Hi Sylvia

You're right to say that John James son of Wm Callister and Amelia/Emily Crellin is possible - the 1881 IOM census return does list Louisa nee Caine & family living in Poortown next to Wm and his second wife Catherine - but I don't think this John James is our John James. I made the mistake of thinking he was when I first started looking for John's people.

John James Callister son of Wm Callister & Amelia/Emily Crellin was christened 10 Jan 1843 (IGI 448045), three years before our John James was born, and he married Elizabeth Clucas on 5 Jul 1866 (IGI M038151). Our John James married Louisa Jane Caine on 8 Feb 1872 (IGI M038151).

The problem is there's lots of John/John James Callister's, but we're certain that ours was never a tailor. He was a fisherman who later moved to Braddan and worked in the mill at Tromode. He died in Douglas Jan 1922 and is buried at Kirk Braddan.

I was stuck with the two remaining options, but I think you've now successfully eliminated John son of Wm the blacksmith, so that leaves John son of Thomas the joiner... but what happened to Thomas the joiner? John and his sister and brothers are living with their grandmother in 1861, but I can find no record of their parents.

Lawson's micro BMD does list a Thomas Callister, aged 52, buried German 12 Jun 1860, and a Margaret Callister, aged 47, buried German 12 Oct 1863, but is that them?

I can find a Walter Callister, listed as a fisherman 1871, approx right age, and an Esther Callister, listed as a plain (?) sewer 1881, but I can find nothing further for Beecher/Beacher.

What do you think? Do agree/disagree with Thomas & Margaret as John's folks?

Regards

Mark