Craig Brackenridge New Monkland

[Forfarian]

Some additional details.

Nisbet's Heraldry, Appx states that Andrew [m Mary HUCHESON] had a 2nd son George in Annathill, who had a son James, writer in Edinburgh.

The version of Nisbet in front of me does indeed say that Andrew Hay and Mary Hutcheson had a son George whose son James was a writer in Edinburgh. It does not describe this George as in Annathill.

Witnesses to the wedding of Joseph HOWIE & Elizabeth HAY in 1717 were John HAY IN Inchnoch & James HAY in Annathill.  George the Bishop's father [from DNB] "James Hay, a ‘writer in Dalrymple's Office,’ who as a nonjuror and a Jacobite was put in irons and banished in 1715"  Perhaps he was out by 1717 and was the witness at his sister's wedding.

Perhaps he was.

[Forfarian]

More evidence.

Elizabeth Hay's great-grandson James Cleland says that Bishop George Hay (1729-1811) was a member of the Annathill family, and that he was nearly related to himself.
Nisbet's Heraldry says that George Hay, second son of Andrew of Inchnoch, had a son James who was a writer in Edinburgh.
The DNB says that Bishop Hay was born at Edinburgh on 24 August 1729, the only son of James Hay, a ‘writer in Dalrymple's office,’ and grandson of Andrew Hay of Inchnoch.
James Hay in Annathill and John Hay in Inchnoch were the witnesses at the marriage of Elizabeth Hay to Joseph Howie. [New Monkland Parish Register]
James Hay, writer in Edinburgh, acted for Elizabeth Hay, spouse of Joseph Howie, in her sasine of 1718. [Register of Sasines]
So there is quite strong evidence to suggest that George Hay in Annathill was the son of Andrew Hay of Inchnoch, but most of it is from secondary sources.
If Elizabeth Hay, wife of Joseph Howie, and James Hay, writer in Edinburgh, were brother and sister, then James Cleland and Bishop Hay were first cousins twice removed.

Is this enough evidence to be sure that Elizabeth Hay in Annathill and James Hay, writer in Edinburgh were the children of George Hay in Annathill and grandchildren of Andrew Hay of Inchnoch?

Opinions, anyone?

[DonMcA]

You may never get the perfect proof.  Wait till you see the reasoning for 800 year old continental stuff!

Anyway you know what I think on this one.  The 1718 sasine minute does not mention James HAY - or George.

Don

[Forfarian]

The 1718 sasine minute does not mention James HAY - or George.

No, but the full sasine does. I got my hands on it yesterday and have managed to decipher some of it. This is as far as I have got with it: Sasine Elizabeth Hay. Att Hamilton the twenty nyneth day of October [1700] and Eighteen years the Sasine .... was produced by the sd John Clark and registrat the sd day yrof the tenor follows. In the name of God amen be it known to all men be .... Publick Instt of Sasine That upon the twenty fifth day of Octr [1700] and eighteen years and of the kings reign the fifth The qulk day in prsce of me nott publ and in pres ... Compeared perslie upon the grounds of the lands .... yranent ane discreet man Wm Young of Little Drumgray as .... splly Constitut .... the prcpt of Sasine .... together also wt ane discreet gentleman James Hay wryter Edgh as actuary for in name and on behalf of Elizabeth Hay spouse to Joseph Howie of Meikle Drumgray Haveing in his hands holding ane Contract of marriage ?past contracted betwixt the sd Joseph Howie and Elizabeth Hay wt ye speciall advice and consent of George Hay in Annathill her fayr on the one .... of ye date the fifth day of July 1717 years qrby and .... ?Youngest ?Child Joseph Howie bound and him his airs and assignees .... to duly and laully infeft and Sease the sd Elizabeth Hay ?yr his future spouse in liferent during all ye days extent of her life time In All and haill the mannor place of Meikle Drumgray and ye yeards quto belonging and sicklike in the Restrictions agreed and cont in the sd Contract In All and haill ane yearly .... of three hundred Merks Scots money to be uplifted and taken at two termes in ye year in equall portions Whit and Mart ffurth of .... haill the sd Joseph Howie his lands of Meikle Drumgray and Oxenlairs Lying in parochine of East Munkland and shrdome of Lanark .... as ye sd contract of marriage containing yrin ....

[DonMcA]

"his future spouse" in 1718?

These indices are rubbish - and Lanark is one of the better ones.

