In a previous chapter, I referred to this next child of Moses and Jane as Ellen (Elizabeth) Wellwood, because the first place I located her was on her marriage certificate to her second husband, where she gave her name as Ellen.  It soon became clear, though, that her real name was Elizabeth, not Ellen, and so from here on I’ll refer to her as Elizabeth (Ellen) instead of the other way around.  I also believe this must be the Betsy listed in Annie (Dougan) Brady’s journal as also explained in an earlier chapter.  So I won’t repeat any of those details here either (as they can easily be found in a site search) but will go on from there.

Elizabeth married her first husband Andrew Armstrong in either Ireland – likely somewhere in the Belfast area where she was born (according to her second marriage record) or in the Glasgow area of Scotland.  I have been unable to locate a marriage record in either location.  In the 1841 census, Elizabeth (Ellen) is 18 (which is incorrect, she would actually have been about 25 or 26 – see an earlier post) and her husband’s age is transcribed as 26.  Looking at the original, however, it appears his age was first written as 25 and then changed to 20, as the ages that year were rounded down.  It is easy to see how it could have been mis-transcribed as 26, but is evident from the original that he was between 20 and 25 years old in 1841.  Her marriage to Francis Dickson in 1855 states she had seven children, only 3 of which were still then living.  In the 1851 census, Elizabeth (Ellen) and her first husband Andrew are both listed as 38 and two daughters, Margaret age 2, and Elizabeth age 4, are living with them.  In the 1861 census, Elizabeth (Ellen) and her second husband are both listed as 44.  With them are several others, most with the last name Dickson – although the Margaret Dickson age 12 has to be Margaret Armstrong from Elizabeth (Ellen)’s first marriage.  The Francis Dickson age 4 is a child of her second marriage, having been born on June 4, 1857 in Bridgton, Glasgow.  That leaves Joseph, age 18 and Rebecca, age 13.  Finding Francis in the 1851 census proved to be a challenge.  I finally located him written up as Francis Dixson.  Of the five children he and his first wife Isabella had, 4 are living in 1851 (only 3 were listed as still living at the time of his second marriage to Elizabeth (Ellen) in 1855.  Those four children of Francis and Isabella are: Catherine age 10, Joseph age 8, Rebecca age 4, and Agnes age 17 months.  As Agnes does not appear in the 1861 census, she may have been the other Dickson child who died prior to Francis and Elizabeth (Ellen)’s marriage in 1855.  Catherine was born in Ireland, but the other 3 Dickson children were born in Glasgow.  So, the Joseph and Rebecca with Elizabeth (Ellen) and Francis in the 1861 census were indeed his children from his first marriage.  That leaves Elizabeth (Ellen)’s other five children.  Searching the Glasgow records of birth I was able to locate a Jane Armstrong, born on Jan. 13, 1845 whose parents were Andrew and Elizabeth Wellward (close enough).  She must have died prior to the 1851 census, but I could find no record.  I could also find no record of Elizabeth’s or Margaret’s birth even though their ages and places of birth are in the census records.  There may have been an older Armstong child who was still alive but not living at home, as there were supposedly 3 living in 1855, unless Jane was still alive and living elsewhere, in which case there were 4 others instead of three.  I can find no death records for any of Elizabeth (Ellen)’s other children – it’s likely they died in infancy in Ireland or Glasgow, though I could find no records for them – birth or death – in Glasgow.  I did find an Elisabeth Armstrong, daughter of Andrew, who died at age 3 years and 6 months on March 27, 1845 in Glasgow who might have been one of the children – Elizabeth, born the following year or so might have been named for her (often names were reused for subsequent children if the earlier child died).  I also found a Hugh who died in Glasgow in 1847 at one year old – but he would likely have had to be a twin to the second Elizabeth and there is no record of her birth.  There was also a Sarah Armstrong who died in late summer 1847 at 21 days old, but the only parent is listed simply as Mrs. Armstrong.  There is really no way to tell who the other four children of Elizabeth (Ellen) were (out of the seven born prior to her second marriage) – I can be certain only of Jane, Elizabeth, and Margaret, with the strong possibility of the earlier Elisabeth who died before Elizabeth was born.  I have very little information on Elizabeth, not much more on Margaret, and nothing further on Jane.  Elizabeth had a daughter named Margaret in Bridgeton on July 18, 1869 – her step-father Francis signed for the birth and Elizabeth was unmarried.  Little Margaret died on Feb. 19, 1872 in Bridgeton.  Elizabeth died on April 18, 1876 in Bridgeton having never married.  Elizabeth’s sister Margaret assumed her stepfather’s last name, and as Margaret Dickson she married Charles Hutcheson on Oct. 18, 1872 in High Church, Glasgow.  She died of childbed fever in Camlachie on Nov. 5, 1876 two days after having given birth to her daughter Margaret Dickson Hutcheson on Nov. 3, 1876.  They also had a previous child, a son named John DeLancy Hutcheson, born in Camlachie on Jan. 13, 1875 but who also died there on May 22, 1877.  Margaret Dickson Hutcheson married Francis Mellon on July 14, 1902 in St. Rollox, Glasgow.  I have no record of children she may have had with her husband.

