Need help with BEATON from Edinburgh

[TracySW]

My 7 x great grandfather was William Beaton born around 1699, I haven't been able to go back any further as I don't know his father's name.
The only William Beaton born around that time I found on Scotlands People was born to John Beaton in the parish of Murroes, Angus 27/10/1700.

On the marriage record In 1736 William married Jane Smith a former servitrix to George Porteous, William was "a Soldier of the City Guard in n. E. P." (not sure what the nep means possible Edinburgh Parish)
Is there somewhere or something else I can look for to find his father.

I get confused with my Beaton line as far as what clan they belong to as a lot of links lead to something different, especially when it comes to Tartans and crests. I would like to find this as well.

My Scottish ancestors are: Beaton, Cockburn, Dick, Walker, Ferguson, Rodger, Smith, Thomson, Gillespie, Adamson, Ainslie, Paterson, Taylor or Tylor and Alexander

[LesleyB]

Hi Tracey
...and welcome to Talking Scot

in n. E. P." (not sure what the nep means possible Edinburgh Parish)

As far as I remember I think NEP stands for New Edinburgh Parish.

I get confused with my Beaton line as far as what clan they belong to as a lot of links lead to something different, especially when it comes to Tartans and crests. I would like to find this as well.

Given that your Beatons were in Edinburgh, so in the lowlands, as far as I'm aware it seems unlikely that they would have had any clan connections at that point. Many generations back there may have been a clan connection, as the surname appears to be from the highlands (western isles) but I think you'd need to go many generations back to establish any particular clan affiliation.

My 7 x great grandfather was William Beaton born around 1699, I haven't been able to go back any further as I don't know his father's name.

Do you have details of all his children's names? If so, you may be able to project what hsi parents names may have been, then work from there on that assumption and see if you can find parents who fit. However, the further back you go in time, the more difficult it becomes to trace family; the records become thinner on the ground, so at some point the trail will run cold (unless they are very wealthy or related to royalty!). Also, by that time, the spelling variations will be numerous, e.g. on ScotlandsPeople I can see: BEATOUN, BEATTOUN, BEATTOUNE, BETHUNE, BETONN, BETOUNE, BEATOUNE etc. Even if you do find a likely looking match, this can make it far more difficult to know if you have the correct family or person, or to make any cross references.

Not sure where you have been searching for records, but I'm guessing that in addition to the usual births, marriage & deaths you have checked ScotlandsPeople for any wills or testaments. It may also be worth checking the catalogue of the National Archives of Scotland, as there may be other ways to trace back using records such as sasines for instance, if the family owned land, but even if something is found there, being in Australia, you may not be able to follow it up effectively, as a personal visit to the archives is usually the best way forward at that stage as ordering copies to be made of documents which might contain clues can be become quite expensive.

You may be interested in these slightly later images of members of the city guard:
http://edinburghbookshelf.org.uk/volume ... s/658/zoom
http://edinburghbookshelf.org.uk/volume ... s/879/zoom

And the guard house:
http://edinburghbookshelf.org.uk/volume ... s/813/zoom

Best wishes
Lesley

[TracySW]

Thanks for replying Lesley, Looks like I will just have to save my pennies and come on over for a holiday.

These are the name of William ~1700 and Jane's (Smith) Children
Nicol son (Twin 1) 1737
Janet Daughter (Twin 2) 1737 d.1738 smallpox
Janet 1740
George 1742 (my 6 x gt gf) Married 1763 Anne Walker b.1741
Jane 1746
Mary 1748

George and Anne's son William (then lots more William's down the line) married Helen Cockburn, their childrens names are:
Margaret 1786, Helen 1887, Marion 1791, Euphemia 1893, William 1795-1857, Isobel 1799-1869

William 1795 married Jane Dick in 1819, their 13 children are:
William 1820-1908 M. Mary Thomson (came out to Aust with sister Isobella)
Isobella 1821, Helen 1824, Janet 1827, Alexander 1829, James 1834, Angus 1836, Euphemia 1838, Jane 1840, Peter 1843 and Alison 1850

All the above where born in Midlothian

Thanks for the pics of the guards. I have seen smaller ones of them, arent they funny looking looking soldiers.

[LesleyB]

Hi Tracy

Given the children's names that you have listed, and using the Scottish naming pattern, the obvious choice for William's father name would be Nicol - but this is not necessarily the case as not every family followed the naming pattern closely!

I note there is also this testament on SP:

BEATON NICOLL 20/10/1768 OF PENCROSS, RESIDENTER IN THE CANONGATE TT EDINBURGH COMMISSARY COURT CC8/8/121

-- may be Nicol the son b.1737 (seems possible) or another relative such as a cousin perhaps, or a previous generation if you are really lucky, but he would have to have been a ripe old age. Have you seen this already? The name "Nicol" is making things look a bit more highland to me too... Not sure where Pencross is...wondering if it is an estate? ("Of" is looking interesting - suggests an owner, so money, and possibly land so more likely there might be surviving records. )

Best wishes
Lesley