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Hi Johnny.  I have always been interested in the Dunblane Mackison family because I once believed that my Bannockburn Mackison family might have been related to them.  The evidence for this though doesn't stack up.  However, I did come across a few more facts about them in the last few years.

The parents of your George Mackison (who married Mary Jack) were James Mackison, miller at Kilbryde of Blenboard in the parish of Dunblane and Catherine Abercrombie from St.Ninians.  They married in 1777 in St. Ninians.  After George was born in Dunblane in 1794 the family moved east, a short distance, to Clackmannan (just across the Forth from Stirling).  James was the Multerer (miller) at Linn Mill (just to the north east of the town).  The couple had three more children Peter 1800, Thomas 1802 and Margaret 1804.

In 1795 James Mackison in Kilbryde wrote to George Washington, President of the United States.

I hope that this is of interest.  Jim

P.s. I met a James Maxwell from New Zealand who visited the UK back in the 1980s

Good point Carole now that I look at the index entry again.  The reference to "the brothers" is ambiguous.  I assumed that it referred to the executors, Josiah and Michael Sherwood, as brothers, ergo the sons of Charles Sherwood.  But since I can't get a handle on Josiah Sherwood it could well be that it means Josiah and Michael were brothers of Charles.  Thank you.  I will have to reflect on this.

(I haven't looked at the will).

I have found four likely instances of members of Mackison families in the parish of St. Ninians in Stirlingshire using the alternative surname of Maxwell or vice versa.  Their descendants may have used either surname, Mackison or Maxwell.  I am interested to learn any additional information about these Mackison/Maxwell families.

1.   A Robert Maxwell married Elizabeth Brown in 1675 and they had a son in 1676.  Thereafter a Robert Mackison and Elizabeth or Elspet Brown had seven children baptised between 1677 and 1694.

2.   In 1775 Robert Stevenson married a Catherine Maxwell.  Between 1776 and 1795 Robert Stevenson and Catherine Mackieson had seven children baptised.

3.   In 1784 William Mackison of St. Ninians and Elizabeth Yool had Banns proclaimed in Gargunnock and later that year William Maxwell of St. Ninians and Elizabeth Yool of Gargunnock were married in St. Ninians.  They had three children baptised between 1785 and 1790.  Then in 1797 William Mackieson and Elizabeth Yool had a child baptised.

4.   In 1797 William Maxwell married Marion Muirhead.  Between 1800 and 1803 William Mackieson and Marion Muirhead had three children baptised.

I have not yet found a record to indicate that my own ancestor, James Mackison (who married Margaret Sharp, from Alloa, in St. Ninians in 1781) used the Maxwell alias but I am trying to discover if any of the Mackison/Maxwells on this list were siblings or cousins of his.

There are many more examples of the use of this Maxwell alias by Mackison/MacKessan families in other parishes in the Forth Valley, such as Port of Menteith and Kilmadock.

I had thought that the use of the Maxwell alias began in the decades after the 1745 Rebellion but here in St. Ninians I have come across a possible Mackison/Maxwell as early as the late 17th century.

See attached.

Hi Peter.  Are you related to James Maxwell of Lake Tekapo?  I met him back in the 1980s when he came across to the UK research his family history.  I also corresponded with Ruth Brockbank of Dunedin re the Mackison/Maxwell family of Kilbryde, Dunblane.

As I recall James' family in NZ had called their farm 'Parkhead' after the farm 'Parkhead' at Sherrifmuir, Dunblane.

My Mackison family lived in Bannockburn (to the south of Stirling).  I thought they might be descended from the Mackison/Maxwell family in Dunblane (to the north of Stirling), hence my interest, but as yet I have not found a definite connection

Happy New Year, Jim/James Mackison (Lancaster, England)

In 1841 John Barrow was in Gressingham, Lancashire and according to the Census he was born 'in county'.  I have focussed my search on Lancashire where there are the most possible candidates for a John Barrow born circa 1775.  Process of elimination has just about discounted most of the ones born north of the Ribble. However Tunstall (in Lonsdale) is very close to the Yorkshire border and John lived on either side during his life.  It is also very close to Westmorland so I haven't ruled out either county as a possible birthplace, regardless of the Census record.

After his second wife Ann died early in 1803 John tried to marry Elizabeth Starkey later that year.  The Banns were called in Tunstall church but on the third time Elizabeth's father objected.  Elizabeth was under age. The marriage didn't go ahead so a few months later the couple eloped to Gretna Green.  After they returned home the couple were wed again, properly, in Thornton in Lonsdale parish church.  I have always wondered if John married again so quickly because he had young children from his first marriage, but if this was the case I have not been able to trace them.