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Janet LIDDELL (b c1780)

Janet Liddell is my paternal great-great-great-grandmother.

Sources and Notes:

There was a second daughter born to this couple before the birth of John in 1803. John was reported to be their first son and third child. The child's birth was apparently not recorded in the Old Parish Registers. It does not appear in the list of this couple's children in a search on Scotland's People. I also have no idea how long the child lived, but I would presume the child died near birth since the birth was not recorded in the parish register.

Janet Liddle's birth: Janet Liddle (including variants of Liddle) was an extremely common name in the years between 1770 and 1790. There are pages of birth and baptism entries in FamilySearch. Knowing which, if any, of these records might be the Janet Liddle who married William Little (b c1774) is impossible. I am inclined to favor a record that (1) is within an date range that seems feasible for a spouse of someone born in 1772, (2) is from an area near those places where Janet was known to live in later life, and (3) includes parents with names that would follow the traditional Scottish naming pattern. A traditional naming pattern would suggest that Janet's father was William (second son) and her mother was Janet (first daughter). There is no child Janet that matches this pattern in Scotland's People. There are, however, three candidates with a father named William. All of them are in the vicinity of Barrhead. Two are births in Glasgow (1784), one in Old Kilpatrick (1782). I'm inclined to dismiss the possibility of a 1784 birth for our Janet because she would have been only 16 when daughter Janet was born in 1800. That seems highly unlikely to me. Even 1782 seems late. But that birth to William Liddle and Margaret Tennant is a possibility (OPR reference 1782/Births/501/20/141.) I have simply assigned the birth date as circa 1780.

Janet's marriage to William Little: I have searched Scotland's People for this marriage but been unsuccessful. I have found no record that directly references a date or location for this marriage but the fact of the marriage itself is attested by the 13 Old Parish Registers entries for Little children. The date of circa 1798 is nothing more than a guess based upon the date of daughter Jannet's birth in 1800. The location is likely the location of Jannet's birth in 1800, Mearns (Renfrewshire) Scotland, but I know of no evidence to support this conjecture.

1841 Scotland Census, Littles and Laws in Dovcotehall, Barrhead: Citation: The National Records of Scotland. 1841/Census/572/17/3. Content: The 1841 Scotland Census of Barrhead (Renfrewshire) on 06 Jun 1841 shows residents of Dovecote Hall including (1) Mrs Little, female, age 50, no occupation, born other than in Renfrewshire, (2) Ann Little, female, age 30, a cotton spinner, born in Renfrewshire, (3) Mary Little, female, age 20, a cotton spinner, born in Renfrewshire, (4) Helen Little, female, age 15, a cotton spinner, born in Renfrewshire, (5) Isabel Little, female, age 15, a cotton piecer, born in Renfrewshire, (6) George Little, male, age 20, a blacksmith, born in Renfrewshire, (7) Ann Law, female, age 25, a cotton spinner, born in Renfrewshire, (8) Robert Law, male, age 11, born in Renfrewshire, (9) Willm Law, male, age 2, born in Renfrewshire, (10) Janet Law, female, age 6 months, born in Renfrewshire. Note: A Mrs Little, age 50, born in Scotland but somewhere other than Renfrewshire, appears at line 10 on the census page. Beneath that entry are four female and one male entries with the same surname, Little. They are ?Jean?, age 30, Mary, age 20, Helen, age 15, Isabel, age 15, George, age 20. Next in the entries are Ann Law, age 25, and two male and children and one female child with the surname Law. They are Robert, age 4, and William, age 2, and Janet, age 6 months. I believe Ann Law to be Janet Little's daughter Ann Little(b 1813). With the exception of Ann's children, all of the reported ages appear to be rough, round numbers. All of the Littles (with the exception of Mrs Little are reported to be cotton spinners born in Renfrewshire. Mrs Little's occupation appears to have been rubbed out. I'm inclined to believe this is in fact a remnant of the Little household after husband William's death in 1834. The entry for the age of Mrs Little would appear to be off by approximately 10 years. She should be about 60 years old and not 50, but the enumerator was sloppy enough that he could simply have entered what came to him.

1851 Scotland Census, Household of Janet Little. There is a Janet Little, age 70, living on High Street in Renfrew in 1851 (1851/Census/572/2/8). She is listed as a widow and pauper, born in Renfrew (Renfrewshire). A nephew, John Hudson, age 53, a teacher is living in her household. It is possible that this is our Janet, but I believe the record reports that her husband was a weaver which would definitely rule her out. I'm inclined to think this is some other Janet Little. I see no other likely entries. I would guess that Janet died between 1841 and 1851 but know of no evidence for that.

