THE TURFUS FAMILIES OF ORKNEY, SCOTLAND AND THEIR DESCENDANTS WORLDWIDE Including the Orcadian surnames: Thurfas, Turfus, Torfaus, Torfeus, Torffeus, Torfus, Turface, Turfaus, Turfeus, Turfice, Turphis, & Turphus. Walter D. Custer 1851 Park Skyline Rd. Santa Ana, California 92705 USA 714 730-6153 Internet E-Mail: wcuster@mindspring.com Web Site: http://www.mindspring.com/~wcuster/main.html July 4, 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ORIGIN OF THE TURFUS NAME INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINDING A TURFUS RELATIVE IN THIS PAPER BIRTH INDEX DESCENDANTS CHARTS Major Charts Minor Charts FOOTNOTES SOURCES Scottish Civil Vital Records Parish Records Cemeteries Maps Census Libraries, etc. Reference Books, etc. Personal Communications Tombstone Inscriptions OLD REFERENCES TO THE TURFUS NAME Register of Testaments, Orkney 1611-1684 Orkney Testaments and Inventories 1573-1615, Robert S Barclay editor The Hogboons of Hell - Cursiters and Turfus' of Purgatory, Cross Parish, Sanday APPENDIX Sasines Orkney Church Record Index Glossary Chronology of My Visits to Orkney Computer Hardware and Software Known Turfus Households & Recipients of this Paper INTRODUCTION GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION In January 1983 as a hobby I began a genealogical search of the predecessors and descendants of my grandfather Robert Wallace Cursiter who was born in 1872 in Lady Parish, Sanday, Orkney, Scotland. Robert's grandmother was Christina Turfus, born ?? and died ??. This book attempts to trace not only Christina's family line, but all the Orcadian Turfus' worldwide. THE ORKNEY ISLANDS The Orkney Islands form an archipelago in the North Sea and (depending on the island) are about 8 to 50 miles north of the Scottish mainland. Their land area totals 974 sq km (376 sq mi) with less than one-third of the 67 islands being inhabited. The major populated islands are "the Mainland" (once called Pomona) which includes the largest cities - Kirkwall (the administrative seat) and Stromness, S. Ronaldsay, Burray, Hoy, Shapinsay, Rousay, Eday, Stronsay, Sanday, Westray, Papa Westray and N. Ronaldsay. Of glacial origin, the Orkneys are low, almost treeless, windswept, and wet, but the climate is tempered by the Gulf Stream. The present total Orcadian population approaches 20,000. Major industries include farming and fishing and more recently petroleum. Historically the Orcadian people have had strong Norse genetic and cultural ties. The Orkney Islands were first inhabited by Neolithic peoples. By the 6th century AD the Picts had settled there. The Vikings invaded during the 8th century and remained in control under the Norwegian crown until 1231, when the islands became a possession of the Scottish earls of Angus. Since 1472 the Orkneys have been ruled by the Scottish crown. During both world wars SCAPA FLOW was the main British naval base. SCOPE OF THIS PAPER Owing to the uniqueness of the Turfus name and its clear Orcadian origin, I have expanded this surname search to include all Turfus' (and variant spellings) worldwide, whether they are my proven relatives or not. MY ORCADIAN HERITAGE My grandfather Robert Wallace Cursiter was born 26 February 1872 at Lady Parish, Sanday, Orkney, Scotland. Robert's parents were Robert Cursiter (born 1848 - the son of Robert Cursiter b1821 and Christina Turfus) and his wife Mary Wallace (the daughter of David Wallace and Elizabeth Drever). In 1890 my grandfather Robert (with his parents and four sisters) left Orkney, sailing from Glasgow 3 June 1890 on the ship "Canadian" and arriving at the port of Quebec 14 June 1890. The "passenger list" shows that their ultimate destination was Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. As a number of Orcadians settled in Hamilton in this time period, perhaps Robert's family followed the emigration lead of related Turfuses, Drevers and Wallaces. The Quebec passenger lists, the 1891 Hamilton census and the 1888 to 1900 city directories contain many of these Orcadian surnames. Robert, his parents and sisters, lived in Hamilton until 1898. He was a tailor and his father worked for the local railroad. In 1898 the entire family emigrated to Chicago, Illinois. Robert's father continued to work for the railroad (as a night watchman) until his death in 1907. My grandfather Robert worked as a tailor in the shop of Fred Grant (who later married Robert's sister Mary). There he met a coworker Christine Hrubec (surname later changed to "Roberts"). Robert and Christine married at the Lake Michigan resort of St Joseph, Michigan 15 July 1902. They had three children - my father Robert born 10 July 1903, and his sisters Mildred born 1905 and Lorraine born 1908. Unfortunately my grandfather enjoyed his fiddle, pipe and beer too much to suit my more conservative grandmother. They separated in about 1912 and he moved back to Canada. He died in Montreal of throat cancer 07 February 1928. GENERAL DETAILS OF MY GENEALOGICAL SEARCHES When I began my genealogy studies in 1983 I didn't know from where in Scotland our family had originated. After an initial search of the US censuses and the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and, then after locating the birth certificate of one of Robert and Mary's children, I was able to establish that Sanday was their previous home. In June 1983 my wife Nancy, son Andy, brother John, parents and I were all able to visit Orkney for the first time. Through quick searches of the IGI, the censuses and a few civil records in the New Register House, Edinburgh, we were able to trace our heritage back until about 1800. We then visited Kirkwall and Sanday (one day each). From July 83 until June 84 I pursued our family genealogy primarily through searches of the Scottish census, civil vital records, and parish records. All of these were available to some extent (microfilm copies) in the USA. I also began to correspond with the Wallace, Cursiter and Turfus families that I located in the Orkney phone book. In June 84 my wife and I again visited Orkney, this time allowing a total of one week in Sanday, Papa Westray and Kirkwall. We concentrated on visiting the relatives we had located and also the Registrars of Sanday and Papa Westray (to copy the civil records of these islands). My wife, sons Andy and Ken and I visited Orkney again for two weeks in 1988. After returning from Orkney with a tremendous amount of Wallace, Cursiter, and Turfus data that was not generally available in the USA, I decided to expand my family search to include all of the descendants of these families. I began first with the Sanday Wallaces and Cursiters and later expanded this search to Turfus as well. With the aid of my Apple II+ computer (later upgraded to an IBM PCAT system with a large hard disk) and Quinsept's FAMILY ROOTS genealogy software, I entered every Turfus, Wallace and Cursiter we found in the records into my computer data base. Many people who at first appeared not to be relatives were now found to fit onto the family tree! Even if I couldn't establish a relationship to our family I still kept them in the data base. In late 1985 I placed a notice in the ORCADIAN (the local Orkney newspaper) offering copies of my Wallace paper free to interested family members. I also mentioned my Cursiter family study. I received a number of responses. In January 1989 I placed another notice in the Orcadian offering both my Wallace and Cursiter papers free to family members. In October and November 1989, as part of a business trip to Europe, I (alone) visited Orkney, this time to spend a week in the Orkney Library. Most of my efforts were devoted to the Sanday kirk session records (dating from 1697) and to a lessor extent the Sheriff's Court Records. Both of these sources gave a good "snapshot" of Orcadian life - especially pre 1800. During this trip to Orkney, I also had time to visit friends in the evenings and weekends and was able to obtain some additional contemporary family information. In June 1992 I again visited Orkney with my oldest son Jonathan. Our destinations were the mainland and Sanday. CURSITER AND WALLACE RESEARCH As noted above my great grandparents, who left Sanday in 1890 for Canada and afterwards (1898) for Chicago were Robert Cursiter (the son of Christina Turfus and Robert Cursiter) and his wife Mary Wallace. In 1901 Mary Wallace's brother William Wallace, a butcher in Kirkwall, also emigrated to Chicago with his wife Barbara McLachlan and their eight children. I have separately traced my Cursiter line in my paper THE CURSITERS OF ORKNEY AND THEIR DESCENDENTS WORLDWIDE and Mary and William Wallaces' family in a paper THE WALLACES OF SANDAY, ORKNEY, SCOTLAND. My Cursiter and Wallace papers are not now and never will be complete. I have however "published" both of them and they are available free to interested family members. I have donated copies of THE WALLACES OF SANDAY (British Book Area 929.241 W155cw) and THE CURSITERS OF ORKNEY (929.241 C939c) to the Mormon Church's FAMILY HISTORY genealogy library in Salt Lake City. While I am not a Mormon I certainly admire their superb genealogy library. I have used their facilities often. They are the ones who compiled the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and microfilmed the old Scottish parish, census and civil vital records. By donating copies of my Wallace and Cursiter papers, they will be made available on LDS microfilm to genealogy researchers worldwide. I have also provided a copies of both papers to the "ORCADIAN ROOM" of the Kirkwall library and the New Register House in Edinburgh. TURFUS RESEARCH In late 1991 I began actively working on THE TURFUS FAMILIES OF ORKNEY. This present paper represents an extremely rough draft. While not yet "finished" in any fashion I have completed much of the background research. The search of the civil birth, marriage and death records for 1855-1990 for all of Scotland is complete. I have compiled an index based on these civil records as well as the IGI and some census data. Most of this information has been entered into my computer. I am "publishing" this Turfus paper in its present unfinished form to solicit comments and hopefully make others aware of my work. I feel that even in its present form it contains large quantities of information not readily available in one book. The birth index, descendancy charts and the list of names and addresses of my personal contacts may be helpful to some family members. I expect that I will improve this work over the next few years and that it will slowly evolve into a more complete and polished paper. Copies are available free on request for non-commercial purposes. I look forward to your comments including your contributions and recommended changes. Walt Custer ORIGIN OF THE TURFUS NAME Gregor Lamb in his book ORKNEY SURNAMES originally attributed the origin of TURFUS to the Old Norse "thurfa" or "thurfandi" meaning "poor" or "needy". In his subsequent Errata and Addenda to this book, Mr Lamb simply states "TURFUS: a patronymic surname, earlier Thorfinnsson." The following was sent to me in 1988 by William J R Muir of Summerdale, Stenness. His source was his cousin Mrs Dolly Tulloch of Newbigging, Burness. In his letter to me William Muir wrote "I am enclosing an extract from a Sanday school publication sent to me by my only remaining