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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Banffshire => Topic started by: lynne99 on Sunday 24 January 16 19:55 GMT (UK)
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Looking for this place as I think my Great x 2 grandfather might have been born there. :)
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Earnfold is near Mortlach, and is in Banffshire.
See: http://www.francisfrith.com/uk/earnfold
No photos, but have a look at "Nearby places".
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Earnfold is still marked on the current Ordnance Survey map, National Grid reference NJ363392. It is a few miles east of Dufftown, in the parish of Mortlach which is in the county of Banff, though it now comes under the Moray local government area.
See http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=57.4420&lon=-3.0584&layers=5
and
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ3639 for some views of the immediate area.
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If you look at Freecen 1851 and 1861 for Mortlach, Earnfold appears to be a farm of some 55 to 60 acres with the Miren/Myren/Mirren family occupying the main farmhouse and two other houses or cottages on the property occupied by the Strath and Gordon families.
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The 1841 Census has the Mirren family at the Mains of Cluny and "Erenfold" occupied by a 71 year old farmer Alexander Mitchel and the two associated households by Macleans and Watts, again not young with the householders being 57 and 70+ respectively.
The Mains of Cluny are just the other side of the Milltown of Auchindoun from Earnfold.
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;D J11 and Forfarian a virtual hug for you both. You have made my month. Not only found Earnfold but Alexander as well :D :D
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>:( ??? This time a sad face. They still have their son John with them. My John Mitchell born c 1810/2 in Banffshire, was in Liverpool for the 1841 census, aged 30 (but might be rounded to nearest 5). And his Alexander was a wood forester. The age in this census is correct +/- 1 with his age at death in 1845.
Back to the drawing board...... Your views (and help) would be appreciated.
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Oh dear, that is bad news :(
If your John was 30 in 1841, and assuming that his age is correct, he would have been born between 8 June 1806 and 7 June 1811. I presume his father's name and occupation are from his marriage certificate? How did you find out that he was born in Banffshire?
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Specifically, what drew you to Earnfold?
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Hi again. John Mitchell my great x 2 grandfather, on the 1841 census, has no for born in county and a mark in the Ireland or Scotland column. This was illegible, but it was either of these 2 countries. He was a gardener. I could not find him with the family in 1851, eventually found his death and burial and to my delight he had a headstone. :D He died of Tetanus while at work. I presume his employer paid for the headstone. On this stone it says "a proud native of Banffshire, Scotland". His father is Alexander from his marriage certificate, in 1838 in Liverpool.
I searched Scotland's People for all John Mitchell with father Alexander b c 1801 and 1825 in Banffshire. I then limited it because his age at death was given as 34 in 1845. I always allow some give and take as people tended to underestimate their age. So I now think he was born between 1810 and 1812. There was not much choice. 3 I think and 1 of the others I found on the 1841 census with their parents, so I discounted them. I think I will have to be more structured in my approach and turn detective. ;D If you would like me attach the SP search I will do so.
Thanks for taking an interest. 2 brains better than 1
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Let's go back a bit.
John Mitchell married Esther Bradshaw in Liverpool in the September quarter of 1838.
John Mitchell, gardener, Bachelor, Great Homer Street, son of Alexander Mitchell, wood forrester, married Esther Bradshaw, Spinster, Great George Street, daughter of Edmund Bradshaw, hatter, on 12 Aug 1838 at St Nicholas, Liverpool
In 1841 John Mitchell, gardener, aged 30, with wife Esther, aged 22, son Alexander, 12 months, and Alice Bradshaw, 60, were all living at South Hill, Toxteth Park, West Derby. His age, if accurate, suggests a birth in 1806/1811.
There seem to be three relevant baptisms
Alexander Edmund Mitchell, son of John Mitchell, gardener, and Esther Mitchell, Woolton, born 12 June and baptised 5 July 1840
John Mitchell, son of John Mitchell, gardener, and Esther Mitchell, Dingle Cottage, bon 9 March and baptised 3 April 1842
James Mitchell, son of John Mitchell, gardener, and Esther Mitchell, Dingle Lane, baptised 21 April 1844.
John then died in 1845 aged 34. His age, if accurate, suggests a birth in 1810/1811.
In 1851 Esther Mitchell, widow, 32, laundress, was at 55 Ashton Street with Alexander, 11; John, 9, William, 6 and James, 5.
Not a lot to go on, really.
If I put birth, John Mitchell, surname variants, Banffshire, father Alex*, birth 1806 to 1812, into the SP index I get two matches. Doing similar searches in the IGI on FamilySearch.org tells me that one is the son of Alexander Mitchell and Anne Stuart, born 1812 in Mortlach, and the other the son of Alexander Mitchell and Margaret Horn, born 1810 in Cabrach (which is partly in Banffshire and partly in Aberdeenshire).
