Sasines

[Rewcastle]

I have found the following on archive.org I assume it would be to do with a death and would have a bit more information than what is below. Does anyone know if this register is online ?

General register of Sasines (land register) 1701-1720

Name and Designation                        date of recording  vol fol  County or Sherriffdom
Francis of Whithaugh                        9th Sept 1701      79  402   Roxburgh
Julian Ker, spouse of Francis of Whithaugh  9th Sept 1701      79 402 Roxburgh

Francis of Whithaugh                        23rd Jan 1706      88  262   Roxburgh
Francis son of Francis of Whithaugh         23rd Jan 1706      88  262   Roxburgh

Francis of Whithaugh, elder                 9th June 1714      105 347   Roxburgh
Francis of Whithaugh, younger               9th June 1714      105 347   Roxburgh

Julian Ker, daughter of Henry Ker of Lintoun, and spouse of Francis Armstrong of Whithaugh

[Deb D]

Thanks to Phil and Kirsty on "Location Location Location", I now know that Sasines were to do with transfer of property (real estate, that is).  From the look of your info, it may be resultant from a death, ... but not necessarily.  Hope that helps.

(*Edited: - Of course, this could be a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing, too!    *)

Deb

[greenvalley]

Hi,

no sasines but I found this in the national archives of Scotland

Includes: coal in Liddesdale; glazing windows of kirk of Castleton; repairs to tenants, houses; repairing Rickerton milne; receipt by Julian Ker lady Whithaugh for gown promised on her renouncing right to her husband's lands 6 August 1719.

Reference GD224/239

Maybe you'll find more if you follow this link http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/ and use the search function.

Greenvalley

[Rewcastle]

Thanks greenvalley and Deb D,

I've found a few more and it looks like it could be the death of Henry Kerr of Lintoun.

Henry Kerr of Lintoun         9th Sept 1701   79 402
 " son of Henry K of Lintoun  9th Sept 1701   79 402
Janet dau of   "   "   "      9th Sept 1701   79 402
Jean Kerr of Frogden          9th Sept 1701   79 402
Margaret Kerr. Home, spouse of Henry of Lintoun 9th Sept 1701   79 402
Mary, daughter of Henry K. of Lintoun spouse of Robert Scott in Park in Liddesdale 9th Sept 1701   79 402
William Kerr son of Henry K. 9th Sept 1701  79 402

It seems strange that she's calling herself by her maiden name Julian Ker Lady Whithaugh in 1719. I've found a marriage Francis Armstrong married Julian Ker(r) 23rd Dec 1683 Kelso Roxburgh.
I wonder if it was the rights to a marriage settlement that she was giving up...

[greenvalley]

Rewcastle,

As far as I know most women in Scotland were referred to by their maiden name in official documents.  It may have been a legal thing, I've even seen it on cencus records.

A sasine is an Instrument by which changes in ownership of land were recorded so it looks as if she gave up her rights to some land for a dress - I only hope it was worth it 

I don't know if it was part of her dowry. I did see on Scotlandspeople that a Francis Armstrong was the Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Argyll at Sheriffmuir so perhaps if you keep googling his name you may find out more. Sounds like a well to do family so you should be able to find some more info.

I also found a William Henry Ker being the same as the Marquess of Lothian, very posh indeed. Is this the family your are researching?

Good luck

Greenvalley

[Rewcastle]

I'm not sure if it's my family or not yet.

I was stuck on my 5th great grandfather John Armstrong and couldn't go any further back, so i went back to my 4th great grandfather's wedding certificate, both of his parents were dead at the time of the wedding, but there was a Dr John Armstrong and his future wife, who were the witnesses on the wedding certificate.

I went through the whole of the parish register and couldn't find Dr John Armstrong as a witness to any other marriages in the church, he also lived three streets away from my 4th great grandparents.
I thought i'd start to trace Dr John Armstrong's family, thinking perhaps he was a cousin, 2nd cousin and i would be able to find the link and work my way back down to my 5th great grandfather.

Dr John Armstrong's father was also called John Armstrong, as was his grandfather. To complicate matters, Dr John's grandfather, John Armstrong married another Armstrong, Christian Armstrong, the daughter of Francis Armstrong of Whithaugh. There is a high chance that John and Christian may have already been related.

