Mctaggart/Wallace.....

Fraochale · Post by **Fraochale** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:59 pm

Hi all is anyone doing research on the family of Peter Mctaggart and Ann Wallace. They were probably born sometime between 1790 and 1800. Possibly married in or near Kelton in `1818, there first two sons John and Thomas were born in Kelton, my gggrandmother Isabella was born 1824 at Flathill, Rerrick, and there were four more children born Helen, Margaret, James and Mary, Some born at Barend or High Barend in Rerrick.

Peter was a stone mason, census say he was from Newton Stewart, but we have found no record in the OPR.

Ann claims to have been born at Balmaghie to a Robert and Isabella Wallace, but we haven't found her record on the OPR.

My gggrandmother Isabella married a William Clarke who we believe was from Barloco in Rerrick, we know by the US census in 1851 they were here in Conn with atleast one daughter, after that they moved to Wisconsin and had two sons and three daughters. WE have never been able t find a marriage license for William and Isabella either here in the states or in Scotland, nor have we found them on any ship manifest. Oddly despite a large Scots population here they never seemed to join in with the particular Scottish societies and there was to our knowledge none of their family who ever emigrated here after them.

Any body got any ideas where to look for marriage licenses?

Jody

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:54 pm

Hi Jodie

If they married in Scotland you will not be able to find a 'Marriage licence' of any sort! Registration of marriages did not begin as a Statutory requirement until 1855. Prior to that time all records are from the Old Parochial registers (OPR) These are mainly of consistent value for Births but did not actually record marriages. What was noted was the calling of Banns on 3 occasions. Some entries actually noted the marriage but many do not. however, since most marriages actually did take place it is usual to accept one of the dates (the latest one) as an approximation of the marriage date.
Prior to 1855 Deaths were not routinely recorded although in some parishes there are quite detailed records.
The information is variable which makes searching a real challenge.
The area you are searching in (Kirkcudbrightshire) was a noted area for Dissenters so, although largely Protestant, not all records were Established Church. Some were Free Church of Scotland and their records either did not survive to be digitised or have not been handed over for recording.
Don't look for Balmaghie on a map. It does not exist as a town or village. It is a rural parish, the nearest village being Laurieston. The parish church is surrounded by fields and is the most beautiful location on a hill overlooking Loch Ken. The graveyard is well kept and there are 2 Covenanter memorials there among the other stones.
There are Wallace stones there too and most inscriptions have been recorded by the Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society.

Have you looked on scotlandspeople to see if they were still in Scotland and on the 1841 census?

Remember too, in Scotland marriage did not require a formal joining act. Marriages by declaration, or by merely living together as man & wife were just as valid as the 'irregular' marriages conducted by clergy of different persuasions not of the Established Church of Scotland. There may be no formal record of such a marriage anywhere. but it was still as legally acceptable.

Happy hunting

Russell

Fraochale · Post by **Fraochale** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 5:47 pm

Thanks for the information. I have been to the graveyard and to the historical museum in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright and was not able to get any info on where Peter and Ann may be buried but they both died well after 1855. Their eldest son John is in a graveyard in Rerrick and we looked there without much luck.

I had forgotten about the fact that they could declare themselves married with no formal sanction, which is probably the case with these individuals, though it makes my life frustrating. This all changed in 1930 is that correct?

As to the census I have found Peter and Ann on the '41. '61 and '71 census. Not sure what happened in '51 but by '61 they had a grandson living with them or visiting who was born in England.

We haven't found either William Clarke nor Isabella Mctaggart on the '41 census but know by '51 they were here in the states.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:16 pm

Hi Jody
On Scotlands People there is an Ann Mctaggart, other surname Wallace who died in Kirkcudbright, Rerrick in 1878, aged 87. Can't guarantee she is yours but if it were me I'd have a hard job not spending some cash to check that one!

Hope she is yours!
Best wishes
Lesley

p.s. there is also a Peter m*tagg*t death in Kirkcudbright in 1873

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:36 pm

Hi Jody,
The census below is from the Dumfries and Galloway Council page -
http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/historicalindexes/census.aspx
--
1851 census 879 (Rerrick)
High Barend. Household 1/6.
Peter McTAGGART, head, marr, 56, mason, b Penninghamme, WIG
Anne McTAGGART, wife, marr, 56, ----------b Rerrick, KKD
Mary McTAGGART, daur, 16, ----------------b Rerrick, KKD
--
Jack

JJ

Fraochale · Post by **Fraochale** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:22 am

Lesley
Thanks those are the right ones. The problem I get though is when I get to Peter's file ( after clicking over five credits) and click on the View page, I get a blank screen. This is making me nuts. I really appreciate you finding them though. I suppose that I may have a problem getting them the first time I tried because I used her maiden name and didn't use a wildcard.

Any ideas why I can't get a screen on Peter's record?

Jody

Fraochale · Post by **Fraochale** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:25 am

Thanks Jack, that is one I didn't have. I check out that site and it is wonderful. When I have more time to play I will check it out. Now is I can only find out if there were any guild records for Stonemasons in the area I will be doing well.

Have you worked at all with records in this area? The reason I ask is what was going on culturally during the period between 1840 and 1850 that might have stirred individuals to emigrate and what would the cost of a typical fair be is coming to North America?

Jody

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:38 am

Hi Jody

The problem I get though is when I get to Peter's file ( after clicking over five credits) and click on the View page, I get a blank screen. This is making me nuts.

It depends which option you have selected as your preference for viewing files - I suspect you have either ActiveX or Java Applet selected. You can change this to direct download which I think is the best option - it lets you download the file directly as a tiff file to your PC & then you can view it in the image editing program of your choice. To change your options, log in to SP then go to My Details (up top right of page). Scroll to bottom of that page and use the drop-down list at Image Viewer to change the option. Scroll to bottom of page & click Update Details button.

Hope this solves the problem!

Best wishes
Lesley

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:50 pm

Hi Jody,
Sorry, i don't know the area at all - my ancestors are mainly West of Scotland & the Islands.
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland are always an interesting read.
http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sa ... ion=public
-
By the way, this is how i use the 1851 Dumgal online census -
Find a possible name in either the Quick or Advanced Search.
Take note of the Address, Parish, and Household No.
Go back, and in the Advanced Search - enter only the above 3 without any names.
This will give you all that are living in the household even if their surnames are different.
Jack

JJ

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:23 pm

Hi Jody

I trust that Lesley's excellent directions for correcting your "blank screen" difficulties with SP have done the trick for you. Even though you were unable to view the image you should not have to spend additional credits to view it upon changing your viewing options. It should appear in your previously viewed list. If this is not so then a contact form to SP would get you a credit refund if you explained the situation. Please let us know if you're still having difficulties.

Best wishes
Jean

TalkingScot.com

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