This is going to be one of those long ones, so I apologise! First, just to say, please nobody use any credits to look anything up for this one.
My ancestor James Laurie (variants include Lawrie, Laury, Lawry, Lowrie, Lowry) was a tanner in Westport / Portsburgh, Edinburgh. He married Margaret More (Mor, Moore, Muir, Mur, Mow, Moir) 3rd March 1709. He is buried at St. Cuthbert's with the following memorial inscription:
"Here lyes James Lawrie, tanner in Portsburgh, who died 17th February 1732, aged 48 years, and eight of his children who died young; also Thomas Crichton, stabler, burgess of Edinburgh, both husbands to Margaret More, died 28th March ___ aged ___ years."
I have downloaded a copy of his Testament Dative and Inventory dated 2nd Aug 1732 which only names Margaret Moor, and doesn't mention names of children. But anyway, these are the baptisms I have found, with names of witnesses:
Mary 31 Aug 1710 Bailly Joseph Thomson and James Esplin tanners in Westport.
Joseph 30 Dec 1711 Baillie Joseph Thomson & James Esplin Tanners in Westport.
Bettie 7 Dec 1716 Robert Esplin and Peter Cowie, both tanners in Westport.
Margaret 4 Nov 1720 James Forrest freeman cordwainer and William Henderson merchant in Portsburgh.
Janet 3 Feb 1723 Archd. Cleeland currier and Alexr Thomson indweller in Portsburgh
Thomas 23 Sep 1725 James Esplin tanner and George Russell currier in Portsburgh.
James 15 Jan 1727 James Esplin, tanner, burgess, and Alexander Thomson indweller in Portsburgh.
Thomas 25 May 1729 James Esplin tanner and ferver(?) in Portsburgh and William Henderson merchant in Portsburgh.
Janet 20 Sep 1730 Thomas Henderson merchant and Jn Mam (?) armourer.
James 12 Jun 1732 (father deceased) Mr. Thos. Henderson Mert. & Thomas Chrighton stabler
The Hendersons were relatives of Margaret's and she later married Thomas Chrighton, but hopefully some of the other witnesses might be relatives of James.
There are a few possible baptisms for James but none of them looks definitely right. 2 Apr 1682, parents Thomas Laurie and Rebecca Buchanan; 29 Apr 1683 at Liberton, parents William Lowrie and Margaret Lowrie; 9 Mar 1684 parents James Lowrie and Bessie Gray; 12 Jun 1685 parents James Lowrie, baxter, and Marion Paterson.
So, I'm trying to figure out which of these, if any, is my James. He doesn't seem to have been a burgess, unfortunately, which might have helped me figure it out.
And does anybody know whether Baillie / Bailly would be part of somebody's name, or some kind of title?
My ancestor James Laurie (variants include Lawrie, Laury, Lawry, Lowrie, Lowry) was a tanner in Westport / Portsburgh, Edinburgh. He married Margaret More (Mor, Moore, Muir, Mur, Mow, Moir) 3rd March 1709. He is buried at St. Cuthbert's with the following memorial inscription:
"Here lyes James Lawrie, tanner in Portsburgh, who died 17th February 1732, aged 48 years, and eight of his children who died young; also Thomas Crichton, stabler, burgess of Edinburgh, both husbands to Margaret More, died 28th March ___ aged ___ years."
I have downloaded a copy of his Testament Dative and Inventory dated 2nd Aug 1732 which only names Margaret Moor, and doesn't mention names of children. But anyway, these are the baptisms I have found, with names of witnesses:
Mary 31 Aug 1710 Bailly Joseph Thomson and James Esplin tanners in Westport.
Joseph 30 Dec 1711 Baillie Joseph Thomson & James Esplin Tanners in Westport.
Bettie 7 Dec 1716 Robert Esplin and Peter Cowie, both tanners in Westport.
Margaret 4 Nov 1720 James Forrest freeman cordwainer and William Henderson merchant in Portsburgh.
Janet 3 Feb 1723 Archd. Cleeland currier and Alexr Thomson indweller in Portsburgh
Thomas 23 Sep 1725 James Esplin tanner and George Russell currier in Portsburgh.
James 15 Jan 1727 James Esplin, tanner, burgess, and Alexander Thomson indweller in Portsburgh.
Thomas 25 May 1729 James Esplin tanner and ferver(?) in Portsburgh and William Henderson merchant in Portsburgh.
Janet 20 Sep 1730 Thomas Henderson merchant and Jn Mam (?) armourer.
James 12 Jun 1732 (father deceased) Mr. Thos. Henderson Mert. & Thomas Chrighton stabler
The Hendersons were relatives of Margaret's and she later married Thomas Chrighton, but hopefully some of the other witnesses might be relatives of James.
There are a few possible baptisms for James but none of them looks definitely right. 2 Apr 1682, parents Thomas Laurie and Rebecca Buchanan; 29 Apr 1683 at Liberton, parents William Lowrie and Margaret Lowrie; 9 Mar 1684 parents James Lowrie and Bessie Gray; 12 Jun 1685 parents James Lowrie, baxter, and Marion Paterson.
So, I'm trying to figure out which of these, if any, is my James. He doesn't seem to have been a burgess, unfortunately, which might have helped me figure it out.
And does anybody know whether Baillie / Bailly would be part of somebody's name, or some kind of title?
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