Janet's death: I have not been able to find any record in Scotland's people that records Janet Little's death. There is almost certainly no Old Parish Register record of her death. If she was alive in 1841, it would be another 14 years before the start of statutory registration in 1855. Daughter Mary Little (b 1819) was married in 1859 to James Thomason (b 1818). The marriage registration (The National Records of Scotland, 1849/Marriages/572/50) states that both of Mary's parents are deceased. This sets an outer boundary on Janet's death. A search of Scotland people using the statutory registers between 1855 and 1859 does not show are record of the death of Janet Little. Again, I fear that the date and place of Janet's death must remain a mystery.

1800 Birth Registration for Jannet Little (b 1800): Citation: The National Records of Scotland, 1800/Births/571/10/54. Content: The record shows that Jannet Little, female, was born on 04 Jul 1800 and baptized on 06 Jun 1800 in Mearns (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Her father was William Little; her mother was Janet Liddle.

1803 Birth Registration for John Little (b 1803): Citation: The National Records of Scotland. Old Parish Registers Births 572/20 239 Neilston, page 239 of 444. Content: 1803. Little. William Little & Janet Liddell oat Craighead had their third child & first son born Decr 13 and baptised 25th named John.

1805 Birth Registration for Margaret Little (b 1805): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo UT, USA; Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1805/Births/572/20/276.) Content: The record shows that Margaret Little, female, was born on 04 Nov 1805 and baptized on 17 Nov 1805 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Her father was William Little; her mother was Janet Liddle.

1807 Birth Registration for Elizabeth Little (b 1807): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1807/Births/572/20/302.) Content: The record shows that Elizabeth Little, female, was born on 29 Jul 1807 and baptized on 16 Aug 1807 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Her father was William Little; her mother was Janet Liddle.

1809 Birth Registration for Agness Little (b 1809): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1809/Births/572/20/327.) Content: The record shows that Agness Little, female, was born on 14 Jul 1809 and baptized on 30 Jul 1809 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little; Mother: Janet Liddel.

1811 Birth Registration for William Little (b 1811): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1811/Births/572/20/346.) Content: The record shows that William Little, male, was born on 29 Mar 1811 and baptized on 21 Apr 1811 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. His father was William Little; his mother was Janet Liddel.

1813 Birth Registration for Ann Little (b 1813): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1813/Births/572/20/367.) Content: The record shows that Ann Little, female, was born on 14 Sep 1813 and baptized on 26 Sep 1813 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother:Janet Liddel.

1815 Birth Registration for George Little (b 1815): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1815/Births/572/20/386.) Content: The record shows that George Little, male, was born on 11 Jun 1815 and baptized on 18 Jun 1815 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother: Janet Liddle.

1817 Birth Reigistration for Charles Little (b 1817): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1817/Births/572/20/414.) Content: The record shows that Charles Little, male, was born on 26 Jun 1817 and baptized on 06 Jul 1817 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother: Janet Liddle.

1819 Birth Registration for Mary Little (b 1819): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1819/Births/572/20/437.) Content: The record shows that Mary Little, female, was born on 27 May 1819 and baptized on 06 Jun 1819 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother: Janet Liddell.

1821 Birth Registration for George Little (b 1821): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1821/Births/572/40/27.) Content: The record shows that George Little, male, was born on 17 Jun 1821 and baptized on 01 Jul 1821 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother: Janet Liddell.

1823 Birth Registration for Helen Little (b 1823): Citation: Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. (The National Records of Scotland, 1823/Births/572/40/71.) Content: The record shows that Helen Little, female, was born on 09 Oct 1823 and baptized on 19 Oct 1823 in Neilston [Parish] (Renfrewshire) Scotland. Father: William Little. Mother: Janet Liddell.

1826 Birth Registration for Isabella Little (b 1826): Citation: The National Records of Scotland, 1826/Births/572/40/177. Content: An 1826 Old Parish Register birth registration in Neilston (Renfrewshire) Scotland reads William Little & Janet Liddell spouses at Barrhead, Smith & of the established church had their 14th child and 9th dau born Oct 21st & baptised Nov 5th named Isabella.