Author Topic: NEW RESEARCH  (Read 13929 times)

Thomas Thompson

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NEW RESEARCH
« on: April 03, 2008, 10:36:29 AM »
Random genealogical data to date.

    Search of surname Thomson and connections in Dumfriesshire county census by civil Parish.
  Annan                           87 listed
  Bonhill                          51 listed
  Cardross                       35 listed
  Kirkintilloch                  49 listed
  New Killpatrick              20 listed

    Obituary of Mrs. Alexander Thomson of Dumfries.  Better known as Jessy Lewars, her maiden name.  She along with her brother and sister were close friends and confidents of the poet Robert Burns.
After the poet’s death she gave many of his manuscripts and letters to Dr Currie for the biography.

In Monypeny’s chronicle, published in 1587.  The list of “chief men of name, not being lairds” has two men of interest to our cause.
  “Young Archie Thomson and Sym Thomson”

  The subject; The English army is ravaging East Lothian and Dumfriesshire led by Lord Lennox and Wharton in 1547. “ All clans and the surnames of the neither part of Annandale, came and received an oath of obeisance as subjects to the King of England.
And by some of the Armstrongs, Beatties, Thomsons, Littles, and other border stragglers who were not dependent on any special chief.”
   In Bell’s MS., preserved in the Carisle Cathedral Library, there is a list of chiefs and their men who surrendered on this occasion to the English. It differs slightly from the two lists preserved among the State papers of Edward VI., as do those two lists from each other.  There are 304 names of Beatties, Littles and Thomsons.
  We are trying to find a copy of this manuscript.

Thomas Thompson

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2008, 07:44:17 PM »
     Still More !
    A diligent researcher sent this to us.  While reading “Steel Bonnets naming people’s surnames of the Marches, I found this little tidbit. “Nixon (Nicksoun) – Scottish and English. Upper Liddesdale, Bewcastle, Line rivers. Often described as having many “loose men”. Chief branch, Steile. The sons of Nick were a troublesome breed, and an important part of the Armstrong-Elliot-Nixon-Croser confederacy.  Although a smaller and less compact family than the Armmstrongs, they were important enough to have THOMSONS, Glendennings and Hunters living “under them”, which is another way of saying associated with them. Like other Liddesdales, they sometimes allied with England.
   Because of Cromwell carrying off and destroying so many records of Scotland, I wonder if we might find some records of the Thomsons in England.  Page numbers and publ. Not listed.

    We have the names of THOMSONE, THOMSON, THOMPSON surnames listed in Dumfries – Birth/Christening, and Marriages.
Between 1606 and 1761 there were 122 Births/Christenings.
Between 1619 and 1742 we have the dates and male names of 78 with that surnames. Source listed.
   
  Still another of our wonderful researchers reported:
Alexander Thomas – Born 1484 in Corstorphine, Midothian, Scotland. Died Sept 23, 1587 same place. (The Barony of Corstorphine was just west of Edinburgh)
  His father was also Alexander born 1460 (same place) died 1513 in Flodden England.
   His father was Sir Thomas Stewart born 1435.
   His father was Earl Alexander Stewart of Mar, born 1375, Mar Aberdeenshire and died July 26 1435.
We see the unbroken line went from Stewart to Thomson.

YOU MAY THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT THAT MAY BE WRONG. 
              We are compiling lists of individuals so that our MEMBERS can trace their ancestries.

Forum_mgr

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2008, 03:30:34 PM »
Well said, Thomas.

I have been informed that the Clan Thompson Society will soon be ready to accept memberships to help us launch the recovery of our clan. Many expenses are ahead - in this country and in Scotland - and we need members to help us. This is exciting - our correspondence with Lyon Court has been ongoing  and Lyon has requested additional information which is WHERE YOUR RESEARCH comes in. If you haven't contributed, please do. This is more than a "viewing" forum - this one needs to be a WORKING forum, at least until there is enough information researched to satisfy Lyon Court.

Booner

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2008, 08:49:27 PM »
Dear Forum Manager

I would be happy to do some reasearch. But in order to prevent me from plowing the same feild as others, could you give me something specific to research? Such as such & such parish.  I'd like to try and be systematic if possible.

