GARTSCHOIR, Alexander ^{1 2}

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  Research Notes:

SPECULATIVE PLACING

It is not at all clear who this Alexander Gartschoir is. This placing of him is very speculative, for he may be the same person as the man who married Sarah Brand and later became Alexander Gartshore of that Ilk.

Alexander Gartschoir is 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 is resident in New Monkland parish at that time. The record does not mention a spouse.

An Alexander Gartschoir was 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 it is likely that there is a family relationship between Alexander and Tryallous, but its exact nature is unknown.

The forenames, except for Tryallous, are found in the family of John Gartshore of that Ilk and his wife Barbara Stark, and in that of his son John Gartshore of that Ilk and his wife Jean Muirhead, and the surname is location-specific at that time, so a link with that family is likely. The parish boundaries in many ways mean relatively little, since two farmsteads of portions of land may be very close but in different parishes, and only one of adjacent parishes may be active at a particular stage in providing religious services and keeping records. Land may be rented, worked and exchanged over time. One cannot immediately infer relationship from these details alone, especially where younger sons are concerned.

The absence of additional documentary evidence hampers understanding of the nature of the family relationships, so iy is wise to be cautious about inventing a narrative based only on inference.

Alexander married.