Need help to find burial or death records.

[Lora]

I am searching for the burial sites of this couple: James McInnes b. 1783 and Isabel Kelman b. 1790 - I have search Banff, Moray, and Aberdeen, online cemeteries, for their burial sites and can not find either of them.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I might look next?

Without a burial record, is there another way to determine if I have the right Isabel Kelman?

HISTORY:
Jas. McInnes b. 1783 (son of Jas. McInnes in Pitglassie and his wife Margt. Maver) married Isabel Kelman (b. Abt. 1790) in 1814 at Mortlach, Banffshire. OPR Marriage Record states "both of this parish [Mortlach]...".

James McInnes and Isabel Kelman were living on the farm of Braehead of Auchindoun, Mortlach Parish, Banffshire at least from 1814 to 1824, where all of his children were born. I have the OPR Birth Records for their children. They do not show up on any Scotland Census (1841, 1851 or 1861).

Witness to the birth their oldest son, John McInnes in 1814 was
JOHN KELMAN in ACHNAHANDOCK. All 9 of Wm. Kelman & Elisa. Brown's children (including an Isobel Kelman b. 1790) were born in "Achnahandoch". I have the OPR Birth Records for these children also. This is the only Isobel Kelman I could find "of the parish Mortlach" that fits with our Jas. McInnes.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks. Lora

[Chris Paton]

Hi Lora,

She does sound a likely candidate.

You could try the Aberdeenshire archives for burial registers and poor relief records. See http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ACCI/web ... aflets.asp

The IGI shows a John Kelman born to the couple on 29 DEC 1813 and christened 1 JAN 1814. Their marriage is shown to be Feb 1814. If this is correct, John was illegitimate, and so it might be worth checking the Kirk session papers at NAS to see if they were given an earful by a thundering minister! If so, Isabel may have her address noted as part of the investigation. These records are not available online, but at NAS under accession number CH2/529.

There is a will online at ScotlandsPeople dated 10 OCT 1842, of a Catherine MacInnes, alias Wilkie, residing in Dufftown, widow of James MacInnes, residing at Pitglassie, parish of Mortlach. It might be worth checking to see if any of your family were benificiaries from this. You might be extremely lucky and glean further info about Isabel from this.

It is also worth checking all other Kelman events in the relevant parishes to see if Isabel pops up as a witness, perhaps with her husband. If she is found with another Kelman family, it may not confirm that she is the 1790 Isabel, but will certainly add further circumstantial weight to your assertion. Similarly she may turn up as an informant for the death of a brother or sister etc, and if so her address may be noted. It is worth exploring the wider Kelman community.

Hope this might help!

Chris

[Lora]

Hi Chris:

Thank you so much for the tips. I will definitely try the Aberdeen Archives.

Re: IGI Index birth of John McInnes 1813 (he was actually born 1814!):

OPR(B) Record: "December 29th 1814 - James McInnes in Braehead of Auchindown had a child by his wife Isabel Kelman born this date baptd January 1st and named John. Witnesses: John Kelman in Achnahandock and John Shepherd in Sandyhillock."

Jas. McInnes & Isabel Kelman were married "FEB 1814" so John's birth was "lawful".

I purchased the WILL of Cath. Wilkie or MacInnes over a year ago .

She was the step mother of Jas. McInnes b. 1783. The only stepchild mentioned was James's sister Elizabeth. Sister Margaret Duncan nee McInnes died 1819 so she was not mentioned. There was no mention of James's brother John who I have found no info on at all. A Duncan neice, a nephew-in-law (Stewart who married a Duncan neice) and 3 children of Alex Ragg's were beneficiaries. I've followed each and every family down through the censuses to no avail.

I have spent a lot of money downloading OPR records of McInnes's and Kelman's in the hopes that their might be a connection and to see if Jas. & Isabel were witnesses to any of them - they were not - no luck there.

I've made tentative family trees for many of the Dandaleith & Mortlach McInnes's and the Mortlach Kelman's - also followed some of the Aberdeen and Moray families of both, including the spousal families their siblings married! No luck so far.

I live in Canada and can not visit NAS to obtain info. "Online" is my only tool.

I haven't given up though.. I'm still looking!

[Chris Paton]

Hi Lora,

You're definitely going through all the right options!

You may also wish to try the digitised 19th Century Aberdeen Journal - visit http://access.gale.com/gdctrial/login.html and then type in the following:

E-mail - rcc1934@aol.com
Login - virtual
Password - books

Once in, scroll down for the 19th Century British Library Collection, then feast for a week! lol

Good luck!

Chris

[ted hall]

HI

I have just noted your interest in above croft.

My earliest female relation was Margaret McInnes who married John Duncan, and they lived above farm at
turn of eighteenth century.

My record show that Margaret was born in 1775 and died 1819.
only known son James born 1802.

Happy to pass such information that I have

Ted Hall

[Tracey]

Hello Ted

....And a warm welcome to

Lora last popped into TS in January of last year but hopefully she will get a notification of your post and respond to you.

Fingers crossed

Tracey