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| Sample Scottish Statutory Marriage Record from ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk |
If you have Scottish ancestors, you will be pleasantly surprised at the bounty of information available in a Scottish marriage record. Images of statutory marriages from 1855 to 1940 are available to view on
ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. A digital image is a scan of the microfiche copy of the original register page containing the entry in which you are interested. It therefore contains the same information you would normally see when looking at the actual record.
My client, Lynn Fleming, asked me to research her Scottish ancestor, John A. Mackie. His profile is available on her public tree at Ancestry.com at the following link:
John A. Mackie profile. I sent Lynn instructions on how to share her tree with me and make me an editor. This enables me to evaluate the information that she had already compiled on her Scottish ancestor.
The marriage event on the profile of John Mackie stated that
he married Mary Weir on July 2, 1868 in Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland.
There was a note that stated that they were married in the United Presbyterian
Church by Rev. W.R. Thompson. This very
specific information about the minister and the church was apparently based on a
marriage record that was not yet attached to the family tree. Marriage records from the United Kingdom and Ireland typically give at least the
name of the fathers of the groom and the bride and therefore would be quite
helpful as a source of information.
Further research on the marriage record on the page for
Greenock, Renfrewshire at the
Family Search Wiki provided additional
information about how to locate the names of ministers and the names of the
churches they served. Here is further
information about the church and the minister:
Greenock
is a seaport town in Renfrewshire, on the left bank of the Firth of
Clyde,
22 miles west of Glasgow, and 16 from Paisley...
[LIST OF CHURCHES includes:]
SIR
MICHAEL STREET. [Name and perhaps location of the church]
This
congregation originated in the want of church accommodation in Greenock.
Supply
of sermon was afforded to the persons taking interest in the movement by
the
Relief Presbytery of Glasgow in September 1806. First church built 1807…
[INCLUDED IN LIST OF MINISTERS]
William
Reid Thomson, previously of Glasgow (Regent Place).
Admitted
3d June 1863. Author of "The Friend of Christ Asleep, a Discourse on
occasion
of the Death of the Rev. James Law, of Kirkcaldy."
SOURCE: Annals and Statistics of
the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873.
The records of this church are available on microfilm as
follows: Microfilm Number 0889485; Item 8: Church records, 1839-1861; Author: St. Michael Street Relief Church (Greenock,
Scotland)
A marriage record was found on the Scotlands People
website. A transcript of that marriage
record follows:
1868
Mackie, John Anderson to Weir, Mary [Statutory Marriages Volume 564/03, Marriage
Number 0135, Image generated 15 July 2016 from ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk.
TRANSCRIPT:
Page 68
1868 Marriages in the West
Parish of Greenock in the County of Renfrew
No. 135
When Where and How Married:
1868; On the second day of July at 8 Ann Street, Greenock; After banns
according to the forms of the United Presbyterian Church
Signatures of Parties; Rank or
Profession, whether Single or Widowed and Relationship (if any):
GROOM-(signed) John Anderson
Mackie, Blockmaker, journeyman, (Bachelor); Age 21; Usual Residence: 8 Ann
Street, Greenock
BRIDE-(signed) Mary Weir,
Domestic Servant, (Spinster); Age 20; Usual Residence: 8 Ann Street, Greenock
Name, Surname, and Rank or
Profession of Father -- Name and Maiden Surname of Mother
PARENTS OF GROOM: John Mackie,
Coal Miner and Helen Mackie, Maiden Surname: Anderson
PARENTS OF BRIDE: Archibald
Weir, Sugarhouse labourer and Anne Weir, Maiden Surname: Rusk or Leisk
[Spelling unclear] (Since there is a daughter of John Mackie and Mary Weir with
the middle name Lusk it is presumed that the correct spelling would be Lusk.)
If a regular Marriage,
Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses. If irregular, Date of Conviction, Decree of
Declarator, or Sheriff's Warrant
(Signed) W.R. Thomson Minister
of Sir Michael Street Church
(Signed) D. Mackie, Witness
(Signed) Euphemia Skinner,
Witness
When & Where Registered, and
Signature of Registrar.
1868 July 2nd at Greenock; H.
Macmillan, Assistant Registrar
As you can clearly see, this marriage record is packed with family secrets that were previously unknown to Ms. Fleming. All of this information was added to her
Mary Williams Family Tree
on Ancestry.com.