cousin in Sanday. It may be of some interest to you. I have heard a similar tale from an old No Ronaldsay man. I think the dates given are wrong but there may be some foundation to the story." "OLD MEMORIES - Peter Fotheringhame My uncle George of Templehall told me of another eviction on Ronaldsay. It is of a family called Turfus. They lived at Gruesbreck. The Factor went after Mrs Turfus with dishonorable intentions, and when Turfus objected he was evicted from Gruesbreck and was given a place with poor, sanday soil called Gravity. I think that was in 1807. Unfortunately the Factor did not cease to follow up though some said that he now pursued Turfus' sister, not his wife. However Turfus objected no less than before and he chased his enemy with a "sae-tree", and caught him near Anem, knocked him down, and "knee-poostied" him. The next day he gathered his possessions and put into his boat along with his wife and family and sailed for Sanday on high-how. The family consisted of Robert Turfus, his wife, six sons, and two daughters. They land at Avion a house at the banks below Seatter. At that time there were six houses in Sellibist, and each of the houses took one of the boys for orra work for they all took pity on them since they had to come across without any provision for their future. Turfus himself got work at Newark. After a time the family scattered, the two girls married in Sanday, the boys went away and settled in different parts of Orkney. The oldest went to sea on a merchant ship, was pressed off it and put on a warship and fought at the battle of Aboukir. She was the hardest hit ship of all who took part in the fight. Between killed and wounded they lost two hundred men. My uncle said that all of the name of Turfus in Orkney were descended from that family." In response to this story Beatrice Thomson of Finstown (who was born in North Ronaldsay and has a strong interest in the history and genealogies of this island) wrote in August 1992 as follows: The Tale "old memories" by Peter Fotheringhame should be near the truth, as to the flight of the Turfuses from North Ronaldsay. Turfus was evicted from "CRUESBRECK" and indeed went to the poor house of "GRAVITY". He was then forced to leave North Ronaldsay and go to Sanday with his wife and family. They landed at ARION in Sanday, on the Selbister shore. Alex Hume was in Newark at the time and Robbie Turfus got work there. The boys were taken on to herd the cattle. The houses that took pity on the boys were: SEATTER, PURGITOR, GERBO, HILLHEAD, BU and ARION. When the Turfus boys grew up, William went to Stronsay, Peter to Kirkwall, James to Tankerness (St Andrews). Son Robert was at "Botany Bay" Sanday in 1889, where he died in 1919. The Sanday information was given to me by Mary Ann Fotheringhame, Sanday, Orkney. Her father Charlie (who is still alive and over 90 years old) remembers Turfus at "Botany Bay" Sanday. Beatrice wrote further: From the OPR (Old Parish Register) I copied the following 2 births, because the witnesses were Willaim and Thomas Turfus: 11 August 1762, Elspet Swanney, daughter to Peter and Margaret Swanney, Witnesses: William TURPHEYSON and William Tulloch. 10 November 1763, Thomas Tulloch, son to Thomas Tulloch and Elspeth Swanney, Witnesses: William Tulloch and Thomas TURPHUS. I think I have the spellings of TURFUS correct, but should check. Actually the various spellings of the names (surnames) depended on how well the Minister, or Registrar, could spell words! My dad used to say TURFUS was originally TURPHESON, meaning son of TURFUS - as THOMSON is son of Thomas - manu Orkney surnames are the same (also Shetland) - Edwardson, Hughson, Peterson, Lawrenson, MANSON?! TURPHEYSON was the spelling in 1762 - but shortened to THURPHUS in 1763. These witnesses - William and Thomas - were "probably" brothers of Robert Turfus, who was made to leave North Ronaldsay. Thomas Turfus married to Margaret Swanney and William Turfus married to Euphemia Tulloch lived in N. Ronaldsay. John Turfus married Mary Groundwater (in N. Ronaldsay ...) and had 1791 Mary and 1804 Thomas. How old would Thomas and William have been to act as witnesses at birth, I wonder? Saying that they were even 10 years, they were born c1752. The OPR only began in 1758 ... In January 1986 the same William J R Muir of Summerdale wrote to me as follows: "I have made a collection of Orkney books over the years, and I would consider Turfus is of Danish origin. A Torfaeus wrote a book on the history of Orkney, Shetland and Caithness which was later translated by a man called Pope who I think was a minister in Caithness. I have the translated copy of the book. Torfaeus was a histographer to the King of Denmark, I think about the twelfth century." CHART 1 TURFUS SURNAME VARIANTS FREQUENCY IN 50 YEAR INCREMENTS 1651 1701 1751 1801 1851 1901 PRE TO TO TO TO TO TO AFTER SURNAME 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 1950 TOTAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------- THURFAS 3 3 THURFUS 6 6 TORFAUS 2 2 TORFEUS 8 5 2 15 TORFFEUS 2 2 TORFUS 3 3 TURFACE 5 8 3 16 TURFAUS 1 1 TURFEUS 3 4 1 8 TURFICE 1 11 12 TURFUS 11 13 101 32 10 167 TURPHIS 1 1 TURPHUS 1 2 4 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 1 28 44 125 35 10 987 INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINDING A TURFUS RELATIVE To locate a specific person with a Turfus surname in this paper let me suggest the following approach. (I have included a specific example which you may want to work through. I have interpreted the data for this example to get you started.) FIRST: TURN TO THE BIRTH INDEX Read the SCOPE, ABBREVIATIONS USED and NOTES sections at the beginning of this index. The index is in alphabetical order by first names. Women are listed by maiden, not married names i.e. a woman with a non-Turfus surname but who married a Turfus would not be indexed. She would, however, be listed as her husband's spouse (column 13). SECOND: LOCATE ALL THE PEOPLE WITH THE FIRST NAME YOU ARE SEEKING Narrow your list of candidates based upon some other piece of known data - parents' names, spouse's name, birth or death date. If you can't find a particular person try finding their parent or child. All you need to find is one relative. The computer descendancy charts will lead you to the rest. The best person to search for is one born between 1855 and about 1990 - the data base is most complete for this time period. Here's an example. Turn to about page 1 of the Birth Index to follow along: Agnes Turfus RN# 4173 (columns 1, 2 & 3) Father was Peter Turfus RN# 4810 (columns 8 & 9) Mother was Isabella Danskin RN# 4811 (columns 10, 11 & 12) Spouse was David Crooks (column 13) Agnes' birth date was 13 Aug 1872 (column 5) She was born in Canogate, Edinburgh, Scotland (columns 6 & 7) Agnes is found in descendancy chart #515 (column 4) THIRD: NOTE FOR YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE PERSON'S RECORD NUMBER - the number in the third column just to the right of the given name--Agnes' is RN# 4173 HIS OR HER CHART# - the number in fourth column; Agnes' chart number is #515). FOURTH: FIND THE APPROPRIATE DESCENDANTS CHART In Agnes' case it is "Descendants of Robert Turfus (RN=515)"). These are the charts found after the BIRTH INDEX. They are in numerical order. Chart #515 is the first (and the thickest) of the chart set. FIFTH: LOCATE YOUR PERSON IN THE CHART Agnes can be found about seven pages from the back of the #515 group. She had no children that I have identified. Her parents were Peter Turfus #4810 and Isabella Danskin #4811. Her grandparents were Robert Turfus #577 and Betsy Goar #2185. SIXTH: NOTE OTHER INFORMATION Agnes' listing on this descendancy chart includes: BIRTH She was born 13 Aug 1872 at Dr Beggs Building, Abbeyhill, Canongate, Edinburgh MARRIAGE Agnes was married 26 June 1914 to David Crooks at 40 Pilrig St, St Andrew, Edinburgh DEATH Agnes died 13 April 1936 at 4 Sunnybank Place, Canongate, Edinburgh. Per the footnote my source for the birth, marriage and death information was the "civil records". From the above example, you can see how much information can be obtained from Agnes' rather small entry. Hopefully your relatives will also have complete files! The section of this paper FOOTNOTES should help you to decipher my abbreviations. INDEX SCOPE This index includes all known people worldwide born with a Cursiter surname (or variant spelling per CHART I of this paper) whom I have: 1) identified per the SOURCES section of this paper 2) received from persons answering my letters 3) and believe are of Orcadian origin EXPLANATION OF EACH COLUMN SURNAME - the family name at birth of the person. The initial spelling is preserved. INDEXED PERSON'S GIVEN NAME - given name(s) at birth. Often variant spellings are found later in life e.g. Elizabeth & Elspeth, Jean & Janet, etc. RN# - the computer code unique to a particular person (formerly called "ID#" in my genealogical writing previous to 2/1/87) CHART # - the descendancy chart # in which a particular person can be found. This "chart number" is the same as the RN# of the oldest generation Cursiter on this chart ie Robert Cursiter RN# 199, the son of Robert Cursatter RN# 207 and Janet Fotheringshame, can be found in the chart entitled "DESCENDANTS of Robert Cursitter (RN#=205)." All of the descendants of Robert Cursitter RN# 205 (including Robert himself) have this chart number (and can be found) in this Chart. All of these Cursiter charts can be found in DESCENDANTS CHARTS section of this paper. BIRTH DATE - year-month-day i.e. 18821103 = 03 Nov 1882. Note that if my source was the IGI then this date may actually be a CHRISTENING date. If my source was the parish or civil records then this is a birth date. You can determine my source by checking the footnotes of the person's entry in the appropriate descendancy chart. If the footnote says "IGI", the date is more likely to be a Christening date. To determine the birth date you must consult the actual parish record. Typically Christening were a few days to a few months after the birth. In extreme cases they might have been 1-2 years later. FARM OR AREA - the birth place address or farm name if given in the source BIRTH PLACE - the parish, city, state, country, etc FATHER'S GIVEN NAME - first and sometimes middle names. Also includes father's surname or "?" if parents weren't married and the child took the Cursiter surname from its mother. FATHER'S RN# - computer code for father MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME - normally her maiden name (possibly her married name from previous marriage but this is unlikely) MOTHER'S GIVEN NAME - name and possibly nickname MOTHER'S RN# - computer code for mother SPOUSE - known spouse(s) in chronological order. "Single" means died unmarried as an adult. "Died Young" means died prior to age 16, presumably unmarried. ABBREVIATIONS USED E - birth, death or marriage date was ESTIMATED based on the birth date of first child or marriage date of person. Women were estimated to have married at age 20, men at 23; their first child was estimated to have been born at age 22 (women) and 25 (men). Estimated dates were used only when no other methods were available. A - birth, marriage or death date was based upon AGES given in census, marriage or death records or on tombstones. B - BEFORE AF - AFTER NOTES 1. My index was first sorted alphabetically by given name and then chronologically within a given name by birth date. I have grouped some similar given names (Elspet & Elizabeth, Catherine & Katherine and Jean & Jane) together. 