Notes from Meetings

Falmouth Genealogical Society

Past Presentations

Uncovering Scottish Roots
John Peri

John Peri, who has done research in Scotland, gave a very informative and well organized talk on Uncovering Scottish Roots using slides for illustrations. In addition he handed out an excellent overview of his talk along with a two page bibliography.

John discussed what resources are available in the US before going overseas. They include Bibles, photos, vital records in the IGI and microfilm, genealogies, gravestone, censuses (1841 - 1891), obits, local histories, LDS records, letters, diaries, and naturalizations. Local LDS Family History Libraries have research outlines for Scotland. The Old Parish Registers, 1553 - 1854, are on LDS microfiche and are indexed by county, however the exact spelling of the name is necessary. The Old Parish Registers are mainly for those in the Church of Scotland -- other denominations are usually not included.

There are several reasons Scottish research can be difficult. Most Scottish names are common names which makes finding the right ancestor difficult. Vital records in one location (Edinburgh) were not begun until 1855. Prior to that the name of the parish the ancestor resided in is necessary. Many births were not recorded although you may find the banns.

Census are not indexed, there is little information in marriage records, some registers are incomplete or missing entirely. Land was owned by few families so that most Scots were tenants, thereby few deeds and wills are available. As a last resort you can check clan maps on the internet.

It is essential to know the year, or approximate, year of birth, county of origin and approximate year of immigration. It is extremely helpful to know the parish of origin, when and where the couple were married, the religious affiliation, and names of other family members.

There is remarkable information on the internet which makes accessing records much easier. Family Tree Online has clan genealogies and e-mail addresses. Also online for a very nominal fee you can have searchers done in Scotland by the Scottish Record Office - The New Register House will search the 1855 vital records of Scotland. Certificates can be ordered online. The Old Parish Register before 1855 can also be searched as well as censuses for 1881 and 1891.

Before going to Scotland it is necessary to make an appointment in advance at the Scottish Register House: the fee is $20.00US per day to research there. The Scottish New Register House office has wills and other records but the chance of success will be marginal. It is not computerized so searching is quite slow.

The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh is not far from the map library where copies of early ordinances survey maps are available.

There is a pretty good chance of success in locating more recent immigrants, but birthplaces of those who emigrated before 1800 are much harder to locate.

Books Available on Scottish Research

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry, 2nd ed. by Kathleen B. Cory, Genealogical Publishing Co. 1997.

Scottish Family History by David Moody, Genealogical Publishing Co. 1994.

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors by Cecil Sinclair, Edinborgh, HMSO 1993.

Census Records for Scottish Families at Home and Abroad by Gordon Johnson Aberdeen & North East Scotland Family History Society, Aberdeen, 1994.

Scottish Roots: A Step-by-Step Guide for Ancestor-Hunters in Scotland and Overseas, by Alwyn James, MacDonald Lindsay Pindar, Scotland, 1990.

Useful Internet Sites for Scottish Research

United Kingdom (UK) Archival Gateway

General Register Office for Scotland

National Library of Scotland

Cyndi's List offers Scottish genealogies.

Clan genealogies are available at this site.

Cape Cod Religious History 1650 - 1691
Rev. David Jay Webber

Rev. David Jay Webber now travels between Cape Cod and his position in a Lutheran seminary in the Ukraine. He is very knowledgeable about various genealogical topics including Palatines and Cape Cod religious history.

Everyone in the 17th century was interested in the religious controversies of the time because religion defined who they were. By 1650 the Pilgrims were dying off. Their children, and those who came from the Mass Bay Colony to Cape Cod had not experienced the religious persecution that had caused the Pilgrims to come to this country. Emotionally the first generation was tied to the mother culture but the second generation and third generation were not. This led to social turmoil and a mixing of traditions.

About this time a civil war was going on in England. The Puritans, led by Cromwell, took over the government and he became a dictator which led to conflict, unhappiness and changes within the Puritan religion. The Pilgrims wanted to purify the establish church, but the Separatists felt the Church of England couldn't be purified so left altogether.

