Help with deciphering, please!.....

Post by **SarahND** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:22 pm

Can anyone tell me who the second witness was at the baptism of Charles Gills?

I read: William Gills & Christian Wilson in Auchorthy had a Son baptised Charles, Wm Milne & Charles ??ennytheny

witnesses

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1022

Thanks,
Sarah

Gallery url added by Marilyn

Jockbird · Post by **Jockbird** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:57 pm

Hi Sarah,

I've had a look and think it could read as Charles Glenny these witnesses.

If you have a look at the Duncan entry two below it has the same 'word' which I think says 'these'.

Then again perhaps it doesn't say that at all and I should hop off to bed!

Best wishes
Donna

x

PaulaD · Post by **PaulaD** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:00 am

Hi Sarah,

I'd agree with Donna - its Charles Glenny.

Paula

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:14 am

Thanks Donna & Paula! I think I'm the one who needs to hop off to bed! Now you remind me, I have seen a number of these that say "both there as witnesses". So perhaps that word is "there"?

Regards,
Sarah

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:57 am

None of the other entries on the page uses the phrase "these witnesses".

It's either "...[surname] witnesses." or "....[surname] there witnesses.", meaning that the last named person also comes from the place previously mentioned.

And in the Gill entry it's the latter format, as well spotted by SarahND.

David

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:17 am

Thanks David, for confirming that! Now I'm off to figure out who Charles Glenny was, since it sounds like wee Charles was perhaps named after him. And I can give up my fruitless search for a William with a father Charles because, for some reason, William seems to have named his first son after someone other than his father

Tricky bunch, this family

Cheers,
Sarah

Jockbird · Post by **Jockbird** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:54 am

Hi Sarah,

"....[surname] there witnesses.", meaning that the last named person also comes from the place previously mentioned.

Bearing this in mind I had a wee look on the IGI...not exhaustive I know....but there is only one Charles Glenny who was christened in Strichen on 16/8/1776, Parents William Glenny & Isobel Fraser. It's only got 20 odd hits on the IGI for the whole time period.

Don't know if that helps or hinders but good luck anyway.

Donna

x

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:11 am

Thanks, Donna! That's got to be him. Interesting, since he would only have been 15 at the time... so who was he? Neither one of those surnames rings a bell yet, so I've got to go dig in the sidelines now.

What I'd really like to do when I have time (!) is do a complete study of Strichen over the years, since I keep finding odd goings-on there. Something in the water?

Regards,
Sarah

Jockbird · Post by **Jockbird** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:12 pm

Hi Sarah

What I'd really like to do when I have time (!) is do a complete study of Strichen over the years, since I keep finding odd goings-on there. Something in the water?

Well that got me thinking, I knew I have some Strichen connection somewhere and last night my brain wasn't working but I've just looked through my family tree notes and have the following, these being my 5xgreat grandparents:

James Wilson marrying (or probs banns read haven't looked on the OPR yet) Elizabeth Spark 3/7/1790 in Strichen (well that's the IGI extracted entry anyway!). I know these are the right people as I have my Gx4 grandfather's death cert....only thing is I have so many Wilson's some are linked others not.

It got me thinking as Charles' mum is Christian Wilson - did she have a brother James or is is just a coincidence? I don't know where James was born but I've also got Wilsons in Monquhitter and Turriff who married into Grants & Cruickshanks.

I then looked at James & Elizabeth's children and only one was born in Strichen, christened November 1791, named Margaret.....and lo & behold she's the entry at the top of the OPR you posted!

Only problem is it's not overly clear and I can't quite make out the whole entry!

I read it as:
'James Wilson & Eliz Spark at Entryhead

had a daughter baptized Margaret, Peter ? there, ?? Gardner witnesses.'

My lot were in Turriff by the time of their next child's baptism in 1794.

How very interesting

Donna

x

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:18 pm

Hi Donna,
What a great coincidence! And as a reward for helping me out you get a free birth cert in the bargain!

Looking at the place names in Strichen, nothing jumps out at me that could look like "Entryhead" (and it does look like that!)
http://www.urie.demon.co.uk/genuki/ABD/ ... eteer.html

The names of the witnesses look like Peter Mckphaul

& al: Peter Gardner (with the 't' of Peter falling down a bit below the line... Don't think Peper is an option?

) I'm guessing the first one is probably someone's creative spelling for MacPhail.

I haven't been able to reliably find Christian Wilson's birth, but I'd be happy to believe she is James' sister! My lot were going around between Strichen, Tyrie, Turiff, Aberdour, etc. also. Maybe we can collaborate on that extended study of Strichen one of these days

Wee Charles looks innocent enough on his christening day, but he went on to win a medal in the Strichen Illegitimacy Olympics-- I keep finding more people who list him as their father on their death certs

But at least he seems to have acknowledged the lot

All the best,
Sarah