Middlemiss marriages !!!

[victoriajoule]

Hi Guys
I'm having a few problems finding some marriages, and don't know if its me, but have looked in all the expected places inc. Scotlands People, family search etc !  I am hoping I am doing something stupid and someone out there can put me right !!!

1. The death record of my 3 x grt grandfather John Middlemiss (b. 1800 Gordon & d. 1861 Gordon) states his parents names as Walter Middlemiss and Margaret Sinclair. Whilst I have his siblings details, and his elder brother Robert, who was born 1799 in Gordon confirms parental names, I cannot find a marriage for Walter and Margaret.

2. The death record of Johns father, Walter Middlemiss (sometimes Youlter b. 1773 in Fogo & died in 1862 in Gordon), names his parents as Walter Middlemiss and Margaret Dodds.  Again, I can't find a marriage between a Walter or Youlter Middlemiss (inc. all the varients) and a Margaret Dodds.  I have found a possible sibling Jean Middlemiss, also born in Fogo in 1780.  Familysearch has an entry which states the marriage took place in 1772 in  Whinkerstones, this is a "contributed" entry with no source attached or supporting evidence, so who knows if its right !!!

.....so, why is it baptisms and deaths are not an issue for me but marriages are ?  Can someone help ?

Also, finding it really frustrating that sometimes parents are not named on the marriage record !!!

Cheers !!

[terianne]

you will need to find out if they were non-conformist - if so, you will have to search the church records, because they are not recorded in OPR

Looks like they probably are

[heiserca]

Another hint that tripped me up: spelling variation.  I’ve found them under Middlemiss, Middlemist, Middlemost, Midlemess, etc.

[Alan of Kaslo]

Hello Victoria

I'm of the Middlemisses in Berwickshire myself. I thought I had something bright to say but misread. Anyhow watching with interest. My grandparents lived all around Swinton , Allanton, Blackadder etc.

Cheers.

Edit. Back to mention that just recently I was looking for a potential Middlemiss relative in Gordon. This one was a William but he also married a Margaret Dodds 05/06/1840. Also the entry above is a Dodds. I only mention it because the timing was coincidental.

[vivdunstan]

If a couple married irregularly rather than in a church the marriage would often be recorded in the kirk session minutes, when the couple are told off, rather than in the church’s marriage registers. Generally kirk session minutes, where they survive, are held separately, and not part of the digitised records at ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. There are plans to make them more widely available, but they’re not ready yet.

Of course spelling variations are also a huge issue to contend with. I find wildcards help when searching. Eg in this case I’d search for mid*l*m*s* rather than a specific spelling.

Good luck!

[heiserca]

They got around too.  My ancestor "Agnes Midlemis(t)" was born at Yetholm, Roxburghshire, in 1735, married at Coldstream in 1751, moved with her husband to Edrington, near Mordington, Berwickshire, about 1764. 

Her father, “James Middelmist” was born at Oxnam, 1712, and her grandfather at Hownam, Roxburghshire, 1692.   

A hearth tax record at Morebattle in 1796 showed a relative, "James midlemist in yetam parioch”. 

Spelling was up to the local minister, or someone else who learned to read and write.  It varied widely.

[victoriajoule]

Thanks Guys .....all very interesting information I wasn't aware of, amazing what you can learn on this forum  !  I'm still no further forward but will continue to look :-)

Cheers
Victoria

[LowrieT]

Whinkerstones  is in the Parish of Fogo.   A relative of mine used to live there.    I still know Middlemiss's  from this area.   I live in Greenlaw.    few miles from Fogo.