5th Great Grandmother

9th Generation

Born - 8 February 1788 - Tranent, Scotland
Died - 27 December 1862 - Tranent, Scotland

Ann was born in 1788 to John Young and Janet Murdoch in Tranent. She married John Neil/McNeil in 1808 when she was 20 years old, their banns were read in Tranent although they were married in Canongate Edinburgh, Ann may have worked in Edinburgh at this time as a Domestic Servant like many young women of this time which would make give Edinburgh as her residence. Their first son was born exactly 9 months later.

Ann is recorded as living in Torphichen, Linlithgowshire in the 1841 census with her husband. She is a widow by the 1851 census. In 1851 Ann is living wither her daughter Margaret and 2 grandchildren. Many of her children had moved to Carriden, more than likely this would have been for work so it made sense for Ann to nearby as she got older.

In 1861 Ann was living on her own, she had stayed it Carriden so although she lived alone many of her family was close by. Some of her children emigrated to America to look for a better life but not everyone was so lucky, her daughter Margaret who she had previously lived with was living in the locald poorhouse in 1861.

Ann died the following year at 77 years old, what is interesting is that she died in Tranent. Poor laws stated that it was the county that you were born in that you returned to if you needed support from the parish. Ann must have returned when it got too much for her family to look after her. Her son David who was living in Bo’ness at the time signed the death certificate showing that her family hadn’t left her, they just couldn’t support her.

Husband – John Niel

Son – Archibald Neill