• Born: 5 March 1814, Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland ⁴
• Christened: 6 March 1814, Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland ⁴
• Marriage (1): John PORTER on 2 December 1837 in Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland ¹
• Died: 24 October 1882, New Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland at age 68 ⁵

   Cause of her death was Bronchitis with Debility, Years, As cert. by Will'm Hewitt M.B..⁵

   Another name for Margaret was Margaret KIRKLAND.^{2 6}

  General Notes

Problems regarding Margaret's parentage: 

Margaret Kirkland was born in Stewarton, according to all the census enumerations.  However, she married before the 1841 census, so she can't be found in a census with her parents.  According to birth records in Stewarton, there is only one Margaret Kirkland born during the right time period:  Margaret Kirkland, daughter of James Kirkland, slater, and Janet Love.  These parents seem to be a fit based on the names of John Porter and Margaret Kirkland's children (first daughter is Janet, presumably after Margaret's mother; first son is Joseph after John's father; third daughter is Marion after John's mother; and second son is James, presumably after Margaret's father).  The marriage certificate for Margaret Kirkland and John Porter is no help regarding their parents — it simply says that both are of Stewarton parish. 

Unfortunately, Margaret's death certificate states that her father is "John Kirkland, blacksmith, deceased".  Her mother is unknown.  The informant is her son-in-law, John C. Dunlop.  I can find no records of a John Kirkland who was a blacksmith in the Stewarton area.  Of course Margaret's parents could have died long before even the 1841 census.  But there are no burial records or cemetery records that I can find.  There are plenty of traces of James Kirkland the slater and his wife Janet Love.  The only record of a John Kirkland in Stewarton in the right time period is an erroneous birth listing for Elizabeth Kirkland in 1816.  The index (and IGI) say that she is the daughter of John Kirkland and Agnes Kirkland, but when you look at the actual image of the parish birth record it's clear that her father is really Robert Kirkland, a weaver.  So no traces of John Kirkland the blacksmith.

I have also searched to see if I can find a Margaret Kirkland from Stewarton who might have married someone else.  But these searches (death records in combination with census records) have not turned a Margaret Kirkland who is the daughter of James Kirkland and Janet Love.

It seems most likely that Margaret's death certificate information is just wrong, based on the son-in-law's faulty memory.  Both James Kirkland and Janet Love were deceased long before John Campbell Dunlop ever married Marion Porter, so he would never have met Margaret's parents (assuming they are indeed James Kirkland and Janet Love).

Although there are some discrepancies (notably the death certificate information), I am going to assume that James Kirkland and Janet Love are the correct parents for the Margaret Kirkland who married John Porter in Stewarton in 1837.

Jan 2010, kmh.

~~~~~~~~

  Birth Notes

• March 6th. Margaret, a Daughter to James Kirkland, Slatter, [and] Janet Love, Spouses. Born on the 5th Curr[ent].

  Death Notes

2h. 30m. A.M.

  Recorded Events in Her Life

• She appeared on the 1851 Census of Scotland on 30 March 1851 in Troon, Dundonald Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland.
  

John Porter       Head   42   Symington, Ayrshire                Harbour Labourer
Margaret Porter   Wife   38   Stewarton, Ayrshire
Janet Porter      Dau    11   Stewarton, Ayrshire                Scholar
Joseph Porter     Son     9   Stewarton, Ayrshire                Scholar
Marion Porter     Dau     7   Stewarton, Ayrshire                Scholar
James Porter      Son     5   Dundonald Parish Troon, Ayrshire
Thomas Porter     Son     3   Troon, Ayrshire
John Porter       Son   8 Mo  Troon, Ayrshire

• She had a residence in 1854 in Troon, Dundonald Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland. ⁶

• She appeared on the 1861 Census of Scotland on 7 April 1861 in Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland.
  

MT Kirkland     Head   47   Stewarton, Ayrshire
Joseph Porter   Son    20   Stewarton, Ayrshire   House Carpenter
James Porter    Son    16   Troon, Ayrshire       Sail Maker
Thomas Porter   Son    13   Troon, Ayrshire       Rope Shinner
John Porter     Son    11   Troon, Ayrshire       Scholar
Hugh Porter     Son     8   Troon, Ayrshire       Scholar

• She appeared on the 1871 Census of Scotland on 2 April 1871 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.
  

Margaret Porter   Head   58   Stewarton, Ayrshire  
John Porter       Son    21   Troon, Ayrshire       Engine Fitter At Works
Hugh Porter       Son    17   Troon, Ayrshire       Engine Fitter (apprentice)

• She appeared on the 1881 Census of Scotland on 3 April 1881 in Monkton and Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland.
  

John C Dunlop       Head      38   Prestwick, Ayrsh   Mason (Working)
Marion C Dunlop     Wife      36   Stewarton, Ayrsh
Amelia G K Dunlop   Servant   13   Prestwick, Ayrsh   Servt Domestic
Margaret Porter     Boarder   67   Stewarton, Ayrsh

Margaret married John PORTER, son of Joseph PORTER and Marion McKRINDLE, on 2 December 1837 in Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland.¹ (John PORTER was born on 11 May 1807 in Symington, Ayrshire, Scotland, died on 26 July 1858 in Troon, Dundonald Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland ⁵ and was buried in 1858 in Crosbie, Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland ⁵.). The cause of his death was cancer.⁵