This tells us that Elizabeth was the youngest child of George who was still alive in 1718.

But no relationship between Elizabeth and James Hay, Writer seems to be specified.

Can you send me an image, I'll try and  decipher a bit more.

[Forfarian]

I think the contract was dated 5 July 1717, and that is what refers to Joseph's future spouse. The parish register has the date of marriage as 29 July 1717. So that makes perfect sense: the 1717 marriage contract bound Joseph to infeft Elizabeth in the manor house and three hundred merks yearly, and the 1718 sasine was him putting that obligation into effect.

I don't think that 'youngest child' (if that is what it really says) refers to Elizabeth Hay, but I can't decipher the words immediately before it.

However the document does imply, by omission, that George was still alive in 1718 because it refers to him as 'George Hay', not 'the deceast George Hay' or 'umquhill George Hay'.

No connection between James Hay and Elizabeth Hay is specified, but it would surely be quite a concidence if James Hay, writer in Edinburgh, were acting on behalf of Elizabeth if there is no connection.

I can't send you a copy because all I have is a paper print-out, and the reason it's hard to decipher is that the handwriting as printed out is too small.

[Forfarian]

I have an ancestor named John Craig who married Mary Gartshore in 1810 in New Monkland.  I have Mary's death record but not John's.  He was living in Cambusnethan in 1856 when his daughter Mary married John Hamilton.  Mary (Gartshore) is a widow in Hamilton in 1861.  My efforts to find John's death on Scotland's People have so far been unsuccessful.

There is something odd here.

1851 Census: Double Houses, 1 Stonecraigs Row, Cambusnethan, Lanark 628/10/21
John Smith                 Head Mar 34  Furnace keeper                  Shotts
Jane Smith                 Wife Mar 35                                                   New Monkland
John Smith                 Son 16  Coalminer                                       Shotts
Alexander Smith        Son 14  Coalminer                                       Shotts
Mary Smith                  Daughter 11                                                  Shotts
Margaret Smith          Daughter 4                                                     Shotts
William Smith             Son 4 months                                                Cambusnethan
John Craig             Father-in-law Wid 66  Labourer                 New Monkland

I have seen the death certificate of Jean/Jane Smith, which confirms that she was the daughter of John Craig and Mary Gartshore.

But

1861 Census: 26 Furnace Row, Hamilton, Lanark
William Craig          Head Mar 40  Iron moulder and furnace man                     Lanark, Airdrie
Jean Craig              Wife Mar 40
Agnes Craig             Daughter 13  Scholar                                               Lanark, Cambusnethan
Mary Craig              Daughter 7  Scholar                                                        Lanark, Carluke
Jean Craig              Daughter 5  Scholar                                                        Lanark, Shotts
Bethia Craig            Daughter 3                                                                     Lanark, Shotts
David Craig             Son 1                                                                              Lanark, Shotts
Mary Craig         Mother Wid 73                                                              Lanark, Airdrie

I have seen the 1873 death certificate of Mary Gartshore or Craig, which confirms that she was the widow of John Craig, and daughter of George Gartshore and Elizabeth Thomson. The informant was William Craig, son, Quarter, Parish of Hamilton.

So Mary was still alive and presumably kicking 20 years after her husband claimed to be a widower

[Lodger]

Extracted from the records of Cambusnethan Old Churchyard and Cemetery.

JANE SMITH, housewife, Newmains, aged 55 years, married.
Parents - John Craig & Mary Gartshore.
Interred in the old churchyard on 21st February 1871.

MARY CRAIG, housewife, Hamilton, aged 85 years, widow.
Parents - George Gartshore and - - - - - - .
Interred in the old churchyard on 28th May 1873.

GEORGE CRAIG, labourer, Wishaw, aged 62 years, married.
Parents - John Craig & Mary Gartshore.
Interred in the cemetery, lair D67 on 5th March 1888.

JANET CRAIG, Old Monkland Poorhouse, aged 66 years, widow.
Parents - Adam Clark & Janet Manderson.
Interred in the cemetery, lair D67 on 9th May 1896.

Unfortunately, the plot book for the old churchyard only begins at 1875, so there is no way of telling if John Craig is buried there too but my guess is he will be. No record of an MI for them, sorry.

[Forfarian]

Thank you, Lodger. I didn't know of George's existence because none of the children of John Craig and Mary Gartshore seem to be in the baptism registers.