At 03:51 PM 4/2/1999 -0500, you wrote: >Hi! > > Does anyone know of a source of Monumental inscriptions for sale >for the Orkney Islands, especially Stronsay and Kirkwall and St. >Ola Parishes? (but other Parishes too) > > >Also: Dumb question, but why is Shapinshay sometimes spelled >Shapinsay? Any reason? Is the "official" spelling - Shapinshay? > > Thanks, > > Stephen > > The Orkney Family History Society is indexing cemetaries - there's information on the group at the Orkney Genuki site - There's a link to their site from the Orkney GenWeb Site - http://www.rendall.net/orkney/ Regards, Anne M. Rendall volunteer host Orkney GenWeb and Orkney-L http://rendall.net/orkney/

Hi! Does anyone know of a source of Monumental inscriptions for sale for the Orkney Islands, especially Stronsay and Kirkwall and St. Ola Parishes? (but other Parishes too) Also: Dumb question, but why is Shapinshay sometimes spelled Shapinsay? Any reason? Is the "official" spelling - Shapinshay? Thanks, Stephen

> From: "Alan Hepburn" <ahepbur1@npiec.on.ca> > Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 12:11:54 -0500 > Ggrandfather Peter Hepburn B. 9 January, 1814, in Kirkwall Scotland. He > joined the 93rd Highlanders in 1830 and went to the West Indies, from there > to Toronto Canada. His father John Hepburn married Elizabeth (Betty) > Caithness, 23rd March, 1799. > Welcome Alan! If it is any help, the 1851 census of Kirkwall & St. Ola (div. 8, Kirkwall) lists the following: address: probably Queen Street Hepburn, John head married 72 Farm servant born Shapinshay Elizabeth wife married 76 born Kirkwall There are 21 Hepburns listed in the index to Kirkwall and St. Ola (including other Hepburns of John's and Peter's generations - most from Shapinshay) and 9 Caithness entries. No obvious connections unless John and Elizabeth went back to Shapinshay for a while. Perhaps a search of the 1841 census of Kirkwall may list some of the children still at home if you are lucky. Also try Walt Custer's site if you haven't done the IGI yet: http://www.cursiter.com Happy Hunting! Stephen

At 11:06 AM 4/2/1999 -0800, you wrote: >AH>My name is Alan Hepburn of Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada. This is my first time >AH>on the list and if I sound confused, I apologize. > >AH>Ggrandfather Peter Hepburn B. 9 January, 1814, in Kirkwall Scotland. He >AH>joined the 93rd Highlanders in 1830 and went to the West Indies, from there >AH>to Toronto Canada. His father John Hepburn married Elizabeth (Betty) >AH>Caithness, 23rd March, 1799. > >For all Orkney descendents, there is a new book by >W.S. Hewison just published: > >"Who Was Who In Orkney" > >ISBN 0-9525350-3-3 >Bellavista Publications >Carness Road, >Kirkwall KW15-1TB > >It is listed at 14.95 UK pounds and the description reads: > >>From Alexander Aberdeen to Antonioo and Nicolo Zeno, this is a >listing of those who have played an important role in the >islands' development. We meet pirates, bishops, earls, botanists, >poets, provosts and many more. > >I have just sent away for a copy and hope my HONEYMAN family >are in there somewhere. > >/patricia > I heard from some one who has the book that it's not much on family history, it's more about historical figures, but very good. Regards, Anne M. Rendall volunteer host Orkney GenWeb and Orkney-L http://rendall.net/orkney/

AH>My name is Alan Hepburn of Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada. This is my first time AH>on the list and if I sound confused, I apologize. AH>Ggrandfather Peter Hepburn B. 9 January, 1814, in Kirkwall Scotland. He AH>joined the 93rd Highlanders in 1830 and went to the West Indies, from there AH>to Toronto Canada. His father John Hepburn married Elizabeth (Betty) AH>Caithness, 23rd March, 1799. For all Orkney descendents, there is a new book by W.S. Hewison just published: "Who Was Who In Orkney" ISBN 0-9525350-3-3 Bellavista Publications Carness Road, Kirkwall KW15-1TB It is listed at 14.95 UK pounds and the description reads: From Alexander Aberdeen to Antonioo and Nicolo Zeno, this is a listing of those who have played an important role in the islands' development. We meet pirates, bishops, earls, botanists, poets, provosts and many more. I have just sent away for a copy and hope my HONEYMAN family are in there somewhere. /patricia --- þ SLMR 2.1a #7 þ Patricia Patterson, Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA

