Can't find birth place in Scotland or fathers real name

[Michelle Andersen]

Hi,
Some of you have been incredibly helpful in finding information about my ancestors that I couldn't and I need you again.
I was looking for my great-grandmother (Ann MacPherson born circa 1838/39/40 in Scotland) and found her, but could not find her further back than 1865 when she married Charles Jones and they had 4 children in Birmingham.
Then some of you found her as Ann Mason, so it turned out that she was actually married before to an Alfred Mason in 1860 in Birmingham and they apparently got a daughter in 1861 and Alfred dies soon after. But I can't find her between 1861 and 1865?
I have both marriage certificates, but my big problem is that her father is mentioned as John MacPherson on the marriage certificate between Ann and Alfred and on the certificate between Charles and Ann his name is James MacPherson. On both marriage certificates he is a tailor so it must be the same person/father. Now I've been looking for a James and John and used keywords: tailor, but no luck.
Ann is only mentioned as born in Scotland, no town mentioned, unfortunately.
Ann is married both times in Birmingham and is also buried there, so I have also been looking for her as born in Birmingham but without luck.
Maybe someone can help me or give me advice on how to search for her father to find the city in Scotland and to find more ancestors, when I unfortunately have two different first names on Ann's father?

 

[emeltee]

Census 1851
HO107/2053/F366/p47
Bradford Street, St Martins, Birmingham

Alexander McPherson 43 Master Tailor Scotland
Phoebe Ann McPherson wife 44 Lichfield, Staffs
Ann McPherson niece 14 House Servant Scotland

Could this be her?

Emeltee

 

[Michelle Andersen]

Hmm, honestly I don’t know if she could be the niece? The father must have the name John or James because that the names on the two marriage attest I have.
Maybe I’ll should let it go there are so many loose ends and blind ends when I’m researching her.
How is it even possible to spell the name so wrong, James and John🤨

 

[emeltee]

It was the fact that Alexander McPherson was also a Tailor which caught my eye.

Emeltee

 

[Michelle Andersen]

It was the fact that Alexander McPherson was also a Tailor which caught my eye.

Emeltee

Yes of cause, I'll look it up, thank you

 

[DaveHam9]

Difficult with no place in Scotland. There would be many Alexander McPhersons with a brother James and/or John.

 

[Michelle Andersen]

Difficult with no place in Scotland. There would be many Alexander McPhersons with a brother James and/or John.

Yes, unfortunately. And even though I have booked a trip to Edinburgh to research my ancestors, I think maybe it’s time to let it go and say this is the end I’m really sad about that. Because I felt that I was almost there. And when I’m going to Scotland I could see some of the places thar my ancestors have lived.
I regret that I didn’t listen more to my grandma’s stories she even told me that Ann MacPherson was born in Edinburgh and mayby on the castle. But I can’t find anything about that story so maybe it was just a story.

 

[horse]

so it turned out that she was actually married before to an Alfred Mason in 1860 in Birmingham and they apparently got a daughter in 1861 and Alfred dies soon after. But I can't find her between 1861 and 1865?

If you haven't got the 1861 census and the daughter's reg details these are worth considering!

1861
RD: Birmingham
Ref: Piece: 2139; Folio: 25; Page: 45
Add: ?? then Blucher St
Alfred Mason 21 [b. Birmingham. Gun sight filer]
Ann Mason 22
Emily Mason 2/12
Elizabeth Pitchford 21

Interesting that Alfred says he is a shoe maker on the church marriage record. Also worth noting his father is a gun smith.

GRO
MASON, EMILY MACPHERSON [mmn]
1861 Q1 BIRMINGHAM
Volume 06D, Page 62

Also worth a ponder if not seen..

MASON, MARY ANN
MCPHERSON [mmn]
1863 Q3 BIRMINGHAM
Volume 06D, Page 132

Geoff

 

[Ellie7]

Who witnessed her first marriage? She never went down alone

 

[Michelle Andersen]

If you haven't got the 1861 census and the daughter's reg details these are worth considering!

1861
RD: Birmingham
Ref: Piece: 2139; Folio: 25; Page: 45
Add: ?? then Blucher St
Alfred Mason 21 [b. Birmingham. Gun sight filer]
Ann Mason 22
Emily Mason 2/12
Elizabeth Pitchford 21

Interesting that Alfred says he is a shoe maker on the church marriage record. Also worth noting his father is a gun smith.

GRO
MASON, EMILY MACPHERSON [mmn]
1861 Q1 BIRMINGHAM
Volume 06D, Page 62

Also worth a ponder if not seen..

MASON, MARY ANN
MCPHERSON [mmn]
1863 Q3 BIRMINGHAM
Volume 06D, Page 132

Geoff

Thank you the first two ones I have found, but that last one I didn't, so thats worth looking up, maybe she did have a more names and not only Ann. But how do i connect Mary Ann McPherson too Alfred who i died and her daughter Emily?
I have found a tailor in Inverness, John Macpherson, and his family thats include An Ann MacPherson, but I can't know for sure if it's them... hmmm.
My small experience are telling me that people sometimes changes jobs so I can not be sure of that, like here.
Why is the job so interesting and worth looking up, sorry for asking, i'm still new at all this, can see that Alfred made a change from gun smith filer to shoe maker. Is that normal?

 

[Michelle Andersen]

Who witnessed her first marriage? She never went down alone

It is difficult for me to see, but at small guess is that one is a H. Kirk and the other is a E. Green but it is a small guess

 

[horse]

Why is the job so interesting and worth looking up, sorry for asking, i'm still new at all this, can see that Alfred made a change from gun smith filer to shoe maker. Is that normal?

Occupations are often very useful when following someone, say, from census to census or other record.

In Alfred's case, the fact that he says he was a gun sight filer is not necessarily an issue because his father was a gun smith, so likely to be the correct Alfred if he was found elsewhere carrying out either trade. If his father wasn't a gun smith there may be issues?

Geoff

 

[Michelle Andersen]

Occupations are often very useful when following someone, say, from census to census or other record.

In Alfred's case, the fact that he says he was a gun sight filer is not necessarily an issue because his father was a gun smith, so likely to be the correct Alfred if he was found elsewhere carrying out either trade. If his father wasn't a gun smith there may be issues?

Geoff

Okay I understand, thank you.