• Born: Abt 1851, Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland ²
• Died: Abt 1851, Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland ²

  General Notes

About the children of Alexander Gemmell and Jane Porter:

Carved on Jane's gravestone in Dundonald Churchyard is the sad memorial to "Eleven of their Children Who all died in Infancy."  We know the names of those who were either born or died after 1855 (when civil registration of births and deaths began in Scotland):

   Jane Gemmell (1854 –1855)
   Alexander Gemmell (1855 –1855)
   James Gemmell (1857 –1857)
   Alexander Gemmell (1858 –1858)

We also know from Alexander Gemmell's 1855 birth certificate that he was the "5th child born" to Alexander Gemmell and Jane Porter, and that there were 3 deceased girls and 1 deceased boy prior to him.  One of these girls was Isabella Gemmell, named after Alexander's mother, probably born about 1847 — she died in 1848.  Presumably another daughter was named Agnes Gemmell, after Jane's mother. The name of the third deceased daughter is not known, but she was likely also named Agnes (in a second attempt to have a living daughter named after Jane's mother).  The brother who was deceased before Alexander 1855's birth was likely named James, after Alexander's father.

This leaves 3 infant deaths mentioned on the gravestone but NOT mentioned on the 1855 birth certificate. Presumably these were stillborn infants (as opposed to the 4 live births that were counted in the number of children Jane had had prior to Alexander's birth in 1855). The names, gender, and birth years of these 3 infants is not known.

Although all of Alexander and Jane's children were either stillborn or died in infancy, there was still a little light in their lives because they adopted and raised a daughter named Jane Smith. Jane born about 1849 in Kilmarnock, and she was with them in the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

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Note:  Although we don't know the exact birth order of the 11 children, I am assuming (for purposes of my tree) that this is one of the children that was either miscarried or stillborn. Birth year and death year is estimated, but occurred before 1855.

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  Recorded Events in His Life

• Infant was buried at the Dundonald Churchyard in Dundonald, Dundonald Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland about 1851. ²
  
  Dundonald Parish Churchyard, Gravestone 173:
  
  ERECTED
  BY
  ALEXANDER GEMMEL
  In memory of his wife JANE PORTER
  Who died 21st March 1862 aged 46 years.
  Also Eleven of their Children
  Who all died in Infancy.