Witness to an Event 3

Birth Witnesses (Children of Archibald Knox and his spouse, Agness):

William Knox: May 26 1718. This day Archibald Knox and Agnes Skirvin, his spouse, had a sone Baptized called William: Witnesses to the Baptism John_ _ wkw_d, Patrick Hog and Adam Knox.

Agnes Knox: Sept. 4th. Agnes D[aughter] to Archbald Knox and Agnes Scirven. Adam Coltman & James Nisbit, witnesses.

George Knox: Febr 20th. George, son to Arch: Knox and Agness Skirving. Adam Knox, Adam Coltman, Witnesses.

Helen Knox: Aug. 8, 1726. Helen, D[aughter] to Archbald Knox and Agnes Scirven. Adam Coltman and Wm. Brown, Witnesses.

Helen Knox: Jan. 9th, 1729. Helen, D[aughter] to Arch. Knox & Agnes Scirven. Adam Coltman and Will: Brown. Witnesses.

James Knox: Sept. 26th. Archbald Knox & Agnes Skirvin in Sunnyside, Baptized James, born 23rd. Witnesses: William Hepburn, James Craig (?)

Jean Knox: April 21, 1734. Archibald Knox of Maysheel & his Wife, Agnes Skirven in the paroch of Preston had a D[aughter] baptized before the Congregation, named Jean (no witnesses mentioned)

Witnesses to an Event 2

Birth Witnesses (Children of George Knox of Craigleith and his spouse, Christian):

Agnes Knox: Geo[rge] Knox Taxman of the King's Park & Chris[tian] Anderson his sp[ouse] had a dau[ghter] born 11 March bap[tized] 18[th] N[amed] Agnes. Wit[nesses] Jam[es] Stuart Sr. and Jr. both Gardners to Lady Haddington (1755 at Canongate)

Margaret Knox: George Knox Tennent in Kings park & Christian Anderson his spouse had a daughter born 4 October Baptized the 11th named Margaret. Witnesses: Mr John Warden, Minister of the Gospel in Canongate and Robert Reid Brewer & late Baillie in said Burgh (1756 at Canongate)

Archbald Knox: George Knox Taxman in Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a son born 6 June Baptised the 15 said month his name Archbald. Witnesses Mr. John Warden one of the Ministers of the Canongate and Robert Reid Brewer in said Burgh (1758 at Canongate)

James Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a son born 1 March, Baptised the 7 said month his name James. Witnesses: Mr. John Warden one of the Ministers of Canongate and Robert Reid Brewer and late Baillie of said Burgh (1760 at Canongate)

Archbald Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a son born 23 February Baptised 1 March named Archbald. Witnesses: Robert Reid Brewer in Canongate & James Knox, Tenant in Sunnyside (1762 at Canongate)

George Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a son born 28 February Baptised 6 March named George. Witnesses: Mr John Edmonstone of Langfauch (sp?) and Robert Reid Brewer & late Baillie in Canongate (1763 at Canongate)

Helen Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a daughter born 1 September Baptised the 8 said month named Helen. Witnesses: Mr. Skirving of Plewlandhill (sp?) and Mr. Skirving, Surgeon (1764 at Canongate)

Christian Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a daughter born 11 August Baptised the 16 said month named Christian. Witnesses: William Berry, Seal cutter in Canongate and Mr. John Warden one of the Ministers of said Burgh (1766 at Canongate)

Katharine Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a daughter born 17 August Baptised the 28 said month named Katharine. Witnesses: William Skirving of Plewlandhill and William Berry Seal cutter in Canongate
(1767 at Canongate)

? Knox: George Knox taxman of Kings park and Christian Anderson his spouse had a son born the 28th bap 8th August Witnesses [left blank] (1770 at Canongate)

Agness Knox: Agness Daughter to George Knox of (?) the Drum and Christian Anderson his spouse had a Daughter Born the 5th of October and Baptized the 14th said month. Witnesses: James Rannie (?) and Baillie William Berrey
(1774 at Canongate)

There were apparently two other daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth but I've not found either in the birth records.