My name is Alan Hepburn of Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada. This is my first time on the list and if I sound confused, I apologize. Ggrandfather Peter Hepburn B. 9 January, 1814, in Kirkwall Scotland. He joined the 93rd Highlanders in 1830 and went to the West Indies, from there to Toronto Canada. His father John Hepburn married Elizabeth (Betty) Caithness, 23rd March, 1799. I would like to find the names of Peter's brothers and sisters - if there are any, also the parents of John Hepburn and Betty Caithness. I have three (3) Betty Caithness names in the same time frame and location. Does anyone know which is which? Any help in this regard is appreciated. Alan.

Hello Alan, To answer your question, a "cautioner" was a person who stood as surety for the person who was subject of the entry. The term is used in a variety of Scottish legal documents as well as marriage records. You don't describe the record in precise terms, but in the entry to which you refer, the bride's father is making a guarantee that his daughter will follow through on the marriage contract. Hope this answers your question. Doug Nicol, Santa Rosa CA

Dear Deirdre, I live in Columbia,Md and my family is from Orkney. would you like to meet for lunch one day and talk Orkney Loves and family Catherine Bramer -----Original Message----- From: Deirdre Hay <dhay@bakerandmiller.com> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, April 01, 1999 9:31 AM Subject: [ORKNEY-L] Phone book look up >Could some kind soul in Orkney please check in the telephone book for me to >see if there are any Liddell Liddle or Liddel people there? Id love to >write to them. Thanks so much, Deirdre Hay in Washington DC. > >

Could some kind soul in Orkney please check in the telephone book for me to see if there are any Liddell Liddle or Liddel people there? Id love to write to them. Thanks so much, Deirdre Hay in Washington DC.

To: anyone who has research interests in Canada- I am forwarding this message from Gordon Watts regarding: " a petition to the Hon. Senator Lorna Milne who is preparing to work on OUR behalf to get us access to post 1901 Census information. The posting below has been put out by someone on another list. She knows Senator Milne and worked with her in developing the petition below. The hope is to get a substantial number of petitions sent to support her in OUR quest to gain access to post 1901 census information. This is extremely important to ALL genealogists who have roots in Canada, regardless of where they are living now. PLEASE respond by sending the petition in to the e-mail address shown in the posting below. Don't forget to add your own interests and comments, while keeping it down to a single page. If you subscribe to other lists having Canadian interests please forward this posting to them. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!! -- IF WE DO NOT LET OUR FEELINGS KNOWN NOW WE MAY NEVER SEE ANOTHER CANADA CENSUS RELEASED!!!! THE SENATE RECONVENES AFTER EASTER. PLEASE SEND YOUR PETITION NOW!!! If you wish to send additional information to Senator Milne her email address is milnel@sen.parl.gc.ca . She also has a website at http://sen.parl.gc.ca/lmilne Gordon A. WATTS Port Coquitlam, British Columbia gordon_watts@bc.sympatico.ca I have gone to find myself. If I get back before I return, Please ask me to wait. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- To all Family Researchers who depend on Canadian Census Records: I have been requested by The Hon. Lorna Milne, Senator, to get a petition going so she will have added backing in her fight, on our behalf, to obtain release of Post-1901 Canadian Census Records. Forward, one page only, the following paragraph, complete with YOUR personal comments, your city/town, families being researched and the areas of Canada. Send to <Farquhar@netcom.ca> (Muriel Davidson) P E T I T I O N Family researchers, attempting to complete their family roots, depend greatly on Canadian census records even though these are only released at 10-year intervals. These records help the genealogist research his/her ancestors to form a picture of the past. Since many church denominations are sealing records, as well as the government withholding the census, how are we able to learn our personal roots. We are concerned over the prospect of not being permitted to gain access to the 1911 and subsequent census records 92 years after the taking of those censuses in accordance with the provisions in Section 6 of the Privacy Regulations. WE do not need to know financial status or other personal data. WE support the initiative of Senator Lorna Milne in introducing a Bill in the Senate which would lead to the restoration of our rights to see all census records. Tourism is a major factor in genealogical research -- people want to visit their roots. Signed:

A marriage entry in 1769 in Birsay has at the end of the record the word "Cautioner" followed by the name of the bride's father. What is a Cautioner and what did this mean? Did the bride's father object to the marriage? The marriage did proceed and was so recorded. Any Orcadians who can answer this will be appreciated. Alan Spence Auckland, New Zealand

