It is always particulaily difficult to verify, but Anna McCabe has done a lot of work to try and connect daughter Ann and her illigitemate child, Ann, to her family records. She contacted me and we agreed there is strong circumstancial evidence on the father which hopefully can be verified in future. Anna wrote:

My Great Grandmother was called Annie Mutch Johnston, she was born about 1866, I have been unable to locate a birth certificate for her under Ann/Annie Johnston. On the 1901 Census it states that she was born in Foveran. I have located a birth certificate for an Ann Mutch (Illegitimate) born on 2 December 1866, at Mains of Knockhall, Foveran. Her mother is noted as Ann Mutch.

My Great Grandmother was married in Drumlithie in 1897, her marriage certificate shows her name as Annie Mutch Johnstone and that her father was Charles Johnston (Blacksmith) and Ann Mutch - both deceased.

On the 1871 Census I found an Ann Johnston born in Foveran living with a Robert/Sophia Johnston in Ellon, the Census record states that she is their ‘adopted daughter’, she is also living with them on the 1881 Census - noted as their niece. I have still to try and find her on the 1891 census. I managed to trace Robert Johnston’s parents using his death certificate, trawling through the records I found that he had a brother Charles Johnston a blacksmith who passed away in 1868 in Mintlaw.

If I am correct my Great Grans’s mother Ann Mutch passed away in 14 January1889 at Newburgh, Foveran, her death certificate notes her as single aged 38, this would have made her approx 15 when her daughter was born, this would have mean’t that both her parents were dead when my Great Gran was married.

My Great Grandmother passed away 22 January 1941 at Aberdeen Scool(hill) Hospital, Aberdeen. Her home address was Tarbothill, Old Machar, Aberdeen, her mother is noted as Ann Mutch, no father is on the certificate.

If I am right then Ann Mutch born in 1850 would only have been about 16 when her daughter was born,the death of her father in 1867 might be the reason why her daughter went to live with her father’s family - this of course is only guess work, it could also be the reason she became known as Ann Mutch Johnston the name she had on her marriage certificate. My Grandfathers middle name was Johnston.

Good work Anna