2. While I have listed the spelling at birth for each person's surname (Cursiter, Cusiter, etc), I don't believe that you can draw too many "family group" conclusions from these spelling differences especially pre 1850. In many cases the person might have been illiterate and the surname spelling was left up to the minister or civil record keeper. Often surname spellings varied widely for what was obviously the same person from entry to entry in the records (parish, census, civil, etc.) 3. In many cases you will find two entries for what appears to be the same person - one with an estimated birth date and another with an actual date. This occurs when, even though circumstances suggested these two people were identical, I didn't have conclusive proof. Rather than run the risk of publishing incorrect information I listed "two people" until I can prove they are one and the same. 4. In order to conserve paper (and postage costs!) I have broken the descendants charts into two categories -"major" and "minor". Major charts are typically in excess of a page long and often contain more than two generations. These are given first (in numerical order per their index) and are printed one chart per page with a full header. The minor charts are for family groups of only one or two generations and are printed with multiple charts per page using a condensed header system (1=person, 2= children, 3= grand children, etc). These "minor" charts typically contain data obtained from an IGI birth or marriage record, an index to a testament or some other old record. I have not been able to tie these minor charts to a larger major chart - usually because of the lack of continuity or inconclusiveness of the original data sources. Again these minor charts are given in numerical order and are preceded by an index. MAJOR DESCENDANTS CHARTS MINOR DESCENDANTS CHARTS FOOTNOTES The meanings of some typical abbreviations used in the footnotes of the DESCENDANTS charts are as follows: A1782 About 1782 BIRTH RECORD Civil birth record B Lady Kirk Cm Buried in Lady Kirk Cemetery, Sanday B Mt GRNWD CM Buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery, Chicago B W/Parents Buried with parents B2/10/1883 Born (or buried) Feb 10, 1883 C2/10/1883 Christened Feb 10, 1883 C-IGI Christening per IGI (not verified in original parish records) CENS Census record Civil Records Scottish birth, marriage or death record CM Cemetery D2/10/1883 Died Feb 10, 1883 D/MARY Daughter named Mary DEATH RECORD Civil death record IGI International Genealogical Index IMM 1898 Immigrated in 1898 MARRIAGE RECORD Civil marriage record N Wall at 1841 CENS Living at Northwall at time of 1841 census PH Phone number RM Remarried S/John Son named John W/Mother With Mother SOURCES The following sources were utilized: I. SCOTTISH CIVIL VITAL RECORDS These are the statutory registers of births, marriages and deaths from 1855 to the present. Genealogically they are probably the single most informative and useful of the Scottish records available. They are fully indexed alphabetically by year. Information found in these civil registers includes: BIRTHS--Child's name, birth date and place of birth. Parents' names (including mother's maiden name), occupations, ages, present residence(s), marriage date and place and if the father is deceased at the time of child's birth. For some years (1855) this record also lists the names and ages of the child's brothers and sisters and the birth dates and birthplaces of the parents. MARRIAGES--Bride's and groom's names, ages, marital status, previous spouse(s) names, blood relationships (i.e. are bride and groom cousins), their residences at the time of their marriage, their occupations and the date and place of the marriage ceremony. This record also gives the names of both sets of parents (with the mothers' maiden names), their ages, occupations, and if deceased. DEATHS--Person's name (including maiden name of woman), age, occupation, usual residence and the date, place and cause of death including the duration of the illness and when the deceased was last treated by a doctor. It also gives the spouse's occupation and name (including the wife's maiden name), and the dead person's parents' names (with the mother's maiden name), ages, occupations and if the parents are deceased. An informant (with relationship to deceased and for some years the informant's residence) and often the place of burial is also given. For some years (1855) it also gives the deceased's birthplace, the number of years he or she lived in the parish, and the names and ages of all his or her children (including the year(s) that any died). AVAILABILITY--These civil records exist since 1855 and are available on microfilm for 1855-75 plus 1881 & 91 (the census years). The entire sets for all of Scotland (1855-present) are available at the GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE FOR SCOTLAND, New Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YT, Scotland (phone 44 31 556 3952), They are also available for the individual districts at the local registrar's home or office. Photostats of individual entries are available for a fee from the New Register House (NRH) providing the vital event's date and place is known within about a four year span. Alphabetical annual indices for 1855 to the present for births, marriages and deaths by surname, given name and place are available (LDS and many local libraries on microfilm) and The New Register House in book form. SCOPE OF MY SEARCH-- I have copied all birth, marriage and death indices for all of Scotland for 1855-85. Each full record was then copied at New Register House. This approach covered all indexed records but would not find Cursiter informants, a bride or groom's mother's Cursiter maiden name, children whose mother's maiden name was Cursiter, etc. SANDAY and PAPA WESTRAY, ORKNEY - every Cursiter entry, whether related to my family or not was recorded and included in this study. Dates covered were births (1855-1965), marriages (1855-1939), and deaths (1855-1963). For these records I was able to carefully peruse the record books at the registrar's homes. This search uncovered Cursiters that might not be found via the index i.e. Cursiter maiden name of bride or groom's mother, Cursiter informant, etc. II. PARISH RECORDS Beginning in the 16th through mid 18th century (depending on the parish) until 1855 (the beginning of compulsory Scottish civil record keeping), the parish records generally provide the most useful birth, marriage, and occasionally death information. Their quality (legibility, completeness, and extent of preservation) varies from year to year and parish to parish. They also, of course, don't normally include "non-churchgoers". However, these records are available on microfilm (LDS libraries, NRH, Kirkwall Library) and also are completely indexed for Orkney by the INTERNATIONAL GENEALOGICAL INDEX (IGI). These records exist for Sanday in three volumes as follows: VOLUME 1-Cross & Burness births 1758-1819 VOLUME 2-Lady births 1735-1819 Lady marriages 1818-1819 VOLUME 3-Lady births 1820-1854 Lady marriages 1820-1854 Lady deaths 1831-1841 Cross & Burness births 1820-1854 Cross & Burness marriages 1820-1850 All three volumes are found on one LDS microfilm--reference "Orkney Parochial Register, Sanday 26, 101958, D39178, 14505 PT.17" Information in the Sanday parish records is as follows: BIRTHS--Child's name, birth date, christening date, officiating minister, and the child's parents (with mother's maiden name) and if the parents were married. The names of two witnesses to the christening were also given but no relationships of these witnesses to the child were normally provided. Unfortunately often rather than the names of two specific people the term "congregation" was listed for the witnesses' names. Very rarely some other comment such as the farm of residence or where the parents' came from (If not of that parish) was given. MARRIAGES--Bride's and groom's names, date of ceremony, witnesses (no relationships given) and officiating minister. Parents' names were not given. DEATHS--Rare. For Sanday deaths were only recorded for LADY (none for Cross and Burness) from 1831-41. Generally these death notices gave the person's name, death date or year and sometimes age. Neither the spouse, witnesses, or children were given. The Sanday parish records were consolidated into two groups as follows: CROSS AND BURNESS - This includes the southwestern parish (Cross) and the north central parish (Burness). For the early years (pre 1800) North Ronaldsay, a small island north of Sanday, was also reported in "Cross & Burness". For Cross & Burness, the parish records exist from 1758. The quality (completeness) is as follows: 1758-1776 good 1776 "only 16 of 31 births registered - absence of minister" 1777-1792 good 1793 incomplete 1794-ca1804 good 1804-1820 sloppy, sparse, often out of chronological order 1820-1854 good LADY--This is the northeastern parish of Sanday. Records exist from 1735 and, in general, are of better quality than the Cross & Burness records although there may be gaps about 1790. Per John Wallace of Lettan, a minister once told him that the church roof leaked in a rainstorm causing damage to the Lady records. For Lady births there appears to have been a major "catch up" effort from about 1845-1855 by the minister to register previously unregistered births. During this period whole families were entered in blocks with birth dates extending back until the early 1830's. This suggests that the record keeping in the 1830-45 period originally had been incomplete, and that if a family had children in Lady during this time period and then moved away prior to thee "catch up" of 1845-55, no birth record may exist. SCOPE OF MY SEARCH--For this Cursiter study all of Scotland's parish records were first scanned via the IGI (an excellent alphabetical index to these records - among other things). Unfortunately the IGI normally gives only christening (not birth) dates and for Sanday doesn't differentiate between Cross & Burness and Lady. One must then go to the original (or microfilms of) parish records to establish the birth date and parish. I then carefully scanned (via microfilm) all of the original Sanday records. Beyond that (balance of Scotland) I have not consulted any microfilms of the original records - only the IGI. Scanning the full parish records for all of Scotland would be a lifetime's work! As time permits I will however begin some work in "Cursiter rich" areas of Orkney. PARISH RECORD AVAILABILTY - CHURCH OF SCOTLAND--The following is a list of available Orkney church records for each parish. I have included the LDS church microfilm number. My source was the LDS FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY LOCALITY CATALOG of March 22, 1988. LDS --------------------------------------------------- MICROFILM # BIRSAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1645-1819 0919497 MARRIAGES 1654-1822 VOL 2 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES 1820-1854 HARRAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1784-1820 0990501 