Brick wall that has been there over 30 years! John Johnstone Cumming b.1786

[edgane]

Hi Hannah
Thanks for your reply. I'm in Surrey so not really able to do much research in Scotland although I visited Aberdeen and Huntly several years ago and got some photocopies of the Drumblade register entries for John and his family.
If you can give me any guidance on how to look at the records you mention I would be most grateful. I even thought John might be the son of Sir John Cumming but having got a list of his children there was no match. I'm still hoping to find his recommendation for a ensign position in 1805 at the National Archives which might have family mentioned but so far it has eluded me! I appreciate your help very much.
Regards Elaine

[edgane]

Ooh, 30 miles is not too far. I'll definitely check that out.
Thanks again
Regards Elaine

[Flattybasher9]

I think that you wil find the "Leith-Hay" link is Barbados.

Malky

[HannahR]

If you can give me any guidance on how to look at the records you mention I would be most grateful. I even thought John might be the son of Sir John Cumming but having got a list of his children there was no match. I'm still hoping to find his recommendation for a ensign position in 1805 at the National Archives which might have family mentioned but so far it has eluded me! I appreciate your help very much.
Regards Elaine

The other record you may check for is a will. But that's side tracking - there are soldier's wills for several years. It is also worth noting that it is not uncommon for someone to adopt a middle name that did not appear in the registers. I have seen this on several occasions so I wouldn't get too hung up on the Johnstone part.

The Old Parish Registers are available through ScotlandsDocuments which can only be referenced at a Scottish archive to my knowledge. As for the baptisms you can have a look at them through ScotlandsPeople which is accessible from home however there is a charge for it like that of Findmypast. I think there is a charge of £1.50 per baptism register that you look at which depending on how many there are can get quiet expensive.

If you are unable to do the research yourself you might consider contacting a local family history society. As I do offer a free half hour consult if you would like you can email me John's details [Birth, Marriage, Death] and I will have a quick look at the Baptisms to see if anything jumps out at me next time I'm at the Archives.

You have done very well to get back as far as you have.

Hannah

[Forfarian]

That looks really interesting! Where is Keith in relation to Drumblade?

It's about 16 miles.

Lessendrum http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5741 is actually in the parish of Drumblade. which is the next parish to the east of Huntly. In fact the River Bogie is the parish boundary, so Huntly Station is actually in the parish of Drumblade, not the parish of Huntly.

The parish kirk of Drumblade is about a mile south-south-east of Lessendrum http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ5840.

[Forfarian]

The Old Parish Registers are available through ScotlandsDocuments which can only be referenced at a Scottish archive to my knowledge.

Your understanding is erroneous.

The Old Parish Registers are the Church of Scotland's records of baptisms, banns and burials, and it is the OPRs that form the main database on Scotland's People, and can be viewed from home at a charge of £1.50 per page.

What is only available in certain (not all) Scottish archives is the Kirk Session records, which are the surviving minutes of the proceedings of the kirk sessions of the Church of Scotland.

I think the archives where the Kirk Session records can be viewed include the National Records of Scotland Historic Search Room in General Register House, Edinburgh; the Mitchell Library, Glasgow; the Aberdeen City Archives; the Highland Archives, Inverness; and the Borders Archives, Hawick. There may be others I don't know about.

[edgane]

Wow! I am amazed at the number of responses I have had today! Thank you so much for all your input. I will follow up on everything you have suggested when I get on the desktop pc as the phone is a poor substitute for proper research! Please keep your suggestions coming,  they are really appreciated.
Kind regards Elaine

[HannahR]

The Old Parish Registers are the Church of Scotland's records of baptisms, banns and burials, and it is the OPRs that form the main database on Scotland's People, and can be viewed from home at a charge of £1.50 per page.

What is only available in certain (not all) Scottish archives is the Kirk Session records, which are the surviving minutes of the proceedings of the kirk sessions of the Church of Scotland.

Thank you for correcting my mistake. I did mean to put Kirk Session records not Old Parish Registers. I must point out that I made the same mistake in my previous post. Apologies Elaine.