Of the children Francis had with his first wife Isabella, I have located marriage records for both Joseph and Rebecca that give their mother’s maiden name as Dunlop.  I assume little Agnes died prior to the 1861 census, and I can find no record of Catherine after the 1851 census, neither marriage nor death.  I can also find no record of the name or date of birth or death of the fifth child of Francis and Isabella, though I suspect the birth was in Glasgow around 1845-6.  Joseph married and had at least 6 children, Rebecca married and had at least one child before she died at the age of 24 on March 4, 1883 in Bridgeton.

Elizabeth (Ellen) and Francis had only the one child together, as far as I can tell.  She would have been in her early 40’s when Francis Wellwood Dickson was born (hereafter referred to as Francis, Jr. even though he and his father do not share the same middle name – it’s just easier to keep all the Francis’ straight this way!).  Francis, Jr.’s birth record was signed by Matthew Wellwood, listed as his uncle!!!  This is the closest thing to proof that I have that Matthew was also a child of Moses and Jane, and was a sibling to Elizabeth (Ellen) and the others who came to Glasgow from Belfast, which would indeed have made him little Francis’ uncle.  Francis, Jr. married Ann McNeil on Dec. 31, 1878 in Gorbals.  Their only child was named Elizabeth and she was born in Blackfriars on July 11, 1879.  She died in Calton just prior to her first birthday, on June 30, 1879.  Ann, who had been born about 1860, died on June 21, 1882 in Blackfriars.  Francis, Jr. then married Isabella Dias on June 5, 1885 in Calton.  Isabella had been born in Calton on Aug. 23, 1864. Francis, Jr. and Isabella had 10 children together: Elizabeth, named for her paternal grandmother, was born in Calton on March 21, 1886; Margaret Stewart Dickson, born Oct. 24, 1887 in Calton; Isobel (or Isabella), born June 28, 1889 in Renfrew and died May 25, 1891 in Govan; Francis Maxwell Dickson, born March 22, 1891 in Govan; Joseph Dias Dickson, born Apr. 25, 1892 in Govan; Andrew Dias Dickson, born April 8, 1894 in Govan; Alexander Dickson, born Nov. 13, 1896 in Govan; William Buchanon Dickson, born Sept. 18, 1898 in Govan; James Leitch Dickson, born Jan. 20, 1900 in Govan; and Thomas Dickson, born June 16, 1902, also in Govan.  I have no further information for either the firstborn Elizabeth or for Joseph Dias Dickson, neither marriage nor death.