ITEM 1-2 MARRIAGES 1784-1819 MORTCLOTH DUES 1810-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1817-1855 MORTCLOTH DUES 1819-1824 REGISTER OF NEGLECTED ENTRIES 1870 BURRAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES 1657-1669 0990512 VOL 2 BAPTISMS, N PARISH 1749-1819 MARRIAGES, N PARISH 1784-1819 BAPTISMS, S PARISH 1765-1880 MARRIAGES, S PARISH 1779-1819 VOL 3 BAPTISMS, N PARISH 1820-1854 0990513 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 BAPTISMS, S PARISH 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 DEATHS 1832-1844 SANDAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS-CROSS & BURNESS 1758-1819 0990509 BAPTISMS-CROSS & BURNESS 1821-1836 BAPTISMS-N RONALDSAY 1758-1800 MARRIAGES-N RONALDSAY 1827 VOL 2 BAPTISMS-LADY 1735-1820 MARRIAGES-LADY 1818-1819 VOL 3 BAPTISMS-CROSS & BURNESS 1820-1854 MARRIAGES-CROSS & BURNESS 1828-1830 MARRIAGES-CROSS & BURNESS 1841-1844 BAPTISMS-LADY 1820-1854 MARRIAGES-LADY 1819-1854 BURIALS-LADY 1831-1841 N RONALDSAY (see also Sanday) VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1800-1820 0990506 ITEM 1 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1819-1854 BIRTHS PRIOR TO 1800 IN SANDAY-CROSS & BURNESS DEERNESS VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1754-1819 0919498 MARRIAGES 1703-1811 BURIALS 1703-1794 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1854 ST ANDREWS VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1657-1819 0990503 BURIALS 1792-1795 MORTCLOTH DUES 1805-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1844 MARRIAGES (PROCLAMATION FEES) 1820-1854 BURIALS (MORTCLOTH DUES) 1820-1843 EDAY & PHARAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1789-1819 0919499 ITEM 1 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1852 MARRIAGES 1821-1854 EVIE VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1725-1819 0919499 ITEM 2 BAPTISMS 1826 MARRIAGES 1725-1802 MARRIAGES 1814-1820 BURIALS 1816-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS & BIRTHS 1820-1860 SESSION BOOK 1799-1830 MARRIAGES 1819-1855 BURIALS 1819-1836 MISSING RECORDS-MARRIAGES 1802-1813 FIRTH & STENNESS VOL 1 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES-STENNESS 1732-1819 0919500 BURIALS-STENNESS 1746-1819 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1732-1816 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1821 MARRIAGES-FIRTH 1732-1737 MARRIAGES-FIRTH 1741-1744 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1780-1819 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1786 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1815 BAPTISMS-FIRTH 1817-1819 MARRIAGES-FIRTH 1817-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES-FIRTH 1820-1854 BAPTISMS-STENNESS 1819-1854 MARRIAGES & BURIALS-STENNESS 1820-1854 INDEX TO BAPTISMS 1732-1854 VOL 3 NEGLECTED ENTRIES OF BIRTHS 1848 MISSING RECORDS-BAPTISMS 1746-1764 HOLM & PAPLAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1654-1819 0990501 ITEM 3-4 MARRIAGES 1654-1680 MARRIAGES 1693-1699 BURIALS 1765-1796 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1818-1856 INDEX TO BAPTISMS HOY & GRAESMAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS-WALLS 1708-1800 0990517 BAPTISMS-FLOTTA 1708-1747 MARRIAGES-WALLS 1707-1758 MARRIAGES-FLOTTA 1708-1738 VOL 2 BAPTISMS-WALLS 1801-1822 VOL 3 BAPTISMS-FLOTTA 1753-1819 MARRIAGES 1786-1823 VOL 4 BAPTISMS-WALLS&FLOTTA 1820-1854 MARRIAGES-WALLS 1823-1854 DEATHS 1823-1854 VOL 5 BAPTISMS-WALLS 1819-1854 MARRIAGES-FLOTTA 1820-1854 KIRKWALL & ST OLA VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1657-1728 0990503 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1728-1783 VOL 3 BAPTISMS 1783-1829 0990504 VOL 4 MARRIAGES 1657-1819 VOL 5 BURIALS 1666-1820 0990505 VOL 6 BAPTISMS 1820-1854 VOL 7 INDEX TO MARRIAGES IN VOL 4 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 BURIALS 1822-1834 BURIALS 1820-1853 ORPHIR VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1709-1819 0990506 ITEM 2 MARRIAGES 1709-1819 BURIALS 1817-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1855 MARRIAGES 1824-1854 BURIALS 1819-1854 RENDALL VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1725-1819 0919499 ITEM 2 BAPTISMS 1826 MARRIAGES 1725-1802 MARRIAGES 1814-1820 BURIALS 1816-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS & BIRTHS 1820-1860 SESSION BOOK 1799-1830 MARRIAGES 1819-1855 BURIAL 1819-1836 MISSING-MARRIAGES 1802-1813 ROUSAY & EAGLESHAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1733-1746 0990507 BAPTISMS 1789 BAPTISMS 1798-1819 MARRIAGES 1733-1746 MARRIAGES 1798-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1819-1854 SANDWICK VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1728-1748 0990510 BAPTISMS 1760-1819 MARRIAGES 1727-1731 MARRIAGES 1750-1752 MARRIAGES 1778-1798 MARRIAGES 1810-1819 SESSIONS MINUTES 1750 SESSIONS MINUTES 1779 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1854 MARRIAGES 1818-1854 SHAPINSAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1623-1699 0990511 BAPTISMS 1758-1819 MARRIAGES 1633-1702 MARRIAGES 1758-1819 BURIALS 1793-1820 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1854 MARRIAGES 1819-1854 BURIALS 1820-1854 S RONALDSAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES 1657-1669 0990512 VOL 2 BAPTISMS-N PARISH 1749-1819 MARRIAGES-N PARISH 1784-1819 BAPTISMS-S PARISH 1765-1880 MARRIAGES-S PARISH 1779-1819 VOL 3 BAPTISMS-N PARISH 1820-1854 0990513 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 BAPTISMS-S PARISH 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 DEATHS 1832-1844 STROMNESS VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1695-1701 0990514 BAPTISMS 1723-1792 MARRIAGES 1695-1702 BAPTISMS 1722-1764 SESSION MINUTES BOOK 1762-1764 BAPTISMS 1750-1792 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1793-1819 VOL 3 MARRIAGES 1722-1819 0990515 BURIALS 1763-1765 BURIALS 1788 VOL 4 BAPTISMS 1820-1837 MARRIAGES 1819-1837 VOL 5 BAPTISMS & MARRIAGES 1837-1854 STRONSAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS 1743-1769 0990516 BAPTISMS 1798-1819 MARRIAGES 1801-1819 BURIALS 1801-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1819-1854 MARRIAGES 1820-1854 BURIALS 1820-1854 WESTRAY & PAPA WESTRAY VOL 1 BAPTISMS-N & E PARISHES 1733-1830 0990518 BAPTISMS-N & E PARISHES 1775-1818 MARRIAGES 1817-1818 BAPTISMS-N PARISH 1794-1799 BAPTISMS-N & E PARISHES 1830-1831 BAPTISMS-N PARISH 1808-1828 BAPTIST BIRTHS & BAPTISMS 1807-1844 BAPTISMS-PAPA WESTRAY 1784-1821 BAPTISMS-WESTRAY & PAPA WESTRAY 1733-1819 MARRIAGES 1805-1829 BAPTISMS-WESTRAY & PAPA WESTRAY 1760-1819 VOL 2 BAPTISMS 1820-1854 MARRIAGES 1819-1854 BAPTISMS-PAPA WESTRAY 1760-1854 III. CEMETERIES Sanday has three cemeteries (Lady, Cross and Burness). I did a very cursory search of these graveyards (primarily looking for the graves of Cursiters and David Wallace #121) during my first (June, '83) visit to Sanday. In general, I found many of the older (pre 1850) gravestones to be illegible presumably due to the effects of the sea air and lichen growths on these relatively soft stones. In addition, many of my Wallace forbearers were probably poor and might not have had gravestones in the first place. Still another more careful search of the cemeteries (especially now that more family information is available) should be done. IV. MAPS Karl Cooper, Smithscott, Sanday, KW17 2AZ Orkney, Scotland recently (Sept, '84) provided me with an excellent set of four maps encompassing all of Sanday. Mr. Cooper, in cooperation with Gregor Lamb, included all of the known placenames and farm locations. These maps are very detailed. I believe copies are available for a nominal fee from Mr. Cooper. A more generally available (but nearly not so detailed as Mr Cooper's) set of maps is the LANDRANGER SERIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. These ordnance maps provide detail (including many placenames) for all of Great Britain. The Orkney maps in this series are "SHEET 6 - ORKNEY MAINLAND" and "SHEET 5 - ORKNEY NORTH ISLES" (contains Sanday). These maps are generally available in bookstores throughout Scotland. The publisher is The Director General of the Ordnance Survey, Southhampton, England. The PLACENAME SPELLINGS given in my descendants charts may sometimes be in error. Reasons include illegible handwriting in the original source material, spelling changes depending on the whim of the source author, spelling evolutions with time, confusion on my part of similarly spelled (but quite different) placenames i.e. "Newbigging" (in Northwall, Lady) and "Newbiggings" (in Burness), and simple errors on my part. I intend to review the placename spellings carefully as time permits especially now that I have Karl Cooper's excellent set of maps. V CENSUS USA FEDERAL CENSUS - US decennial census data are available for the following years: 1790, 1800, '10, '20, '30, '40, '50, '60, '70, '80, '90 (almost entirely destroyed by fire), 1900 and 1910. The census for 1920-1980 are available but are not yet open for public inspection (not until 72 years from the census date). Most federal census are indexed by state and then surname. The amount of information given increased with time, i.e. 1790-1840 gave little information while 1900 and 1910 were very informative. Since the only known Sanday Wallaces did not arrive in the USA until about 1898, the 1900 and 1910 census were the only ones of interest. Data available: 1900 - place of residence, name of each person, relationship of each person to head of household, month, and year born, age at last birthday, marital status, years married, mother of how many children, number of these children living, place of birth of person and each of his parents (usually state if USA born or country if foreign born), year of immigration, number of years in USA, naturalization status (naturalized, alien, citizenship applied for, no record), occupation or alternatively number of months unemployed, whether currently attending school, ability to read, write, and/or speak English, and if the person lives in a house or on a farm. 1910--as above but includes race, language spoken, if person rents or owns (free or mortgaged) a house or farm, if survivor of Union or Confederate army or navy, if blind, deaf or dumb. Does include the person's age but (unlike the 1900 census) does not include the month and year of birth or the year of immigration into the USA. The 1900 census is indexed (Soundex) for all states by surname. The 1910 census is only indexed for some states (Illinois and Michigan (the states where the Wallaces settled) fortunately are indexed). The 1920 census (not available for public perusal until 1992) is fully indexed. These census records are available on microfilm at the main (Washington DC) and regional branches of the NATIONAL ARCHIVES as well as at various state and private libraries. SCOTTISH DECENNIAL CENSUS- Decennial censuses began in Scotland 1821. Unfortunately the 1821 and 1831 censuses were ordered destroyed after summary information was taken (for Orkney portions of the 1821 census still exist!). The subsequent censuses for all of Scotland are publicly available on microfilm (1841, '51, '61, '71, and '81). Due to the Scottish "100 year privacy law" the 1901 and later censuses are still not publicly available and the 1891 census is officially only available for perusal at the New Register House, Edinburgh (although curiously the LDS microfilmed the 1891 census and makes it, as well as all the previous census, available on loan throughout the USA). Information available includes: 1821- the 1821 census was not destroyed for certain Orkney parishes - Deerness, St Andrews, Orphir, S. Ronaldsay, Burray, Swana, the Pentland Kerries, and the towns of Stromness, Kirbuster and Finstown. These are held at the Orkney Library but to my knowledge have not been microfilmed. These censuses are quite legible and contain a wealth of information including the farm names, heads of households and all other inhabitants (with relationships and occupations), ages, married women's maiden names, and a list of livestock. 