Author Topic: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin  (Read 1283 times)

Offline J11

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Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« on: Tuesday 12 July 16 10:02 BST (UK) »
Does anyone by any chance have a copy of Elgin Episcopal Church Baptisms 1721-1740; 1780-1855 compiled by Stuart Farrell?  I am interested in what it says on a baptism that took place on March 22 1789 of a child called Robert Banks (Source Elgin OPRs).  If someone has consulted this book before, do they remember if the Episcopal Church gives both parents' names or just the father?  Many thanks.

Addition: just a thought, the March date in the OPRs could be the date of entry, i.e. the Episcopalian baptism could have taken place earlier in the year.

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 10:35 BST (UK) »
I don't recall this book, but I have seen a microfilm of the Elgin Episcopal baptism register. This was in the Local Heritage Centre in Elgin. I don't recall whether or not they included the mother's names, but I was looking in the 1820s and 1830s so even if they did, it doesn't guarantee that this was included 30 or 40 years earlier.

What, exactly, is the wording in the Elgin OPR for this baptism?
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline J11

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 10:40 BST (UK) »
Anno 1789, March 22nd

William Banks Anchorsmith in South Shields had a child baptised by the Revd Mr Allardyce Minister of the Episcopal Congregation in Elgin called Robert.  Sponsor Mr Charles Miller of Sunderland.  Witnesses - James Mitchell, Andrew Brandon(?) and Isabel Miller.

All the other births on the page have the mother listed.

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 12:10 BST (UK) »
Interesting. Why would someone from South Shields be having a child baptised in Elgin?

And why does this ring a bell with me, I wonder?

It will be a while before I can get into the Local Heritage Centre in Elgin - maybe someone else will get there before me, or you could try contacting the Centre and asking them.
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.


Offline J11

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 19:35 BST (UK) »
I used this birth entry on another thread as an example of someone who was born in Elgin putting Banffshire on his censuses in later life.

This is somewhat circumstantial, but I suspect that Robert Banks is the son of the married William Banks of South Shields and Margaret Miller, sister to Charles Miller of Sunderland and Nether Tomdow in Knockando, who died in 1789 and is buried in Knockando graveyard.  I'm assuming she was down visiting her brothers in Sunderland, got pregnant by William Banks and then returned to Knockando.  She had the baby and died sometime afterwards, hence Charles Miller's sponsorship at the baptism.  I think the baby may have been brought up by Isabel Miller, Margaret's sister and witness at the Elgin baptism.  In later life, Robert Banks travelled from Newcastle where he was a Baptist Minister to Knockando and renewed the gravestone.

Erected by JOHN CHARLES, and HUGH MILLER, in memory of their father WILLIAM MILLER, late of Tomdow, who died Oct. 3. 1794 aged 75.  and ELISABETH CUMMING, his wife, who died Nov. 1st 1788 aged 72.  And his daughter, MARGARET MILLER, who died Oct. 17th 1789.  Renew’',d by ROBERT BANKS, of Newcastle_upon_Tyne 18(3/5?)4.

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 20:03 BST (UK) »
I used this birth entry on another thread as an example of someone who was born in Elgin putting Banffshire on his censuses in later life.
Ah yes, that's it.

I wonder if perhaps he was actually born in Knockando, or even just across the parish boundary in Aberlour or Inveravon, both of which are in Banffshire, but baptised in Elgin because that was the only Episcopal church anywhere nearby. Or even baptised in his grandparents' home by the Episcopal clergyman from Elgin who travelled to perform baptisms for a very scattered congregation. The OPR record could be interpreted as attaching 'in Elgin' to 'Episcopal Church' rather than definitely saying the baptism ceremony took place in Elgin. Interesting questions!
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline J11

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Re: Episcopal Baptisms - Elgin
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 02 August 16 20:36 BST (UK) »
Thank you for your thoughts and good point about possibly being baptised in Knockando.  I hadn't thought of that.

I am hoping that Knockando Kirk Sessions may have had something to say about things if she was pregnant and unwed in the parish.  In my experience they never missed an opportunity and were incredibly long winded and, luckily for us, detailed about things.  Next time I'm up in Edinburgh, I'll have a good look just in case and at the Elgin one's in case they got involved, although I suspect it was just a case of taking the money and entering the baptism for another church.