#52Ancestors - Week 23 - Weddings

Week 23 (June 4-10) – Wedding: June is time for weddings. Write about a June bride in your family or highlight a favorite wedding photo. Maybe there’s a serial marry-er in the family — that could be a fun post!

My most married family member is still alive - he has had 6 wives or partners that I know of, so today I'm going to focus on one of 2 brothers each of whom had 3 marriages:
William and Thomas Dempsey, my great uncles, the sons of Thomas Dempsey and Mary Kennedy.

William will be first, seeing as he is the oldest brother. Thomas and his 3 wives may feature in a post later in the #52Ancestors challenge.

William, born January 20, 1889 in Hutchestontown, Glasgow, Scotland married Elizabeth Poye on December 10, 1909.

William was a member of the 2nd Battalion of the Kings Owns Scottish Borderers and Elizabeth was a Skin Dresser.

John and Bridget McGhee, the witnesses, are William's Aunt (his mother's sister) and Uncle.

William is absent on the 1911 census (assuming away with his unit), but Elizabeth is listed on it living with her mother, brother and sister.

The 1911 census was taken on the night of April  2nd, 1911. Elizabeth's record says that she had been married for 2 years and had had 1 child born living that had passed away.

I'm still trying to find that child, but William and Elizabeth suffered the same fate at least twice more:

• William Robert Dempsey born Oct 31, 1911 and passed away Nov 2, 1911 - born prematurely
• James Dempsey born Nov 17, 1916 and passed away May 2, 1917 of whooping cough and bronchitis

Another son, Thomas, was born July 4, 1918 - I haven't been able to trace what happened to him yet. Perhaps I'll have some success when I am in Scotland at the end of this year.

Elizabeth Dempsey (Poye) died of Pulmonary Phthisis (Tuberculosis) on December 16, 1923

William then married Annie McIntosh on February 29, 1924.

They went on to have at least 5 children - sadly, 3 of those children also died early

• Jane McIntosh Dempsey born Nov 30, 1924 and passed away Nov 5, 1925 of Enteritis and Broncho-pneumonia
• William Dempsey born Mar 29, 1927 and passed away Jul 30, 1928 of Broncho Pneumonia Enteritis Convulsions
• Catherine Dempsey born May 14, 1928 and passed away Dec 13, 1930 of Pneumonia

They had 2 other children - a daughter who was born in 1930 and who this year will celebrate her 85th birthday. And a son, Alexander McIntosh Dempsey who was born Oct 8 1936 and died on July 2, 1994

Annie Dempsey (McIntosh) died of Phthisis on January 15, 1947

William married for a 3rd time - Catherine Jane Roberts Hendry Brown (Cissy) on March 30, 1957

He passed away of Cerebral Haemorrhage on March 24, 1963.