Sheriff Court Paternity now includes Kirkcudbright cases

[ScottishAncestry]

We've been gradually working our way across the South of Scotland indexing 'paternity' cases found in the records of Scottish Sheriff Courts. I'm pleased to say the indexing of Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court is now well under way! 1830-1859 is already online and more will follow soon.

These are cases where the father of an illegitimate child was taken to court, usually by the mother of the child, and if the case was proven he would be forced to pay towards the upkeep of the child.

These are sometimes the only surviving records stating who the father of your ancestor was!

I hope you can get over your brick wall by using this index: http://www.maxwellancestry.com/ancestry/resources/courtsearch.aspx

[silaswall]

Thank you again. My "names" show up on these lists.

[ScottishAncestry]

I'm glad to hear it's been useful. Our index now covers cases from Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court from 1830-1894. Across the south of Scotland we now have a total of 5,103 cases indexed!

[ankerdine]

Fascinating stuff.

If you are working east to west then, when you eventually reach Wigtownshire, please let me know. I am looking for two illegitimate biths c1880-1883.

Judy

[pollymann]

Excellent. Looking forward to reading the record I found.
Pauline

[ScottishAncestry]

Good news for you Judy, our volunteer has now started indexing Wigtown Sheriff Court. 1831-1836 is already online: more will follow shortly!

Emma

[ankerdine]

Emma

Thanks for that information.

My grandmother had the middle name of Mann on her birth certificate and so it was suggested it could have been her father's name; her mother anticipating marriage at a future date. A sibling had also already been born three years earlier without a father named.

This is one of my "dead ends" so, hopefully, there could be a resolution in the near future.

Thanks again for that announcement.

Judy