Hi I think you will find that being married by declaration is what is termed in Scotland as a 'irregular marriage' these are quite common and legal, there are no banns called with an iregular marrige. Where did you get this information from ? If you look on the Scotlands People website you should beable to find more information there, not sure exactly which section but you wont need to register to access the information. Hope this helps Margaret NZ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Catt" <gullake@primus.ca> To: <AYRSHIRE@rootsweb.com> Cc: <Ontario-Digest@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 5:32 PM Subject: [AYR] Jean Baty, Battie, Beattie married Henry Cowan about 1841-2,Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland >I am researching my ggg Grandparents, Jean Baty, Battie, Beattie was >married by Declaration to Henry Cowan about > 1841-2, Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. What does Declaration mean in this > case? Does Declaration mean via Banns? > > They emigrated to North America and ended up in Ontario, Canada. > > Does anyone know who were Jean Baty and Henry Cowan's ancestors? > Marriages from 1553 to 1854 included these: > > A Mary Ann Hainnan, married Eldrage Beatie in Maybole Parish, on Dec. 16, > 1821, (a possible parantage) > > another ancestor might be A William Beattie married Sarah McClelland, > Maybole Parish, Jan. 3, 1819. > > A brother to Jean Baty might have been William Beattie married to Jane > Johnstone, Maybole Parish, April 25, 1842. > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AYRSHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message