The following records were added to the family tree and
digital copies were made for her:
John Anderson Mackie was found in the 1871 Scotland Census as follows:
Name: John Mackie
Age: 24
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Mary Mackie
Gender: Male
Where born: Dalry, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 564/2
Registration district: Greenock East
Civil Parish: Greenock East
Town: Greenock
County: Renfrewshire
Address: 13 Crescent St
Occupation: Ship Block Maker
ED: 10
Household schedule number: 120
LINE: 19
Roll: CSSCT1871_98
Household Members:
Name Age
John Mackie 24
Mary Mackie 23
John Mackie 1
Source Citation
Parish: Greenock East; ED: 10; Page: 21; Line: 19; Roll: CSSCT1871_98
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1871 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
This census record was taken in 1871, three years after the marriage had occurred. They have one child named John. The family is still residing in Greenock, the same city where the marriage was performed in 1868. His birthplace matches with Dalry and his occupation of Ship Block Maker matches the occupation in the marriage record.
John Mackie, Sr., father of John Anderson Mackie, was found
in the in the 1861 Scotland Census as follows:
Name: John Mackie
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: abt 1824
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Helen Mackie
Gender: Male
Where born: Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil Parish: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Kilbirnie Station
Occupation: Coal Pit Foreman
ED: 14
Household schedule number: 58
LINE: 18
Roll: CSSCT1861_84
Household Members:
Name Age
John Mackie 37
Helen Mackie 35
Jenat Mackie 16
[This is probably Janet or Jeannette]
John Mackie 14 [This is our subject ancestor, John Anderson Mackie]
David Mackie 11
Robert Mackie 7
James Mackie 5
William Mackie 1
John Crawford 22
Source Citation
Parish: Dalry; ED: 14; Page: 13;
Line: 18; Roll: CSSCT1861_84
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1861 Scotland
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Original data: Scotland. 1861
Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
This census record matches with
the approximate age of John Mackie, Sr. and his wife Helen Anderson and their
son John Anderson Mackie. The family is
in Dalry which is the known place of birth of John Anderson Mackie. The occupation of John Mackie, Sr. here in
the census is Coal Pit Foreman which matches with the occupation given in the
marriage record of Coal Miner.
The identification of John Mackie Sr. and Helen Anderson as
the parents and location of Beith for the marriage is further confirmed by the
marriage record as follows:
John Mackie in the Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910
Name: John Mackie
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 14 Dec 1844
Marriage Place: Beith, Ayr, Scotland
Spouse: Helen Anderson
FHL Film Number: 1041335
Source Information
Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select
Marriages, 1561-1910 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
Operations, Inc., 2014.
Original data: Scotland,
Marriages, 1561-1910. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
The family continued to reside in Dalry, Ayrshire in 1871 as
shown in this census record:
John Mackie, Sr. in the 1871
Scotland Census
Name: John Mackie
Age: 48
Estimated birth year: abt 1823
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Helen Mackie
Gender: Male
Where born: Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil Parish: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Laigh Auchengree Kilbirnie Holm
Occupation: Grocer Or Sub Tose Master
ED: 14
Household schedule number: 85
LINE: 5
Roll: CSSCT1871_108
Household Members:
Name Age
John Mackie 48
Helen Mackie 46
Robert Mackie 17
James Mackie 15
William Mackie 11
Ann Mackie 9
Helen Mackie 5
Malcolm Black 5
Source Citation
Parish: Dalry; ED: 14; Page: 21;
Line: 5; Roll: CSSCT1871_108
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1871 Scotland
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
Original data: Scotland. 1871
Scotland Census. Reels 1-191. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
John Mackie, Sr. was found in the 1881 Scotland Census as
follows:
Name: John Mackie
Age: 58
Estimated birth year: abt 1823
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Helen Mackie
Gender: Male
Where born: Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil Parish: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Paton & Browns (Old) Land
Occupation: Sub Post Master
ED: 14
Household schedule number: 108
LINE: 3
Roll: cssct1881_183
Household Members:
Name Age
John Mackie 58
Helen Mackie 56
William Mackie 21
Annie Mackie 19
Helen Mackie 15
Source Citation
Parish: Dalry; ED: 14; Page: 26;
Line: 3; Roll: cssct1881_183
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1881 Scotland
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
Original data: Scotland. 1881
Scotland Census. Reels 1-338. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
John Mackie, Sr. was found in the 1851 Scotland Census as
follows:
Name: John Mackie
Age: 28
Estimated birth year: abt 1823
Relationship: Head
Spouse: Helen Mackie
Gender: Male
Where born: Kilbirnie, AYR
Parish Number: 587
Civil Parish: Dalry
Town: Den
County: Ayrshire
Address: 1 Shedden's Row
Occupation: Coalminer
ED: 4
Page: 37
Household schedule number: 132
LINE: 18
Roll: CSSCT1851_130
Household Members:
Name Age
John Mackie 28
Helen Mackie 26
James Mackie 6 [This should be Janet. The entry shows the child as a daughter.]
