Janet Waddell, or Jessie as she was familiarly known, youngest of the known children of James Waddell and Marion Chalmers, was born in Torpichen, Linlithgowshire, c. 1834.

At the time of the 1841 census, Janet Waddell, 7, was living in the family home at Woodend, in the Parish of Torpichen, Linlithgowshire.

Janet was named as beneficiary in her father’s 1853 Disposition and Settlement, at which time she was unmarried and residing in the family home.

John Ferguson married Jessie Weddell, 23, of Woodend, Torpichen, spinster, on 9^th July 1858 at Woodend, Torpichen, ‘after Banns was Solemnized between us according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland’. Unusually, four witneses signed the Register; Mungo Chapman, James Weddell, James Young and James Ferguson.

John was 28, usually resident at Loanfoot, Falkirk, a farmer, bachelor. His parents were John Ferguson, farmer, and (Minie?) Mathews.

Jessie was 23, of Woodend, Torpichen, a spinster.

At the time of the 1891 census, John Ferguson, 63, farmer, employer, born Edinburgh, Liberton, was living on Loanfoot Farm, in the Civil Parish of Falkirk, Quoad Sacra Parish of Camelon. Living with him were Jessie, his wife, 56, born Linlithgow, Torpichen, and unmarried daughters, Jessie, 25, and Lizzie, 20, both entered as ‘Farmer’s daughter’ and born in Stirlingshire, Falkirk.

John Ferguson acted as informant on the 1893 death certificate of his brother-in-law, John Waddell, and on the 1896 death certificate of his sister-in-law, Alison Waddell.

Jessie Ferguson, married to John Ferguson, farmer, died on 18^th February 1898 at five in the afternoon, at Loanfoot Farm, Parish of Falkirk. Her age was entered as 62. The cause of death was entered as volvulus, from which she had suffered for seven days. The informant on the 21^st at Falkirk was John Ferguson, widower, entered as present.