While searching the birth records I found that the witness Robert Reid, Brewer, had a child witnessed by George Knox within a few weeks of the witnessing Robert had done for him. Also, looking at the three mentions of William Berry, seal engraver as witness, I took a chance on a birth record of one of William's children born around the same time period of Christian, Agness, Katharine's births. I found that, indeed, George Knox, Taxman of Kings Park was witness to at least one of William's children. I have wondered if they were related by marriage because William's wife's surname is Anderson and so is George's wife's surname. But so far I haven't found a connection. So perhaps they are just friends.

More Google Book Search

My last post on Google Book searches is far from finished. One can find all sorts of things if one plays around with spellings and combinations. Some of my more recent searches include --

1) Evidence of Thomas Syme as a Writer to the Signet in the book

A History of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet

On page 199 of the book is mentioned the background of Thomas Syme, not my direct ancestor but a caretaker of my ancestress, Catharine Syme, and, it seems, the man for whom my ancestor (and Catharine's son) Thomas Syme MacLeod was named. Google Books also shares libraries where the book can be found. Sometimes this revelation can be very disappointing but this time around it mentions a copy in the University of British Columbia. That means I could actually have that book within my hot little hands to see if there is any more to the entry than the small snippet view.

2)

Witnesses to an Event

I've found that witnesses on marriage or birth documents provide all kinds of interesting clues and curiosities.

Birth Witnesses (children of James Syme of Northfield and his spouse, Helen) :

James Syme: James Syme of Northfield Esq & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse.College Kirk Parish. A son, Born 24 April 1785 named James. Witnesses--Messrs. James Rainnie, merchant in Leith & James Kettle, Writer in Edinburgh. Bap'd by the Rev. Dr. McFarlane, Canongate.

Christian Syme: James Syme of Northfield Esq & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse.College Kirk Parish. A daughter, Born 28th July 1786 named Christian. Bap'd by the Rev. Dr. McFarlane, Canongate. Witnesses--Messrs. Archibald Knox of South Drum & James Kettle, Writer in Edinburgh

George Syme: James Syme of Northfield Esq & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse.College Kirk Parish. A son born 21st Oct last [1788] named George. Witnesses-- James Rannie, Jr. Merchant of Leith & James Kettle Writer in Edinburgh. Bap'd by Rev. Mr. Robert Walker, Minister Canongate.

Andrew Syme: James Syme of Northfield Esq & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse.College Church Parish. A son, Born 9th Oct. last [1789] named Andrew. Witnesses--George Knox, Esq and James Kettle, Writer.

Thomas Syme: James Syme Esq of Northfield & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse. College Church Parish. A son Born 5 Nov, 1795 named Thomas. Witnesses-- Messrs. George Knox and James Kettle , writer in Edinburgh.

David Syme: James Syme of Northfield Esq & Mrs Helen Knox his spouse. College Kirk (?) Parish. A son Born 29, July 1797 named David. Witnesses--George Knox and James Kettle. W__ Edin__.

Catharine Syme, the youngest, seems to be nowhere to be found in the birth records although all the other children seem to be named and recorded. That has always made me wonder about her.

Another curiosity is the spacing between Andrew and Thomas. The other children seem to be born within a year or two of each other but between the said two boys there is about a 5 year gap. I wonder if there were miscarriages, stillbirths. Even a separation or illness of a parent may have induced such a spacing.

James Syme, Esquire of Northfield --Inventory 1819

The Symes have been quite the family to research. They were by no means extremely famous from what I can see but they certainly had some part to play in the life of Lowland Scotland. One member that seemed to have some monetary pull and interesting business connections was James Syme. Defined as a slater in other documents , I can't imagine, with the title of Esquire following his name, that he was a lowly gronk roofing houses. I'm guessing he was the employer rather than the employee. At least at the end of his life that was probably true. I have NO clue who his father and mother were yet.