I have found a Margaret Matches born to Charles Matches and Jane Sinclair Aug. 13, 1849. I also have a Margaret Matches married to John Petrie Nov. 11, 1869 and their 1st. daughter was Jane Sinclair Petrie, Sept 25, 1870(1). They are all from South Ronaldsay. Does anyone know if these Margarets are one and the same? Janine

At 10:36 PM 3/27/99 +1100, you wrote: >Thanks for the info Shyama. Yes I was one of the very first to purchase the >fiche of the 1851 census of Walls and Flotta from David. We connected >through the Genealogical Research Directory in 1990 as we were researching >the same surname in Orkney and are something like 8th cousins. >Unfortunately, or fortunately, my relations all seem to come from Walls and >Flotta with a few moving to Orphir and only spreading out to mainland >Scotland and other parts of the world around 1900+. The names I am >researching are Smith, Nicholson, Sinclair, Groat, Ritch, Shearer, Thomson, >Robson. Further back they came from Caithness around early 1700's and that >is where I have come to a dead end. >Regards, >Jan Grant Hi Jan, I've got SHEARERs from Caithness. It's my main Caithness tree. Unfortunately there weren't many records before the mid 1700s but what Shearers do you have? Mine were mainly from Thurso & Olrig but seemed to also be in Canisbay for a while in the late 1700s. This is as early as I've been able to get back on my Shearers. I'm decended from James Shearer & Margaret Cresswell. Descendants of Donald Shearer 1 Donald Shearer .. +Margaret Dunnet m: Bef. 1760 . 2 David Shearer b: September 12, 1760 Dunnet, Caithness, . 2 William Shearer b: August 1761 Dunnet, Caithness, . 2 Christian Shearer b: September 10, 1761 Dunnet, Caithness, . 2 James Shearer b: December 08, 1763 Dunnet, Caithness, ..... +Margaret Cresswell m: January 01, 1789 Canisbay, Caithness, . 2 Barbara Shearer b: January 26, 1771 Dunnet, Caithness, d: February 13, 1850 Skarfskerry, Dunnet, Caithness ..... +Donald Gunn b: Abt. 1772 m: Bef. 1794 probably Dunnet d: March 01, 1855 Scarfskerry, Dunnet, Caithness . 2 Elspet (Elizabeth) Shearer b: October 01, 1773 Dunnet, Caithness, d: October 20, 1831 Dunnet, Caithness, Scotland Age 51 ..... +William Oman m: Bef. 1801 d: May 24, 1855 Dunnet, Caithness, . 2 Marion Shearer b: February 04, 1776 Dunnet, Caithness, On the topic of Orkney censuses. Is it possible for you to check a surname for me? I'm looking for Ballentine/Ballantyne in Orphir. Here are my Ballentine/Ballantynes from the Scottish Church Records. I'm decended from John Ballentine who came to Canada in the late 20s or early 30s. I found his brother Magnus in the 1881 census but would love to find out where any of them are in the 1821 and 1851 censuses. I assume that if they stayed in Orkney they'd still be in Orphir or Kirkwall & St. Ola. Descendants of Peter Ballentine 1 Peter Ballentine .. +Margery Hay m: November 16, 1792 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Margery Ballantine b: November 27, 1793 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Peter Ballantine b: July 12, 1795 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Cecily Ballantine b: January 10, 1798 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Robert Ballantine b: March 04, 1800 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 John Ballantine b: Aug 30 1802 Orphir d: June 24, 1871 Napanee Ont. .......... +Margaret Fairbairn b: March 20, 1811 Earlston Scotland . 2 Andrew Ballantine b: April 14, 1805 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Margaret Watt Ballantine b: September 27, 1807 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Isabella Ballantyne b: March 01, 1810 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Anne Ballantyne b: June 12, 1812 Orphir, Orkney Is. . 2 Magnus Ballantyne b: February 16, 1815 Orphir, Orkney Is. ...............+Ann Flett m:December 28,1848 Orphir, AND ALSO Kirkwall & St. Ola ...........3 Alexander Forbes Ballantyne b: November 18, 1849 ...........3 Margaret Ballantyne b: January 24, 1852, Orphir ...........3 John Ballantyne b: November 16, 1859, Orphir ...........3 Agnes Ballantyne b: October 19, 1861 Orphir, Orkney Thanks for any census help you may be able to offer. Regards Patty Brown Toronto, Canada

