Servants and Surnames?
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 3:33 pm
So researching my family takes me back to 18th Century MacDuff in Banffshire. Just south of MacDuff was a small fermtoun called Goukstanes (currently the land of Dounemont carehome is where it would have been). And now I'm in a bit of a sticky situation. this is from the birth of my 8th Great Grandfather:
"John Son to Walter Innes in Goukstanes was Baptiz’d: God Fathers and God-Mothers being Master John Innes Minister Anna Urquhart Spouse to John Wood in Gelly mill; John Walker and Janet Spouse in the Pa?for? of Kingedward."
my problem comes from "Master John Innes Minister", Now I have come to the conclusion that this John Innes was the Minister of Gamrie Church which was near Gardenstown, He was a Minister until he was kicked out of the Church for having Episcopalian sympathies during the Jacobite Rising of 1715. Now why would John Innes have master in front of his name, At the time of the birth he was still a minister. At first I just ignored the master bit, But I came up with the idea maybe he was a sub-tenant who had a cotter working for him as a servant? and this servant was Walter who took John's surname and named his child after him? seems crazy I know but could something like this of happened? Or am I missing something? Sadly Gamrie only started recording births and stuff after 1701 so their is nothing that I can find that would give me any occupation of Walter nor a birth so I have no idea if he was born Innes. Walter can't be the son of John considering John only had one child who was female. Maybe Walter married his daughter and took the surname? How common was that in the 18th Century? Or have I just got this all wrong and Master was supposed to be Mister or something and is written in a weird way.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've been stuck on here for weeks trying to find a connection between John and Walter. (The only thing I can think of is something like great uncle but why would a great uncle be named as a Godfather and master. here is the original birth thing: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18399)
"John Son to Walter Innes in Goukstanes was Baptiz’d: God Fathers and God-Mothers being Master John Innes Minister Anna Urquhart Spouse to John Wood in Gelly mill; John Walker and Janet Spouse in the Pa?for? of Kingedward."
my problem comes from "Master John Innes Minister", Now I have come to the conclusion that this John Innes was the Minister of Gamrie Church which was near Gardenstown, He was a Minister until he was kicked out of the Church for having Episcopalian sympathies during the Jacobite Rising of 1715. Now why would John Innes have master in front of his name, At the time of the birth he was still a minister. At first I just ignored the master bit, But I came up with the idea maybe he was a sub-tenant who had a cotter working for him as a servant? and this servant was Walter who took John's surname and named his child after him? seems crazy I know but could something like this of happened? Or am I missing something? Sadly Gamrie only started recording births and stuff after 1701 so their is nothing that I can find that would give me any occupation of Walter nor a birth so I have no idea if he was born Innes. Walter can't be the son of John considering John only had one child who was female. Maybe Walter married his daughter and took the surname? How common was that in the 18th Century? Or have I just got this all wrong and Master was supposed to be Mister or something and is written in a weird way.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've been stuck on here for weeks trying to find a connection between John and Walter. (The only thing I can think of is something like great uncle but why would a great uncle be named as a Godfather and master. here is the original birth thing: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18399)