Old Parish Records Aitken/Marshal

[Dano]

Hi There,

I am hoping someone has access to the OPR for Slamannan & Muiravonside. I have this couple who posted banns in both Parishes as follows from the GRO records

17/10/1767 AITKEN JOHN MARY MARSHEL/FR623 M SLAMANNAN 489/00 0002
06/11/1767 AITKEN JOHN MARY MARSHEL/FR275 M MUIRAVONSIDE 486/00 0001

I would like to know what other information such as parents or witnesses may be listed as I am trying to narrow down possible parents for this couple.

this has been my brick wall for a few years now so any assistance greatly appreciated.

thanks Dano

[apanderson]

Hi Dano,

Unfortunately there won't be any more on the OPR's than what you've already got. You're actually quite lucky to have found the entries in both parishes, so well done there.

I looked up the BVR's and found birth entries for your couple's children as follows: (you'll see that there's quite a variation on the spelling of the surnames)

Thomas AITKEN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 6 Jul 1772
Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

John AITKIN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 1773
Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKIN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

Henry AITKIN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 12 Jun 1774
Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKIN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

John AITKEN,  Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 3 Nov 1776
Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

Christian AITKEN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 11 Jul 1779   Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

Mary AITKEN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 30 Dec 1781   Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father: John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHEL

Robert AITKEN, Birth Date: 13 Apr 1784, Christening Date: 25 Apr 1784   Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

Andrew AITKEN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 28 Feb 1786   Recorded in: Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   John AITKEN
Mother:   Mary MARSHAL

I had a wee look to see if I could find John's birth c1747 +/- 5 years and there were 5 born in Stirlingshire. The nearest to both Slamannan and Muiravonside would be this one:

John AITKEN, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 30 Sep 1744   Recorded in: Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father: John AITKEN
Mother: Anna FERGUSON

For Mary, this is the only entry again c1747 +/- 5 years. There were 3 born in Stirlingshire but this might be the one you're looking for:

Mary MARSHEL, Birth Date - not listed, Christening Date: 8 Jul 1750
Recorded in: Muiravonside, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Father:   Alexander MARSHEL
Mother:   Mary RUSSEL

I also looked in the pre-1855 MI Books for any possible Aitken burials but neither Slamannan or Muiravonside churchyards had any listed. This doesn't mean that they're not buried there, it's just that there was no stone found when the graveyards were transcribed back in the 1960/70's.

If you think either of the above (John or Mary) might be likely candidates, get back to me and I can see if they have any siblings listed.

Anne

[Dano]

Hi Anne,

thanks for taking the trouble.  I have these children you listed & 1 other

18/05/1788 AIKEN AGNES JOHN AIKEN/MARY MARSHALL FR446 U SLAMANNAN 489/00 0002 No Image

I agree on the parents of Mary Marshal & I have 5 children for the couple, it's John's parents that are causing me some concern.  Apart from John & Anna, I have

27 Dec 1736 AIKEN JOHN JAMES AIKEN/MARGARET CRAWFURD FR60 U MUIRAVONSIDE 486/00 0001

As possible parents.

The most likely at this stage is John & Anna Ferguson but I can only find 1 child for them - John - which does not help with any type of verification.  John's 1st son is Thomas which breaks with naming patterns but so does all of the female children who seemd to be named for Mary's sisters.  Oh don't you wish you could just call them on the phone and ask who is who? 

I have seen copies of Church baptism registers which often name witnesses to baptisms which is where I thought I may get a lead.  I have John's son John (b 1776) as a widower in the 1841 census of Polmont. on Belrigg farm.  He also had Glenrigg farm in Falkirk. With him on the farm is Agnes Marshall b abt 1748 possibly his mothers sister. 

I have John's (b 1776) will so I know the farms history after his death but as I live in Australia, I have no idea how to look up earlier land records - i.e. pre 1841. I thought this might also give me a clue to his parents.

Any clues greatfully accepted
Dano

[apanderson]

Hi Dano,

I don't really know where you could try looking but I don't expect it'll be long till someone jumps in and helps.

I wouldn't worry too much about the 'naming pattern'. It's great to use for clues but can also 'tempt' you in totally the wrong direction. Been there, done that and have got the t shirt!

I hope you find them.

Anne.

P.S. The t shirt has James, John, William, Mary, Margaret, Janet and Elizabeth printed all over it just in case I ever forget who's who!!

[andrew shanks]

John Aitken b 1776 of Glenrigg & Belrigg Farms, Falkirk was my 4th gt grandfather!!!!!!!

[Dano]

Yes but who is your 5th Gt Granfather?  This is what I am despeate to confirm.

Dano

[andrew shanks]

I have him as John Aitken, who was married to Mary Marshall in 1767. 

Unfortunately I do not have his date of birth but this is mainly due to the fact that the name Aitken is so common in this area - which has made it difficult to accurately identify his parents.

Given your interest can I assume that you are descended from this family?

[hebbie72]

Hello all, I realise some of these posting are from a while back but I'll add my info in case it helps. I'm a descendant of Thomas Brown & Agnes Aitken Wilson who married in 1865. Agnes was a granddaughter of James Wilson & Agnes Aitken. When Mr & Mrs Brown celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1915 the Falkirk Herald printed a wee report which had a photo (happy to share said photo & article with anyone who wants it). The article said that Agnes had a remarkable memory and further that "her forbears the Aitkens had farmed for generations at Carron"  I'm not sure whether that puts a spanner in the works of the suppositions of our Agnes being the 1788 christening to John Aiken & Mary Marshall in Slamannan or whether it was earlier generations still who farmed at Carron? At least it gives a possible direction for further research. It's a shame that the specifics retained in Agnes's 'remarkable memory' weren't passed through the generations. My own gran was her granddaughter and had fond memories of visiting her gran & grandpa Brown where they stayed in Kelty in the 1910s&20s.
Also I think too  that James Wilson (married to Agnes Aitken) was a son of James Wilson & Jean Gaff. I think Jean Gaff may be identical to Jean Duff, I dont know whether it was typos on the part of the parish clerk or what other reason there may be but James Wilson & Jean Duff/Gaff seem to appear in the same places and the names are not too disimilar to cause confusion. It's possible that this James WIlson was a son of Peter/Patrick Wilson & Janet Gordon (this couple are, confusingly, also ancestors maternally of Agnes Aitken Brown nee WIlson!)
Look forward to hearing from anybody about these ancestors we may have in common
best wishes