Thanks Jan, I'll file your Shearer names in case they come up again. Regards Peter >Hello Peter, >Sorry no I have not come across your Shearer. My connection is William >Shearer who married Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith on 10 January 1843 at Hurliness, >Walls. Betsy was the sister of my g-g-g-grandfather. All relatives I have >traced have been from Walls and Flotta or Caithness only spreading out to >the mainland and other places around 1900. > >Please let me know if there is any connection. > >Regards, >Jan > >-----Original Message----- >From: Peter Davis <pdavis@nrg.com.au> >To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> >Date: Sunday, 28 March 1999 4:32 PM >Subject: [ORKNEY-L] SHERAR > > >>G'day Jan >> >>I noticed that you are researching the SHEARER name. Have you come >>across a Mary SHERAR [ an alternate spelling of Shearer] b. abt. 1806 >>in Shapinshay? >>Mary married William SCOTT on 7-11-1827 on Eday, and they and their >>children emigrated to Australia in 1849. >> >>Different Islands to your family I know, but worth checking >> >>Regards >> >>Peter >> >>Coffee Camp >>NSW >>Australia >> >> >> >>>Thanks for the info Shyama. Yes I was one of the very first to >>purchase the >>>fiche of the 1851 census of Walls and Flotta from David. We >>connected >>>through the Genealogical Research Directory in 1990 as we were >>researching >>>the same surname in Orkney and are something like 8th cousins. >>>Unfortunately, or fortunately, my relations all seem to come from >>Walls and >>>Flotta with a few moving to Orphir and only spreading out to mainland >>>Scotland and other parts of the world around 1900+. The names I am >>>researching are Smith, Nicholson, Sinclair, Groat, Ritch, Shearer, >>Thomson, >>>Robson. Further back they came from Caithness around early 1700's >>and that >>>is where I have come to a dead end. >>> >>>Regards, >>>Jan Grant >> >> >>

Hi Ray, What time period are you talking about. The Thomson connection that I have is Isabella Thomson, b 1823. in Caithness, Wick, the daughter of John Thomson and Elizabeth Henderson who married Benjamin Smith, 21 March 1850 in Hurliness and died on 16 December 1896 in Walls. As far as I can ascertain all connections are from Hoy or Orphir in Walls and Flotta and from Caithness on the tip of the mainland. Re Shearer - I have a William Shearer who married Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith on 10 January 1843. Betsy was the sister of my g-g-g-grandfather. Please let me know if there is any connection. Regards, Jan Canberra, Australia -----Original Message----- From: MR RAY S WALLACE <LYXR92A@prodigy.com> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, 28 March 1999 11:11 PM Subject: [ORKNEY-L] ORKNEY-D Digest V99 #72 >I saw the names Shearer and Thomson in a note from Jan Grant. I have >been looking into my Orney roots and would be interested in any info >about these families. My Great-Great-Grandparents were James Thomson >and Margeret Shearer. The Thomsons' son James eventually moved to the >US where my Grandfather was born (Ray Sinclair Thompson). Any info >would be helpful, thank you! > >

Hello Peter, Sorry no I have not come across your Shearer. My connection is William Shearer who married Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith on 10 January 1843 at Hurliness, Walls. Betsy was the sister of my g-g-g-grandfather. All relatives I have traced have been from Walls and Flotta or Caithness only spreading out to the mainland and other places around 1900. Please let me know if there is any connection. Regards, Jan -----Original Message----- From: Peter Davis <pdavis@nrg.com.au> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, 28 March 1999 4:32 PM Subject: [ORKNEY-L] SHERAR >G'day Jan > >I noticed that you are researching the SHEARER name. Have you come >across a Mary SHERAR [ an alternate spelling of Shearer] b. abt. 1806 >in Shapinshay? >Mary married William SCOTT on 7-11-1827 on Eday, and they and their >children emigrated to Australia in 1849. > >Different Islands to your family I know, but worth checking > >Regards > >Peter > >Coffee Camp >NSW >Australia > > > >>Thanks for the info Shyama. Yes I was one of the very first to >purchase the >>fiche of the 1851 census of Walls and Flotta from David. We >connected >>through the Genealogical Research Directory in 1990 as we were >researching >>the same surname in Orkney and are something like 8th cousins. >>Unfortunately, or fortunately, my relations all seem to come from >Walls and >>Flotta with a few moving to Orphir and only spreading out to mainland >>Scotland and other parts of the world around 1900+. The names I am >>researching are Smith, Nicholson, Sinclair, Groat, Ritch, Shearer, >Thomson, >>Robson. Further back they came from Caithness around early 1700's >and that >>is where I have come to a dead end. >> >>Regards, >>Jan Grant > > >

