Moores in Dumfries?

MarieC · Post by **MarieC** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 12:13 pm

Hello everybody,

I'm a new member of this forum and I live in Australia.

Most of my Scots ancestors have been very co-operative about being found. I have one conundrum, though, and I'm hoping for a few useful suggestions about it.

My William Moore went to the Caribbean (St Eustatius) in the 18th century. On his marriage record there, he stated that he was born in Dumfries around 1726. He also claimed descent from an Earl of Drogheda (Ireland).

I'd love to investigate this claim, but I can find nothing about his origins. The family were Episcopal, and he does not seem to appear on Church of Scotland records. Apparently there was not an Episcopal church in Dumfries at that time and there are certainly no Episcopal parish records in which I could search for him.

He and his descendants were merchants as well as planters, and I suspect that the family may have been merchants in Dumfries.

Any ideas on ways of looking for Moores in Dumfries in the early 18th century - or is this destined to remain a brick wall?

Post by **emanday** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 1:37 pm

Hi Marie,

A warm [TS_welcome]

I did a wee bit of googling and found this pdf file about the Patten and Moore families in Londonderry.

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_62/490 ... 490710.pdf

There are several generations of William Moores, and the caribbean is mentioned in relation to this name in this fairly sizeable document.

Could these people be connected to your William?

MarieC · Post by **MarieC** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:56 am

Thanks for the welcome, Mary!

Sadly, I fear these are not my Moores. They are merchants, but they are in the wrong part of Ireland; they are Presbyterian, not Episcopal; they are later than my man went to the Caribbean; and in any case, I'm looking to find him in Dumfries, early 18th century, based on what he himself said in his marriage record.

But thanks for looking, anyway!

Post by **emanday** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:22 pm

No problem, Marie.

It was worth a try, though.

I'm very much a "clutch at straws in the hope of finding a field of corn" type

MarieC · Post by **MarieC** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:03 am

Yes, I'm one of those too, Mary!

Unfortunately that field of corn is not always found!

Still hoping that someone here will have a brilliant idea that I've not thought of about finding Moores in Dumfries!

karenmcc · Post by **karenmcc** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:51 pm

Hi Marie,

This might be another clutching at straws thing, but if you go to http://www.dgcommunity.net/historicalin ... fault.aspx and look in the Dumfries kirk sessions there is a William MUIR merchant ( i believe Muir and Moore can be interchangable) mentioned who has a dispute over seats in the church on 17 jan 1723. Says he gave up seats.

Karen

MarieC · Post by **MarieC** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:49 am

Thanks Karen

That's an interesting site - I'll have a bit of a browse around on it!

Sadly, I think that's unlikely to be my William Moore, because in my knowledge of the family they were ALWAYS Episcopal/Church of England/Ireland, and if they were descended from an Earl of Drogheda, as claimed, this is certainly likely to be the case!

karenmcc · Post by **karenmcc** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:16 am

Hi Marie,

Hope this doesn't come out the wrong way and I'm no expert, but I would always say keep an open mind. People can do things that we don't expect for many reasons ie love or what's popular at the time. A person that was possibly well off? (being a merchant) that would get into a dispute over 2 shillings a year and then give up seats in the church doesn't sound very staunch Church of Scotland to me. I see your in Australia as well, and I don't know how hard it would be to view the original, and it wouldn't be the William your looking for as it is before he was born, but maybe his father?

Karen

MarieC · Post by **MarieC** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:14 am

Hi Karen

You'll notice I didn't say this isn't a member of my family, just that it was unlikely for the reasons I gave - and I hold by that. Yes, I always keep an open mind, but also I don't claim people unless I have proof, or there is a convincing balance of probabilities. That is not the case here. I've noted it, but unless I find some corroborating evidence, I won't be claiming this person. I have made too many faulty assumptions in the past - I'm much more careful now!

MarieC