Kirk Session Records - Beith

[Geoff Rogers]

Thanks for all the information so far.

The documents that I already have are the 1841 and 1851 census sheets for Flora Mitchell and they show the same facts as those mentioned.
The Elizabeth Mitchell mentioned in the 1841 census was assumed to be Flora's daughter. The only candidate in the 1851 census is an Elizabeth, aged 17, servant, born Scotland, in Tynemouth, North Shields, England. I couldn't find a SP marriage for her prior to that census.

I have the Flora Mitchell and James Hadden parish register marriage entry and this doesn't show very much. I was hoping it might have stated she was a widow but only that she was of the same parish as James Hadden. I haven't obtained the William Harper and Flora Mitchell 1830 parish register entry yet. In fact every marriage register copy that I've purchased from SP has the same information as the IGI. There has been no baptisms found for this couple on the IGI or SP. The soldier theory may be a good lead to follow.

William Harper was apparently a printer according to Archibald Harper's marriage certificates.

The shipping list gave James Hadden as 44, Flora as 38, Alexander 10 and Archibald 8. As three of the party were officially Haddens I can only assume to call Archibald anything else would have confused people.

For all the facts that I've found so far I can't actually prove the real father for Archibald and I thought the only other avenue were Kirk Session Records.

Thanks
Geoff

[LesleyB]

Hi Geoff

So, if this is Alexander Hadden (on IGI)
ALEXANDER HADDEN
Christening: 26 APR 1840 Oakshaw East Associate Congregation, Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland
Parents:
Father: JAMES HADDEN
Mother: CATHRINE KERR
...and if we assume that like often marries like, this may explain why there do not seem to be records on SP or IGI for some of the children we have been looking for - this is an Associate Congregation, so not plain old CoS.

James' first marriage, also on IGI appears to be:
Spouse: CATHERINE KERR
Marriage: 12 SEP 1831 Abbey (Paisley), Renfrew, Scotland

There seem to have been three girls also born to this couple, found on IGI:
CATHERINE HADDEN
Female Birth: 29 NOV 1832 Abbey (Paisley), Renfrew

ELIZABETH HADDEN
Female Christening: 05 APR 1835 Oakshaw East Associate Congregation, Paisley, Renfrew

MARGARET HADDEN
Female Christening: 21 MAY 1837 Oakshaw East Associate Congregation, Paisley, Renfrew

Presumably the girls, if they survived, had all left home prior to the 1852 marriage or had settled elsewhere.
Renfrewshire is not yet complete on Freecen and Paisley, where I'd be hoping to find this family in 1841, does not seem to be there.....

Best wishes
Lesley

[Geoff Rogers]

Hello Lesley

Yes I have the Hadden details. By 1851 James was a widow and the three girls elsewhere. I know Elizabeth went to Australia at a later date as she is mentioned in Alexander's probate documents in 1875.

James Hadden died in 1855 in Australia and Flora and Archibald's whereabouts are unknown. I am waiting on some inquest documents for James. Flora was supposed to have married again but details have not come to light yet. Archibald doesn't appear in any documentation until 1874 when he marries. In fact Archibald did a good job in covering up his past as many stories were told by his children but none were ever proven correct, and most were smoke screens.

Oh to be a time traveller

Thanks

Geoff

[Geoff Rogers]

Hi Geoff

Renfrewshire is not yet complete on Freecen and Paisley, where I'd be hoping to find this family in 1841, does not seem to be there.....

Best wishes
Lesley

The Hadden's were at South Cumberland, Barony Middle Calton, Lanarkshire in the 1841 census.

Geoff

[Currie]

Hello All,

There’s a very lengthy article in the Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh), Thursday, November 11, 1841, concerning the murder, by a civilian, of a private in the 17th Lancers by name of William Harper. The victims father, also named William Harper and also a private in the 17th Lancers told the Court that his son was 20 years and six months old and had been three years fully in the regiment. The assault had occurred the previous August outside Piershill Barracks in Edinburgh. The accused was found guilty of culpable homicide and received 5 months imprisonment.

The article contains witness’s statements as to the character of the participants etc. I can’t see anything else there about the Harpers. According to newspaper lists the 17th Lancers were stationed in Ireland for some years, moved to Glasgow about early 1841, then to Edinburgh later that year and then to Leeds in 1842.

In 1851 the 17th Lancers were in England, at Newbridge in January and at Woolwich in June. They were in India in 1861 and their Depot then was at Maidstone.

Much earlier the 17th Lancers were stationed at various places in Ireland for at least three years prior to them moving to England in early 1832.

And Geoff, if you think it may be useful the 1841 article is available here http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/ I have a spare copy you can have if you would like to send me an email address via a PM.

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

Interesting, Alan! The younger William Harper couldn't have been Archibald's father, of course, but perhaps the older one? Although the ages don't fit well with a marriage in 1830, unless it was a second marriage for the father of poor William Jr. Remains to see what the profession was for the one who married in 1830. In my experience, if the groom was a soldier it is always stated. I tried to find a printer by that name, given Geoff's post on his occupation, but could only find Harpers with different first names in that profession...

Happy New Year!

Sarah

[nelmit]

Have you tried contacting http://www.ers.north-ayrshire.gov.uk ? If Kirk Sessions exist for Beith I would think they would hold a copy. Different councils but I once contacted South Ayrshire who very kindly emailed me info I was looking for from Maybole Kirk Sessions.

Regards,
Annette

[carlineric]

The Kirk Session Records are held, I think, by Ayrshire Archives (www.ayrshirearchives.org.uk) which is a combination of all the Ayrshire Councils. Unfortunately the archive is closed at the moment due to a move to new premises and will reopen early in 2010.


Eric

[Currie]

Happy New Year Sarah and everybody,

I had the same problem with the newspapers, couldn’t find a match to a printer.

I forgot to mention that in the mid 1840’s the 17th Lancers were stationed in England.

Alan

[LesleyB]

He Geoff

Yes I have the Hadden details. By 1851 James was a widow and the three girls elsewhere.

So if James was a widower, can you tell us who was he living with in 1851 and where he was - just him and Alexander, or was he with other family? Where were the girls?

Best wishes
Lesley