By 1650 all three changes impacted religion on Cape Cod. William Leveredge was the minister in Sandwich but he was from Plymouth Colony and therefore wasn't supported by others who had come from the Mass Bay Colony. Because of this strife he began to preach to the Indians hoping to convert them to Christianity. He learned their language, enjoyed teaching them and set up a wigwam near the church. He moved to Long Island, NY where he could still work with the Indians but also be a Congregational minister.

For the next 20 years Sandwich didn't have a minister because no one wanted to become involved in the religious conflicts going on there. And the people of Sandwich didn't want to have a minister who might be less tolerant than Robinson or Lothrop.

Richard Bourne who had an enlightened attitude toward the native peoples decided to continue Leveredge's work. He realized that it would not be possible for the Indians to retain their tribal and nomadic culture. He persuaded them to conform as much as was necessary to the English way of life. It was because of him that the Mashpee Indians owned their own land. He had the deeds that no Indian could sell land to a white man without the Indian council approving the sale. In this way Bourne knew that the Indians could survive as a community. He continued teaching and allowed them to have leadership roles. He found them to be sincere in their Christian faith. When Bourne retired he was replaced by an Indian minister.

There were about 500 adult Indians in several villages in and around Eastham. In 1670 Samuel Treat came from Connecticut, reached out to them, and said that none were opposed to Christianity. The size of the parish was from Harwich to Chatham. He spent time with the Indians in their villages and learned their language. He respected their culture but they never took title of the land. Nickerson says Eastham Indians moved to Mashpee later on.

Treat may have been influenced by Rev. James Fitch of Norwich, Connecticut, who was well likes by both the English and the Indians. The work of Treat and Bourne was well done. Thomas Tupper was another person who did mission work with the Indians. The Indians were encouraged to become Christians but were not forced to convert.

When the Quakers came to Sandwich turmoil continued. Quakerism began in England in Cromwell's time. They believed that every human has access to the spirit of Christ, that priests are not needed for someone to have access to God. They believed that a mediating priest class or a minister to explain the scripture, was not necessary because the holy spirit would speak directly to every individual. They said that ministers and their theology are harmful to spirituality, and that God will explain himself to everyone.

Quakers didn't remove their hats to anyone, even the governor or minister. They addressed everyone by their given names and used the familiar form of address - "thou" or "thee" as opposed to the formal "you". "How art thou", instead of "How are you".

Reformers, however, redefined the nature of things but they didn't abolish everything. They believed in the doctrine of original sin and that everyone needs social, political restraints and laws to control human nature because even believers are sinful. Puritans believed in hierarchy. The highest class were addressed as master/mistress, the middle class were goodman/goodwife, and servants were addressed by their first names.

Quakers offended the Puritans because it was felt that Quakers didn't respect the order of English society. They became a threat to the whole social structure, which it was felt, would lead to anarchy. In the Mass Bay Colony the Quakers were banished; if they returned they were whipped, then mutilated, then executed. In Sandwich they were not as severely treated but laws were passed which required everyone to tAlso, Quakers would not swear an oath because they said they were always truthful.

Anyone attending a Quaker meeting was fined, and in that way they tried to bankrupt the Quakers. Those who were not high in the social order, such as servants, often became Quakers, although those from all classes joined the Quakers. Quakers also believed that men and women were equals, but the Plymouth Colony authorities felt if there was no gender gap immorality and adultery would be the result!

Issac Robinson, son of Pastor Robinson, met with the Quakers to show them the error of their ways so that they wouldn't be a problem to society. The Plymouth Colony went after those who didn't agree with them.

Governor Prence made it illegal to be a Quaker but the new King of England, Charles II, in the 1660's stopped the persecution as he wanted as many allies as he could find against the Puritans. The persecution of the Quakers died down, and pluralism on Cape Cod resulted.

Plymouth Colony required that taxes included support for the clergy. The Pilgrims, under Robinson, didn't believe that non-church members should support the church and clergy. In 16?1 Mass Bay and Plymouth Colony merged. It wasn't until about 1820 that church and state in Massachusetts separated.