William BOYD - have I found his father?

[VictoriaB]

I have one William BOYD, (b. Dec 1875, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire) and like many other Boyd family researchers before me, I'm trying to establish his paternal ancestry (William was illegitimate).

I feel a little confident that I may have found his father, but would like to hear some opinions on how likely this is.

His mother Rachel BOYD (b.1859, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire) emigrated to NZ, departing Glasgow 12 Sep 1878. She left William in the care of her parents (although her father died during her voyage). Her parents were already raising William, as Rachel continued to work in Glasgow after his birth. William came to NZ in 1883 with his grandmother.

In 1871, the closest census to William's birth in 1875, Rachel was boarding at 258 Bath Street, in the reg district of Blythswood and civil parish of Glasgow Barony.

The father was one Robert MUIR. This is where it gets tricky, as I have 3 different family stories.
1) William BOYD's son said he was told that Robert MUIR was a rope-maker.
2) Another cousin (a grandchild of William's) seems to recall being told he was a gardener at the place where Rachel worked.
3) On William BOYD's marriage certificate in 1905, it records his father as Robert MUIR, farmer (which could be a generic occupation that was recorded perhaps?).

So I tried to find a likely candidate for a Robert MUIR living close to where Rachel was in 1871, as a starting point (realising that after 4 years, both Rachel and Robert were likely to have moved but hoping to at least put them in the vicinity). I also looked at Robert MUIR's with the above occupations, and did actually find a rope-maker. I looked at all the Robert MUIRs.

Possibilities:

1) Robert MUIR (parents James MUIR and Jane BAIRD- both of Ireland) - noteworthy, as was living close to Rachel BOYD before William BOYD was born, and is a rope-maker)

1856: Probably living at Caledonian Inn or Farm, Mill Pt or Pl, 9th Road, Greenock (where father James Muir died).
1861: Living at 2 Marshall St, in the civil parish of Glasgow St John, in the registration district of Calton. With stepfather Robert Bryce, mother Jane, and siblings Agnes Muir, Eliza Muir, James Bryce. Occupation, ropemaker.
1871: Living at 18 Millroad St, in the civil parish of Glasgow Calton, in the registration district of Calton. With mother Jane Bryce and siblings Elizabeth Muir, Agnes Muir and James Bryce. Occupation, rope spinner. [N.B. 18 Millroad St, is 2.2m from 258 Bath Street, where Rachel Boyd was living in 1871. This at least puts them in the same area 4 years before William BOYD was born].
1881: Living at 1 Spring Terrace, Southcoates, Yorkshire, occupation rope-maker. Living with Mary Ann Forman (widow) and her daughter Mary Ann. (Robert's birth, c1855, Glasgow, Scotland).
1882: Married Mary SMITH in Hull, Yorkshire (marriage cert on file)
1891: Living at Pier House, Pier Road, Milford, Haverfordwest, with wife Mary (c.1861, Chipstead, Surrey). Occupation, manager rope boy. Etc (I have other details to his death in in 1921).

2) Robert Muir (upholsterer, lived at 258 Bath Street, parents James and Margaret Muir) - noteworthy as he was living at the exact address as Rachel Boyd 20 years after she was - quite a coincidence, but may be just that. Unsure if he was living there previous.

1851: Living with parents at 93 Waterloo St, Barony, Lanark.
1861: Living at 61 Mains Street, Blythswood, Glasgow Barony, with parents.
1871: Unable to locate for certain (and not living at 258 Bath Street when Rachel Boyd was). Parents living at 379 St Vincent Street, Glasgow Barony. No sign of Robert.
1881: unable to locate for certain (and not living at 258 Bath Street). Parents James and Margaret living at 379 St Vincent Street with other children.
1886: Father James Muir (death): cabinet maker and upholsterer master, married to Margaret (Fulton?), son of Robert Muir (joiner master) and Mary Muir (Blackhood deceased), registered by son Robert Muir, present.
1891: Living with sisters Jessie A and Eliza A at 258 Bath Street, Glasgow Barony. Occupation, upholsterer.
1901: Living with mother Margaret (c1825 Saltcoats, Ayrshire, and sisters Jessie A and Eliza A at 258 Bath Street, Glasgow Barony. Occupation, upholsterer.


There are no records of Robert Muir in relation to the Boyd family found in:
- Poor Applications (held at Glasgow archives)
- General Register of Poor and Children's Register for Cambuslang (searched under Margaret Boyd, Stephenson Boyd, Rachel Boyd or William Boyd). (held at Glasgow archives)
- Admission Register for Cambuslang Public School (for William Boyd) (held at Glasgow archives)
- Kirk Session Minutes for Cambuslang for 1875-1883 inclusive (held at Edinburgh archives).

SO the million dollar question is....
Am I searching for a needle in a haystack, or do you think I've found him? I think he's the rope-maker but the other fella has thrown me a bit.

Would you print this onto a family tree chart? Or will I never really know for sure?
THANKS!

[Megan Roberts]

Like all of us who would love to know who the father was of ancestor xyz we can speculate, hypothosise, but without absolute concrete proof, it will always be conjecture and a good family tale to pass on, but nothing more.

[kermie62]

Why not putting him in the family tree, I would make sure that you dont lose the research above. Each bit of information is a bit further along the road to an answer. Also I would be worthwhile researching this potential father forward and seeing if you can find a direct male descendant and undertake a DNA check if you have any direct male descendants

[VictoriaB]

I suppose it is pinning somewhat on the accuracy of the family story - is our Robert MUIR a rope-maker or not? It's not a common occupation. In fact from memory (and it has been a few years since I've done this) I only found 3 Muir's who were rope-makers or spinners on the census (can't remember if it was 1871or 1881 - and I no longer have access). So to have found one with the first name Robert, and who was living in the area a few years before William's birth - well, I suppose it could be a coincidence.

I'm about to print a family tree poster for William BOYD's grandson - and I simply can't decide whether I include the rope-maker Robert MUIR's ancestry or not. I'm leaning towards yes, but doing a different colour for this line.