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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: hms racker on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:04 GMT (UK)

Title: Portioner
Post by: hms racker on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:04 GMT (UK)
In a marriage entry for 1769 in Scotland the groom is described as a "portioner". What is a portioner?

Any help appreciated.
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: goldie61 on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:17 GMT (UK)
From
http://www.rps.ac.uk/static/glossary.html

portioner
Sc. Law. The proprietor of a small estate or piece of land resulting from the division of an original forty merkland among co-heirs or otherwise, a small land-owner.


This is a great site from RPS - Records of the Parliaments of Scotland. The Glossary gives you all those particularly Scottish terms used in documents. Very handy!  ;)
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: hms racker on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:27 GMT (UK)
thank you. Do you think the share or division is recorded somewhere?
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: RJ_Paton on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:34 GMT (UK)
thank you. Do you think the share or division is recorded somewhere?

Have a read at this site from the National Records of Scotland
http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/inheriting-land-and-buildings

and this one regarding the Register of Sasines (land transfers)

http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/sasines
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: hms racker on Wednesday 09 March 16 19:57 GMT (UK)
thanks - interesting reading
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Thursday 11 February 21 04:42 GMT (UK)
Very interesting! I just learned of an ancestor in Scotland named Andro Clerk. I was trying to decipher what was written in the Cairn of Lochwinnoch - and thought I could read "portioner" but it didn't make sense. Now it does, thank you.

There are other words that I can't make out or guess so I figured I would try to put down what I  think I can read, maybe it would someone will recognize what doesn't seem like a word to me .... in case anyone is up for a challenge!

So here goes: Andro Clerk portioner of Linthills and had ymiur (or that might be all one word - a place maybe, Ladymim??) with a tacher of 3000 mark Scots in 1753.

Thanks in advance (Linthills is in or near Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, I think)

cheers!

Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Isabel H on Thursday 11 February 21 07:59 GMT (UK)
Here is my reading of it.

Thomas Gemmel came from Cathcart parish __  _____
and weaver. His brother stocking maker Gorbals. He married Margaret dochter (daughter) of Andro
Clerk portioner of Linthills and Ladymuir with a tocher (dowry) of
3000 mark Scots in 1753. see vol.1  p350.
They had ....



Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Forfarian on Thursday 11 February 21 09:19 GMT (UK)
Could the missing words cut off at top right be 'a warper'?
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Thursday 11 February 21 14:50 GMT (UK)
I agree!! I was hoping someone could compensate for my lack of knowledge of the relevant Scots terminology and locations, not to mention my transcription skills! Now I can add Ladymuir to Linthills as a place of interest. This is exciting.

And dowry makes sense too. THANK YOU so much. As for "warper," as soon as I read the proposed transcription and before I read your suggestion, Forfarian, that word popped into my head and I was about to look it up to see if it constituted an occupation. At first, I had wondered if the word was "worker".

There is a lot to unpack even on the image of this single page of the Cairn of Lochwinnoch. Further down, in a passing remark of a scandal (I think) in reference to my ancestor John McLachlan who married Margaret Gemmill, the granddaughter Andro Clerk.  Also, Dr. Andro Crawfurd, author of the precious Cairn) wrote that this John " was famous for his manners, odd etc. and he fed his family on potatoes 3 times a day. Potatoes provocative to incontinence - shakes(?can't really make sense out the rest)"... . How I would love to have access to the volumes he wrote!!!! The two or three pages I have been privileged to see contain such fascinating information!

Thanks again Isabel H and Forfarian for your help in revealing some of the secrets within :-)

ard
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Skoosh on Thursday 11 February 21 17:16 GMT (UK)
@ ard, a quick look, found a few Gemmills mentioned in "Old Glasgow Weavers" a John Gemmil, wobster (weaver) Aug 1613, warned by the craft deacon against beating his apprentice John Park unmercifully under pain of fyve punds fine, the said John Park warned also to dae as he was tellt!
 An Alexander Gemmill, May 1614 fined fower pund for calling the deacon ane kneifvisch knave, not fit tae be ane deacon, and much else besides!
 A Nichol Gemmill was one of the signatories to an Agreement between the Glasgow weavers and the weavers of Gorbals an Bridgend in 1605.
 There were still Gemmells who were members of the Weavers Incorporation in Victorian times, William Gemmell, gardener 1879, Adam Gemmell, 1881 & another William Gemmell in 1883.