1831- totally destroyed for Orkney. 1841- place (address or placename), house (whether inhabited or not), name and address of each resident as of June 6,1841, sex, age, occupation, whether Scottish born and if so if born in county of this census, if foreign born and if so where. For Sanday there are eight enumeration districts (ED's) -two each for Cross and Burness and four for Lady). All of Cross and Burness' ED's are reasonably legible. Lady ED#1 (Northwall) is readable, ED#2 (Mill of Rusness to Burn of Sandgoe) is barely legible, a supplement to ED#2 (Newark and Corsegate farms) is legible but incomplete (only first initials (no first names), and no age or sex given). The balance of Lady (ED#3 & 4) is good. 1851-place (address or placename), name and surname of all residents as of March 30, 1851, relation to head of household, age, sex, occupation, where born (typically gives county and parish if Scottish born, country if foreign born), and whether blind, deaf or dumb. For Sanday there are eight ED's (four for Cross and Burness combined and four for Lady). Cross and Burness ED's 1 & 2 (primarily Cross) are legible while some of ED#3 and most of ED#4 (both Burness) are very light and difficult to read. All of Lady's (ED#'s 1-4) are legible. 1861-place (address or placename), whether place is occupied or not, name and surname as of date of census, relation to head of family, marital status, age, sex, occupation, where born (see 1851 comments), whether blind, deaf or dumb, number of children between 5 and 15 attending school, and the number of rooms in the house with one or more windows. For Sanday there are eight ED's- all legible. 1871- same information as in 1861 but also notes if person is an "imbecile, idiot or lunatic". For Sanday there are eight ED's-all legible. 1881- same information as 1871. For Sanday there are eight ED's-all legible. 1891- same information as 1881 but also shows if each person is an "employer, employed or self employed but not employing anyone else" and if "Gaelic or G.&E." For Sanday there are eight ED's-all legible. SCOPE OF MY SEARCH- I have purchased the census microfilms for all of Orkney for 1841-91 (from the New Register House) and carefully examined the 1841-81 Sanday census. I also reviewed the Sanday 1891 census in detail. I am now in the process of searching the balance of Orkney. My current status is as follows: ORKNEY CENSUS DISTRICTS - SEARCHED TO DATE DISTRICT # DISTRICT 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 BIRSAY X X 14 DEARNESS T X X X X 15 EDAY & PHARAY X-EDAY X-EDAY X-EDAY X-EDAY X-EDAY X-EDAY 16 EVIE & RENDALL X X X X X 17 FIRTH & STENNESS X X X X X 18 HARRAY X 19 HOLM & PAPLAY X 20 HOY & GRAESMAY X 21 KIRKWALL & ST OLA X X PART X 22 N RONALDSAY X X 23 ORPHIR T X X X 24 ROUSAY & EGILSAY X X X X 25 ST ANDREWS T X X X X 26 SANDAY T T T T T T 27 SANDWICK X 28 SHAPINSAY X 29 S RONALDSAY & BURRAY T X X X X X 30 STROMNESS T X 31 STRONSAY X 32 WALLS & FLOTTA X 33 WESTRAY & PAPA WESTRAY X X = BRIEF SCAN FOR CURSITERS T = THOROUGH SCAN (INCLUDES RELATED NON-CURSITER SURNAMES) VI LIBRARIES, ETC. The following were useful to me: The Orkney Library, Laing St, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland - The "Orcadian Room" contains an excellent collection of books, personal papers, civil records, photographs, census and parish record (microfilms) and local newspapers (microfilms) relating to Orkney. Ms Alison Fraser is the archivist. I haven't begun to tap the resources of this fine library. National Archives, Pennsylvania Ave. betw. 7th & 9th Sts, N.W., Washington, D.C.-contains federal census records and indices, mortality schedules, military service records, veteran's records, bounty land warrants, Indian records, federal land records, private land claims, ships' passenger lists, passport applications and naturalization records, and District of Columbia residents' records. The many regional archives have microfilm of much of the same information. I used primarily the USA 1900 and 1910 census records here as part of my Wallace search. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 1st St. S.E. betw. East Capitol St. & Independence Ave.,Washington,D.C.-massive library. Items of genealogical interest include city directories, US and foreign telephone directories, a "Local History and Genealogy Room" (Room 244...2nd floor),etc. I found the old city directories (Chicago ca 1860's-1930's) and the many books in the Genealogy Room interesting. I found very little on my Orcadian ancestry however. THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, 35 North West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84150 - this is the genealogy library of the Mormon or LDS church. It is probably the most extensive genealogy library in the world and is available free to Mormons and non-Mormons alike. While I am not a Mormon I have certainly made extensive use of their genealogical resources. Besides this main library in Salt Lake City they have over 450 branch libraries at local LDS churches throughout the USA, Canada and other countries. Much of the information in their main library is also available on microfilm either permanently or via short term loan at these branch libraries. In this way I was able to search microfilms of the Orkney parish, census and civil vital records at a library close to my home. Information available includes: INTERNATIONAL GENEALOGICAL INDEX (IGI) This is a worldwide in scope microfilmed surname index. It is organized first by country, then by county and then alphabetically by surname and given name. For Scotland there is an Orkney section as well as a much larger one encompassing all of Scotland. These are subdivided into birth and marriage indices. All of the Orkney parish records have been indexed in the IGI. This is extremely useful. The IGI birth index gives in alphabetical order the child's surname and given name, parents with mother's maiden name, sex of child, christening or birth date and county, town or parish where the event was recorded. While the IGI information is no better than the parish record information from which it was taken, the IGI provides a much quicker alternative to scanning the parish microfilm records. I addition to the parish records occasionally some other data (personal entries) has been indexed. References are given. Unfortunately neither the civil vital nor census records are indexed in the IGI. The IGI microfilms are available on a permanent basis at the main and branch LDS libraries as well as the New Register House in Edinburgh (Scotland only). FAMILY GROUP RECORDS COLLECTION - over 7 million alphabetized family group records from all over the world. These are the personal work of, I suppose, many of the LDS church members (for their own families). BOOK COLLECTION - extensive collection of genealogically interesting books including family histories, city directories, city histories, cemetery indices, historical works, etc. MICROFILMS - among other things all of the Scottish census (1841-91), civil vital records (1855-75 plus 1881 & 91) and parish records are available. These microfilms (including the necessary readers and photocopy equipment) are readily available in "open stacks". My experience has shown that if this library has the Scottish records of interest on microfilm, that it is possible to do much more efficient research (because of the open stacks) in Salt Lake City than at the New Register House in Edinburgh. For more contemporary Scottish civil vital records, there is no choice but to write for photocopies or to visit either Edinburgh or the local parish registrar; but for the older microfilmed records I believe it is more expedient to work via this LDS library. My WALLACES OF SANDAY (and hopefully soon this Cursiter paper) are available on microfilm via their efforts. A contact in Salt Lake City is Ms Lucille Pratt in the Cataloging Department. Of course these same microfilms that are found in Salt Lake City may be ordered via interlibrary loan for local use at any LDS branch library. PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST STAFF - while this library staff will not do an individual's research for him, they are very helpful and informative. A local "expert" for each area of the world (ie the British Isles) is usually available for consultation. GENERAL REGISTER HOUSE FOR SCOTLAND, New Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YT. This building stores the original parish, civil vital and census records. Other records also are available (see the General Register Office for Scotland "Ancestry Leaflet" in the INDEX of this paper). Some of these records have been microfilmed and are available for public perusal. Photocopies of the individual birth, marriage and death records are available for a fee. Copies of the microfilms themselves (census, parish and vital records) can also be purchased (same years as available at the LDS libraries). This library is very busy especially in the summer, space is limited and reservations are definitely recommended. Arrive well before it opens and be prepared to queue up. Research involving the original records (birth, marriage and death) can go very slowly. You are allowed to see only a few entries (3-5 whether they are the ones you had hoped for or not) at one time and always under the direct supervision of a custodian. In busy times you may have to wait two hours between viewings. Between these viewings you can consult the index to these records and note the next group you would like to see. You may not browse through the original record book looking for clues (women's maiden names, etc). The custodian instead finds the book, opens it to a specific page and allows you to look at only the record you requested. You can, however, search the microfilmed records (IGI, census and parish records) at your leisure without the necessity of an attendant being constantly with you. As I noted earlier this microfilm collection is no more complete than that available through any LDS library. Having spent many long hours "waiting my turn" at New Register House I concluded that it was more cost effective to hire a professional genealogist (who has full access to the records without a guide) rather than do the civil record search myself. Considering the cost of one's time, hotel room and food in Edinburgh, searching at 3 records /two hours is very frustrating. I have listed the genealogists I employed in the PERSONAL COMUNICATIONS section below. