Jess Scott/ Janet Baillie

[morageckford]

Trying to establish if Jess Scott, reputedly the illegitimate daughter of George Baillie of Mellerstain and Jerviswood, and Janet Baillie are the same person. Jess would have been born in 1793 as she was 58 on the 1851 census. Her mother was Susan Miller. Janet (illegitimate too) was baptised in Coldstream in 1793 and Baillie's name was given as her father but no mother's name.
By the time Jess's husband Robert Scott was hanged in 1823, they had five children -  Janet, Andrew, Isobel, George and Robert. Jess's death (illegitimate, mother's name Susan Miller, no father) was registered by her son James who obviously had a different father!
Cannot find anything about Janet Baillie born 1793. What happened to her? Did she change her name to Jess and take her mother's surname? Did she call her oldest daughter Janet after herself? Any help with this puzzle would be most welcome.

[Sunlaws]

It might be worth consulting the Coldstream Kirk Session records for 1793. Susan Miller may have been hauled up before the session, and there may be records of some financial provision for the illegitimate child (unless George Baillie of Jerviswood made some provision himself)

Borders kirk session records, previously only available at NAS in Edinburgh, are, I think, now available at the Heritage Hub in Hawick.

Regards,
Lesley

[morageckford]

THankyou for that tip - off to Hawick, look in the Heritage Hub, scones and coffee at Turnbulls.

[Justo]

Hi Morageckford,

Just wondering how you went with your investigation?

I come from Robert Scott and Jessie Miller's line.
My mother is a Scott.
Robert and Jessie's 4th childs name was George Baillie, and his first son was Robert Baillie.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks
Justin

[morageckford]

I'm delighted to hear from you as we are exhausting places to look.
As you can see, I'm trying to establish that Jess Scott nee Miller was indeed the natrural daughter of George Baillie of Mellerstain born in 1793 but although it looks as if Janet Baillie probably is Jess Scott, I can't prove it without doubt.

If you have any family records or stories that would help I'd like to know.

Thankyou for getting in touch.

[Justo]

My Mother and I only just found out about Robert Scott fairly recently.
Where did you find the info about Jessie(?) reputedly being George Baillie's illegitimate daughter?

We were hoping to get the court transcripts of Robert Scott's case from NAS. Costs quite alot to get scanned though.
We live in Australia so cant just walk in there! haha

Regarding anything I can contribute - Sorry to disappoint! But, as for any family info from our end, there isn't really anything, George Baillie Scott came out to Australia in 1852. There may have been something in a chest which had some family secrets, but my mum said the contents got burned along time ago...

[morageckford]

Originally in a book called Border Murders by Norrie Mcleish but I've spoken to him and he can't remember where he got the information from, it was a long time ago. Then various posts on rootschat turned up information like the registration of Janet Baillie's birth by George Baillie of Mellerstain in Coldstream (not the obvious place to do it as he lived near Earlston!) in 1793 but no mention of the mother. After that, Janet Baillie disappears but thanks to the census forms we (friend and I) have traced the family to Lightfield on the Mellerstain estate. We're now pretty certain thet Jess is Janet Baillie. Did you know that her half brother, George Baillie's first legitimate son, became the 10th Earl of Haddington and you can see Mellerstain House on line if you Google it. Baillie had another illegitimate child, Lockhart Baillie born in 1799 to a farmer's daughter called Catherine Sangster. He was 38 when he finally married. His portrait hangs in Mellerstain House.

[Justo]

My mother came across your previous post (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,579302.0.html) just the other day.
Yes, Mellerstain is definitely on the list of places to go irrespective of whether or not we're related to George Baillie..
Janet born of Coldstream does sound possible.

Apparently there were letters written between Jessie and Robert while he was being held for murder. (I cant find where I'd read they existed...)

I'd like to get this book if it exists??
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Confession-Execution-executed-Wednesday-Atcheson/dp/B0017XF108/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319790878&sr=1-1
Trying to get this at some point
AD14/23/148 – Precognition against Robert Scott for the crime of murder at Fans farm, Earlston to Greenlaw road.

What sort of detail does the 'Border Murders' book have about Robert Scott?
Ive read alot of the transcript and such available online.
But we really just want the minutes from the court session.

In regards to Lockhart Baillie, we wonder if there is some link between John Gibson Lockhart and the Baillies? (I think they may have been friends? not sure where that comes from though?) As JG Lockhart was Robert Scott's counsel during the hearing. Might be a little obscure though...

Sorry its been about 6 months since I looked at family history again...

Thanks for posting!

[morageckford]

I was wondering how to send you the typed  five pages I've got on Robert Scott's case and it has dawned on me that Mellerstain's email is on public view, so if you email (*) it will be passed on to me and I'll scan and email it to you. I've also had an email this morning from a Scott in Australia who is descended from Robert Scott! I'll deal with the both this evening.

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