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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Roxburghshire => Topic started by: bolttail on Tuesday 01 November 16 11:13 GMT (UK)
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I am currently researching the Dods family who lived at Reperlaw, Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, around 1770.
Looking on 'familysearch' at Dods baptisms in Lilliesleaf between 1700 and about 1836, I find that many of them are recorded as born Lilliesleaf but baptised at Makerstoun (some 15 miles away). This occurs over a period of some 120 years. Other baptisms are at Maxton and Linton (also some distance from Lilliesleaf).
My experience of researching Scottish baptisms is very limited. I have never come across this before. Was something peculiarly Scottish going on here?
Any suggestions? Helpful ones preferred.
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This is quite common, especially in the agricultural community - it would suggest that where they are baptised could be at a family parish
It very common for families to move around the area, due to marriage or work, but still return to their family church to baptise their children
In the case of the Dods/Dodds family name is very common in Roxburghshire especially around 20sq miles of the Kelso area - which would include Maxton, Linton & Lilliesleaf.
Lilliesleaf & Maxton are not that far apart as the crow flies and the back roads.
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Many thanks for the information 'terianne'. I've been researching my family history for about eight years. Nearly all England and Wales. Although I have had the odd baptism in the parish of the mother's parents, I've not come across anything on this scale over such a long period. Most of my lot walked to the nearest available church.
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What dods/dodds are you researching
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I am researching Helen Dods the daughter of William Dods and Agnes White, baptised Lilliesleaf on the 11th September 1768. She probably married William Scott in about 1787, but I can find no record of this marriage. Apparently there are no existing marriage records for Lilliesleaf prior to 1817.
The Dods family lived in Reperlaw, Lilliesleaf.
Several years ago, I tried to identify the parents of William Dods, Agnes White, and William Scott. A total failure.
I have recently returned to the challenge but I am getting no more success. Even the alternative parish options are not providing a suitable baptism for William Dods.
I'm at that point in my family history research where all branches have reached a 'brick wall'.
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have you tried the makerstoun area
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Hi 'terianne'. I've done lots of increasingly 'fuzzy' searches on ScotlandsPeople with the geographical limit just set to the county of Roxburgh. The data just isn't good enough to come to any conclusions with any degree of certainty. Not enough marriage and burial records. Without some other documentation such as a will or two, I'm knocking my head against a brick wall. I think that William Dods and Agnes White are the end of the line for me. Many thanks for your interest.
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I live near lilliesleaf and makerstoun and know the area well, so I'll have a look for you locally - also try the research services of the Borders family history society and the local authorities heritage hub in Hawick (it's linked to register house and Scotlandspeople)
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That's very kind of you 'terianne'. Please don't spend too much of your valuable time on this. I don't think the necessary data is there. A gravestone inscription would be good, but not many readable gravestones survive from this early. I am registered with Borders FHS and do visit their website.
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Hi again 'terianne'. Here's a little bit of information which might be of some use. In May 1732 a petition of grievances was presented to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The petition contained, amongst many others, the names of 56 men under the heading "At Reperlaw in Lilliesleaf Parish, March 27". One of the names was William Dods. I would suggest that there's a reasonable chance that this man was the father or grandfather of William Dods the husband of Agnes White.
I'm puzzled by the fact that 56 names appeared under the Reperlaw heading. The Ordnance Survey map of 1863 shows Reperlaw (Raperlaw on the map) as an isolated farm with possibly only three buildings. Fifty six men an their dependants could not have resided there. Does your local knowledge provide any answer to this? Did the name Reperlaw encompass something greater than the farm itself?
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I'll have a look,but not uncommon for farms to use men from the local surrounding area to work on the farm, but also the could have been bigger in the 1700s than in the 1800s - I have some old info on the area - I'll see what I can find
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Had a quick look at the old map and reperlaw did cover a larger area in the 1700's which were was might explain the high no of men
I have found some of Helen's siblings
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Having done a quick search on Google, it looks like Reperlaw was a baronry, so much more than just a farm. What 'old map' are you looking at?
Helen's siblings, Isobel, William, and Andrew, have never been a problem, but thanks for the effort.
I've tried to find a family with a similar pattern of names but haven't found anything really convincing.
Having no marriage record for William and Agnes doesn't help. I don't think the parish records for the county of Roxburgh are complete enough to produce a credible answer.