Margaret Stewart Dickson travelled to Toronto, Canada on board the CASSANDRA out of Glasgow, arriving on Feb 6, 1912 in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.  On Feb. 5, 1914 Margaret married Frank Wilson Murchie in Toronto.  They had at least two children: Isabella Dias Murchie was born in Toronto on July 11, 1914 and a brother born in 1919 whose name I will withhold.  Isabella married and had at least two children, and died in Arizona on July 30, 2008.  Margaret died in Florida on Sept. 11, 1981.

Francis Maxwell Dickson married on Nov. 3, 1916 to Elizabeth Dawson Snaddon (or Sneddon) in Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland.  They had at least one son, Francis Wellwood Dickson born in 1920 who died on Apr. 10, 1925 in Anderston, Glasgow.  Francis Maxwell Dickson died in Alloa on Dec. 8, 1950.  I have no date of death for his wife Elizabeth.

Andrew Dias Dickson married Jessie Williamson Brocas in Calton on Apr. 18, 1919 and they had at least 2 children.  Andrew died on May 9, 1960 in Edinburgh – his son Joseph signed his death record.  I have no further information on his wife.

Alexander married Agnes Kyle Lithgow in Rutherglen, Lanark on June 6, 1919.   It states on his marriage record that his father is deceased, and it appears as if his mother Isabel(la) remarried a man whose last name was Kemp.  I have no record of children for Alexander.  Alexander died in St. Andrews, Edinburg on Nov. 18, 1949 – his brother Thomas signed his death record – and his wife Agnes died in 1963, also in St. Andrews.

William Buchanon Dickson married twice – first to Jane Jamieson McDickon on Sept. 18, 1925 in New Cumnock, Ayreshire and second to Mary Cathleen Harper in St. Giles, Edinburgh in 1936.  I have no record of either wife’s death, or of children from either marriage.  William died in Leith, Midlothian in 1966.

James Leitch Dickson never married.  At the time of his death on July 6, 1924 in Govan, his parents were both listed as deceased, which was not true.  On his brother Alexander’s marriage in 1919, their father is listed as deceased, but their mother was still living.  The informant of James’ death was Audrey Dalrymple, listed as the occupier of 1301 Govan Rd. in Glasgow.  As far as I know, James had no children.

I have no record of marriage, children, or death for Thomas – I only know he must have died after 1949 (when he signed Alexander’s death record), most likely in the Edinburgh area.

Francis, Jr’s wife Isabella died in Govan on Dec. 26, 1952, but I have no record of Francis Wellwood Dickson’s death.  I know only that he died before the end of 1906, as at Alexander’s first marriage his father is listed as deceased, and his mother has remarried.  He may possibly be the Robert Francis Dickson who died in Edinburgh on Feb. 18, 1906 – he had children living in the area, so may have been visiting there – but given the sparse information (age around 50, no parents listed) it is impossible to be certain.  A search of the records locates Isabella’s remarriage on Dec. 31, 1906 to Thomas Kemp in Blythswood, Glasgow.  Isabella’s death record makes no mention of her second husband, but her address is listed as 1301 Govan Rd., Glasgow – the same address where James was living when he died, even though James’ death record at that time listed his mother as deceased!  Thomas Kemp died in Govanhill, Lanark on March 8, 1915.

Elizabeth (Ellen) died in the Barnhill Poorhouse on Aug. 6, 1888 of uterine cancer.  Her husband Francis put her there as he was unable to both care for her and work and she was unable to care for herself.  Elizabeth (Ellen)’s death record has caused no end of problems – her name is given as Isabella, who was Francis’ first wife. (Elizabeth (Ellen) also had a sister Isabella, who some have confused with Elizabeth (Ellen) and list as being married to Francis Dickson.  I can assure them my great-great-grandmother Isabella Wellwood was NEVER married to Francis Dickson!).  Her first husband is given as Hugh Armstrong, when it was Andrew Armstrong.  And her mother’s name is given as Elizabeth McDowell when it was Jane McDowall.  Francis signed his mark on the death record, indicating that he was likely also illiterate, and unable to read the errors in the record before he signed it.  He died in Govan on June 13, 1893.

© Deborah Ray and archivecookie.com, 2011.