Rennie - Smiddyhill

[ziggy1705]

Hi.

I was wondering where I could find any information on Smiddyhill in Stirlingshire.  I was told that it was a farm in the Kilsyth area.  The time period I am looking at would be the 1700s.

[ziggy1705]

Anyone?

[apanderson]

Hello Ziggy,

What about Smithyhill?

I had a look on the Old Maps Site ( http://www.old-maps.co.uk ) and when looking round the Kilsyth area, I saw Smithyhill.

The name could have changed oved the years as Smithy and Smiddy are both colloquialisms for Blacksmiths.

If you go to the Old Maps site and enter co-ordinates 270571,677877 in the search bar, you should get to the image.

Anne

P.S. You might find something useful on this site:
http://www.paperclip.org.uk/kilsythweb/history/Genealogy/genealogy_sources.htm

[ziggy1705]

Hi Anne.

That looks promising.  We have a Kilsyth marriage certificate in 1814 for a Robert Rennie who is from Smiddyhill.  The only one we can find was born in around 1774 and we're hoping if we can find some information about the place we might be able to match up our information and find out who his parents were.

[apanderson]

I've sent you a Private Message regarding Rennies of Kilsyth.

There are plenty of Rennies buried in the Old Churchyard but only one Robert. The MI for him is as follows:

Robert Rennie, D.D., of Kilsyth, son of John Rennie, Farmer in Kilsyth
Born 16.5.1762, ordained 3.9.1789, died 10.7.1820
For 30 years Minister of Kilsyth

Anne

[ziggy1705]

Hi Anne.

Thanks for the list of Roberts, but I don't think the one I am looking for is there.

I have a Robert Rennie marrying an Isabel Adam in Kilsyth in 1814.  When we got a copy of the birth entry for his daughter for 1816 it said that Robert was from Smidyhill [as per document].  Her death certificate said he was a "spirit dealer" (which I think kind of excludes the minister you listed above!!).

We have been in touch with other Rennie researchers who have concluded that because he was from Smiddyhill, his parents must be James Rennie and Jean Laing.  Apparently they married in 1767 and had 3 sons and 1 daughter - including a Robert in 1774.

That would make Robert 40 when he married Isabel, so there is a search on for a previous marriage as well.

We are also trying to find the death of Robert, somewhere after the birth of his 2nd daughter Isabella in 1819.  We're hoping that would help shed some light on who his parents were.

Margaret

[jrskye]

I have a lot of information on the Rennies from Kilsyth. The Rennies from Smiddyhill (or Smithyhill) were related to my family and I have a family tree showing all the connections.

[ziggy1705]

That is great news.  I am still on the lookout for information on this family.  I will send you a personal message.

[jrskye]

Hi, Ziggy
I sent you an email with various attachments. I hope you received it OK and were able to make sense of the various documents.
jrskye