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. This is the most comprehensive public library in Scotland. I spent only a brief time here consulting the city directories and the "Crofter's Commission Report's" (ca 1890-1915). The later make very interesting reading as many of our Sanday Wallace ancestors were crofters. Some "crofter testimony" as well as listings of the locations and sizes of the crofts, the annual fees, the names of the landlords and the names of each crofter can be found in these reports. SCOTTISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL, Scotland VII REFERENCE BOOKS, ETC. The following publications have proved useful and interesting: THE COURT BOOKS OF ORKNEY AND SHETLAND 1614-1615, transcribed and edited by Robert S. Barclay, printed for the Scottish Historical Society by T. and A. Constable Ltd, Edinburgh, 1967 CURIOUS INCIDENTS FROM THE ANCIENT RECORDS OF KIRKWALL, W. R. Makckintosh, James Anderson, Orcadian Office, Kirkwall, 1892 A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLES OF ORKNEY, Rev James Wallace, John Small, editor, William Brown, 26 Princes Street, Edinburgh, 1883 FARAWAY WORLD, An Orkney Boyhood, W. Towrie Cutt, Andre Deutsch Ltd.,105 Russel St., London WC1, 1977 FASTI ECCLESIAE SCOTICANAE, The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, Hew Scott, D.D., Vol VII, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1928 GUIDE TO GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. HISTORY OF ORKNEY, William P. L. Thomson, The Mercat Press, 53-59 South Bridge, Edinburgh, 1987 THE HISTORY OF THE ORKNEY ISLANDS, Rev. George Barry D.D., Archibald Constable and Company, Edinburgh, 1805 THE HOGBOON OF HELL AND OTHER STRANGE ORKNEY TALES, Nancy and W. Towrie Cutt, Andre' Deutsch Limited, 105 Great Russel Street, London WC1, 1979 IN SEARCH OF ANCESTRY, Gerald Hamilton-Edwards, Phillimore & Co. Ltd, London and Chichester, 1976 INTRODUCING ... SCOTTISH GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, Fourth Edition - 1982, Donald Whyte, F.H.G., Featherhall Press Ltd., Featherhall ave, Edinburgh EH12 7UW and published by The Scottish Genealogy Society, 9 Union St, Edinburgh EH1 3LT ISLAND IMAGES, Memories of Sanday, Betsy I. Skea, The Orkney Press Ltd., Victoria St., Kirkwall, Orkney, 1982 KIRKWALL IN THE ORKNEYS, B. H. HOSSACK, William Peace & Son, Kirkwall, 1900 (reprinted 1986 by The Kirkwall Press, "The Orcadian" Office, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney) LEST WE FORGET - A Guide to Genealogical Research in the Nation's Capital, Colleen Stone Neal, Annandale Stake of LDS church, Annandale, Virginia, USA LOOKING BACK, A BOOK OF REMINISCENSES, Stanley Cursiter, Published privately, 1974, Printed by Econoprint Ltd., 42 A Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QR NAGGLES O' PIAPITTEM, A STUDY OF THE PLACENAMES OF SANDAY ORKNEY, Gregor Lamb and Karl Cooper (in preparation) A NOTE ON AN ODAL FAMILY, J. Storer Clouston - this is a photocopy obtained from Alison Fraser of pages 135 and 136 of his NOTES ON AN ODAL FAMILY from ART. in O. L. MISC. comments on Peterkin's Notes (below). It contains much of the information in ORCADIAN FAMILIES, CURSETTER below. NOTES ON ORKNEY AND ZETLAND: Illustrative of The History, Antiquities, Scenery and Customs of Those Islands. by Alexander Peterkin, Esq., Sheriff-Substitute of Orkney, Vol. I., printed by John Moir, for Macredie, Skelly, and Company, Princes Street; and T.& G. Underwood, London. 1822. A fue-charter executed by Lord Robert Stuart and dated 3d May 1587 can be found on pp 128-9. This charter confirms Magnus Cursetter, in that ilk, and his predecessors is and hes bein in peacable possession of the lands underwritten past memorie of man...the thrie penny land of kings land, called Cursetter.... This important book, the oldest in my Orcadian library, was a kind gift from Mr Gregor Lamb. THE ORCADIAN, Victoria St, Kirkwall, Orkney (local newspaper) ORCADIAN FAMILIES, CURSETTER - I obtained a photocopy from Alison Fraser of the Orkney Library. I believe it was taken from ORKNEY and SHETLAND LORE by T. H. Johnston and possibly from the writings of J. Storer Clouston housed in the Orkney Library. This two page document traces certain old Firth and Stromness Cursetters including Magnus Cursetter #2036 and his descendants. ORKNEY, Ronald Miller, B. T. Batsford Ltd., London, 1976 ORKNEY AND SHETLAND 1774, A TOUR THROUGH THE ISLANDS OF ORKNEY AND SHETLAND, George Low, published by Melven Press, 29 Union Street, Inverness, printed by Bookmag, Inverness ORKNEY HERITAGE, Vol 1, published by Orkney heritage Society, Kirkwall, printed by Caithness Books,Thurso,Caithness, 1981 ORKNEY STONES 1882-1989, The Orkney Historical Society, Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. This book provides a history of the town of Orkney near Yorkton. It includes histories of the original settling families each provided by a contemporary family member. I obtained this book from Mrs Joyce Muir of Yorkton. ORKNEY SURNAMES, Gregor Lamb, Paul Harris Publishing, Edinburg, 1981 AN ORKNEY TAPESTRY, George MacKay Brown, Quartet Books Limited, 27 Goodge Street, London W1P 1FD, 1973 ORKNEY TESTAMENTS AND INVENTORIES, 1573-1615, Robert S. Barclay, editor, Scottish Record Society, New Series 6, Office Printing Services, Edinburgh, 1977 THE ORKNEYINGA SAGA, translated from the Icelandic by Jon A. Hjaltalin and Gilbert Goudie, edited by Joseph Anderson, James Thin, Bookseller, South Bridge, Edinburgh, 1981 ORKNEY WORDBOOK, A DICTIONARY OF THE DIALECT OF ORKNEY, Gregor Lamb, published by Byrgisey, Birsay, Orkney, 1988, printed by the Kirkwall Press, "The Orcadian" Office, Victoria Street, Kirkwall ORKNEYMEN IN THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY 1780-1821, John Hicks, published in OLD TRAILS AND NEW DIRECTIONS: PAPERS OF THE THIRD NORTH AMERICAN FUR TRADE CONFERENCE, Carol M Judd & Arthur J Ray, editors, University of Toronto Press 1980 THE PEOPLE OF ORKNEY, edited by R. J. Berry and H. N. Firth, published by The Orkney Press Ltd., 12 Craigiefield Park, St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney 1986, printed by The Kirkwall Press, "The Orcadian" Office, Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney THE PHONE BOOK - HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS, British Telecom, North Scotland District, Caledonian House, 232 Union Street, Aberdeen AB9 2BB, Scotland, February 1987 THE PREHISTORY OF ORKNEY, BC4000-1000AD, Colin Renfrew, editor, Edinburgh University Press, 22 George Square, Edinburgh, 1985 THE PLACE-NAMES OF BIRSAY, Hugh Marwick, edited and introduced by W.F.H. Nicolaisen, Aberdeen University Press, 1970 REGISTER OF TESTAMENTS, THE COMMISSARIOT RECORD OF ORKNEY AND SHETLAND, Part I Orkney, 1611-1684, published by the Scottish Record Office, Francis J. Grant, editor, James Skinner & company, Edinburgh, 1904. This is an index to the wills of Orkney for 1611-84. Typical information includes the person, spouse, testament date and place of residence. ROBERT STEWART, EARL OF ORKNEY, LORD OF SHETLAND 1533-1593, Peter D. Anderson, John Donald Publishers Ltd, 138 St. Stephen Street, Edinburgh, 1982 SCOTTISH HISTORY SOCIETY 1886-1966, A COMMEMORATIVE RECORD, printed for the Scottish History Society by T. and A. Constable Ltd, Edinburgh, 1967 SCOTTISH PLACE NAMES, THEIR MEANINGS EXPLAINED, A. Michael Eyers, Sphere Books Limited, 30-32 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8JL, 1980 THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND 1791-99, Volume XIX, Orkney and Shetland, Sir John Sinclair, editor with a new introduction by Donald J. Withrington and Ian R. Grant, E P Publishing Limited, East Ardsley, Wakefiel, England, The Scolar Press, Ilkley, Yorkshire, 1978 THE SURNAMES OF SCOTLAND, THEIR ORIGIN, MEANING, AND HISTORY, George F. Black, Ph.D., The New York Public Library, New York TOMB OF THE EAGLES, A WINDOW ON STONE AGE TRIBAL BRITAIN, John W. Hedges, John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, 50 Albemarle Street, London W1X 4BD, 1984 TOURS IN SCOTLAND 1747, 1750, 1760, Richard Pococke, Bishop of Meath, University Press by T. and A. Constable, for the Scottish Historical Society, Edinburgh, 1887 TRACING YOUR ANCESTORS IN CANADA, Janine Roy, National Archives of Canada, Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1988 TRACING YOUR SCOTTISH ANCESTORS, A GUIDE TO ANCESTRY RESEARCH IN THE SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE, Cecil Sinclair, Scottish Record Office, Edinburgh 1990 TRACING YOUR SCOTTISH ANCESTRY, Kathleen B Cory, Polygon, 22 George Sq, Edinburgh 1990 A VISIT TO THE ISLE OF SANDAY, Rev. Alexander Goodfellow, W.R. Mackintosh,Kirkwall, 1912 (republished by Cienfuegos Press Ltd., Over-the-Water, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BL, 1978) VIII PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS Contemporary family members and authorities on Orcadian history were consulted wherever possible. In addition many Turfus' have contributed information about their own family histories. A partial list (in alphabetical order) of those people who in some way contributed to this paper is as follows: Mr Charles Addington (#967) of Box 216, Station B, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 4B8. Charles is a descendant of James Wallace (#709). He provided data on his Wallace ancestors who immigrated from Orkney to Canada. Charles has been very helpful to me in providing general information on Orcadian immigrants in Canada. He exaustively serched many Canadian sources. He located a number of Turfus' in the various city directories, passenger lists, land records, etc. Charles "found" my grandfather Rober Cursiter and his family in the Quebec passenger lists as well as in the 1891 Hamilton, Ontario census and 1891 to 1898 Hamilton city directories. Mrs A. Rosemary Bigwood M.A M.Litt., 38 Primrose Bank Rd, Edinburgh EH5 3JF. Mrs Bigwood is a professional genealogist who copied some of the New Register House records for this paper. Mrs Charlotte L. Cowe, 151 Main St, Davidson Mains, Edinburgh, EH4 5AQ, Scotland (phone 031 336 2494). Charlotte is a professional genealogist who copied many of the Cursiter civil records at New Register House. Her work accelerated this paper by years! Mr Karl Cooper (#4018), 59 Albert St, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1HQ. Karl is a map maker who has created very detailed maps with placenames for many of the islands including Sanday, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray and Shetland. He is also collaborating with Gregor Lamb on NAGGLES O' PIAPITTEM, A STUDY OF THE PLACENAMES OF SANDAY. Karl is a distant relative through my Sanday Wallace line. Mr Robert J "Bobby" Cursiter (#242), 62 Meadowbank, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1QL. Bobby is a Sanday Cursiter Descendant. My wife and I visited Bobby, his wife Gretta and son Crawford John during our 1984 and 1988 trips to Orkney. Mr William "Billy" Cursiter (#2284), Quoy of Houton, Orphir, Orkney. We visited Billy, his wife Eleanor, son Norman "Stewart" Cursiter (#2306), sisters Mary Jane Cursiter Firth (#2559), Isobel Cursiter Wickens (#2777), Evaline "Eva" Cursiter Esslemont (#2775), Muriel Cursiter Anderson (#2779) and brother John Sinclair Cursiter (#2776) and their respective families at the Quoy of Houton in 1988. We were very graciously received and had a chance to spend a very nice evening - including sampling some