Thank you
Booner 

Thomas Thompson

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2008, 10:16:27 AM »
Thanks, Booner -

Lothian (around Edinburgh). In the "old days," Lothian would have been the northern boundary of the borderlands, before it became the center of Scotland. We need to find Thomsons in Lothian, as far back as we can (preferably 15-1600s, although documentation of that time period is scarce).  One of our members is doing Strathclyde and Ayr, I'm concentrating on Dumfriesshire, and MACTAVISH is finding extent documentation of anything he can in the borders area. Apparently the Lothian area is now divided into west/east...but at one time it may have been just "Lothian."

Our combined research will be put together in "some kind" of logical form and sent on.

Thanks again.

Thomas Thompson

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2008, 07:22:33 PM »
  Point well taken big Thompson.  Sorry for the delay but we are going
through some things that have taken priority on our time.
   I will list a few things I think should be done and each of you can choose what ever turns your fancy.
James VI Manuscripts:
·   We have the translation of the 29 July 1587 ACT.  For the quieting and keeping in obedience of the disorderit subjects, in habitantis of the bordouris, hielandis and ilis  ….of Ewisdaill Batesonis Litillis Thonesonis Glenduningis Irwingis Bellis Carruthers…
·   We have the untranslated ACT 8 June 1594  For punisement of thift, reif, oppessioun and sorning  …Carleillis, Batisonis, Litillis, Thomesonis, Glendonigis, Carutheris, Johnnestonis…
·   James II Translation 1458, 6 March, Edinburgh, Parliament records….it seems as profitable to the king and the three estates that it be continued until the next parliament … the Lords of the session shall sit three times a year; for 40 days in these three places. 1st Aberdeen, for the barons, John Fife, Andrew Menzies and WALTER THOMSON OF INVERNESS, FOR THE BURGHS.
(WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM –FATHER, FAMILY, OCCUPATION ETC.)
     Committee members: 12 Janurary 1467/8 delegated to hold cotinuation of parliament xxx…James Scrimgeour, Walter Ogilvy, THOMAS THOMSON; FOR THE BURGH COMMISSIONERS;   ( we need more information on him also)
   7 November 1544 Judicial proceeding: presentation of endorsed summons (1544/11/5)  This day Master Henry Lauder (of St Germains), royal advocate, produced and presented a royal summons duly executed by PETER THOMSON, BUTE PURSUIVANT, AND Alexander Cunningham, messenger and produced in written form at the instance of our lady the queen and her governor an justiciar against and towards Archibal (Douglas), earl of Angus for several crimes  ( we should know more about him also)
Judicial proceeding: summons of treason  8 August 1568 …and the aforesaid whole persons respectively above-written, being of new called at the said tollbooth window and none of them compearing as said is, the said advocate desired PETER THOMSON, ISLAY HERALD and John paterson, Snowdon herald.. ( maybe the same person?)
Legislation: private acts 28 June 1633. Act in favour of SIR THOMAS THOMSON OF DUDDINGSTON, KNIGHT.  Our sovereign lord, with advice of the three estates of parliament, ratifies and approves the charter made and granted by his majesty under his highness’s great seal to his beloved SIR THOMAS THOMSON OF DUDDINGSTON, knight , his heirs and assignees whatsoever heitably, of all and sundry the lands and towns of Easter and Wester Duddingstons, with Mills, mill lands, multures, sequels, coals coal pits, wrack,  wraith, wair, parts, pendicles, tenants, tenancies, service of free tenants thereof and all their pertinents whatsoever, all united and erected in a free teneancey called the tenancy of duddingstion lying within the sheriffdom of Edinburgh. ( OF LESSOR IMPORTANCE MAYBE?)
  Judicial Proceeding: against the laird of Haddo (Sir John Gordon), laird of haddo’s precess and fines. Edinburgh, 4 Aug, 1643  For great insolence and high offence against authority to be placed in the Edinburgh tollbooth and pay a fine of L 10,000 to be paid to William Thomson, commissary of the army in Ireland.
  Ratification in favour of ROBERT THOMSON  Edinburgh 3 April 1661
Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, retifies and approves the letter of gift and presentation made, given and granted by the deceased James 9Johnston), earl of Annandale, and viscount of Annan, lord Murray of Lochmaben, stewart of Fife, to and in favour of ROBERT THOMSON, then servitor to the said earl, of the date 2 Oct 1649, making, constituting, creating and ordaining the said ROBERT THOMSON, during all the days of his lifetime, clerk of the said stewartry oif Fife, then vacant in the said earl’s hands, by resignation and demission made thereof by john Lauristion, last clerk of the said stewartry, …( This one is in our area and is worthy of more information)
Legislation at Edinburgh 21 June 1661.  …his majesty, with advice and
consent of the said estates of parliament, have ordained and hereby
ordains SIR WILLIAM THOMSON, TOWN CLERK OF EDINGURGH, to deliver to the clerk of register,… ( More information needed)
1704, 6 July Edinburgh Parliament Sat 5 Aug, 1704 Legislation 
Follows the commissioners of supply given in by the noblemen and commissioners for the several shires as was ordered in parliament…
   For the Shire of AYR:  xxxx…THOMSON OF SEVENACRES,
  ( this also might be worth while to know more about)
 