Both of them can be discounted because both are with their parents in the 1851 census, the first one at Smallburn, Mortlach and the second at Tomnavouin, Blackwater, Cabrach.
Who was the third one in your SP search?
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Not wanting to muddy the waters but... I've sometimes seen people in the late 18th - early 19thCs being described as from Banffshire when in fact they were from Moray/Elgin.
For example, Freecen has the following in the 1861:
Leazes Crescent,
St Andrews Ecclesiastical Parish
Newcastle upon Tyne
BANKS Robert Head W M 74 Baptist Minister Scotland - Banffshire
and the following baptism in Elgin is the same Robert (I've other corroborating evidence):
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.
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You are absolutely right that sometimes people born in Banffshire can be in the baptism records in Moray, and vice versa - there are three parishes (Bellie, Boharm and Keith) partly in Banffshire and partly in Moray, so it is quite common.
For that very reason I did extend my search to include possible John Mitchells born in Moray, just in case he was from one of those parishes, but I found nothing.
However the Robert Banks baptism you cite isn't evidence for that. The minister who performed the baptism was an Episcopal clergyman, not a minister of a parish church, and he was a long way from his home patch. There's no evidence in that baptism record to say that Robert Banks was actually born in Elgin, elsewhere in Moray, or in Banffshire, come to that. Curious enough that he was baptised in South Shields after being born in Banffshire, without muddying the water still further ;)
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Curious is the word. I did wonder about posting that as an example. Robert Banks and his birth is something I'm still puzzling over! Long story...
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Also odd is the fact that LIBINDX has no record of this Rev Allardyce. The Statistical Account of Elgin, written in 1791-2, says that the Episcopalians had two meeting-houses, so there was clearly a decent-sized Episcopalian congregation in Elgin.
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Rev William Allardyce
"Annals of the Parish & Burgh of Elgin" page 377
But it goes on to say he was either removed or died in the early part of the 19th C and a Buchan became pastor of the Episcopalian Church.
Don
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Lachlan Shaw's History of the Province of Moray has:
TRINITY (EPISCOPAL) CHAPEL " 1825. After " The Revolution."
1. John Gordon, 1721 " 1740 or longer.
2. Francis Chalmers, 1765.
3. William Allardyce, 1780.
4. Hugh Buchan, 1781. Died 1829. (Memorial window in Church.)
5. IU"bert Bruce Boewell, of the family of Balmuto, from 1829 to 1831.
li. a William Graham Cole, 1831 to 1838. Removed to England. *' Low."
7. William Charles Augustus Madaurin, 1838 to 1850, formerly anh Hln Obtained an Indian Chapancy "Low Church." Independent preacer. Dean of the diocese. M, (1)eel Hriet Stuart Joined the R.C. Church. Published a small book on the Episcopate, and a like vol. of poems.
8. Robert Eden, D.D., the present Primus, 1850 to 1853.
9. John Ferguson, native of Aberdeenshire, 1853.
I know the dates look odd for the baptism of Robert Banks but I don't want to hi-jack Lynne's post. Maybe I should start another one for Robert!
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The only birth that fitted with father and dates was baptised at Mortlach. When looked at the registers for the marriage of Alexander and Birth of John abode was given as Earnfold. I should not jump to conclusions should I >:( So now I am searching Banffshire again. I will keep in touch ??? and thanks for your help.
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Sorry I didn't answer your question. My 3 rd was
1816 Ordiquhill, Banff. Father Alexander, mother Elizabeth., but again he is on the 1841 census,
John b 18010 ish only had sons, so I cannot even guess at his mother's name. Both father's names were given to his first son, Alexander Edmund. No girls... William b 1845 was my great grandfather and sadly he was born just 5 months before his dad died.
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My 3 rd was 1816 Ordiquhill, Banff. Father Alexander, mother Elizabeth., but again he is on the 1841 census
Ah. That seems to cover the available records - it must be that yours is one of the ones whose baptism record has not survived.
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Here you go, proof that Mitchell's were at Earnfold (1790-1820) but no John. BTW a John was a witness to Margaret's baptism. Is this your family - no definitive proof, it merely shows a Mitchell family at Earnfold and at this time members of the CofS.
16/06/1809 MITCHEL JEAN ALEXANDER MITCHEL/ANNE STUART F MORTLACH /BANFF 162/00 0010 0365 born at Earnfold.
03/09/1814 MITCHELL MARGARET ALEXANDER MITCHELL/ANNE STUART F MORTLACH /BANFF 162/00 0010 0393 born at Earnfold.
If I was doing this search, I would obtain the LDS film to verify none were omitted.
Don
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How can I look at the LDS Films to check?? Will I have to go there cause I'm a bit scared :( Will I have to look at lots of film or are they all on one for that part of Scotland. Thanks for your help and interest.