Illegitimate birth some questions

I have a situation I am sure is not unique to genealogists. I have just
discovered my great grandfather was illegitimate. He always told the
story that he was a Stewart and that he was a descendant of Mary Queen
of Scots. His parents appeared to be: as the family story went Peter
McDonald and Margaret Stewart of Forfarshire. However, further research
actually shows that he was born before the marriage of Margaret Stewart
and Peter McDonald, plus Margaret was not his birth mother. The IGI
shows his mother as Margaret Crocket and Peter McDonald. Here is the
actual birth record looked up by a researcher at the Tay Valley
Historical society. Parish of Tealing, 1838, May 9:

"Peter McDonald in Hayston of Glammis and Margret Crockatt here, had a
Son born in Fornication, named Daniel McDonald". > Here are my
questions. First of all there is some debate on whether Daniel knew he
was illegitimate. On his marriage record he lists his mother as
Margaret Stewart and he named a child Anna Stewart McDonald honoring
that maternal surname. However, Hayston or Haystown as it is called was

Eve McLaughlin...

Parentage of the irregular sort was often deliberately obscured, to keep
up appearances. It sounds as if Daniel may have known his mother was
Margaret, but picked the wrong one, and fantasised about his Stewart
ancestry, based on this (It's a very common name, and by no means all
can make any link at all to the royal Stewarts.)
Unless, of course, Ms Crocket and Ms Stewart are identical (she may even
have been illegitimate herself, so known by two names).

a small area and surely people of that time gossiped. Would it have
been unusual that Daniel was never told of this or heard anything about
it growing up? Maybe in that time it was not acceptable to discuss such

Eve McLaughlin...

Children were not encouraged to nose into the affairs of their parents.

things esp with a child. Also, I am trying to figure out why Peter did
not marry Margaret Crocket. The researcher at Tay Valley said that in

Eve McLaughlin...

There was a lot of it about.

order for his birth record to read as such Peter must have accepted and
acknowledged responsibility, which indeed he did as Daniel ends up
living three years later with Peter and his new wife Margaret Stewart.

Eve McLaughlin...

which would reinforce Daniel's idea that she was his mother.

I have suspected that perhaps Peter was married at the time to another
woman not Margaret Stewart or Margaret Crocket but yet a third woman!.
Would the record have read 'Born in Fornication and Adultery' if this
was so. Or was it kind of up to the parish recorder to decide whether

Eve McLaughlin...

should have done so.

to mention his marital status.Also I am unfamiliar with how the

Eve McLaughlin...

Scottish clerks of session and ministers were rarely backward in laying
the blame on their flock where a reason existed.

Presbyterian church w ould have recorded that if he were indeed
married. My last question is this: He does not go with his mother
Margaret Crocket. At three years of age he has been assimilated into
this father's household with the new wife Margaret Stewart. Was it
customary for a male child to go with the father? Or was it just usual

Eve McLaughlin...

mother may have died; boy child may have been just what was wanted to
join the father's trade in due course. Did Peter and M Stewart have
girls?
Does Peter leave a will?

to the child to go where the economical situation was best? Or was it
normal for the mother to give up custody to avoid the gossip and shame
that would have come with her being unmarried and a woman with a
child?. I have no way to get a hold of the kirk sessions regarding this
without paying some site, so I am depending on speculation I suppose.

Charani...

Unfortunately, as with all hobbies, some expense has to be incurred.

But many of you probably have better insight and may be able to
speculate or give me some guidance as to what was social custom.
Imagine our shock when this Stewart surname was such a big deal in
family lore, to find out that Daniel is not a Stewart at all like his
half brothers but a Crocket! Thanks in advance for help!