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Thank you for your help as I sort out my ancestors here. I am trying to clarify the family of Alexander Anderson, Born 1806, Fife Scotland.
I know he was a weaver. He married Anne Leighton on 16 October 1829 and had 2 children (Henry and Alexander). I think I have found the census data for him 1841, 51, 61 below, but I am struggling to find his birth and death details. I also am thinking he had more than 1 wife, maybe 3.
Many thanks for any ideas.

1841 CENSUS

Name: Alexander Anderson
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1805
Gender: Male
Where born: Fife, Scotland
Civil Parish: Dysart
County: Fife
Address: Mid Street
Occupation: Weaver
Parish Number: 426
Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Anderson 65
Alexander Anderson 36
Henry Anderson 11
Alexr Anderson 9

1851 CENSUS
Name: Alexander Anderson
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1806
Relationship: Head
Spouse: Helen Anderson
Gender: Male
Where born: Dysart, fife
Parish Number: 426
Civil Parish: Dysart
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
County: Fife
Address: South Street
Occupation: Hand Loom Weaver Linen
ED: 4
Page: 27
Household schedule number: 118
LINE: 16
Roll: CSSCT1851_88
Household Members:
Name Age
Alexander Anderson 45
Helen Anderson 34
Henry Anderson 21
James Anderson 4
John Anderson 1

1861 CENSUS
Name: Alexr Anderson
Age: 55
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1806
Relationship: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Dysart, fifeshire
Registration Number: 442
Registration district: Kirkcaldy
Civil Parish: Abbotshall
Town: Linktown
County: Fife
Address: Alexr Anderson Mckinleys Close
Occupation: Linen Weaver
ED: 23
Household schedule number: 20
LINE: 17
Roll: CSSCT1861_58
Household Members:
Name Age
Alexr Anderson 55
Helen Cowan 45
Leighton Anderson 9
Walter Anderson 5

So at a guess, in 1841 he was widowed and living with his father and two children. By 1851 he had remarried and started a second family. (wife Helen Cowan).

Sorry, got called away from computer.
Yes I think you are right. I had a Helen Thompson in the mix there too, but I think that might be a mistake on my part.

Now to find him in 1871 and his death . . .

Tania have you looked for marriages for his sons please? Their marriage certificates should name their Mum and should also state if their father was deceased.

Thats a good idea. One of the sons (Alexander) is a real mystery to me, as he had a name change the reason for which I cannot fathom. I will see how I go with the other son.

Son Leighton was married before 1881, so look on Scotlandspeople for his marriage to see if he states his father is deceased.

1881

Name: Leighton Anderson
Age: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1852
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Isabella Anderson
Gender: Male
Where born: Dysart, Fifeshire
Registration Number: 442
Registration district: Kirkcaldy
Civil Parish: Abbotshall
Town: Kirkcaldy
County: Fife
Address: 109 Links St
Occupation: Potter
ED: 29
Household schedule number: 101
LINE: 8
Roll: cssct1881_122
Household Members:
Name Age
Leighton Anderson 29
Isabella Anderson 32
John Anderson 7
Isabella Anderson 3
Helen Anderson 1

The 2 sons were Henry Anderson (b 1830) and Alexander Anderson (b 1831) , later name changed to Alexander Anderson Skene. I think I have already had a thread related to this chap.
Thanks

By 1891 Leighton is living in Glasgow with a different wife and none of his children?

Name: Leighton Anderson
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Mary Anderson
Gender: Male
Where born: Tayport, Fifeshire
Registration Number: 644/6
Registration district: St Rollox
Civil Parish: Glasgow Barony
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 105 Kennedy St
Occupation: Pottery Work Moulder
ED: 39
Household schedule number: 96
LINE: 2
Roll: CSSCT1891_264
Household Members:
Name Age
Leighton Anderson 40
Mary Anderson 66

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1347998

Thanks for the link Gins.

Tania, if your Alexander b. 1806 was a seaman, why are we now looking at the Alexander who was a weaver please?

Thanks for your interest Gins.
To give you a bit of background on my challenge, my direct ancester is Alexander Skene Anderson, also known as Alexander Anderson Skene (1831-1914) married to Christina Paton (1831-1900). Born Fife, Scotland died Indiana USA.
Until recently our family believed we were descended from the Skene family. However, having failed to find any trace going back beyond Alexander Anderson Skene, I am pretty convinced Alexander Anderson is the next generation back.
However, there are so many Andersons from Dysart that I needed to try and separate them, thus my attempt to clarify the sea faring family.
I still can't find why the name SKENE got added into the mix though, so I am trying to spread my net fairly widely in the hope that the name pops up.

Here is the link;

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1288511

Do you know the names of your Alexander's parents please? I would say if he was Alexander Anderson Skene or Alexander Skene Anderson, the chances are his parents never married but he was aware of his father. Another option is that Anderson or Skene was a stepfather's surname?

Is this your Alexander please?

1861

Name: Alexander Skene
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Christina Skene
Gender: Male
Where born: Dysart, fifeshire
Registration Number: 405
Registration district: Auchterderran
Civil Parish: Auchterderran
County: Fife
Address: Brewery
Occupation: Coal Miner
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 134
LINE: 13
Roll: CSSCT1861_53
Household Members:
Name Age
Alexander Skene 30
Christina Skene 31
Alexander Skene 11
James Skene 9
David Skene 7
John Skene 4
Ann Fisher 9 Mo niece

No mention of Skene here:

Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910
Name: Alexander Anderson
Spouse's Name: Christian Paton
Event Date: 12 Dec 1851
Event Place: Auchterderran,Fife,Scotland

Pity it's before 1855.

No, but I have enough other documents which make it pretty certain (of course, I might be on the wrong track completely.