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Author: stephenw300
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.chalmers/69.126.1.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
Hi!
John Chalmers and Beatrice Shearer are one of my families with no connections. I have no
knowledge of the [Andrew] connection you mention, but will look deeper into it if I can.
As you know, the Orkney Parish records have many gaps. I tried to bridge the c1772 -c1792
gap in the Stronsay records by obtaining as many of the death registrations of the older
Chalmers as I could, but the results weren't as helpful as I had hoped. There
weren't nearly as many families represented as I thought there might be.
There were Chalmers & Chambers etc. listed in Orkney records as early as 1601, so
they may have been there a long time - I just can't link them to the later ones.
My understanding is that a Testament is the part of a will that deals with the
personal goods of the testator (while the "Will" deals with the land - which not
many early people in Scotland could own...)
Oddly enough, it is possible that Edward Chalmers (b. c1767), son of John Chalmers
& Beatrice Shearer, could be my ancestor, as I descend from an Edward Chalmers b. ca.
1767 / 1771 in Orkney who m. Rebecca Sinclair. However, since his birth dates to the time
of the gap in the registers, and since they didn't name any of their children John or
Beatrice, I have doubts about the connection.
Others have linked the Edward Chalmers who wed Rebecca Shearer to this line, but I
haven't seen proof for that either...(although at least they had a son John.]
Regards, Stephen
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