One last item we need proof that if happened. …The middle Tweed Valley saw them selves as different from the shepherds of Liddesdale in many ways – and they complained about them in 1569 the lairds of the eastern and middle marches asserted that while they themselves were peaceable, the thieves of the western ranges were not.  In a memorandum to the Scottish Privy Council they insisted that they must be controlled and made to behave like civilized men.  Ang is case anyone missed the point, they supplied a BLACK LIST of the surnames of the worst of them. And there were a few – all Armstrongs, Batesons, Bells, Crosiers, Elliots, Glendinnings, Hendersons, Irvines, Johnstones, nixons, Routledges and THOMSONS.  In all this there is more than a whiff of superioritym the sense that the men of Liddesdale, Ewesdale, Annandale and Eskdale were little more than savages.  ( need to verify that such a black list with Thomson exists) Note, The distinction between English and Scottish mattered less that the fact that they were all part of Border Reivers.,
     

 


Paula Cash Womack

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2008, 09:42:07 PM »
Bit of information :

DUNKELD, Lord, a title in the Scottish peerage, now extinct, conferred on 15th May 1645, on Sir James Galloway of Carnbie in Fife, master of requests to James the Sixth and Charles the First, and a privy councillor. He was the son of Patrick Galloway, minister first at Perth and afterwards at Edinburgh, where he died in 1624. His mother was Mary, daughter of Mr. James Lawson, also a minister of Edinburgh. He was served heir to his father 10th October 1634, and in 1640 was conjunct secretary of state with William earl of Stirling. His son. Thomas, second Lord Dunkeld, was served heir to his father May 3, 1662. By his wife, Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Thomson of Duddingston, baronet, he had James, third lord, two other sons, and five daughters. James, third lord, was an officer in the army. In 1689 he joined the viscount of Dundee, and was at the battle of Killiecrankie, for which he was outlawed and forfeited. He retired to the court of St. Germains, and was afterwards a colonel in the French service. He was killed in battle, leaving a son James, who assumed the title of Lord Dunkeld, and was an officer in the French service, in which he rose to the rank of lieutenant-general; and a daughter, the Hon. Mary Galloway, who entered into the nunnery of Val de Grace in France.

www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/dunkeld.htm


and may I suggest you go to the following site:  Apparently Duddingston Throne barony goes back to Charles I  (1107)

http://www.oldandnewedinburgh.co.uk/volume4/page136.html

Paula


Stirling Thompson

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2008, 10:22:57 AM »
Found an interesting link here to loads of Thomsons in the Church which includes some family info as well.
http://www.dwalker.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Map.htm

Click on the little blue box above Scottish ministers.
Semper Fidelis! Semper Familia!
Stu

Mary

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Re: NEW RESEARCH
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2008, 04:54:33 PM »
Thanks, Stirling!  I'm off to have a look!  :o

And welcome to the forum!