Kirkpatricks of Dumfriesshire

[Caulleys]

Greetings!   

I’ve been researching my Kirkpatrick ancestors for over 30 years, here in N. America.  Family tradition claims they came from “Watties Neach” in Dumfriesshire.  My 1st question is, Has anyone heard of this place? 

I’m now ready to step back across the Big Pond and find my ancestors connection in Dumfriesshire.

My ancestor was Hugh Kirkpatrick.  Following is what I know:

Hugh Kirkpatrick   Born ca 1697 in either Scotland or N. Ireland
                                 Emigrated to Pennsylvania Colony by 1729 settling in Chester Co., Pennsylvania
                                 Wife’s name is not known
                                 Died ca 1768, will written in 1766 & proven in 1768
Children:
Hannah Kirkpatrick 1717 – 1772
David Kirkpatrick 1720 – 1770
Hugh Kirkpatrick 1734 – 1804
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick 1735 – 1811
Mary Kirkpatrick 1735 – 1811
William Kirkpatrick 1735 – 1782
Margaret Kirkpatrick 1740 – 1778
John Hugh Kirkpatrick 1741 – 1812

He appears to have had a bother named John Kirkpatrick.  Here’s what I know about him:

John Kirkpatrick Born ca 1687 in either Scotland or N. Ireland
                              Emigrated to Pennsylvania Colony by 1720 settling in Chester Co., Pennsylvania
                              Wife’s name was either  Elinore or Hannah
                              Died in 1772
Children:
Hugh Kirkpatrick 1710 – 1768
Jane Kirkpatrick 1710 – 1767
Margaret Kirkpatrick 1712 – 1781
Elanor Kirkpatrick 1714 – 1752
John Kirkpatrick 1718 –
Sarah Kirkpatrick 1725 – 1747
William Kirkpatrick 1727 – 1769

Both men were Presbyterians

We believe they MAY have been sons or grandsons of a George Kirkpatrick  b ca 1640/50 in Knock, Kirkmichael, Dumfriesshire, but no proof has been found.

Anyone who can help me at all will be thanked a thousand times over.

Tom Caulley

[Caulleys]

I have 2 things I'd like your help with:

#1 Family tradition says our Kirkpatrick ancestors were born at a place called "WATTIES NEACH, Dumfriesshire" in the late 1600s or early 1700s.  I have been told Watties Neach is really long gone place called Watties Neuck or Walters Neuck north of Ruthwell near Denbyyet (Sp?),  another claims it's really Wallace's House in the vicinity of Closeburn and a 3rd claimse it Watties BEACH, on the coast in Kirkcudbrightshire near either Ross or Borness.

Any help locating this elusive spot is  greatly appreciated.

#2  Is there a listing of the graves in the Closeburn Kirk Cemetery any where?


Thanks,

Tom Caulley

[Ruskie]

Welcome to rootschat Tom.

Have you any parish record (births, deaths, marriages) for your family which may give places of abode? I am wondering if you may get some confirmation of the place name if it is mentioned in parish records. At the very least it may also help to narrow down the more likely of the "Watties" places they may have lived if you can narrow down even a rough area where they lived.

Family stories from so long ago may not be reliable, and one passed down from the late 1600s is mind boggling I think. 

We could probably have a try at locating each of these places on an old map if they existed, but you still won't know which of them your family came from without some kind of documentary evidence. (Possibly even wills? - others will have other ideas I'm sure)

I'm sure someone will be able to help you with an answer about Closeburn Ceme.

One thing which might attract the attention of others who can help, is if you change your subject heading to include the names you are hoping to locate. eg something like "Watties Neach/Neuch?" and "Closeburn Kirk" (something along those lines  )

Good luck.

[Charlotte21]

Hi,

I have a copy of the Closeburn Old Kirkyard MI's - and there are quite a number of Kirkpatricks recorded in it - I will look up anyone who may be your ancestors if you wish.
It is available from Dumfries & Galloway Family History Society.

Charlotte21

[JMStrachan]

http://maps.nls.uk/index.html could be useful, as it's a portal for lots of old maps of Scotland. But I agree that it would help to find the family in the census and then see if you can find them in an OPR to give a better sense of location.

[Ruskie]

Duplicate post:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,641104.msg4879930.html#msg4879930
(A moderator might be kind enough to merge the topics? 

Topics now merged

And a related though different topic:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,641103.msg4879927.html#msg4879927

Tom, I still think your best way forward with this is to purchase as many Old Parish Records from Scotland's People as you can get your hands on for this family, so you can check place names for each event.

[Caulleys]

Hi,

I have a copy of the Closeburn Old Kirkyard MI's - and there are quite a number of Kirkpatricks recorded in it - I will look up anyone who may be your ancestors if you wish.
It is available from Dumfries & Galloway Family History Society.

Charlotte21

Charlotte,

I'm in N. America and I'm trying to set up a Kirkpatrick/Kilpatrick research & Sharing site
( http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~caulleyfamilyinfo/Kirk-Kil-Patrick/Index.html ).  So, I've been gathering as much information as possible on the family and am making these "lists" available to the researchers.  I've found that your side of the "big pond" (assuming you are in Great Britain/ The UK) has not been as good as our side about posting lists of those buried in specific cemeteries.  Since Closeburn Kirk/Church Cemetery is at the "center" of the "Kirkpatrick World" I was hoping to get a list of the Kirkpatrick's buried there.  Can you tell me how I can obtain such a list?

I have already invested and used about 90 credits on the ScotlandsPeople site gathering data.  And the maps at http://maps.nls.uk/ are quite useful.  I've also exhausted the research possibilities at Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org

Along with all of this, I'm trying to get a "Kirkpatrick Direct Line Male Descendant"  to do a DNA test to establish a baseline DNA sample for the Closeburn Kirkpatrick family.

Any help or suggestions you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Tom Caulley

[Charlotte21]

Tom,

If there were only a few Kirkpatrick's in the Closeburn MI's I would be pleased to help out but there are 29 separate entries.

My suggestion is that you contact the Dumfries & Galloway Family History Research Centre, 9 Glasgow Street, Dumfries, Scotland DG2 9AF - Tel 01387 248093.
E-mail: researchcentre[replace with 'at' symbol]dgfhs.org.uk
Website: http://www.dgfhs.org.uk

I am sure that the Society will be able to help you out, the booklet will only cost a few dollars.

I live in Scotland by the way.

I hope that you have some luck.

Regards

Charlotte21

[Caulleys]

Tom,

If there were only a few Kirkpatrick's in the Closeburn MI's I would be pleased to help out but there are 29 separate entries.

My suggestion is that you contact the Dumfries & Galloway Family History Research Centre, 9 Glasgow Street, Dumfries, Scotland DG2 9AF - Tel 01387 248093.
E-mail: researchcentre[replace with 'at' symbol]dgfhs.org.uk
Website: http://www.dgfhs.org.uk

I am sure that the Society will be able to help you out, the booklet will only cost a few dollars.

I live in Scotland by the way.

I hope that you have some luck.

Regards

Charlotte21

Thanks, Charlotte,

I'll contact them straight away.

Tom Caulley