Author Topic: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton  (Read 6326 times)

Offline amac1210

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Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« on: Sunday 15 January 17 02:19 GMT (UK) »
I've been researching my roots and found I descend from the Stark family (1600s-1700s) in Kilsyth. I wonder if anyone has any information on these guys? I want to get the family tree to extend farther back. Specifically I descend from a woman named Jean Stark (born 23 June 1711) who married James Strathearn in Kilsyth 9 June 1734. Jean herself was "begotten in fornication" as her parish birth record shows to William Stark and Janet Baird who don't seem to have married afterwards at all. She was "presented by John Graham" and witnesses included John Young and John ?. There are three possible William Starks who could fit the bill as her dad, one born in early 1660s (but would be a bit old!), another born c. 1676, and one born c. 1687 in Kilsyth. Working with the last one, he is the son of an Alexander Stark on "Banton" - a village nearby - whose wife is unknown. Alexander was born c. 1662. It is possible he also had a child named Agnes Stark (born c.1683) "in fornication" with a woman named Giles Adam, but there is no way of knowing if it is the same man. However records only show himself and his own father, also named Alexander Stark. I have no information of this elder Alexander, also of Banton, who would have likely been born c.1620s-1640s. What I do know however is that he had a son named James born c. 1660. I am also aware that there was a James Stark, described as "Baillie" or "Chamberlain" to the Viscount of Kilsyth, witnessing to the Baptism of Sarah Stark daughter of Alexander Stark of Banton in 1714. This is odd with the date, and could be a third generation Alexander. Anyhow, further research showed that James Stark began running the estate entirely that had been owned by the Viscount - when he fled the country. James went bankrupt within two years and thereafter worked in the York Buildings Company. I'm thinking he may be a son or grandson of James Stark son of Alexander Stark I of Banton? It is very difficult to piece this together and I've ran dry of sources. I could be wrong with the William Stark I chose to go with and it's all educated guessing with these records.

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 15 January 17 11:01 GMT (UK) »
The Viscount who fled the country would be the Jacobite William Livingston of Kilsyth.

Skoosh.

Offline amac1210

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 15 January 17 12:32 GMT (UK) »
Yes that's correct. His own story is an interesting one, if tragic. James Stark was his Chamberlain and looked after his estate after his departure.

Offline pharmaT

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 14:17 GMT (UK) »
Not much help but I recognise some of these names in Kilsyth.  One of my 4x grt grandmothers was Elizabeth Stark who married in Kilsyth in 1759. I haven't found her birth yet.  One of my 5x grt grandmothers was Mary Strahearn who had a daughter with David Kirkwood in 1795.  I have a John Graham but slightly later having a family around 1800. 

I'll keep your family in mind and let you know if I come up with any links but it sounds like you are further ahead in your research than I am.

Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others


Offline amac1210

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 14:29 GMT (UK) »
It seems pretty likely we're distantly related. They don't seem to be huge families and I reckon we could possibly find a real connection. I'll bear the names in mind, though at present I'm not doing any major research except via this website. It would be interesting to see your own line going back to them.

Offline amac1210

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 14:51 GMT (UK) »
I took a very cursory look at Scotland's People there. There isn't any trace of a record for an Elizabeth Stark marrying in 1759 in Kilsyth. What was her husband's name? Nor was there any record for a birth in Kilsyth that would fit that marriage date - unless she married in her late 40s. Similarly, there is no record at all for a Mary Strathearn born in the era. I think this may be a case of records that simply haven't been digitised unfortunately. Only route to an answer would be the National Archives. What sources did you use for these marriages?

Offline pharmaT

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 16:12 GMT (UK) »
Do you know I can't find it on SP either.  It's from notes I took when at NRH about 8/9 years ago.  It's not beyond possibility I've made a mistake.  I haven't worked on this line for quite a bit. I was rushing when I replied earlier I'll look back again.

Now I have everything in front of me I'll lay out what I have:

My grt grt grandfather Alexander Dunn died on 30 Jun 1875 in Kilsyth.  His death certificate gave his parents as Alexander Dunn and Jean Motherwell.  Alexander jnr was married to Agnes Bankier daughter of James Bankier and Margaret Laing, she died in 1864.


There is a baptism for Alexander Dun son of Alexander Dun and Jean Motherwell in Kilsyth on 27 Jun 1806.  There is a marriage for an Alexander Dun to a Jean Moderal in St Ninian's on 1 Nov 1801. Alexander's baptism gives William Dun and Elizabeth Stark as his parents.  He was baptised in Kilsyth but his parent's marriage was actually in Falkirk (sorry, important lesson to me, don't get excited when you hear familiar names and not check properly). 

The Strahearn was also an oops moment for me.  She is listed as the mother of my 4x grt grandmother Elizabeth Kirkwood on Elizabeth's death cert in 1875.  This line did not marry into my Kilsyth line until 1929 and I do not know for sure where Mary was from  :-[.

The Graham's come from Margaret Graham Hay, wife of Alexander Dunn jnr.  Margaret was born in Cumbernauld in 1858 to Peter Hay and Mary Ann Cochrane.  Peter was the son of Robert Hay and MArgaret Graham.  Margaret's death cert in 1865 (died Kilsyth) gave her parents as John Graham and Isabella Stirling.  Margaret would have been born about 1800 so my John Graham was born last half of 1700s.
Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others

Offline amac1210

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 17:02 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for all the info there. I'll look into it in a bit. There seems to have been a fair amount of travel in the 17th-18th centuries. My last Strathearn ancestor, was John Strathearn of Tamfin. Now, no trace of a Tamfin anywhere I can find on Google - so I assumed this may be Carfin. Carfin is a fair bit away from Kilsyth however. Not sure how far Banton is from Kilsyth. Nevertheless, these potential movements don't surprise me either. Janet Strathearn (the daughter of Jean Stark and James Strathearn) married James Porteous in Edinburgh and my own line then is focused on a village near Edinburgh named Colinton. Come the mid 1800s, they move to Glasgow.

Offline Lostris

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Re: Stark Family of Kilsyth and Banton
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 17 January 17 17:12 GMT (UK) »
any local Lannisters or Baratheons ?