James CUMMING

[tomwylie]

Clutching at straws a bit here.
Looking for information on a James Cumming born before BMD Certificates.
He is the father of Alexander Cumming Born about 1838/9 in Fintry whose mother is recorded as Margaret Brodie.    On Margaret Brodie's death certificate 30th September 1856 at Sparmuir Farm, Fintry she is showing as SINGLE and at the time of her death resided with her BROTHER Thomas Brodie,   Alexander Cumming a scholar,   Thomas Brown aged 16 and  James Wilson aged 6 both described as "nephews" of Thomas Brodie.   So it is possible that Alexander Cumming was born out of Wedlock and lived with his mother.   I cannot find a death certificate for James Cumming and I cannot find anything definitive in the various Parish Registers.     Anybody possibly looking at the same families with any further information or suggestions?    James Cumming was probably a farm labourer?

[ruthhelen]

It looks like your Alexander Cumming was baptised in Fintray on 31 Aug 1840 - both Margaret Brodie and James Cumming are named in the index on Scotland's People, so having a look at the record should confirm whether this Alexander was illegitimate or not, and may also confirm the occupation of father James.

There's a James Cumming, aged 30, farmer in the 1841 census at Castle Hunger, Fintray, with presumably his mother Catherine Cumming and sister Mary - this James Cumming looks like he was baptised in Fintray on 20 Oct 1806, son of William Cumming and Katherine Connan. He's still there, unmarried, in 1851, just with sister Mary, and again in 1861, also with Mary.

By 1871, he's aged 64 and married to a 31 year old Mary Cumming. There's a marriage in Fintray in 1865 between James Cumming and Mary Mackenzie which looks a likely match. There's a death for a James Cumming, aged 68, in Fintray in 1875, which seems likely to be this James Cumming.

Ruth

[tomwylie]

Hi Ruth - that is interesting and I would like to compare notes.   I am not sure how to do this as I have just come back onto Rootschat after some years and I have forgotten how to send you a private message with my email.    I'm not certain we have the same James Cumming here, but just maybe it is.

Tom

[tomwylie]

I have found an entry in an old parish register which says about an illegitimate birth .......
********** in fornication - I cannot read the word denoted by **********

Would this be an old scottish phrase or just something local to the Aberdeen area?

Can anybody tell me what the missing word would be?

[Forfarian]

I have found an entry in an old parish register which says about an illegitimate birth .......
********** in fornication - I cannot read the word denoted by **********
Would this be an old scottish phrase or just something local to the Aberdeen area?
Can anybody tell me what the missing word would be?

I can think of various words that might be used there. I recommend that you attach the image of the baptism record here and let us have a look at it.

It is very likely that Margaret Brodie's pregnancy came to the attention of the Kirk Session. If so, and the record has survived, it should confirm the identity of James Cumming. The snag is that the Kirk Session records are not (yet) available online, so you would either have to request a copy to be sent from the National Records of Scotland or find someone willing to go there and transcribe any information on your behalf.

[Morvenwalker]

I am not sure if I am replying to the correct post as not done this for a while. In answer to the query re illegitimate births '...........' in fornication. the phrase I have seen used most often is 'begotten in fornication'

[tomwylie]

Begotten in fornication would fit.   So GGGrandfather was born out of wedlock -  ooo errr"
His father's name is quoted in the Parish Register and he took the surname of his father.   Many thanks for that!

[tomwylie]

Going on from this is there anybody who can help me find details of WILLIAM ROBBIE who married Helen ALLAN?      They had a son John Robbie born about 1802 and I believed lived at Berryhill, Parish of Skene, Aberdeenshire.   John Died 1st January 1869.  He was married to Christian Scroggie whose father was John Scroggie as farmer.    John Scroggie was married to Christian Milne.    I need BMD info on the Scroggies as well.    Also I would be grateful if anybody could tell me where they are likely to be buried

Thanks

Tom

[tomwylie]

Just going back to this is there anybody out there who has a photograph of the following farms who might be able to let me have a copy please - from the mid 1800s
Berryhill Farm
Castle Hunger, Fintry
Sparmuir Farm, Fintry


Tom Wylie