Author Topic: John Carre miller Kirkliston  (Read 1239 times)

Offline Fordyce

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John Carre miller Kirkliston
« on: Monday 28 November 16 16:09 GMT (UK) »
Looking for the parentage of John CARRE or KER or KERR.

5xgtgdparents John CARRE & Janet COMB marr 4 May 1744 Kirkliston, they had four children surname CARRE and a fifth surname KER, all in Kirkliston. The CARRE surname seems to be a temporary variation, probably due to the influence of the local CARREs of Cavers, so I'm satisfied that the surname really was KER(R). I believe Janet COMB was born 1716 Kirkliston d/o Florence COMB & Agnes GILCHRIST.

A daughter Janet KERR's marriage in 1780 records that he had been a miller in the parish of Kirkliston. This is reasonable because many of the COMB family were millers and Janet KERR married James CHAPMAN whose son John became a prominent miller at Ballencreif Mill in Bathgate.

On the basis that my John KER's father as also a miller, not only can I not work out which mill my John KER was miller at, so far I've been unable to find any other records of KER(R) being millers in Kirkliston or nearby for that matter. Have any KER millers cropped up in your research?

Offline Skoosh

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Re: John Carre miller Kirkliston
« Reply #1 on: Monday 28 November 16 21:19 GMT (UK) »
Fordyce, you might get hold of the hearth/horse tax records for West Lothian parishes. A miller had to have a horse.

Skoosh.

Offline McGroger

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Re: John Carre miller Kirkliston
« Reply #2 on: Monday 28 November 16 21:59 GMT (UK) »
Hi Fordyce,

Have you considered the John KEIR born 28 December 1719 at Carriden to Thomas Keir and Isabel Hay? Don’t know if he was a miller but father’s name matches that of John’s first son.

Cheers,
Peter
Convicts: COSIER (1791); LEADBEATER (1791); SINGLETON (& PARKINSON) (1792); STROUD (1793); BARNES (aka SYDNEY) (1800); DAVIS (1804); CLARK (1806); TYLER (1810); COWEN (1818); ADAMS[ON] (1821); SMITH (1827); WHYBURN (1827); HARBORNE (1828).
Commoners: DOUGAN (1844); FORD (1849); JOHNSTON (1850); BEATTIE (& LONG) (1856); BRICKLEY (1883).
Outlaws: MCGREGOR (1883) & ass. clans, Glasgow, Glenquaich, Glenalmond and Glengyle.

Offline Fordyce

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Re: John Carre miller Kirkliston
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 29 November 16 16:38 GMT (UK) »
Thanks, Peter, for your suggestion.

Unfortunately applying naming conventions of any variety hasn't worked for this family group, unless I have his wife's parentage wrong (doubtful but possible), and, in that case, Thomas is likely named after her father. Also, names of the witnesses to his children are of no help, except one witness who should be a whopping clue:  Richard Carre (in 1750). But, despite the uncommon forename, his parentage is utterly elusive.

Re Skoosh's suggestion of hearth/horse tax

Done that: nothing in West Lothian. Horse Tax is rather too late (anyway, the mill's owner might have had a horse but not the miller). Hearth Tax is a bit too early. Poll Tax has possibilites, even though still rather early, but only the images are available and I'd rather wait until they've been transcribed and hence searchable.

But thank you both.


Offline Skoosh

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Re: John Carre miller Kirkliston
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 30 November 16 09:57 GMT (UK) »
The miller would not be the owner of the mill but he was the owner of the horse.  A miller couldn't have ran his business without a horse, mainly to take his share of the meal to market, the source of his income & for working his croft.
 If you're interested in Scottish meal-mills & millers, you should get a copy of "The Scottish Country Miller" by Enid Gauldie, pub' John Donald. A mine of information, there is a hardback copy for sale at the Oxfam Book Shop, Byres Road, Glasgow, price about a tenner, saw it the other day.  ;D

Skoosh.