. 

Margaret Gilchrist

Margaret Gilchrist, daughter of James Gilchrist and Jean (or Jane) Russell was born September 20, 1801 in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. There were at least five children in this family—Margaret Gilchrist, Elisabeth Gilchrist, Jean Gilchrist, Ann Gilchrist, and Helen Gilchrist. 

Margaret is my husband’s 3rd great grandmother with their nearest common relative being his 2nd great grandmother, Jane Wylie. 

Margaret’s birth record

Margaret’s parents celebrated their first wedding anniversary on January 18, 1802, so she was most likely conceived right after the marriage. The Gilchrist family still lived in Falkirk when Elisabeth was born on December 22, 1802. By the time Margaret’s sister Jean was born on January 11, 1805, the family had moved to Airdrie, New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland and were still living there when Ann was born on April 12, 1807. They had moved once again to Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland by the time Helen was born on April 12, 1809. I am not able to confirm, but it appears the family stayed in Kilmarnock for the next 17 years.

The next chapter of Margaret’s life began in Kilmarnock on October 13, 1826 when she married James Wylie, son of Moses Wylie and Janet Armour, after proclamation.

Margaret and James' marriage record

Six children were born to this union—James Wylie (1829), Jane Wylie (1831), Moses Wylie (1833), Hugh Wylie (1837), William Wylie (1839), and John Wylie (1840).

In 1841, the Wylie family lived on Back Sneddon Street in the parish of Paisley Middle Church, county Renfrewshire, Scotland. James, who was listed on the census page before the rest of the family, worked as a cabinet maker. Their youngest son, John, was six months old.

1841 Scotland census

In 1851, Margaret, James, and sons Hugh and William lived at 2 Garthland Lane in the civil parish of Paisley Abbey Church, county Renfrewshire, Scotland. James worked as a cabinet maker and Hugh (age 16) worked as a weavers assistant.

1851 Scotland census

In 1861, Margaret, James, and William lived at 51 Muirhead Street in the Hutchesontown district, parish of Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland. Both James and William worked as cabinet makers.

1861 Scotland census

In 1871, Margaret and James still lived in the Muirhead Street house. Both were enumerated as 60 years old. James still worked as a cabinet maker. Two rooms in the house had one or more windows.

1871 Scotland census

Margaret became a widow on March 24, 1873 when her husband James died of Bright’s disease/dropsy at age 70. He was buried at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow two days later.

In 1881, at age 79, Margaret lived with her son Hugh and his family at 59 Raeberry Street in the civil parish of Barony, Glasgow, Scotland. Hugh worked as a painter (journeyman). His step-son, Robert Peters, worked as a draper, someone who sold cloth to be used for clothing. A 23-year-old female named Annie Aird lived in the home as a lodger.

1881 Scotland census

Margaret died of cerebral disease/general debility on September 13, 1885 at the City Poorhouse in the district of St. Rollox, Glasgow, Scotland. The death register listed her age as 73, but if you do the math, that was wrong. She was also listed as the pauper widow of James Wylie, cabinet maker/journeyman.

Margaret's death record

Margaret was buried on September 15 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. The burial register listed her as the mother of James Wylie.

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery burial register, Glasgow, Scotland (1 of 2)

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery burial register, Glasgow, Scotland (2 of 2)

References

• Draper, Dictionary of Old Occupations, Family Research; https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-jobs-beginning-D3.html#Draper. 
• Hugh Wilie, Census 573/32/19, National Records of Scotland, 1841.
• James Wilie, Census 573/32/17, National Records of Scotland, 1841.
• James Wylie, Census 644/10 82/16, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• James Wylie, Census 644/10 82/16, page 16 of 21, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Jas. Wylie, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, Daily interment books, 1861–January 1874, p. 824, www.familysearch.org.
• Margaret Gilchrist, Old Parish Registers Births 479/Falkirk, page 257 of 686, National Records of Scotland, 1801.
• Margaret Gilchrist, Old Parish Registers Marriages 597/Kilmarnock, page 141 of 243, National Records of Scotland, 1826.
• Margaret Wylie, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/6 1101, National Records of Scotland, 1885.
• Margaret Wyllie, Census 644/10 97/24, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Margt. Wylie, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, Daily interment books, July 1878–December 1885, p. 922, www.familysearch.org.
• Robert Peters, Census 644/9 66/9, National Records of Scotland, 1881.
• Willm. Wylie, Census 559/11/1, National Records of Scotland, 1851.