Blair Atholl parish Session Minutes

[Throth]

The Blair Atholl Kirk Session Minutes are now available from 1718 to May 1751 and indexed which should make it easier for searching.

       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_Minutes_1718.html
       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_1718_Index.html

       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_Minutes_1741.html   
       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_1741_Index.html

       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_Minutes_1750.html   
       http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_1750_Index.html
 

[Skoosh]

Nice work Throth! Merry Xmas!

Skoosh.

[Throth]

The Session Minutes have been extended to April 1753 and the index has been up-dated.

These are very hard times.  Lots of testificates for people leaving the parish, one of them a merchant, and the Session had to pay for the burial of two women who were destitute.  So it is good to see that the Duchess of Atholl gave substantial sums to help the poor of the parish.

At the same time a loft (balcony) was added to the church at Struan, the Struan bridge was repaired yet again, and the loft seating at St Brides was replaced.

In terms of naughtiness, James Cook was involved in a 'riot', while Charles Stewart in Glaicneid
discovered that it was cheaper to have naughtiness in another parish!

(The error with the 1750 index has been rectified - remember to refresh your web-page)

Throth (www.borenich.co.uk)

[Throth]

The Session Minutes have been extended to June 1755 and the index has been up-dated.

All the usual naughtiness, but some interesting social points:

In November 1753 things were so bad that the Session bought shoes for the most needy.

Patrick Stewart of Easter Invervack died. He was involved in the '45 Rising, had been captured and pardoned on condition that he enlisted. The Session decided that he no longer had to pay his fine and make appearance before the Congregation for a previous naughtiness, as he was dead.

The residents of Glentilt petitioned for a wooden bridge across the river, but being unable to agree about who paid what, the scheme came to nothing.

Kincraigie's son denied that he was responsible for Isobel Richie's pregnancy which she tried , unsuccessfully, to terminate with Juniper sabina.

'A Call to the Unconverted' by Richard Baxter, (1615-1691) became a best-seller in Blair Atholl.

Clach na Bratach, the famous Clan Robertson rock crystal charm stone was providing mystical cures at Carie.

And at long last we discover that the surname given to William the 'exposed child' was - Blair (Obvious really, - and reminds us of Angus Coupar, the exposed child at Coupar Angus)

Happy reading - Throth

[Throth]

A bit more added to the Session Minutes - now at March 1756.

Patrick McLean loses everything in an accidental fire, his corn, cattle and nearly his wife.

The Minister questions the judgement of Duncan McIntosh in Achleanie in proposing to get married.

Thomas McKenzie of Rinancoillach and the Minister continue their on-going battle over payment of dues, and the Minister gains the upper-hand when Thomas commits a 'riot' on the Sabbath.

Patrick McGlashan (of Lambton) is forced by the Minister to help his poor old aunt, which is pretty bad considering that 'Lambton' had his finger in most financial dealings in Blair.

Grissel Stewart goes home to Invervack with an illegitimate child claiming that she was raped, only to find that a letter from the Perth Session, telling a rather different story, has arrived first.  Oops!

Anyway it is reassuring to see that the poor are being cared for (at last). And finally it is decided to build a bridge over the river at Struan. We can only hope that it lasts longer than the previous ones!

Throth

[annies199]

Joining in the post very late as just discovered this post.

John MacFarlane b at 1755 and Christian Stewart b 5 Apr q759 are my 4x great grand parents.
My connection is through their daughter Margaret b 8 Jan 1788 who married Alexander Stewart in 1810. Eventually coming to New Zealand.
Lots of paper work when there are Stewart's marrying MacFarlane etc.
Keen to connect with other distant family members. Have already made contact throughDNAmatching with some descendants of Christian McFarland and Thomas Stewart's daughter Catherine and son Thomas.
Anne

[Throth]

Hi Anne,

We are not quite certain how your people link to the Session Minutes topic, so it might be easier to contact us directly through the borenich web-site.

When John MacFarlane married he was living at Clachan of Struan which was situated where the road to Struan church leaves the Glenerrochty road. The farm has recently been converted into a summer let. Christian Stewart was living at Cailbruar which was mostly demolished when the railway line from Perth to Inverness was built.

After marriage they initially lived at Pitaldonich which was on the opposite side of the river from the present day House of Bruar centre. After the births of their first two children they moved to Pitagowan, which is still next to the House of Bruar. There were two John MacFarlanes living there at the time and Christian's husband was the younger of the two.

Margaret was the fourth of eight children.

Do you have the subsequent families documented in a family bible or such like?  The reason that we ask is that the Margaret McFarlane of the 16 December 1810 marriage to Alexander Stewart came from the parish of Little Dunkeld, and not the parish of Blair Atholl.  It may be the same woman but we have no evidence either way.

When and where did her sister marry Thomas Stewart?

Throth (www.borenich.co.uk)

[Throth]

The Blair Atholl Kirk Session minutes have been transcribed and indexed up to the end of 1759.

 http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_Minutes_1750.html   

 http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_1750_Index.html

Lots of interesting snippets and we are picking up approximate dates of deaths as there is a charge for using the parish mortcloth at funerals. After we have had a rest, having indexed everyone in the 1750s - a tedious business - we might make an index of deaths if that would be useful.

Throth (www.borenich.co.uk)

[Throth]

Researchers might like to know that the Blair Atholl Kirk Session minutes now have been transcribed and indexed up to the end of 1769, and we are working on the 1770s.

As there was an Accounts Ledger by the 1760s, we have tried to match the dated entries to the Session Minutes. So, when the Session Minutes record that money was distributed to objects (poor people), we have included lists of the recipients and where they were living.

Here are the new links

 http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_Minutes_1760.html   

 http://www.borenich.co.uk/Session_1760_Index.html

An index of deaths which are mentions in the Session Minutes will be added soon.  This is based upon payments for the use of the parish mortcloths (one of fine weave, and the cheaper one of a coarser weave). For the poorer people the Kirk Session Index shows charity was given on a regular basis to some in the parish. When it suddenly stops the recipient probably had died.

Throth