Witness to an Event 4

Birth Witnesses (Children of James Anderson & his spouse, Margaret Reid)

Christian Anderson: entered Curry Aug 18th, 1734. James Anderson & Margaret Reid, a daughter named Christian born 17th Inst. Witnesses- Walter Reid & Alexander Anderson

Agnes Anderson: entered Curry Dec 27th, 1736. James Anderson & Margaret Reid, a daughter named Agnes born 25th Inst. Witnesses- Walter Reid & Alexander Anderson

James Anderson: entered Curry Feb 8th 1739. James Anderson in Hermistoun & his spouse, Martgaret Reid, a son named James. Born 5th Inst: Witnesses- Alexander Anderson & Walter Reid

Postal Directories

I have continued perusing the sight I mentioned before, archive.org, and found that more than just one postal directory for Edinburgh exists. Many from the entirety of the nineteenth century (and some of the eighteenth century) exist for Edinburgh and it's immediate suburbs/surroundings. The Symes, amongst others, exist in these directories and have opened up interesting avenues of research.

James Syme
1784-85 (a quadruple dip... what's going on? James Syme Sr. Daddy?)

Syme James, Efq; of Norll field, Chalmers's clofe-

Syme James, Efq; of Northfield, Monteith's clofe

Syme of Noi ;li field, foot of Chalmer's clofe

Syme James of Nor thfield,. Chalmers's cMe

1790-92

Syme James, Efq; of Northfield, Chalmers's clofe

1794-95
Syme James Efq; of Northtfeid, foot of Chalmer's dofc :

1799-1800

Syme James of North-field, Lauriston

1800-01
Syme James of Narthfield, No 8. Society

1805-6

Syme, James 2 1 , York place

1807-8

Syme, James 20. York place

1808-9


Syme, James esq of Northfield, 1 1. Argyll square

1809-10
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 11. Argyll square

1811-12
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1812-12

Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 25. New street

1816-17
Syme, James esq. of Northfieid, 26. New street

1817-18
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1818-19
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1819-20

Syme, .Tames esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1820-21
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1821-22
Syme, James esq. of Northfield, 26. New street

1822-34

absent from the record and then suddenly shows up in "Prestonpans and
Cockenzie" as "Syme, James, esq. of Northtield" in the 1834-35 directory.
You see this same title until the 1838 directory and then George, the
younger brother, is suddenly the "Esq. Northfield" in 1839-40 postal
directory.

It looks like an unbroken line from James to George but since James Syme
the elder died in 1819 according to his will and testament, the James Syme
 you see in the 1820s and the mid 30s most probably is James Syme, Jr.

Interesting: 1775-6 has a directory not naming any Northfield or Esquire but
the James Sime (sic), SLATER, of Monteith Close shows up again. Is this the
Syme daddy I've been seeking?

The mysteries of William Kemyss

Not all my research is aimed at my direct ancestors. It is sometimes interesting to see the family surrounding those said ancestors--siblings, relatives by marriage, witnesses of events, business partners, clients, employers, etc. It tells you a lot about the family in general, their place in society, people they may have known or known of.

My direct ancestress, Catharine Syme, had an elder sister, Christian, who married William Kemyss, Esquire. Bits and pieces I've tried to pick up about him are relatively vague. They seem to point to the fact that he is a Writer. I assume that means Writer to the Signet but assumptions, of course, are just assumptions after all.

Year by year, the internet and the digitization of old documentations adds to my hunt in ways I couldn't have imagined. I just found a digitized copy of a postal directory of 1819-20. This is from after the marriage of Christian and William and recently after the death of James Syme, father of Christian. It is prior to the early death of William.

Archive.org may prove to be more valuable but for now I find an address in my hunt for more details of the marriage of Christian and William Kemyss. William Kemyss, Writer, is shown as living on Pitt Street in Edinburgh at this time. If you look at Google Map of Pitt Street, it borders between northern Edinburgh and Leith.

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.