There are four will-related documents connected to James Syme--an inventory/trust/settlement/disposition document(1819), an additional inventory (1822), a testament (1820) and an Eik [an addition or supplement to a testament added some time later] (1822)-- in the Scotland's People site.

The original inventory (1819) happened about a month and a half after James' death. It is certainly one of the easier of the four to read as the handwriting is legible. It includes money owed to James from others, including his own family. I find this all very interesting because they weren't small sums of money for the time. It also tells me a lot about potential business and personal connections James had with moneyed or titled people.

People mentioned in the inventory:

Re: accounts of principal sums and interest owing --

Mr. Alexander Kettle, W.S. (writer to the signet)
Right Honorable William, Earl of Mansfield
James Calderwood Durham, Esquire of Largo (deceased at the time)
General James Durham, Esquire of Largo
John Anstruther, Esquire of Ardit, advocate
Right Honorable John, Lord Elphinstone
James Syme the Younger, Esquire of Northfield
Ramsay, Boner & Co. Bankers in Edinburgh
James Kettle, Esquire, W.S., factor to the deceased
Mrs. Baillie of Lamington
Mrs. Ann Miller Horn (deceased) regarding the estate of Craigintinnie
Mr. Archibald Knox, late of Mayshiel
George Carphin, Deputy Clerk of the Commissariot of Edinburgh

People mentioned in the main body of the text--

Robert Dundas, Esquire of Arniston, Lord Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Scotland
Sir John Ross of Balnagowan (deceased)
George Miller, manufacturer in Edinburgh
Robert Horn, Tenant in Fillieside Bank, late husband of Ann Miller Horn
William Francis Hunter, Esquire, advocate
Reverend Doctor Andrew Hunter of Barjarg (deceased)
Christian Syme or Kemyss, his daughter
William Kemyss, her husband, writer in Edinburgh
George Syme, his son
Andrew Syme, his son
Thomas Syme, his son
David Syme, his son
Catherine Syme, his daughter
James Syme, Merchant in Leith, his eldest son
James Anderson, Clerk to the said Alexander Kettle, W.S.
Robert Crumbie, James Syme's servant



Mentioned in his will are others who act as his executors. I've used the internet to research all of them. Some are related to James Syme but for some, I do not know how they are connected.

Trustees of James Syme

Helen Knox or Syme, his spouse
Thomas McMillan, Esquire of Shorthope
Joseph Outram, merchant in Leith
John Dodds, farmer at Saughton Mills
William Dodds, farmer at West Bank
Alexander Kettle, W.S.

It isn't easy to find almost any pictures of the people mentioned in the inventory but one is more likely to find some pictures of the places and homes mentioned. I'll include them if I find them.

Places mentioned in the text:

-Northfield (in Prestonpans, East Lothian)
-Largo (I believe it is just north of the Firth of Forth and below Dundee)
-Ardit
-Cumberland Turnpike
-British Linen Company
-Lamington
-Craigintinnie
-Mayshiel
-Shorthope
-Saughton Mills
-Leith
-West Bank
-Newton
-Wiston
-barony of Wiston
-Restalrig
-Fillieside Bank
-Edinburgh(head of New Street, north side of High Street, Canongate)--James' offices and home
-Barjarg

Scotland's People

One of the best genealogy sources I've ever found is the Scottish government's site called Scotland's People: Connecting Generations

This site is the source of so many wonderful BMD scanned records. For those of you not in the know, BMD records refer to Births, Marriages and Death records. I have found a lot of information about my Scottish branches of my family. And I know it's far from over. I just need little tidbits to push further.

Census records and wills have also been scanned. These, too, have been provided by the site and are amazing sources of information. In fact, I can say, without a doubt that THESE two types of documents allowed me to find a very elusive ancestress when I had difficulty proving she didn't emerge fully formed from the dirt.

I've also enjoyed discovering some of the progeny of sisters and brothers of my ancestors. You never know who has what kind of information after all. I've found, through some records, very tempting information in regards of willed items that seemed to have passed through the hands of at least a few generations. Maybe they exist somewhere still.

