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Scottish Borders Families

Scottish Borders Families

Posted: 8 Aug 2004 7:03PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 27 Sep 2004 6:45PM GMT
Surnames: NESMITH, NAESMYTH, BAIRD, BURNET, STEWART, VEITCH, HAY, KER, RUTHERFORD
My GGM was a NeSmith, a descendant of Sir Michael NAESMYTH (b. 1525) and Elizabeth BAIRD of Posso, Peebles, Scotland. My other family names from the same area are BURNET, STEWART, VEITCH, HAY, KER, RUTHERFORD. I have just begun to study this area and am astonished that so much happened here in what seems like a relatively small area. I would like to hear from anyone researching any of the names above, or who has these names in their family file. I would also like to know whether the land and other public records are still kept in Peebles. Thank you for any information you can offer.
Helen Dearing

Re: Scottish Borders Families

Sandy (View posts)
Posted: 23 Nov 2004 12:42AM GMT
Classification: Query
Helen, My family also sprang from Sir Michael and Elizabeth. We decended from Thomas, his son, and have traced each generation back to Sir Michael. Have you any information before Sir Michael? I cannot seem to find his parents anywhere.

Re: Scottish Borders Families

Judy NeeSmith Collum (View posts)
Posted: 21 Aug 2005 3:11PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 16 Sep 2005 12:29AM GMT
Surnames: NaeSmith
I happened upon this messageboard and I'm dropping in as a guest, if I could do so, since I saw the name Michael Naesmyth. I too am a descendant of Sir Michael Naesmyth and have been researching now for about 5 years. I also have come to a stand still with his generation and don't know much more before his generation. I do know through research that a Robert Naesyth was before him a few generations previous. Robert did Armorial work for King Andrew year unknown. I'd like mention that if you visit Naesmyth.com you'll see alot of great info on the Sir Michael Naesmyth line.
Judy NeeSmith Collum

Re: Scottish Borders Families Naesmyth

Helen Dearing (View posts)
Posted: 9 Oct 2006 3:12AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Naesmyth Naismith Burnet Loch Murray
Sandy, just today I saw your posting from 2004. Please tell me I answered you privately. If not, my apologies. My family also descends from Sir Michael's son Thomas and grandson James Naesmyth m. Agnes Burnet. I have not been able to trace further back than Sir Michael, but I was told (with no source) that his father's name was James. Please let me know if you read this.

Re: Scottish Borders Families-Naesmyth

Helen W. Dearing (View posts)
Posted: 9 Oct 2006 4:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
Judy, I apologize for having missed your message when you posted it. I visit Naesmyth.com. I am very interested in comparing our family lines descending from Sir Michael Naesmyth, and especially I would like to know, if you know, under what circumstance(s) the spelling of your name changed. My own line underwent a change before leaving Scotland, to Naismyth, if my research is correct, and after arriving in the New World, the name is found spelled Nasmith, Nessmith, and my own line NeSmith. If the legend of the origin of the family name is true, that Alexander III granted land to one of his men, dubbing him "Nae Smith," saying the man was valiant in battle but not a blacksmith, as he had pretended, then the name could not go back many generations past Sir Michael. I have not been able to pin down the date. The name "Robert" has come down my family line, but I don't know in whose honor. Also, as to your your phrase, "Robert did Armorial work for King Andrew year unknown." I know of no King Andrew of Scotland, but if that King could have been King Alexander, then the Armorial work you speak of might have been the occasion of Alexander's creating the first "NaeSmith." If you did mean King Alexander, that is exciting because this is the first clue I have had as to the name of King Alexander's Naesmyth.

I hope this reaches you and that we can exchange information.

Helen Dearing

Re: Scottish Borders Families

Posted: 10 Sep 2008 2:44AM GMT
Classification: Query
I, too, am descended from Sir Michael Naismith and will be happy to share whatever records I have. Isabelle

Re: Scottish Borders Families-Naesmyth

Posted: 14 Nov 2008 5:39AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello, pardon me for dropping in, My name is Reed Gaddie, a name found on the lowland ocean farms in eastern Scotland all the way north to the Shetland Isle. The question I have is you stated quote "....was valiant in battle but was not a blacksmith." My family name is mysteriously named in a river in Aberdeen shire called Gadie Burne. Our ancestors were in fact blacksmiths and I am curious if you have any information regarding the subject.
Thank you in advance for any effort or time you spend on this.

Yours Truly,
Reed Gaddie

Re: Scottish Borders Families-Naesmyth

Posted: 14 Nov 2008 2:56PM GMT
Classification: Query
Mr. Gadie: Thank you for your response. Five years ago, I didn't even know what the word "burn" really means. I know nothing about the blacksmith profession, and apparently my ancestor in Scotland knew nothing, also, since a grateful King Alexander gave him land and title for his warrior skills, but acknowledged he was "nae smyth." I hope you are able to find out more about your family's blacksmith profession. Good Luck.
Helen Dearing

Re: Scottish Borders Families

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 12:59AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello Helen Dearing. I am working on my family tree and have been told that Sir michael Naesmyth is my ancestor. My great great grandfather was Thomas Naismith who emigrated to Australia in 1853, leaving behind his family in their ancestral home known as "THE PEEBLES"which I believe was in the posso/ peebles area.Thomas was a baronet.He left scotland and his wife and children behind to start a new adventure in Australia. He met and married a 16 year old girl named Elizabeth Wiseman. I believe Thomas was born around 1802. I am trying to fill in the spaces from him back to sir Michael. In the 1970's My great uncle travelled to scotland and returned with our ancestry details and ancestral family prayerbook and an ancient woven silver tunic pin. In the early years of the twentieth century ,my great grandfather ,HERBERT ALBERT NAISMITH was offerd his inheritance of the ancestral home and title, but was not interested in living in Scotland and so forfeited the property to his relatives who, I am told sold it in the 1970's or 80's.If you have any information I would be delighted to hear from you.

Re: Scottish Borders Families

Posted: 14 Aug 2009 1:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
hi Geoff, its Joy, glad to see u researching, anything u come up with u can ring me 98163923.
A few different views here, I always believed originally Naismith's were blacksmiths and in fighting on the side of I think Robert the Bruce he used his forge to fix heir broken swords and they succeeded in taking the castle against the english, then Veitch as I thought their name was, was knighted and, with the words, u are nae a smith anymore, or something along those lines.
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