GARTSCHOIR, Alexander ^{1 2}

   User ID: I101

  Research Notes:

IDENTITY

It is not at all clear who this Alexander Gartschoir was. This placing of him is speculative, especially placing him as the son of Thomas, for he may have been the same person as the man who married Sarah Brand and later became Alexander Gartshore of that Ilk. In that case Thomas would have been his uncle and Tryallous, if he was the son of Thomas Gartshore, his cousin, not his brother.

Alexander Gartschoir here was the father of a daughter named Agnes who was baptised in Kilsyth parish in 1652, but no identifying characteristics regarding him are evident in the record except that he was resident in New Monkland parish at that time. The record does not mention a spouse. The text of the baptism record for Agnes noted that Alexander provided a 'testimonial', a document which was required to verify an individual's good character, church standing, and freedom from scandal, particularly when moving between parishes. It does not state from which other parish he held the testimonial, but, if he were resident in New Monkland parish at the time of the baptism of Agnes, then a testimonial being provided to the Kilsyth parish authorities would make sense.

An Alexander Gartschoir was a witness at the baptism of 'Jonet Renking', daughter of 'Johne Renking in monkland paroch', in Kilsyth parish on 5 January 1651.

A man of the same name was also a witness at the Kilsyth baptism of Thomes in 1645 and William in 1651, sons of Tryallous (Troilus) Gartschoir. In the records of his son James, baptised 1648, and William, Tryallous was also recorded as being in Monkland parish. So there is a likelihood of a family relationship between Alexander and Tryallous Gartshore, but its exact nature is unknown, for no relationship between the two men was recorded in the baptism narratives.

The forenames of the above family, Thomas, James and William, but not Tryallous, are also to be found in the family of John Gartshore of that Ilk and his wife Barbara Stark, and in that of their son John Gartshore of that Ilk and his wife Jean Muirhead. Since the surname was location-specific at that time, a link with the family of these couples is probable.

Another baptism witnessed by an "Alexr Gartschoir" in Kilsyth parish in 1656, of Alexander son of John Steine, also contained in the text the names of "Jon Gartschoir ane elder" who provided a testimoniall from Lenzie parish, and Patrick Gartschoir, who was a witness. A link to the main Gartshore family that Alexander Gartshore, later 'of that Ilk', belonged to, seems evident. Since that baptism was in Kilsyth parish, as were the others mentioned above, then the man Alexander Gartshore may be common to both, that is to say the son of John Gartshore of that Ilk and Jean Muirhead.

Researcher Graham Gartshore identifies him as the Alexander Gartshore 'in Middle Blairlin', land which lay on the Cumbernauld-New Monkland border. Alexander was a cautioner, with others, in a bond dated 1668. Graham also argues that Alexander Gartshore in Blairlinn was the father of John Gartshore in Blairlinn who married Elizabeth Wood.

The parish boundaries in many ways mean relatively little, since two portions of land may be very close but in different parishes. Blairlinn (Approx. Coordinates [55.932,-3.987.]), in New Monkland parish at the relevant time, was about three and a half miles east of the main Gartshore estate (Approx. Coordinates [55.939,-4.097.]) in Kirkintilloch parish.

There is an argument that there were two Alexander Gartshores: Alexander in Middle Blairlinn and Alexander later, from 1672, of that Ilk. The counter argument is that there was only one, appearing at different phases of his life with differing designations. If one draws up a timeline, the years allow for this latter hypothesis.

²

  Noted events in his life were:

• Witness: at baptism of Thomes son of Tryallous Gartshore, 3 July 1645, Kilsyth parish, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ²

• Witness: at baptism of Jonet daughter of Johne Renking, 5 January 1651, Kilsyth parish, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ²

• Witness: baptism of William son of Tryallous Gartshore, 5 January 1651, Kilsyth parish, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ²

• Father: at baptism of Agnes Gartshore, 27 June 1652, Kilsyth parish, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ²

• Witness: baptism of Alexander son of John Steine, 27 April 1656, Kilsyth parish, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ²

Alexander married.