I saw the names Shearer and Thomson in a note from Jan Grant. I have been looking into my Orney roots and would be interested in any info about these families. My Great-Great-Grandparents were James Thomson and Margeret Shearer. The Thomsons' son James eventually moved to the US where my Grandfather was born (Ray Sinclair Thompson). Any info would be helpful, thank you!

G'day Jan I noticed that you are researching the SHEARER name. Have you come across a Mary SHERAR [ an alternate spelling of Shearer] b. abt. 1806 in Shapinshay? Mary married William SCOTT on 7-11-1827 on Eday, and they and their children emigrated to Australia in 1849. Different Islands to your family I know, but worth checking Regards Peter Coffee Camp NSW Australia >Thanks for the info Shyama. Yes I was one of the very first to purchase the >fiche of the 1851 census of Walls and Flotta from David. We connected >through the Genealogical Research Directory in 1990 as we were researching >the same surname in Orkney and are something like 8th cousins. >Unfortunately, or fortunately, my relations all seem to come from Walls and >Flotta with a few moving to Orphir and only spreading out to mainland >Scotland and other parts of the world around 1900+. The names I am >researching are Smith, Nicholson, Sinclair, Groat, Ritch, Shearer, Thomson, >Robson. Further back they came from Caithness around early 1700's and that >is where I have come to a dead end. > >Regards, >Jan Grant

Thanks for the info Shyama. Yes I was one of the very first to purchase the fiche of the 1851 census of Walls and Flotta from David. We connected through the Genealogical Research Directory in 1990 as we were researching the same surname in Orkney and are something like 8th cousins. Unfortunately, or fortunately, my relations all seem to come from Walls and Flotta with a few moving to Orphir and only spreading out to mainland Scotland and other parts of the world around 1900+. The names I am researching are Smith, Nicholson, Sinclair, Groat, Ritch, Shearer, Thomson, Robson. Further back they came from Caithness around early 1700's and that is where I have come to a dead end. Regards, Jan Grant -----Original Message----- From: Shyama Peebles <shyama@gold.net.au> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, 27 March 1999 5:13 PM Subject: [ORKNEY-L] 1821 & 1851 CENSUS AVAILABLE >Perhaps you all know already and I am slow >learner but I have just got the whole list of >Orkney 1821 & 1851 Census on michrofiche >which can be purchased at approx $5 aus each >parish or in a full set. They are 1821 >Parishes of Deerness, Orphir, St Andrews, Sandwick >South Ronaldsay & Burray, Stromness >1851 Census >Parishes of Birsay, Deerness, Eday & Pharay, Elvie >& Rendall, Firth & Stenness, Harray, Holm & Paplay, >Orphir, St Andrews, Sandwick, South Ronaldsay & >Burray, Stromness, Walls & Flotta >In Australia they can be purchased from >D.S.Armstrong P.O.Box 136 Maylands > Western Australia 6931. David is the person who >did all the work & produced the microfiche >Agents in Canada -the Ontario Genealogical Society >Agents in Scotland- Aberdeen & North East Scotland >Family History Society >The elusive family name I am searching for is >PEEBLES - >Shyama Peebles > >

Perhaps you all know already and I am slow learner but I have just got the whole list of Orkney 1821 & 1851 Census on michrofiche which can be purchased at approx $5 aus each parish or in a full set. They are 1821 Parishes of Deerness, Orphir, St Andrews, Sandwick South Ronaldsay & Burray, Stromness 1851 Census Parishes of Birsay, Deerness, Eday & Pharay, Elvie & Rendall, Firth & Stenness, Harray, Holm & Paplay, Orphir, St Andrews, Sandwick, South Ronaldsay & Burray, Stromness, Walls & Flotta In Australia they can be purchased from D.S.Armstrong P.O.Box 136 Maylands Western Australia 6931. David is the person who did all the work & produced the microfiche Agents in Canada -the Ontario Genealogical Society Agents in Scotland- Aberdeen & North East Scotland Family History Society The elusive family name I am searching for is PEEBLES - Shyama Peebles