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Is there anyone living near Meigle, in Perthshire who could look up a birth for me please?

Name: Jessie Millar b.c1844 - Meigle, Perthshire

Parents: David Millar and Margaret Forbes

I have found a family in Perthshire of that time that seems to fit(from all census records) but there is no Jessie within that family. But I cannot find Jessie's birth records. Any help would be gratefully received.

Thank you

Yvonne Leaver

Hi Yvonne,

This is what has come up for scotland births
from 1840 to 1854.
there is no jessie

DOB 08/04/1840
Surname--- MILLAR forname-- ROBERT
father---DAVID MILLAR/ mother---MARGARET FORBES U Blairgowrie /PERTH 335/ 0040 0126 VIEW (5 CREDITS) ORDER

Click here for printer-friendly version

hope this helps
val

Thanks Maureen andf Val,
I don't understand why I can't find this person. Her parents were listed as David Millar and Margaret Forbes and in census records it says that she was born in Meigle - on several of the census's actually - I can find a family living in Perthshire with a David and Margaret as parents but no sign of a Jessie!! Where to turn to next any suggestions please? Thank you

hi have you tried other christian names jessie could also be jane janet jean or perhaps her parents did not christen her that is a poss only christening male children
cheers derek

Hi derek,

On Scotlandspeople and IGI there are birth records for only two of the children from this family but 1 male and 1 female. The child of the family that seems to fit the date is a Mary - later and coincidently Jessie's daughter is named Mary. But changing a Jessie to a Mary seems a bit odd, especially as in all later records she is called Jessie. I can't find another family with a David and Margaret as parents in Perthshire either. Any ideas?

Hi Maureen,
yes I have found her marriage certificate - she married a James McIntyre in Dundee and this document shows her parents are a David Millar and Margaret Forbes.

A real mystery - I just can't find her birth.

Yep! I am beginning to realise that my detective skills can't solve every mystery!!! - well not many actually! May try to get up to Meigle on holiday one of these days and search the OPRs but I am doubtful of a successful conclusion. Thank you so much for your thoughts, time and effort to help - I really appreciate it. Lol Yvonne

Yvonne

You've mentioned a couple of times about searching records at Meigle. What records are you thinking of? All the OPRs for Scotland are in Edinburgh. That's how the official Scottish Govenment online site, ScotlandsPeople, was easily able to put the information online.

Denis

Morning Denis,

Just wondered if all the Meigle records had been transcribed - clutching at straws I think!

Yvonne

Hi

The OPRs are the records of the Established Church only. Any chance they used another church at some point? Unlikely I know.

Denis

I don't know how I would find that out Denis. Have emailed the archivist in Perthshire to ask about what churches were in existence at the time - but as yet no reply.

Here's the marriage of her parents

DAVID MILLER Pedigree
Male Family

Event(s):
Birth:
Christening:
Death:
Burial:

Marriages:
Spouse: MARGARET FORBES Family
Marriage:
25 OCT 1835 Bendochy, Perth, Scotland



These, I think, are the two births you've found.


Husband

David Millar Pedigree

Birth: About 1812 Of, Blairgowrie, Perth, Scotland
Christening:
Marriage:
Death:
Burial:



Wife

Margaret Forbes Pedigree

Birth: About 1816 Of, Blairgowrie, Perth, Scotland
Christening:
Marriage:
Death:
Burial:



Children
1. Isabella Millar Pedigree
Female


Birth:
Christening: 20 MAY 1838 Blairgowrie, Perth, Scotland
Death:
Burial:

2. Robert Millar Pedigree
Male


Birth:
Christening: 08 APR 1840 Blairgowrie, Perth, Scotland
Death:
Burial:

Currently Scotlandspeople only has Church of Scotland records on their site.

If your ancestors ever used another church (to marry, baptise their children) it wont appear, nor will you be able to get any copies from Edinburgh or any LDS centre (microfilm ect).

Some Catholic baptism records are held at the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh and some are held by the Catholic Church Achives. I would imagine that there are a couple of other church records there as well but a lot of other church records didnt survive or where never recorded in the first place.

Another reason you might not be able to find an event in the OPR (barring damage, it being lost or not found yet) is that it never happened. Prior to 1855 the recording of BMD events was not compulsery and it was up to the discrestion of the minister. Some where strict while others couldn't care less.

Some BMD events where also recorded in the Kirk Session records (held at the NAS in Edinburgh). I believe (though dont quote me on it) that there are plans to get these digitalised and transcribed but, as with everything else, its going to take some time.

