"Robert Hamilton, he an Excise officer in Bowmore and Elisbeth Douglas, she a young girl in Bowmore were registered for marriage November 23, 1811 and married November 27, 1811."
The spelling on her marriage registration is given as Elisbeth. The baptismal records of several of her children lists her as Betty. The 1841 Census says her name is Elizabeth. We believe the marriage registration to be the most reliable.
There are two "Betty" Douglases baptized in Bowmore in 1794. This would make both of them 17 in 1811 when our Betty Douglas in question was married as "a young girl". One of the two Bettys must be the one who married Robert Hamilton.
On the 1841 Census, Elizabeth Douglas is the head of the household residing on the Main Street of Bowmore. She is listed as age 45 and appears to be widowed. Ages on the 1841 census were correct for 1-15 year olds, but were rounded down to the nearest five years for those over 15. So Elizabeth Douglas is between 45 and 50 years old. This would fit with a birth year of 1794 as she would be about 47 years old in 1841. In her household are Flora Hamilton and Mary Hamilton, both listed as 20 year old dressmakers and presumably her as yet unwed daughters. Also in the household is a 3 year old child, Elizabeth Aris, presumably her grand daughter.
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