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18th Century Lorrain(e) Family in Half Morton, Dumfries Area

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18th Century Lorrain(e) Family in Half Morton, Dumfries Area

Posted: 20 Feb 2013 8:24AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Lorrain Lorraine Clerk Clark Buchanan
I am looking for information on the Lorrain(e) family who were settled in the Half Morton area in the 18th century. My ancestor is John Lorrain (1786-1840) who married Margaret Bell (1790-1857). John left the Dumfries area and emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1816. His parents were John Lorrain (1751-1829) and Margaret Taggart (1754-1820)of Lockerbie(y) and Locharbriggs, Dumfries. John Lorrain (1751-1829) was the 5th of 7 children and 4th son of William Lorrain (1708/9 - 1790)and Jannet Clerk (Clark)(1714-1800). I am reasonably confident of this lineage although my evidence is based on IGI records and the excellent tombstone incsriptions for the old burial ground of Kirkconnel in Kirkpatrick Fleming, where William and Jannet are buried (I can find no marriage record for them). The only birth/baptism record I have found for their children is for their eldest child Walter who was born at Langholm. A number of family trees claim that this William Lorrain who lived and died in Catsgillhead is the son of William Lorrain and Bessie Buchanan of Edinburgh. William was a stabler who became a burgess through his marriage to Bessie. I don't see how this can be. Bessie had been married to Robert Christall, also a stabler, and was pregnant with a daughter Anna when Robert died. Anna Christall was born in January of 1707. Bessie married William Lorrain that year and had a child Elizabeth born in Edinburgh in July 1708. Sibilla was born in July 1709, Walter in April 1711, Bessie in Sept 1712 and Ann in Feb 1714. Bessie died in 1717. All of these children are well documented. If this couple had a son William who subsequently moved to Dumfries to farm in Catsgillhead, then he was not likely born in Edinburgh with his siblings. If he had been it would have been recorded. The only time frame for him to have been born would be between April and July 1710 assuming a 9 month pregnancy. The family were presumably in Edinburgh in August 1710 when Sibilla died. I can see that as a stabler William may have had cause to be in the country with his wife where a child could have been born. Perhaps his own father died at this time? He had been born in Hawick and was servitor in Roxborough not far away (20 miles or less). It appears he moved to Edinburgh to marry Bessie and resided there after marriage. Edinburgh is about 100 miles from where William had previously lived. There is a birth record of a William Lorrain, son of William Lorrain born in Nether Tofts, Roxborough in Sep 1709. If this date is incorrect, and the real date is 1710 then it is just possible that William could be a son of William and Bessie, but you can see that this takes a good deal of imagination to produce. Does anyone have any firm knowledge (bibles, other reports etc.) of the parents of William Lorrain ( 1708/9 - 1790) and Jannet Clerk (1714-1800)? Does anyone have any records of the births of their children other than Walter? Any help would be appreciated! Ellen Lorraine Kenchingon - Nova Scotia

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