Bests,
Skoosh.
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Thursday 11 February 21 17:42 GMT (UK)
Fascinating, Skoosh!!! Thank you. Is the "Old Glasgow Weavers" a searchable database?

Although his parents had been (mis)identified by early researchers, I long suspected that John McLachlane (a shoemaker) and Margaret Gemmell/Gemmill/Giemle (whose parents were Thomas and Margaret nee Clerk) were the parents of my documented ancestor John McLachlan (a weaver). However, I was only just yesterday able to confirm that hunch by obtaining the image of the "Johnshill Gemmills" page. I was really pleased!

John and Margaret's son John McLachlan (married to Ann Houston) immigrated to Canada through the Paisley Townhead Emigration Society. This was around the time of the "Radical War" aka the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, which I am interested in learning more about. Other family members emigrated also, and I think some Gemmells did as well but Im just beginning to explore this additional branch of the family! ONE DAY I will get over to Scotland to further explore those branches of my family!!

ard

Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Skoosh on Friday 12 February 21 14:28 GMT (UK)
Hello ard! all the Glasgow trades incorporations published a history, I have the second edition of "Old Glasgow Weavers" by deacon Robert D McEwan, 1908. Carson & Nicol Ltd, Bath Street, Glasgow.
 I don't know if it's readable online, an email to the Trades House of Glasgow would be your best bet, all the best with your researches.

https://www.tradeshouse.org.uk

Bests,
Skoosh.
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Friday 12 February 21 15:10 GMT (UK)
Thanks, Skoosh, I'll look into it! It's becoming increasingly clear that quite a few of my ancestors from that area were in the weaving trade, which becomes all the more significant and interesting in light of the hardships they faced and the subsequent "Insurrection' ... especially considering that several appear to have emigrated around that time.

 I find it particularly fascinating to discover the conditions facing my ancestors in various times and places!

Cheers,

ard

Ardeth
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Skoosh on Saturday 13 February 21 09:40 GMT (UK)
ard, a wee article about the Radical War,

https://www.thenational.scot/news/18258391.aftermath-involved-scotlands-radical-war-1820/

Bests,
Skoosh.
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Istrice on Saturday 13 February 21 13:05 GMT (UK)
ard,

My apologies if you have already seen the following reference.

https://libcat.renfrewshire.gov.uk/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=CairnofLochwinnoch (https://libcat.renfrewshire.gov.uk/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=CairnofLochwinnoch)

Istrice
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Saturday 13 February 21 13:15 GMT (UK)
Thanks again Skoosh and Istrice! I always appreciate receiving links and hints 😉 I will definitely check them out, it's actually been a while since I've looked into the event in any depth.

Have a great weekend!

ard
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: Istrice on Saturday 13 February 21 13:22 GMT (UK)
ard,

A link to the Internet "Way Back Machine".  Possibly the 48 volumes have been digitised and are available to read.
https://archive.org/details/insearchofscotti00hami/page/176/mode/2up?q=%22cairn+of+lochwinnoch%22

Istrice
Title: Re: Portioner
Post by: ard on Saturday 13 February 21 15:12 GMT (UK)
Thanks, Istrice

I know that it is possible to consult the contents of the documents in Scotland but I live in Canada, so that won't be possible for me to do for a good while yet! I also think that Family Search (the Latter Day Saints organization) may have digitized several volumes (?) but, to my knowledge, these aren't available online, only through their centres, or maybe even only certain ones. A future project, to be sure... One day.....!

ard

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/359031?availability=Family%20History%20Library