Hope thats of some help
Mhairi

Thanks Mhairi, Very useful information - I didn't realise that only Church of Scotland records are with Scotlandspeople! My gt gt grandmother was born in Meigle - so it says on her marriage record and census returns - so maybe the first 2 children of the family being born in Blairgowrie were recorded - but when the family moved to Meigle, the church there didn't bother with recording births - hence the other children's births not being recorded. Scotlandspeople tell me they have Meigle records but it seems very odd that several children of this family have no birth records. I still have to verify that this is the right family!! A Jessie Millar born c1844 in Meigle just doesn't seem to be recorded -sooooo frustrating!! Thanks for your help.

Yvonne,

Do you have her death cert? Does it list the same parents?

Mhairi

Been having a wee look into this, hope you dont mind.

Was James married previously? To a Margaret Roy?

Do you have a copy of the original 1891 census? I'm working with the transcript on ancestry, can you confirm that there are three James'?

The head, and two sons? Is the elder son (if he is there and not a product of ancestry's imagination) a possible son of Jessie's?

Also, was Mary the daughter of James and Jessie? Or just Jessie?

Regards
Mhairi

Ok...could this be her...with son James Miller Smith (though transcribed as McSmith)

1871

Name: Jessie Miller
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relationship: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Meigle, Forfarshire
Registration Number: 282/3
Registration district: St Clement
Civil Parish: Dundee
County: Angus
Address: 53 Dillfield Walk
Occupation: Dressmaker
ED: 20
Page: 34 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 205
Line: 18
Roll: CSSCT1871_51
Household Members: Name Age
James McSmith 8mo
Jessie Miller 26

...I have some possibles in the 1861 but...I really like the look of this one in 1851...contradicts the info on the marriage cert but she could have been telling some fibs...or just didnt know...or they (David and Margaret) where in some way related to her and it was better than putting nothing...

1851

Name: Jean Miller
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1847
Relationship: Lodger
Gender: Female
Where born: Meigle, Forfarshire
Parish Number: 390
Civil Parish: Redgorton
County: Perthshire
Address: Redgorton Hill
Occupation: Pauper An Orphan
ED: 3
Page: 3 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 7
Line: 9
Roll: CSSCT1851_81
Household Members: Name Age
Catharine Bell 70
Ann Cameron 3
Catharine Cameron 7
Christian Cameron 36
Donald Cameron 10
Duncan Cameron 5
Hugh Cameron 35
Jean Miller 4
Isabel Robertson 55

Have checked the 1861 and "Jean" is not with the Cameron family. She could have been put out to work.

Are there any Millar witness's on the marriage cert?

Hope I'm not confusing you even more
Mhairi

This is the birth for above, James Miller Smith.



JAMES MILLER SMITH Pedigree
Male

Event(s):
Birth:
11 JUL 1870 Dundee, Angus, Scotland
Christening:
Death:
Burial:

Parents:
Father: JAMES SMITH Family
Mother: JESSIE MILLER

Afternoon Mhairi, Apologies for not replying sooner - bedtime then volunteering duties! Not home long. Anyway I can't thank you enough for your time and effort in trying to help me solve my little problem!
Yes, I do have Jessie's death certificate - 7th Feb 1897. She died age 50yrs - states David Millar as her father (ploughman) deceased and Margaret Millar nee Forbes as her mother deceased also.
Yes, James was married previously and I think to a Margaret Roy, (although surname a bit difficult to read). Yes on the 1891 census there does seem to be 3 James's - and 2 daughter's of the same age - Mary could be Jessie's daughter, my gt grandmother (she was illegitimate) born to Jessie in 1876 - I have a birth cert - Mary Christie Millar. I have just double checked Scotlandspople to make sure James and Jessie did not have a daughter Mary and happily there doesn't appear to be one! Also just checked and found James and Margaret in the 1881 census but with no Mary.
Jessie and James married only a few months after Margaret Roy died and then had a son William - I have just checked and got his birth details.
On James and Jessie's marriage cert. - there is an Isabella Millar as a witness - could be a coincidence as there is an Isabella in the Perth family too.
Your idea of the child orphan sounds convincing though doesn't it? It certainly would answer the lost birth record mystery for Jessie.
Just don't know where to go next - any more ideas gratefully received if you have the time. I'm so grateful. Yvonne

Hi again Mhairi and alviegal!

Forgot to mention the other child that you have found for me! - James Miller Smith. That just hadn't occurred to me! I've just found the census return for them living in Dundee. Thanks both for all the information and your continuing interest and help.