Re: info. posted:

I'm not 100% convinced Jane Bridson was my 3rd great-grandfather's mother. John filled in and signed the 1911 IOM census return himself, and he clearly states his age as 64 and Louisa's as 56, both of which are correct re: John's age at death, 75, and Louisa's christening and death records, b.1854/d.1929. John was born in the latter half of 1846, and Louisa the earlier half of 1854. The John Callister who was the son of William Callister and Jane Bridson was christened six plus months before John was born:- Jane Bridson b. bef 23 Jun 1817 dau of Joshua Bridson & Jane Kelly, Santon. William Callister m. Jane Bridson 27 May 1843, Braddan. John Callister b. bef 21 Dec 1845 son of William Callister & Jane Bridson. Jane Callister/Collister nee Bridson d. Nov 1847, bu. 8 Nov 1847, Braddan.

I agree with Frances that John might have belived he was born in German even though he was born in Braddan, re: the early age he moved there, but I am not convinced the Margaret on the 1851 census return is Margaret Hampton. I can only find the following Margaret Hampton who fits the dates:- Margaret Hampton b. bef 30 Jun 1816 dau of John Hampton & Margaret Faragher, Lonan. Margaret Hampton m. James Cowin 20 Nov 1841, Lonan. James Cowin b. bef 12 Apr 1812, Lonan, d. May 1876, bu. 4 May 1876, Braddan. Margaret Cowin d. Oct 1886, bu. 11 Oct 1886, Lonan. How can she also be the following:- William Callister m. Margaret Hampton Nov 1848, Santon. Margaret Callister/Collister nee Hampton d. Oct 1863, bu. 12 Oct 1863, age 47. Are there two Margaret Hampton's? And if so, what records exist for the 2nd Margaret?

I think the 1871 IOM census return for William Callister (head), Ellen Callister (wife), Margaret Cooper (adopted daughter), Hannah C (Christian) French (adopted daughter) is definitely on the right track, all of the relevant information fits. But there's a mystery here I admit I've failed to resolve. Eleanor French b. 23 Nov 1828, Rushen, is the daughter of Alexander French & Margaret Maddrell. She married Alexander Cooper on 31 May 1856 in Braddan, where Alexander Cooper, b. abt 1829 in Scotland, died Apr 1865 in Braddan. Margaret Cooper is one of Alexander Cooper and Eleanor French's children, and Hannah Christian French is the daughter of Alexander French and Anne Daly, Eleanor's deceased brother and sister-in-law. Okay so far, but, the problem is... William Callister married Eleanor French on the 3 Oct 1859 in Braddan, and worse... Eleanor French was also/already called Eleanor Collister when she married Alexander Cooper. Confused? I know I am. There has to be a rational explanation of course, but at the moment I haven't unravelled it.

There's a picture of John James and Louisa on my Rootsweb site, you can google dycher yewdall to see it. We think the picture was taken after my great-grandparents wedding in the summer of 1921, hence the gathering of Callister and Todd families, and the reason why my great-grandmother kept the picture. The Yewdalls not in the picture are noted by their absence. It seems Eleanor Creer/Yewdall disapproved of her son David marrying her 1st cousin Louisa Caine/Callister's granddaughter. Tut, tut... but it's the human details that make genealogy all the more interesting.

Many thanks to those who posted.

Mark