I have come to a brick wall researching my Blacklock line back from Liverpool to Dryfesdale (particularly Lockerbie). My 2x great grandfather, William Blacklock, was born in Lockerbie bp 21.4.1819 (with his twin brother, John). William is the one who migrated to Liverpool. They had an elder brother, James bp 24.3.1816 (also Lockerbie). Via Family search.org I have confirmed family lore that their father was a Robert Blacklock. Robert does not appear again in the records except on his 'Wife's' death entry in 1863 - she is recorded as Jessie Waugh, widow of Robert Blackock, mason - and his son's marriage certificate in 1858 as Robert Blacklock, stonemason, deceased. Janet/Jessie Waugh was previously married to a John Forrester in 1810 and had two children between 1810 and birth of James in 1816. Her parentage recorded on her marriage to John is the same as for her death when she is Robert's widow (Robert Waugh & Jennie Rule). Jessie is living with her son John in 1861 census. I can find no record of a marriage to Robert Blacklock, or Robert's birth or death (Ancestry & ScotlandsPeople). Checking for a monumental inscriptions for the relevant area has also produced a negative result. I have also checked the database of Deceased Online with no result. I judge Robert Blacklock to have been born in the 1780s, give or take. What reasons might there be for his non-appearance in the records (I have tried name spelling variants)?

If anyone can help here, I would be very grateful.

Susanc241