Orcadian "home brew". The entire family contributed information to this paper. Mr William David Cursiter (#325), Charleston, Papa Westray, Orkney. Willie, his wife Jessie and son John William "Ian" Cursiter and his wife Marina farm Charleston. We visited them in 1984 and 1988 and have corresponded often. Willie is very knowledgeable about the Papa Westray Cursiters. Mr Albert Roy Curtis Jr, 719 N. Sleight, Naperville, Illinois 60540. Roy gave me a copy of his late mother Annie Wallace Custer Vanderkloot #79's birth certificate which first led me to Sanday as the origin of our Cursiter family. Miss Moira Brown Cusiter (#2237), 4 Sunnyside Gardens, Aberdeen. Moira is the only child of Daniel Henderson (#1845). She provided information on her line and gave me the address of Mrs Bella Greig. Mr Robert J Custer (#3) of 25 Delwick Lane, New Providence, New Jersey 07974 (my father) and the late Mrs William (Lorraine) Custer Dorsey (#9) of 2954 M St., Merced, California 95340 (my aunt). They gave me the first information on the Cursiters which prompted me to begin my search. The late Mrs Frank (Jean) Wallace Davis (#173) of 6602 Cemetery Rd.,Saugatuck, Michigan 49453. Jean was the last surviving child of William Wallace (#144) who immigrated from Orkney to the USA in 1901. Jean provided information on the descendants of her father William as well as those of his sister Mary Wallace Cursiter - my great grandmother (#74) who settled in Chicago, Illinois and Saugatuck, Michigan. Jean also let me copy a number of old family pictures and gave me the only photo I have of Robert Cursiter #64, his wife Mary Wallace and four of their five children. This picture was taken in Kirkwall, perhaps shortly before they emigrated. Mrs Susan Dearness (#3545), Purgatory, Cross Parish, Sanday, Orkney. Susan lives in Purgatory, the family home of a number of Sanday Cursiters. She is the grand niece of Susan Wilson, the wife of James Cursiter (#220), my great, grand uncle. Susan gave me pictures (the only ones I have) of Christina Turfus (my great, great grandmother) and all of Christina's children (except my great grandfather). My wife and I visited Susan in 1984 and again in 1988. I will always be grateful for the pictures and help that Susan provided. Mrs Lena Edwards, 17A Holmes Street, Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand. In May 1990 Mrs Edwards place a genealogy query in the Orcadian. While the surnames she mentioned were not ones common to my family, she did mention that she was a member of the New Zealand Genealogy Society and the Orkney Club. I sent her my Wallace and Cursiter books and asked that she share them with the Orkney Club. Mrs Stanley Flett, Hamnavoe, Kirkwall. Jean (#311) is the daughter of Kate Cursiter and brother of James Cursiter of Ellenfield. Jean, her husband Stanley and son Alistair entertained us during our 1984 and 1988 visits to Kirkwall. They were instrumental in our getting a welcome from Radio Orkney! Ms Mary A. Fotheringham, Templehall, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2BN. Mary wrote in response to my 7/92 Orcadian notice. She is descended from the same Turfus line as I. Mr and Mrs Kenneth Foubister of The Belsair Guest House, Kettletoft, Sanday. They were our hosts during our first visit to Sanday. The Foubisters were very helpful in providing our first introduction to this island. Miss Alison Fraser, archivist, The Orkney Library, Laing St., Kirkwall. Miss Fraser was very helpful during my visits to this library. The Genealogical Society Of Utah, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150. This affiliate of the LDS church was given a copy of my Cursiter and Wallace papers. They were subsequently microfilmed and made available on request. Mrs R.D. Gouge, "De'Clarys", Old Drouin Rd, Longwary, VIC 3816, Australia. Mrs Gouge is tracing her Cursiter family and wrote to me early in 1992. I am embarassed to say that I lost her detailed letter but fortunately I retained her address. I have sent her a copy of my Cursiter book. Mr Angus "Andrew" Cursiter Harvey (#4413), 6400 Green Valley Rd, Placerville, CA 95667. Andrew is a cousin of Sheila Harvey below. He provided considerable information on his family line. Miss Sheila G Harvey (#4388), Verdun, Dounby, Orkney KW17 2HT, Scotland. Sheila, a granddaughter of Agnes Cusiter (#1475), responed to my 1/89 notice in the ORCADIAN. She provided very detailed information on her family line. Mr and Mrs J. Murray Hunter, 21A Glencairn Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland EH12 5BT. Margaret Cursiter Hunter (#2120) is the only child of the late Orcadian painter Stanley Cursiter (#1885). Margaret contributed much information on her family line including copies of Stanley's personal papers. Among these were the notes of John Scott Cursiter, Stanley's father' which began "my great grandfather is George Cursiter" and detailed his early ancestors. Margaret also allowed me to copy many old family photos. Margaret's husband J. Murray Hunter was very helpful. Murray abstracted the "my great grandfather" notes and also helped me copy the civil records at New Register House. I thank Margaret and Murray for their help and hospitality while I was in Edinburgh. Mrs John (Barbara) Wallace Jolly (#170) of 10921 Birchwood Place, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33026- again Barbara gave me useful information to help me start my search. Mr Gregor Lamb of South Waird, Marwick, Birsay, Orkney (temporary address- Tanzy Cottage, Rimpton, Yeovil, Somerset, England)-author of ORKNEY SURNAMES and the hopefully soon to be published PLACENAMES OF SANDAY. Gregor also arranged for me to get a copy of Karl Cooper's fine set of maps of Sanday. Gregor, his wife Elizabeth and daughter Inga were our hosts during our stay on mainland Orkney in 1988. Mrs Jemina Inkster "Mimes" Manson (#3710), Heddon, Finstown, Firth, Orkney KW17 2ES. Mrs Manson responded to my 1/89 ORCADIAN notice and is descended from Elizabeth Wallace (#884) and her husband John Slater. She has been studying her family line for a number of years and has sent me a large quantity of information on the old Sanday Wallace, Thomson and Slater families. Mimes and her husband Jim were my hosts during my 11/89 visit to Orkney. She also gave me an antique bottle labeled "CURSITER BROTHERS, 1853, KIRKWALL". Ms Jean Custer Ogden (#15), 320 Sterling Dr, 1 Sterling Village, Piscataway NJ 08854, USA, phone (908) 463-2156. My half-sister Jean contributed information on her mother's family. The Orkney & Shetland Association, c/o Mrs E. Petrie, 8 Grafton Street, E Balmain, Sydney N.S.W., Australia 2041. I obtained their address from an article in the 20 July 1989 Orcadian. I have sent them a copy of this paper. Mr James Dewar Peace (#3381), 4 Lynn Park, Kirkwall. James is a descendant of Mary Cursiter (#221) and John Peace. We visited James, his wife Frances and sisters Maggie and Marion during our 1988 trip to Orkney. They provided much information on their branch of the family. Mr Dwight A. Radford, 4821 S. Kings Row Dr., #28, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117. Dwight is a professional genealogist who compiled the 1875-1955 birth, marriage and death indices for Cursiter. These were obtained from microfilms at the Mormon Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City. Mrs Elizabeth Marianne Cusator Rendall (#3084), Grieves Cottage, Hall of Tankerness, Orkney. Mrs Rendall is very interested in the genealogy of the S Ronaldsay Cusators and is the niece of Mrs Arabella Cusator MacDonald (#2657), Viewfield, St Margarets Hope. She has searched many of the old parish records and provided me with much useful information. We visited her in 1988. Mr Peter Groundwater Russell, 18 Iverhurst Close, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8HY, England. Mr Russell is related to Alexander Russell who married Isabella (Bell) Turfus. Sister Mary Z. Ryan, 104 - 2nd Avenue SW, Faribault, MN 55021. S. Mary Ryan was a friend of the late Miss Nancy Banks above. Jointly they studied Nancy's family line. Mr David Scott, 3 Whitechapel, Junction Rd., Kirkwall, Orkney. David responded to my 1/89 Orcadian notice. He is related to the Cursiters of Papa Westray via marriage. David also contributed to the WALLACES OF SANDAY. Mr Peter Skea, Sanday, 8 Park Crescent, Gifford, E Lothian, Scotland EH41 4QR. Peter is descended from Christina Cursiter (#217) and my Sanday Cursiter line. Isa Cursiter gave me Peter and his wife Janet's address. I met with them November 1987 in Edinburgh. Mrs Andrew Sutherland, 19 Pipersquoy Rd, Kirkwall. Jane (#250) is the sister of Bobby Cursiter of 62 Meadowbank, Kirkwall. We visited Jane, her husband Drew and daughter Mary in 1983 and 1984. Jane sent me my "Highlands and Islands" telephone directory so that I could begin my mail campaigns! Mrs Peter Thomson, 2 Maitland Place, Finstown, Orkney. Beatrice, a friend of Mimes Manson #3710, was born in N. Ronaldsay and is interested in this island's history and genealogies. I gave her a copy of my Cursiter book 7/92 and my Turfus book 8/92. Beatrice provided valuable information including a commentary on the tale of Robbie Turfus fleeing N. Ronaldsay with his family for Sanday. Mr William Harrold Turfus (#5096), Brigafea, Tankerness, Orkney KW17 2QR. William responded to my 7/92 letter to the Orcadian and enclosed a photocopy of the "Family Register" portion of his family bible. I sent him a copy of this book 8/92. The late Mr John J Wallace (#501) of Lettan, Lady, Sanday. John was especially knowledgeable about Sanday history. In addition his wife Christine is Registrar of Sanday and keeper of the civil records (1855-present). I wish to thank John, his sister Mary and wife Christine for the hospitality they showed my wife and me during our visit to Sanday and for all the help they gave us. Without the information they provided this paper would be much less complete. The late Mr William Wallace Weatherston (#111) formerly of 32 Abbey Ln., Delray Beach, Florida 33446. William was very helpful providing information early in my search. TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS The following are a few inscriptions that I have copied from while visiting various Orkney churchyards. This is in no way a comprehensive list. St Magnus, Kirkwall large grave marker on right side of kirkyard (facing church) Thomas Heddle, Master Mariner in memory of Jean Heddle, died 26 April 1863 age 15 months Charles Heddle, died 19 Dec 1872 age 9 years Thomas Heddle, died 24 Sept 1878 age 27 George J C Heddle, died 17 Nov 1881 age 25 Capt Thomas Heddle, died 26 Sep 1877 age 62 Jean Cursiter, died 23 July 1884 age 62 James Cursiter Heddle, died 12 June 1938 age 73 Old Lady Kirkyard, Sanday (copied 6/21/92 - pre 1855 deaths or other interesting people/surnames) Pte Archibald Muir son of late William & Mrs Muir, merchant, Roadside, Lady died in General Hospital, Winnipeg, Canada 27 Mar 1919, aged 29 Jessie Ann Wallace, 7 Oct 1929 age 47 George Muir, 30 June 1956 age 73 Peter Fotheringhame (illegible) & sister Mary, died Edinburgh 19 Dec 1937 George Fotheringhame, 12 Mar 1951 age 97 wife Elizabeth Angus, 29 Aug 1930 at Templehall age 75 son Peter 11th B.N.A.I.F., killed in action 26 May 1916 age 33 oldest son John Angus, retired schoolteacher, B.A. of London U. 12 Mar 1953 age 75 