Gemmill deaths and/or burials Kilmarnock and area.

[lunarjan]

I will be visiting Kilmarnock in the near future, as part of a trip researching my ancestors, hence am trying to locate some of their death and burial records.
 
I do know that James Gemmill, my great great great Grandfather, b 1776, who died in 1856, is buried in St Andrews burying ground.
 
His wives were Margaret Niven, b1780 and who died between 1803 and 1819, and Anne Thomson, b 1788 and died between 1841 and 1849. I have no death or burial records for them, but possibly they would also be in St Andrews?
 
One of James's sons was William Gemmill, b 1809 and died in 1887 in Kilmarnock.
His wife, Janet Muir, b 1819 and died 1884 in Kilmarnock. Possibly also in St Andrews?
 
William's son Hugh, b 1851 in Kilmarnock, d 1931 in Birmingham but perhaps was buried in Kilmarnock?
Hugh's wife Barbara Fleming Collins, b 1852 in Kilwinning, d 1921 in Troon, and is buried in Kilmarnock Cemetery, whom I contacted, but Hugh is not on their records, although their son John Collins Gemmill and Barbara's mother Janet are both there.

I'm wondering if anyone has records for St Andrews burying ground, or might know where I can find them? Or in fact any other possible site of interment? I will only be in Kilmarnock for about 24 hours, so want to make best use of the time there-so much to investigate! I'd be very grateful for any help with this research.

Jan
 

[irenemac]

Troon@Ayrshire FHS has a 2 CD set of Ayrshire burials for sale. An index taken from the OPRs ..it covers Kilmarnock. There are dozens of Gemmells/Gemils etc on it but I couldn't find your James or Margt Niven. There is also a book of MIs published by the Sottish Genealogy Society ...but no likely stone. These books concentrate on stones with pre-1855 dates on them.

[lunarjan]

Thank you for your helpful reply-I will buy the CDs as they will be useful al round! When I was in Kilmarnock I bought the book of MIs, and James Gemmill is definitely in St Andrews burying ground, with one of his sons, Dalrymple and his family, although I couldn't find the grave. It's strange that neither of James's wives are recorded in that book as I feel sure that they must be there somewhere. Sadly the graveyard is somewhat dilapidated, some of the headstones are completely overgrown with ivy, some are illegible and some have broken and the stone put in various heaps so it's impossible to read them. It's likely that William Gemmill and Janet Muir are there too but as they died after 1855 they aren't recorded in the book. The search continues!
Best wishes, Jan

[IanB]

I have a copy of "Kilmarnock & Loudon District monumental inscriptions, pre 1855" compiled by Alastair and Margaret Beattie. It includes some post-1855 stones as well. There are no "Gemmills listed under St. Andrews, although there are several Gemmells, but none with the first names you mention.
Under Kilmarnock cemetery, they list the stone you mention, as #48, and I will quote it exactly as written: Janet Smith Collins 1815-1907, John Collins Gemmill 1882-1909, Barbara Collins G 1853-1921, Hugh G 1851-1931. The "G" follows their system of abbreviation and is the first letter of a previously mentioned name, i.e. "Gemmill" in this case. So Hugh may not be buried there, as you say, but his name is on the stone.

[IanB]

Jan: I re-read your posts and see that you have a book of MIs. Is it the same as mine? i.e. compiled by the Beatties? If not, I can quote you how they recorded the stone of James Gemmell (with an e) in St. Andrews. Unfortunately, there is no sketch of St. Andrews to indicate the location of the stone.
IanB

[lunarjan]

Hello Ian,

And thank you for your response to my queries. I bought the Beattie's book during my brief visit to Kilmarnock so have found the entry for James, but couldn't find the grave itself, so it must be one of the obscure or damaged ones. Am still puzzled as to where his two wives might be, as well as his son William and wife.

Thank you also for pointing out Hugh Gemmill's name on the grave for his wife and son in Kilmarnock Cemetery. Amazingly I hadn't noticed that even though I took photos of it!! In fact the lettering doesn't come out very well in the photo, but it's good to know he's mentioned even if not really there. Perhaps he had to be buried in Birmingham as he died there.

One of my Gemmill relations and I are trying to work out the Gemmill line further back-we each have a book about the lineage, two different trees which seem to connect up in the 1600s. These books were both published privately and came down through our families, although we haven't yet found where we fit in, but it's fascinating to attempt to make sense of the various connections!

Best wishes, Jan