The Chalmers Family

Francis Chalmers

At this point in time I know bery little about my great-great-great-grandfather other than that he was a tailor in Lochgelly (from "Indenture of Apprenticeship 1808"(1) of his son DAVID CHALMERS).

Since Lochgelly was in the Parish of Auchterderran, I consulted the Old Parish Records for Auchterderran in the Scottish Records Office in Edinburgh and although I obtained details of many 'Chalmers' I did not find any record of his birth.

I did however discover that his wife JANET RAMSEY was born on 26-Aug-1760 to DAVID RAMSAY and his wife ISABEL WILLIAMSON. Francis and Janet had two sons, FRANCIS and DAVID born 27-Nov-1790 and _-Jul-1795(2). I could find no mention of any other family in the Auchterderran records and have since investigated the Old Parish Records for the parishes of Abbotshall (Kirkcaldy), Auchtertool, Beath, Dunfermline, Cleish and Ballingry.

I did find the birth of a FRANCIS CHALMERS on 13-Jun-1751 to ADAM CHALMERS and JEAN HAY at Dichendad (Parish of Cleish), along with a sister KATHERINE (12-Mar-1762) and a brother JAMES (21-Sep-1764). Whether this is the same FRANCIS CHALMERS has yet to be proved.

The reason for searching the above records is that in the "Indenture of Apprenticeship" the other guarantor is ALEXANDER ADAM of Kelty which is partly in Beath parish and partly (Maryburgh) in Cleish Parish. It may also be coincidence that the master slater to whom DAVID CHALMERS was apprenticed, JOHN HAY of Milnathort and Adam Chalmers' wife, JEAN HAY, have the same surname.

In the above records, marriages and births were noted of "Chalmers of Muckhart Parish" and perhaps a search of the Old Parish Records for Muckhart, Kinross and Orwell would be worthwhile.

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1. Indenture of Apprenticeship 1808 - held by David E.V.Chalmers (See Appendix 1)

2. Entry in GRO, Edinburgh - this date proved to be 19-Jul-1795 (See Appendix 2)