John Skinner - can you decipher this entry please?

[unklee]

John Skinner was baptised in Banchory Ternan in 1824. I have a copy of 1824 baptisms from Scotlands People, but am having trouble deciphering some of the text. Is anyone able to help me please?

Here it is:



The following is what it looks like to me, but of course I know some of this doesn't make sense. Identifying any of the words I don't know (shown underlined and in red) would be a great help please:

"Ann Ross at Burse of Benny had a son baptised October third and named John - John Skinner in the parish of Irusnoaten late at Woodend of Leys given up as the father who refrudes."

Thanks.

[Elwyn 1]

I read it as “Ann Ross of Burn of Benny… parish of Drumoak…late at Woodend of Leys given up as the father who refuses”. (ie he refuses to acknowledge paternity.)

[unklee]

I read it as “Ann Ross of Burn of Benny… parish of Drumoak…late at Woodend of Leys given up as the father who refuses”. (ie he refuses to acknowledge paternity.)

Thanks. That makes sense. There is certainly a Parish of Drumoak and it is near Banchory. I cannot find any references to Woodend or Leys so far, but there are roads of those names in Aberdeenshire, so that may indicate something.

Does "Burn of Benny" make any sense? And is "refuses" often used to mean refuses to acknowledge paternity?

[nelmit]

If you have a look at this 1826 map http://maps.nls.uk/view/74400159 - just west of Drumoak you will see L. of Leys. I cannot see any other names at the moment but maybe a wee browse about might find something.

Looks as though this L. of Leys was in Kincardine at this time.

Regards,
Annette

[nelmit]

This map of Kincardine(shire) shows Beny Burn, running south from Loch of Leys, and Woodend.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/74400134

Regards,
Annette

[unklee]

Further searching shows that there is a "Burn O'Bennie" Rd and a Burn of Bennie (creek) near Banchory. These are on or close to the Leys estate, and somewhere nearby is a Woodend barn. So it all seems to make sense. Those were names of farms or hamlets back in 1824.

Thanks.

[unklee]

Hi Annette, thanks for that. Those are fabulous old maps! I found everything you said except I couldn't see Woodend. But clearly all those names make sense. My only problem now is to trace Ann Ross and John Skinner and see what more I can find - so far, I've not been very successful. Thanks again.

[Elwyn 1]

And is "refuses" often used to mean refuses to acknowledge paternity?

I can’t recall seeing refuses used as such before, but the sense and context make it the obvious interpretation (to me). What you could do is cross check with the Kirk Session records (which should be in NRS). In most cases of an illegitimate child, the mother will have been “compeared” (ie interviewed) by the Kirk Session and accused of ante-nuptial fornication. She’ll be asked the identity of the father, and if she names him, he’ll be interviewed too to see what he has to say. Apart from the obvious moral guardianship aspect, the other reason was that if he admitted paternity, the Session would lean on him to make financial provision for the child (lest it fall on the church instead). So you might get a bit of background from that source. The couple will usually have been admonished (and perhaps have to sit on the naughty chair in church for a while). In this case, if my interpretation of "refuses" is correct, the mother will have named John as father but he will have denied it.

[paddyscar]

My interpretation is

"Ann Ross at Burn of Henny had a son baptized October third & named John - John Skinner in the parish of ..... late at woodland of Leys given up as the father who refuted"

Does it continue with an additional line?

It would seem that John Skinner (prior to his demise, or someone on his behalf following his death) proved by argument or statement of fact that John Skinner was not the Father of John born to Ann Ross.

Frances

[LesleyB]

Could it be refutes?

I would agree with Elwyn's statement: "the mother will have named John as father but he will have denied it" - there is nothing I am seeing in the extract to suggest he is deceased.