John Mackie 4
David Mackie 1
Source Citation
Parish: Dalry; ED: 4; Page: 37; Line:
18; Roll: CSSCT1851_130; Year: 1851
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1851 Scotland
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Original data: Scotland. 1851
Scotland Census. Reels 1-217. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
John Anderson Mackie was found in the 1910 United States
Federal Census as follows:
Name: John A Mackie
Age in 1910: 63
Birth Year: abt 1847
Birthplace: Scotland
Home in 1910: McAlester Ward 6, Pittsburg, Oklahoma
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1879
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Bessie Mackie
Father's Birthplace:
Scotland
Mother's Birthplace: Scotland
Native Tongue: English
Industry: Own Income
Home Owned or Rented: Own
Home Free or Mortgaged: Free
Farm or House: House
Naturalization Status: Naturalized
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Years Married: 1
Household Members:
Name Age
John A Mackie 63
Bessie Mackie 70
Source Citation
Year: 1910; Census Place:
McAlester Ward 6, Pittsburg, Oklahoma; Roll: T624_1270; Page: 1B; Enumeration
District: 0240; FHL microfilm: 1375283
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1910 United States
Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc,
2006.
Original data: Thirteenth Census
of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls).
Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives,
Washington, D.C.
This census record shows John
Anderson Mackie married to another woman named Bessie after the death of Mary
Weir Mackie. The census says that they
were married one year so their marriage record can probably be obtained in
Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. The census
also notes that he was naturalized so that record can also be obtained. The address of this home was on Sixth Street
in McAlester. The McAlester City
Directory shows John and Bessie residing at 703 East Rock Avenue in 1910, 1913
and 1914.
Mary Weir was found in the 1861 Scotland Census as follows:
Name: Mary Weir
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1846
Relationship: Daughter
Father's name: Archibald Weir
Mother's name: Rose A Weir
Gender: Female
Where born: Greenock, Renfrew
Registration Number: 564/3
Registration district: Greenock West
Civil Parish: Greenock West
County: Renfrewshire
Address: 8 Ann Street
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 29
LINE: 4
Roll: CSSCT1861_77
Household Members:
Name Age
Archibald Weir 48
Rose A Weir 40
Margaret Weir 19
Rachel Weir 17
Robert Weir 16
Mary Weir 15
Jane Weir 12
Elizabeth Weir 7
Ann Weir 7
Archabald Weir 5
John Weir 3
Alexander Weir 1
Source Citation
Parish: Greenock West; ED: 7;
Page: 6; Line: 4; Roll: CSSCT1861_77
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1861 Scotland
Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Original data: Scotland. 1861
Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
This family matches closely what
we know about the Archibald Weir family from the marriage record of John Mackie
and Mary Weir. The fact that is
especially helpful is that this family is residing at the same address where
the marriage was performed. The address
of 8 Ann Street was also given as the residence of the bride and groom. The only discrepancy is that the mother is
described as Rose A. Weir instead of Ann Weir.
The middle initial A. is probably for Ann so this record was attached to the family tree to identify the parents and siblings of Mary Weir.
The name, Rose Ann Lusk, is supported by several birth and
christening records which have been attached to the tree for the children of
Archibald Weir and Rose Ann Lusk. These
baptisms were performed at Sir Michael Street United Presbyterian, Greenock,
Renfrewshire, Scotland which is the same church where the marriage of Mary Weir
and John Anderson Mackie was performed.
In conclusion, you can see how one Scottish marriage record opened the door to a treasure trove of records about John Anderson Mackie and his wife, Mary Weir and their parents and siblings. If you would like my help in revealing your family secrets, please contact me through the Contact Form in the right hand column at the top of this blog.
