Lair Records/MIs for Luss or Dumbarton

[Rockford]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have access to lair records for Luss and Dumbarton cemeteries pre-1855, or suggest how these can be accessed?

I'm trying to establish when my 5 x g grandmother, Elizabeth McFarlan died. I know that she died roughly between the birth of her (last?) child in 1834 and 1841, by which point her husband, John Smith had remarried. She was the daughter of Andrew McFarlan, farmer at Arnburn, Luss and Janet Colquhoun and was born in 1797. Elizabeth and John's children were all born at Luss, but at the 1841 Census, he is living in Dumbarton with his second wife. He died between 1841 and 1851 between Dumbarton and Cardross, but is likely to be the proverbial needle in the haystack!

I've checked to MIs for Luss and she's not listed, but would not really have expected a stone - given John's occupation as a labourer and the size of the family I expect there wouldn't have been the money to pay for one, but their might still be a record of her burial somewhere. i haven't been able to search anything for Dumbarton.

Any help appreciated!

Best wishes

Brian

[Anne H]

Hi Brian,

I don't have Lair records, but had a look for you in Dumbarton Bridgend Churchyard, Dumbarton Cemetery and Dumbarton Churchyard. Here is the only one I could find for an Elizabeth MacFarlan but wrong husband's surname.

This is in Dumbarton Bridgend Churchyard...
47. John Hamilton mer Dumbarton, w Eliz MacFarlan 22.12.1815-35.

The old eyes are a bit tired to look through anymore of this book (they didn't do a good job of printing it).

Regards,
Anne H

[Rockford]

Hi Anne,

I must apologise, I didn't realise that there were so many burial places in Dumbarton and hadn't realised the size of the task.

I thought it might have been a bit of a long shot to find Elizabeth, but thank you so much for looking for me.

Best wishes

Brian

[Anne H]

Hi Brian,

No apology needed. Good luck with finding your Elizabeth.

Regards,
Anne H

[emamc]

Hi Brian

Do you have parents for your Andrew McFarlan? I have an Andrew born on 22nd August 1760 in Luss his parents are John McFarlane and Christian Colquhoun.

Liz

[Rockford]

Hi Liz,

We may have a connection, as although I don't have a note (yet!) of Andrew's birth, your post prompted me to look for his marriage to Janet Colquhoun.

SP has it recorded as taking place in 1796 and Andrew's father is indeed listed as John McFarlan, late of Lyntoun (?). Janet's father is given as Robert Colquhoun of ??land?

Is any of this familiar? Elizabeth and her husband John Smith have been my brick wall for ages - it's crumbling round the edges a wee bit, but it needs a good 'dunt' to push it over!

Best wishes

Brian

[emamc]

Brian

Yes, there could be something there. I know that John and Christian were married and lived in Luss and some of their children were born there and then they moved back to Roseneath where John came from. I am not exactly sure where they stayed in Luss, but will check and see what I can find out about Lyntoun.

I appreciate your dilemma with Smith, as strangely enough my connection to the McFarlane's is through a McFarlane Smith marriage in 1833 in Dumbarton between John Smith and Margaret McFarlane who was a grand daughter of John and Christian.

I will let you know what I find.

Liz

[AnneM]

Hello Liz

I think we have a connection too at least possibly. I have a Donald McFarlane who married a Margaret or Peggy Strathern in 1794 in Roseneath. I think her parents were Patrick Strathairn and Shusana Cumming but I can't be sure.

Again I'm not certain of Donald's parentage but there is a Donald born at the right time in Roseneath to John and Christian and his eldest son is a John and he has a daughter Christian.

In 1841 he and Margaret (as McFarland) are in Mill of Rahaen in Rosneath and next door to them is a Humphrey McFarland. Now John and Christian also have a Humphrey born at about the right time. Donald and Humhrey are both fishermen.

I do think it is likely that they are brothers and are both children of John and Christina but I'm not sure that that counts as proof to the required standard!!

Anne

[emamc]

Brian

Sorry to take so long to get back to you but I have been out of action since an eye operation early April.

There definately seems to be some kind of connection as my McFarlane's came for Meilke Rahan and lived there for 3 or 4 generations between that and Knockderry. I know that John and Christian married in Luss and had about 4 of their children there. I have a copy of their wedding certificate and will have to look to see if it mentions a place in Luss. My connection is Malcolm McFarlane born in Roseneath in 1780, and married a Sarah Carmichael. It was their daughter Margaret who married my John Smith from County Down.

Wasn't there a story about a John Smith married to a McFarlane who was a smuggler in and around Roseneath and was involved in a murder? I will need to look through my notes, but I am sure the someone from Dumbarton Library told me this story, but the dates did not fit for my Smiths and they were not Scottish. I will check my records for Luss and get back to you.

[Currie]

Hello Liz,

This may be what you’re looking for. (2nd paragraph and there’s more two thirds of the way down)
http://www.electricscotland.com/history ... apter8.htm

All the best,
Alan