Christian's father Francis married Helen Forrester she died in 1667, he then married Christian Elliot she died 1689 (these dates are gravestones). Francis' daughter Christian was born 1681 and was the daughter of Francis of Whithaugh according to the family vault. Francis was born 1630, he also had a son Francis. As yet i'm not sure which Francis married Julian Ker(r) in 1683.

The Armstrong's of Whithaugh were the infamous border reivers noted for stealing cattle, sheep, burning churches and being hung 

[GR2]

Sasines record the transfer of heritable land. The land might just be being sold, but it could be being transferred as part of a marriage settlement. The owner might sell or transfer the land, but retain the liferent (i. e. use of it and income from it until his death). Sometimes the land is transferred as security for a debt and will be returned when the debt is paid. They are often very useful documents and can give very important detail of family relationships (e. g. third lawful son of ....). A precept of sasine was drawn up by a notary before witnesses instructing that the land was to be transferred. The person getting the land or his representative then went to the land in question with the person giving the land or his representative, along with the notary and witnesses. The notary read the precept of sasine, the giver handed over earth and stones from the land to the receiver, then the receiver got the notary to record that this had been done. All this is described, including details of the land itself. The witnesses can be very useful indeed as the are sometimes relatives. Parents often passed on land to children in their own lifetime, retaining liferent. It was also very usual for land to be settled on a woman as part of a marriage contract, so she would have a guaranteed income if her husband died.

You can consult the actual registers of sasines in the National Archives in Edinburgh.

Graham.

[greenvalley]

Hi,

I found this online

"Here lyes Adam Armstrong who died June 11th,1672,also Adam Armstrong who died 10th May,1696 and Elspeth Scott his spouse who died July 14,1734, also Robert Armstrong son to John Armstrong in Saughtree who died May 7, 1743 aged ..........."

"Here lyeth the body of John Armstrong de died at Spoutgills Decr.19th 1756 aged 55 years."

"In memory of Isabel wife of Alexander Armstrong who died at Mounces Decr. 4th, 1822 aged70 years. Also the above Alexander Armstrong who died 11 Oct._________ ...14th June 1827 aged 71 years (into ground)"

"Here lyes Helen Forrester spouse to Francis Armstrong in Whithaugh who died 2nd May 1667. Here lies also Christian Elliot second wife of said Francis Armstrong who died October 8th 1679 (illiegible) aged 29. Here lies Margaret Armstrong daughter of Francis Armstrong Younger of Whithaugh who died October 22nd 1715 aged 8 months. Here lyes Francis Armstrong elder of Whitawch who died October 27 1721 aged 91 years."

"In memory of Walter Armstrong who died at Keilder Lodge 11th September 1896 aged 65years also Margaret Armstrong his wife who died at Keilder Lodge 7th December 1896 aged 65 years. Elizabeth Armstrong their daughter whi died at Keilder Cottage 17th Feby 1861 aged 4 years. Arthur their son who died 14th Augt. 1872 aged 2 years."

Maybe this will help you further

Greenvalley

[Rewcastle]

"Here lyes Helen Forrester spouse to Francis Armstrong in Whithaugh who died 2nd May 1667. Here lies also Christian Elliot second wife of said Francis Armstrong who died October 8th 1679 (illiegible) aged 29. Here lies Margaret Armstrong daughter of Francis Armstrong Younger of Whithaugh who died October 22nd 1715 aged 8 months. Here lyes Francis Armstrong elder of Whitawch who died October 27 1721 aged 91 years."

I wasn't sure if Francis Armstrong of Whithaugh was the Laird of Whithaugh. I've since done a bit of digging and It seems that the wife of a Laird was called Lady of (the Placename). It also seems that the heir to the Lairdship was called the younger. It now looks like Francis was the Laird of Whithaugh. 

Several things i've come across in books on archive.org

Probates ?

commissariot of Peebles [1681-1699]

Elliot Christian, spouse to Francis Armstrong, of Whithaugh 15th November 1681.

Commissariot of Edinburgh
Armstrong, Francis, Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Argyle 12th Feb 1726