I sure wish all governments were as thorough with their vital statistics as Scotland has been. They are a great role-model.

Google Book Search

I'm very fond of Google Book Search. I don't normally go through all the options of Google except maybe "image" focussed search. By chance, I found the digitized book search engine and it has led me in directions that I didn't have before. I hope it keeps getting broader. While searching I have found these various tidbits:

1) In The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
Vol 18, 1932
"Lord Wemyss was infeft [?] in a large West Park at Lauriston, extending to six acres 5 1/2 falls, with house, etc. thereon. He acquired the property from James Syme of Northfield, who acquired it from John Robertson of Chesterhall. In Edgar's map of 1765, no buildings are shown on the site..."

small section allowed for partial viewing in Google Book Search.

It would seem from the scanned section of index that this was the only part that mentioned James Syme but I would love to know what the rest of the section says. The only places I could see the originals are in Ontario or Quebec. This isn't an option for me at the moment.

2) In A Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings For High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors
Vol XXIII

James Syme of Northfield is written in a list of assize for the proceedings against William Skirving, a trial concerning sedition. Interestingly enough, Syme was related by marriage to a Skirving family (his wife's father's mother). However, it is not even possible to know if this is HIS family or just sheer chance. I hoped for the former but it's probably the latter. Skirving isn't exactly a rare name in the area.

3) In The Statistical Account of Scotland
1799

"The estate of Northfield, anciently part of the barony of Preston, was purchased by Mr. A. Nisbet, surgeon in Edinburgh, about 1722; and was lately sold to James Sime, slater in Edinburgh, the present worthy proprietor"


4) The Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany
vol 83 (1819)

There was no preview. The only tempting tidbit was available on the google results which said:
"At his house in New Street, Edinburgh, James Syme of Northfield, Eso. aged 70" That would indicate that James Syme was born in the 1740s, 1748-9 if the age is to be believed in this short obituary.

5) A number of scanned books and book sections mention a case against George Knox regarding his alleged misuse of tenant privileges. It is alleged that he offered quarrying rights to another person with the leave of Lord Haddington. In these sections you read that the tenancy of Holyrood Park was given to George Knox for 250 pounds a year for 21 years starting from 1748. His father, Archibald Knox of Mayshiell, was mentioned as the cautioner of the rent.

http://www.google.ca/books?id=OQYdAAAAMAAJ&q=Mayshiell&dq=Mayshiell&pgis=1

http://www.google.ca/books?id=iac2AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA600&dq=Mayshiell

http://www.google.ca/books?id=gagDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA60&dq=%22George+Knox%22+tacksman

http://www.google.ca/books?id=OQYdAAAAMAAJ&q=%22George+Knox%22+tacksman&dq=%22George+Knox%22+tacksman&pgis=1

These are all links to info tidbits. There is probably more but they start repeating the same info.

A Huntin' We Will Go...

Like in any family tree, many of my ancestors fade into the background scenery. All the sailors and farmers that are the backbone of any country's food and trade make up a good chunk of my ancestors. I have a healthy respect for their trades but, alas, they are less than noticeable when researching the past. It is fun to occasionally happen upon family that stand out from the average . Perhaps they were more noticeable because of their status or maybe because their pioneering allowed them to stand out in the earlier records of a given town or city. I do have at least a couple of those families, making my search a little more fruitful.

Hunting for my ancestors has been a joy and a struggle. I've never stopped enjoying it even when I get so frustrated with a seemingly dead end. Even finding scandals of the day that may have been discussed by my ancestors is a thrill to me. It makes me feel closer to them. My only problem has been my organization of the whole shebang.

I often find the pieces of paper and notes can get lost or put in the wrong file. Internet sources can get lost in a sea of book marks. It makes it hard to track down something as easily as I'd like. This blog is my way of keeping tabs on the sources of the new discoveries or re-discoveries of old material I thought I'd lost. I hope to keep queries and theories here, too.

In the end I hope to get a broader sense of my family by having it all here, both fact and guesses. I don't want thoughts to get lost anymore.