I have wrapped up my Penmans (sort of), and thought I'd post it for anyone who isn't on the Penman One Name Study distribution list. I'm going to start with Alexander Penman and Jean Strang who were married 15 Oct 1748 in Airth Parish. The register says merely that Alexander Penman and Jean Strang were married. This implies to me the couple were both from Airth parish as there was no comment on one of them being from somewhere else. The couple had their first child, Duncan in the October of 1749. Other children followed: William, Helen, Marion and Alexander. Using the Scottish naming pattern, it looks like the parents of Alexander were Duncan and Marion Penman. A Duncan Penman and a Marion Cowan had a child christened called Duncan Penman in Larbert in 1732. The balance of their children were christened back in Airth after that date. According to the IGI, the Airth Parish Registers for that period are sparse until about 1728 so I assume that Alexander was born to Duncan and Marion previous to 1725. There is also another son John who married Jean Maither and who also christened a child Duncan.
Duncan Penman was born in 1701 in Culross to Alexander Penman and Janet Gibb, and christened 30 Nov 1701. I think either the parents didn't pay up, or the clerk forgot to make the entry as there is a two inch gap beneath the entry that says "30 Nov 1701 Duncan Penman" that is completely blank. However, the only Penman couple in Culross having children then were Alexander Penman and Janet Gibb. Duncan either moved to Airth with his parents or on his own but he met Marion Cowan there. She was christened in Airth parish 20 Sep 1702 to William Cowan and Helen Waugh. There is no marriage record for Duncan and Marion as the Airth Registers before 1728 are in bad shape. As the couple were around the same age, they probably married about 1721 and their first "recorded" child was young Duncan in Larbert in 1732. That means there were probably at least four other children between the wedding and young Duncan. Back in Airth, the couple had several more children - Isobel 1738, Jean 1740, Charles 1743, Janet 1744, and James 1747.
Moving back one more generation. Duncan's father Alexander Penman was christened 19 Nov 1661 in Culross and the entry says that the witnesses were Patrick Lamb and James Imray. He was one of six children born to another Alexander Penman and Grissell Rhind although only the father is mentioned. James Imray or Imrie was, I think, his uncle married to Christian Penman in 1640. Alexander married Janet Gibb 13 May 1682 and it was registered in the Culross registry. The entry omits the bride's name. Once again it was left blank as though to be filled in later and the clerk never went back to it. The couple's first child was born in Dunfermline and christened 7 May 1783. The second child, Elspeth was christened in Culross 26 Dec 1686 and the entry names the parents and witnesses Duncan Sympson and John Colt. Alexander and Janet went on to have (big gap here, probably lost children) Helen in 1694, Alexander Jr. 1696, Margaret 1699, Duncan 1701, Anna 1704, and Christian in 1706.
Alexander's father Alexander Sr. and his (I think) sisters, Christian and Margaret first put in an appearance on their wedding days. Christian married James Imray 28 Dec 1640, Alexander married Grissell Rhind in 9 Oct 1645 and Margaret married William Imrie 18 Jan 1647. These are the first Penman marriages in Culross. There is very little information in Alexander's registry entry other than the two gave up their names to be married. Alexander had several children to Grissell Rhind: Janet in 1649, Marion 1654, John 1656, Grissell 1659, Alexander 1661, and David in 1664 with witnesses David Rind and Patrick Lamb. David Rind was Grissell Rind's brother and this was probably the last child Grissell bore. The next child born to Alexander Penman Sr. was Andrew in 1667 with witnesses Patrick Lamb and Andrew Erskine. From that entry, I deduced that Alexander had now married or taken up with Elspeth Erskine and this was their first child. I cannot find a marriage for Alexander and Elspeth. He went on to have several more children to her - George 1669 witnesses, once again Patrick Lamb and Andro Erskine, Thomas in 1671, Elspet christened 1674 in both Torryburn and Culross, Marion 1675 in both Culross and Torryburn, Helen in 1677, Agnes 1680 and Duncan in 1685 with witnesses John Lamb and Duncan Sympson. This is where the name Duncan now enters the Penman family tree. Alexander's daughter Grissell had married Duncan Simpson 2 Aug 1681. He appears as witness in the christenings of Elspeth Penman (Alexander Jr.) and Duncan Penman (Alexander Sr.).
That is about as far as I'm likely to get as there is no indication of where Alexander Sr. came from or his occupation. All in all, he had fourteen children to his two wives. I've no idea how many lived to adulthood. The Lambs seemed to be very important to the family as Patrick Lamb is witness in many of the baptisms followed by John Lamb.
If anyone has any questions or has alternate theories or proof, I'd be more than happy to discuss it. If anyone has any idea who Alexander Sr. parents were, I'd love to hear that one as well.
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