Monilaws/Moneylaws

[Wirespark]

I'm a total beginner, please forgive any transgressions.  Cursory internet searches have yielded little factual information, and I'd ask if any in the group have run across the above surnames.  I've found reference to three generations of clergymen named Monilaws, the eldest, Alexander at Kirkpatrick Fleming,  James at Annan, and unnamed at Middlebie.  Alexander died July 1839, but no other information has come to light.  I do have fairly good Canadian records, starting with George Monilaws (1792-1845) active in Galt, Ontario, Canada by 1832 - but no indication of birthplace.  I also have a George and a James Monilaws showing up as witnesses on church documents in 1781 in Innerwick, East Lothian.  I'd appreciate any suggestions.   Thanks,  Dave

[matt muir]

Hi  Dave and welcome to the Forum.

I have no connection to your Monilaws but have had a look around to see if I could find anything to help.
I  assume that George Monilaws is your line & that the 3 clergymen are hopefulls.
I have a copy of Scottish Emigrants to Canada.
On it I have found a reference to a George Monilaws b circa 1792- died  29th April 1845. It suggests that he was either from Roxburghshire or Dumfriesshire,Scotland. He emigrated to Ontario and settled in
North Dumfries Township,Waterloo County, on Concession No 11.
He was married to Isabella Taylor & they had 5 children.
John,Janet (b 1835), Christina,George & Robert.
There is a seperate reference to his wife Isabella Taylor. It states that she married No1, George Monilaws &
then No2, William Beattie,the father of William Beattie alias William Monilaws.

A search on Scotlandspeople shows no person named George Monilaws being born in Dumfriesshire between the years 1770 & 1825. However there was one born 26 July 1791 in the parish of Gordon in the county of Berwick. His fathers name is given as Robert,no mothers name.
IGI search shows a possible marriage of a Robert Monilaws to a Jane Wight on 8th April 1775 at Gordon Parish, Berwick.

Hope this may be of some help to you.
Rgds Matt

[Skoosh]

Black, in his "Surnames of Scotland", has this name in Ross-shire where Adam Monilaw was the abbot of Fearn 1398-1407, William Monilaw in Lauder 1426, Andrew & John Monilaw 1456, Thomas Monilaw 1477, George was tenant of Blackburn & Millands, Chirnside, in 1763 aand a man named Manzelaus charged with destroying salmon fishings on the Dee in 1533. Also Menelaws.

Skoosh.

[Wirespark]

Hi, Matt:
Thanks for the welcome to the forum, and even more thanks for your efforts on my behalf.
George is as far back as we've traced, and the George you've found is definitely him.  We have the tree solid from G. on down. One of the nice things of a rare name is a small chance for confusion but, on the other hand, they're hard to find any references.  We have a pocket of Monilawses (Monili??) here in Alberta, and another pocket in the Dakotas.  The eldest of those three clergy (Alexander) died in 1834, which is close  to coeval with George, and thus might be related.  I found an interesting snippet on JSTOR involving Alexander M. and a local witch (Folklore vol 23 no 4, 1912).  Thank again for the leg  up.  i now have some soil to dig in.
Regards,  Dave
 

[Wirespark]

Hi,Skoosh:
Astonishing how much assistance the forum has provided.  Thanks much for your additions.  You folks have resources available to hand that are simply not readily available in this part of the world.  It is appreciated.
Dave

[matt muir]

Hi Dave
Glad it was some help.
I have got a copy of the birth record for George  & also the marriage record for  George & Isabella
from ScotlandsPeople.
If you would like a copy send me your email by way of a personal message. (Use one of the icons
below your username)

Matt

[matt muir]

Got your PM,copies of documents are on the way.

Matt.

[Skoosh]

Dave, the Menelaws variant of the name has an Adam Menelaws, architect in Russia,

http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/scoruss.html

Skoosh.

[Hilary18]

Hello all
I am a direct descendent of George Monilaws and Isabella Taylor. George was my great-great-great grandfather. I have quite a bit of information of his family but am always looking for more.