Missing Paterson/Look-up or suggestions, please

[Rodeo]

Gavin Paterson (b. 1769 in Glassford to Gavin Paterson and Janet Rogers), who was a shoemaker by occupation, married Agnes Paterson, presumably a cousin. Yet, I can find no record of their marriage in the OPR index on SP.

Their son, Gavin Paterson (born circa 1811 in Glassford), also a shoemaker, married Annie Muirhead in Glasgow in 1848. I have found this Gavin Paterson in the 1841 census living in Castle Street, Hamilton, with his mother Agnes, aged 64, and his brother Robert, aged 25.

My assumption is that the marriage of Gavin Paterson and Agnes Paterson was not registered because it was not mandatory at that time. However, I am wondering if this marriage might be found in the BIVRI. Is it more comprehensive?

Could someone kindly do a look-up in the BIVRI or suggest another resource where I may find a record of this marriage? Am I overlooking something here?

I'm at an impasse and would be most grateful for any assistance.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[RJ_Paton]

Nothing in the BVRI records.

Possible explanations :-

1.The problem may have arisen if they had left the established Church.

From the early 1700's the Church of Scotland went through a number of phases of change and splits with each of the dissenting groups forming their own churches. These churches while presbyterian in nature were fiercely independant and maintained their own records.

The OPR's you see on Scotlands people are the records of the established church of Scotland and while some of the dissenters records are held at the GROS they are not yet available online.

2. The marriage was an irregular marriage - legally acceptable in Scotland until the early 20th Century

3. The expense of registering a birth with the Church may have put them off that side of it although the marriage - if a "regular" marriage would have been recorded.

[Rodeo]

Hi Falkryn

Thanks so much for having a look at the BIVRI for me. Can one request a remote search by the GROS of the dissenters records they retain? If so, do you think this would be useful? Alternatively, should I abandon this part of my research or is it worth pursuing in your view?

Cheers,

Rodeo

[RJ_Paton]

I'm not sure that GROS do lookups/searches or if they do I think it would be pretty expensive.

The problem with pre 1855 research in Scotland is that the Church records in some parishes are pretty poor but I'm a great believer in never giving up any lead,although it sometimes takes me quite a while to come back to a particular line ....... Usually just long enough for the memories of the pain of bouncing off the brick walls have eased into the mists.

One thing  ..... you say that Gavin and Agnes Paterson were Cousins ..... is this speculation based on the same surname or do you have proof of that ...

[Rodeo]

Hi Falkryn

I haven't any proof that Gavin and Agnes were cousins but rather speculated they might be based on their identical surname. As you suggest, this may not be the case. Interestingly, Gavin's sister Janet married James Tennent and both their surnames are incorrectly spelled on the 1839 marriage registration. I did try all the variations, though, of Gavin, Agnes and Paterson but no luck.

Thanks again, Falkryn.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[RJ_Paton]

Often the spelling of surnames was down to the person keeping the records and you can find that the family name changes over time simply because the record keepers changed.

[Rodeo]

Hi Falkryn

I think the issue, as you mentioned, is that Gavin and Agnes Paterson were not members of the established church because my forebears were covenanters and I assume they would have belonged to some secessionist church. Am I right in this with respect to covenanters? I do know that their descendants (including my relatives who were Cameronians) professed to be UP or Free Church predominantly. I've been thinking that it may be worthwhile to contact the NAS about the dissenters records they retain.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[RJ_Paton]

The UP and the Free Church were part of the various dissenting movements although I believe at some time parts of the Free Church rejoined the established Church which left parts of the remaining "Free Church" to be known as the "Wee Frees".

The Covenanters were of a similar ilk but from an earlier period reacting as the later dissenters did against changes in the Church organisation.

[Rodeo]

I hadn't ever considered religious affiliation to be a crucial genealogical issue in terms of research until now but it certainly is pre-1855, as you point out. Previously, I had assumed that it was a matter of optional non-registration of births and marriages until it became mandatory. What was the major secessionist church during the Reformation (and post Reformation) to which Covenanters belonged? Do you know? My GG grandfather, his siblings and all their respective children were married according to the forms of the United Presbyterian Church. From that, I must surmise that their ancestors similarly rejected the established Church of Scotland. That would explain why I can't find many of them in the COS records.

Many thanks for your help, Falkryn.

Cheers,

Rodeo