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The national library of Scotland gives free access to its old maps
Think I might have found Helen and her daughter Margaret living in Crailing in the 1841 census
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Well, that would be a problem for me. In 1841, I have a Helen Scott living with an Isabella Dodds (both aged 70) at Smiddyhaugh, Auchterarder, Perthshire. Both not born in Perthshire. My belief has been that these two women were the daughters of William Dods and Agnes White.
Helen Dods married William Scott and around 1800 they were living on the Kirklands estate near Ancrum where William was the steward. My belief was that the family moved to Newton Gorthy, Fowlis Wester, Perthshire, some time before 1813. The Fowlis Wester records have an 1813 baptism for Thomas the son of William Scott and Helen Dod.
However, I have no problem with being proved wrong on this point, so I am most interested in the Helen and Margaret who were living at Crailing. Could you let me have the details. I know the 1841 census is a bit sparse.
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I'll have another look - uncommon here for different people with the same name to married each other - especially with the naming patterns
Have found any other children for Helen. & William
I checked the Maxwell ancestry site for the census 1841,1851,1861 local for free
And checked the igi / family seach site for hints on old records
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Hi,
is it on family search where you are finding these baptism? There is an error and Linton comes up all the time for hundreds of people who can't possibly all gone to Linton. They have the person born in the Leaf and christened in Linton. I can only think that Makerstoun is the same error.
Barbara Johnston
Borders FHS
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Hi Barbara,
Many thanks for your input to this topic. Yes, my results are all coming from 'familysearch'. Between 1693 and 1846 there are about 32 people with the surname 'Dods' who are recorded as being born in Lilliesleaf but baptised a little later in Makerstoun. I certainly haven't come across anything like this before.
To establish whether this is an error by 'familysearch' it would obviously be necessary to look at the original entries. I am registered with ScotlandsPeople, but currently have no credits. I have no desire at this time to purchase further credits since there are no records which I currently need to view. I have hit a very substantial 'brick wall' in Roxburghshire.
I did wonder whether the two parishes were connected in some way. e.g. A large landowner who had a dwelling in both parishes and who employed staff that moved from time to time between the two locations. An alternative thought was that there was some local tradition coming into play.
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No there are far too many to be correct. You don't need vouchers to look at the index now. So you can probably look but I am in the archives at Borders FHS just now so if you give me a couple to look at I can check for you
Barbara
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I have just checked the original for an Ann Dods which the IGI has as being born Lilliesleaf, christened in Makerstoun in 1764 and living in Lilliesleaf. Parents Baillie Dods and mother Jannet Adamson.
The orginal has no mention of Lilliesleaf at all and Baillie Dods the father was miller at Makerstoun-mill. I am pretty sure all these mixes of Lilliesleaf and Makerstoun are wrong just like the Linton ones.
Barbara Johnston
Borders FHS
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Many thanks Barbara for establishing that these entries are incorrect. Very strange.
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I wouldn't discount it all together - I have cases over a couple of generations where children were christened in a different parish to their birth especially the eldest, because of a family connection ie maxton & ancrum parishes being christened in crailing & born in morebattle christened at cornhill eg my uncle was born in ancrum parish and christened in crailing - found out later that our family had very strong links in crailing
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Hi again 'terianne'. No, I won't be discounting the possibility that my Lillieleaf Dods might have been baptised elsewhere. I keep my mind open and flexible to all possibilities, though I suspect that I'm never going to identify the parents of William Dods or his wife, Agnes White.
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I have Dods/Dodds in my tree. The direct line is to a James Dodds born in 1786 at Ednam, not Lilliesleaf, who married Alison McDougall in 1826 at Minto. some of their children were also born at Minto but also Denholm.
May not be connected but you never really know!
regards
Squirejay
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At the risk of confusing the issue re Dods/Adamson and Lilliesleaf: I have a strong suspicion that Janet Adamson, who married Baillie Dods in 1762, was born in Lilliesleaf to George Adamson and Janet Simpson, on 16 Dec 1734. That might provide some reason for the mention? In this family’s history, there is also a pattern of birth in Lilliesleaf and baptism in Makerstoun.
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I think that is an error from the Latter Day Saints IGI, Carol Nearly all the Lilliesleaf christenings are supposed to be christened at Makestoun but there is no reason why that would be and there are too many for it to be correct.