Kaye, I have the same family, through Jane Shewster to my Hay Powrie. I have a professional who gets stuff for me at the NAS, I found the Scottish regiments are housed in Kew, England after 1763, except the militia which I've seen discussed before and those emails would be in our archives. I save especially good emails as individuals in my database under militia, fuar, wills, royal burghs, etc. I have this under Forfar militia. I don't understand the odd date as it didn't happen at the union, 1707 which would makes more sence It puts my references in my database as an easy place to go back and review. Just an idea for others. _http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O40911_ (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O40911) shows what's in the NAS. D Since I have a professional "on staff" I'd be willing to ask him to look into his records on my dime. He checks out whatever I need between visits. I'd be curious if there are more Powries. Scope c1794-1820: Royal Perthshire Militia papers Repository _Blair Castle_ (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=2137) Record Reference bundles 255, 274-335, vols 522, 832 etc NRA catalogue reference NRA 11000 Stewart-Murray Subj: Re: [tay-valley-bridges] " GONE FOR SOLDIERS": FORFAR MILITIA & ANGUS-SHIRE FENCIBLES Date: 9/24/03 2:30:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: _angel.vinas@skynet.be_ (mailto:angel.vinas@skynet.be) (Angel Vinas) Reply-to: _tay-valley-bridges@yahoogroups.com_ (mailto:tay-valley-bridges@yahoogroups.com) To: _tay-valley-bridges@yahoogroups.com_ (mailto:tay-valley-bridges@yahoogroups.com) Stewart [gave] the reference: "1798 Forfarshire, or 8th North British Militia raised at Montrose" ... I'm researching David MATHER, Montrose. On the Craig OPR (marriages) he is shown as "soldier, Fencibles, Capt. in Douglass Company". I'm aware that the Fencibles were disbanded in the early 1800s. My question is this: Would the 8th North British Military raised at Montrose have replaced the Angus-shire Fencibles? Dorothy Mather No 4382 Dorothy, As I understand it the Militia and the Fencibles were different animals, although the purpose of both was home defence. The Fencible Regiments were raised (usually) by local landowners, but their members were full-time regular soldiers. The Militia involved a (limited) form of military service enforced by the state. Militia regiments (which had long existed in England) were introduced for the first time in Scotland in 1798, in the context of the Napoleonic Wars and the perceived threat of invasion. They were raised by a procedure which involved the drawing up of lists of eligible men in each parish. From each parish list a much smaller number of men were chosen by ballot to actually train and serve in the County Militia (in Scotland most Militia Regiments were drawn from at least two Counties) . Certain categories of men were exempt, and it was possible to provide/pay for a substitute. The age range of men eligible for the Militia Ballot was initially 19-23, but was later extended first to 18-30, then 18-45 . The passing of the Scottish Militia Act in 1797 engendered fierce popular opposition. Kenneth Logue's "Popular Disturbances in Scotland 1780-1815" (Edinburgh: John Donald, 1979), includes a chapter on "The Militia Riots (pp. 75-115), in which he explains some of the pros and cons of the two forces: "[The Fencibles] had the advantage of being permanently on service and ready for action, but the disadvantage, as far as the Government was concerned, of having to be paid on that basis"... "[The Militia] was a force which, when necessary, could be embodied and put on active service quickly, which could be used in any part of Great Britain, and which while it was largely administered by the county was under the control of the central authorities..." (p. 76). There is also a relevant article by J.R. Western entitled "The formation of the Scottish Militia in 1797" in "The Scottish Historical Review", Vol XXXIV, No, 117, April 1955. (I have both of these if you want more on this). According to the very-useful website of "Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth" at _www.regiments.org/milhist/uk_ (http://www.regiments.org/milhist/uk) , which Stewart kindly drew my attention to, The Angus-shire Fencibles were disbanded in 1802 (the year when all surviving fencible regiments disbanded). Returning to your question whether the Militia replaced the Fencibles, this is perhaps partly answered in Western's article: "Before the Militia [embodied in 1798] was fully trained, the danger of invasion which had called it into being had passed..... Its formation however, made possible the disbanding of those Fencible regiments whose service was still confined to Scotland. Many well trained men entered the Line from these regiments and thus indirectly, the Scottish Militia released other forces for offensive action." (p.17) Hope this helps! Helen Boreland-Vinas No 4049 thanks to Helen, Gavin, Ian and all my other resources, for those excellent informative emails on subjects like these. Mary in Oregon In a message dated 5/7/2010 7:01:58 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, CEHAUGHEE@aol.com writes: Does anyone know if there is a way to find information on those in the Perthshire Militias. I have a fourth great grandfather who was in the Militia in 1790's and was married at Holy Rude Church at Stirling. His name was John Shewster and he married an Isabella Beanstone or Benston. I have not been able to find any muster rolls. Any help would be appreciated. Kaye ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PERTHSHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message