daughter Margaret, Doehouse, Sandwick, 20 June 1965 age 86 son James Angus, 31 DEc 1968 age 83 ? William Guthrie 11 Aug 1969 age 76 Jane Peace im memory of husband: John Melville, 13 April 1884 age 49? infant child Janet 30 Nov 1881 son James 23 Dec 1920 age 54 in Edinburgh Jane Peace (above) 31 May 1921 age 81 Thomas Meall 14 Oct 1844 age 29 son of George Meall and Janet Wallace Barbara Muir, 20 June 1856 @ Summerfield, St Ola age 76 second daughter of the late George and Eliza Muir, Queensbrig Mary Wallace Grieve, 21 Aug 1961 @ Queensbrig age 66 her husband David Muir, 4 Oct 1961 @ Eastbank Hospital age 87 (next grave) James Grieve, 22 Nov 1965 @ North Lodge age 85 James Angus 5 Aug 1927 @ Tofts age 43 wife Mary Wallace Muir Dick 17 Feb 1974 @ Roadside age 86 William Skea, 20 Aug 1848 age 18 by parents William Skea and Margaret Scott also their other two children Janet and Mary William Skea 2 Nov 1833 age 23 son of James Skea Andrew Stout 26 July 1842 age 46 and son Andrew drowned 7 Sept 1849 (stone erected by widow and mother) Donald Skea, 26 Feb 1877 age 34 wife Betsy Skea 14 JUly 1867 age 76 erected by Elisabeth Scott son William 7 June 1836 (or 1886) age 16 son Thomas 1 June 1848 age 23 James Garriock, tailor and native of Eday 27 Aug 1884 @ Nearhouse (or Newhouse) age 61 George Strang, sometime Tacksman ? Jan 1826 @ Sellibister George Muir, 18 Dec 1913 age 78 wife Marion Drever 1927 @ Edinburgh age 86 Thomas Leslie native of Westray, 8 Jan 1845 age 68 by Thomas and William Leslie mother Barbara Balfour, wife of Thomas Leslie, a native of Westray 21 Oct 1855? age 76 James Angus, 25 Oct 1847 age 25 (other parts of stone illegible) probable by James Angus for beloved wife Margaret Peace who died 17 July 1860 (next stone) William Angus, Cleat, 30 Nov 1890 age 73 Peter Cock (next stone) erected by William Cock for mother Margaret Muir, June 1839? erected by James Sinclair mother Jean Linklater 1818? or 1848? age ? (illegible) by David Lyall, keeper of Start Lighthouse wife Barbro Thomson 16 Feb 1837 age 43 also still born child Andrew Thomson, farmer, Newark 20 Dec 1849 age 76 wife Mary Wilson 2 Sep 1852 age 77 also four of their children by Andrew Thomson, Gerbo, Sanday for wife Janet Muir born 24 July 1819, died 4 Sep 1880 son Andrew Thomson born 29 Dec 1821, died 11 Apr 1910 (note son or wife's birth date must be wrong) (next stone) Andrew Thomson, farmer, Garbo, 18 Apr 1850 age 76 wife Grace Moodie born 10 Sep 1782, died 27 DEc 1870 granddaughter Grace Thomson died 1923 Robert Turfus, 8 Aug 1887 age 71 (nearby) by Margaret Turfus for husband David Sinclair 21 Jan 1868 age 62 James Spence, merchant, Sanday born here 25 July 1780 died at his house of Castlehill 2 Nov 1838 age 58 by his widow James Robert nee Jaimie Muir child of Samuel and Christina Muir born 4 JUne, died 14 Sep 1897 (or 1887?) Mary Jane Gibson wife of William Cooper died @ Sellibister Schoolhouse 19 May 1835? age 38 William Guthrie, 21 June 1900 @ Hobbister age 72 son James Guthrie drowned Hoy Sound 22 May 1885 age 25 grandchild Annie L Moodie 15 Oct 1903 age 15 months wife Mary Sinclair 3 Nov 1918 age 75 Donald Peace 24 June 1901 age 80 son William 23 Feb 1872 age 27 of Typhus fever @ South Shields Barbara Wilson Peace 29 DEc 1923 age 100 @ Chester Robert Turfus 2 July 1880? age 67 wife Barbara Sinclair 30 Dec 1897 age 62 child Ann 7 Feb 1855 age 4 months Thomas 11? Aug 1865 age 15 John 17 Aug 1869? age ? months Robert Turfus 11 Apr 1919 age 66 @ Westhill wife Mary Tulloch 20 Jul 1876 age 23 w Barbara Wallace 3 Feb 1891 age 42 daughter Elizabeth feb 1889 age 10 months in memory of our mother Jane Muir wife of James Mainland, d Neigarth 8 Sep 1883 age 47 dear aunt Jane Mainland age 60 also above James Mainland d @ Inkerman, Shapinsay 11 Jun 1917 age 80 by William and John Dearness father William Dearness Aug 1881 age 70 mother Jane Drever Apr 1849 age 37 three of their children who died in infancy by Jane Drever father John Drever born 21 May 1812, died 14 Mar 1855 mother Margaret Muir born 21 Oct 1815, died 2 July 1857 by David Westness for daughter Mary 5 July 1828 age 7? above David died 20 Oct 1852 age 74 (adjacent stone) by David Westness son William 14 Aug 1828? age 23 wife Ann Slatter 9 July 1847 age 72 Walter Drever 6 March 1877 age 38 by Mary Hourston for father James Hourston 22 Jun 1848 age 76 by William Grieve foe wife Barbara Muir 15 Nov 1851 age 63 son Charles Grieve 12 Aug 1851 age 22 by Margaret Angus husband Thomas Drever 4 July 1866 age 45 erected in loving memory of Robert Cursiter who died (illegible) and his wife Christina Turfus (next stone) erected by David Wallace in memory of his wife Elizabeth Drever who died 7 ? 1888 age 67 also their son John who died 12 July 1882 age 40 and above David Wallace died 27 Jan 1907 age 90 by Jane Leslie for husband John Muir, farmer, Seatter, Sellibister born 25 Dec 1789, died 19 Jan 1857 (same stone) Andrew Muir, farmer, Seatter, son of above born 21 May 1817, died 9 Feb 1907 by Andrew Muir, farmer, Seatter for sister Jannet Muir, born 22 Apr 1821, died 17 March 1886 age 65 by William Tulloch wife Mary Tulloch ?ember 13, 1872? age 81 Margaret Drever wife of John Leslie born 9 Aug 1806, died 23 Dec 1885 also son Thomas Leslie born 30 June 1845, died March 1855 (next stone) John Leslie born 11 July 1811?, died 12 Apr 1871? Robina Leslie born 11 Jube 1847?, died 22 Aug 1898? James and Lydia Miller son George Miller born 9 June 1861, 8 Feb 1880 daughter Elizabet Jane born 4 Jan? 1870, died @ Kirkwall 1 Feb 1873 son Thomas born 24 May 1857, died @ Glasgow 12 May 1897 above Lydia Ann Oliver (mother) b 8 Mar 1822, d 6 Sep 1901 above James Bremner Miller (father) b 3 July 1827, d 5 Mar 1906 William Anderson, tenant of Tressness died 21 Mar 1856 age 80 widow Elizabeth Scott d 20 Apr 1856 age 85 and four of their children who died in infancy by Mary Hourston for father James Hourston 22 June 1848 age 76 John Wilson of Thorwald, d 11 Sep 1909 age 80 his wife Janet Turfus d 21 Aug 1909 age 81 Elizabeth Wallace d 22 Apr 1931 age 59 her husband John Thomson d 23 Sep 1949 age 86 Margaret Wallace wife of Thomas Muir died @ S. Cromwell Rd, Kirkwall 7 Sep 1927 age 68 in memory of our dear brother PTE Andrew Wallace, Seaforth Highlanders killed in France 9 Apr 1917 age 35 (adjacent stone) Catherine Wallace and husband William Wallace of Lettan William Wallace, Lettan died 6 July 1915 age 75 Roseanne Wallace Muir died @ Queensbrig 6 Apr 1922 age 21 ORKNEY TESTAMENTS AND INVENTORIES 1573-1615, ROBERT S. BARCLAY, EDITOR The following are excerpts from all of the Turfus references found in Barclay's book (see Reference book portion of SOURCES section of this paper). Each entry contains a complete inventory of the deceased's estate including his possessions and debts. For brevity's sake I have not copied the detailed inventories. I have only listed the total value of possessions, debts, and the net estate value (free gear) including into how many portions the estate was divided. The following is a short, humorous story that I copied from Nancy and William Towrie Cutt's book THE HOGBOON OF HELL and OTHER STRANGE ORKNEY TALES. While obviously fictional it contains information about the Cursiters who lived at Purgatory, Cross Parish, Sanday, Orkney. Purgatory is a small farm currently inhabited by Mrs Susan Moodie Dearness. It was the former home of Robert Cursiter #200 and his wife Christina Turfus #201 and later their daughter Margaret and son James Cursiter #220 who married Susan Wilson #228. Robert and Christina were my great,great,grandparents. They are the "Robbie Cursitter" and "old Mrs Cursitter" and James is the "Jim Cursitter" of this story. In about 1984, following the suggestion of Mr and Mrs Ken Foubister, the local Sanday postmasters who also ran the Belsair Guest House, I contacted Susan Dearness of Purgatory and inquired about the Cursiters. She replied with a remarkable package of old family photos including a fine picture of Christina Turfus Cursiter and individual photos of all of my great grand aunts and uncles and their spouses - Margaret (married John Peace), Mary (married a different John Peace), Christina (married Peter Skea), William (married Jane Cooper) and James (married Susan Wilson). We have visited Susan whenever we have gotten to Sanday. I will be always indebted to her for the family photos - probably the only ones in existence. W. Towrie Cutt's short stories are all delightful reading. To me this one has a special meaning because it deals with my Sanday ancestors. I hope the publishers will excuse me for printing The Hogboons of Hell in its entirety. Since the book is out of print I took the liberty to include it in my Turfus paper. The Hogboon of Hell About the middle of last century a certain Patrick McVicar was presented by the laird to the Presbytery of the Church of Scotland in Orkney, approved, and inducted as the minister of St Colms in succession to Mr Hutchison who had died. The parishioners had loved their old minister, who was kindly and eloquent, and were therefore ready to look upon his successor with a critical eye. At first they had trouble in understanding Mr McVicar. His native language was Gaelic so that his accent and his arrangement of sentences were strange to them. 'When the postman will he be passing ? ' had to be understood as 'When will the postman be passing ?' For his first sermon he gave forth the text: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Having read it over twice, first in low tones, and then almost shouting it, he began; 'Brethren, first we must ask who, the Devil, he was; secondly, where, the Devil, he was going; and thirdly what, the Devil, he was roaring about ?' Red-faced parents hushed their tittering children in the pews. The minister's fluency in English, however, increased rapidly with his having to talk it every day, and also, unfortunately, the length of his sermons. His flock resigned themselves to long sermons; it was another matter that troubled them. As part of his stipend, Mr McVicar had the benefit of a glebe, a fair-sized tract of land, much of it fertile, other parts not. This glebe was divided into crofts, and the tenants paid their rents either in cash or in kind. The old minister had been very considerate of his tenants, especially when the crops were poor, or when misfortune struck a family. Mr McVicar, coming in a year when the crops were poor, exacted the last penny, the last pound of meal, and the last half-ounce of butter from them. More, he would not accept the tenants' word for weighing or measuring; that had to be done again on his scales. Several tenants quarrelled with him, but none seriously except Robbie Cursitter, tenant of the large croft of Helye, which had mixed soil in the western part, stony and hilly in the middle, and fertile in the east. Helye had been a farm away back when Orkney was ruled by Norse earls. Helye-githa, meaning Holy Enclosure, it had been at one time, and it was said that the ruins of a church had once stood near Robbie's house; but, if so, no trace of it remained. The name had been contracted to Helye, and no one bothered about what it meant. Relations between Cursitter and the minister grew worse, and as a result, at the end of three years, McVicar split the large croft in two, and gave the eastern part to his ploughman, Henry Hay, a docile man, who agreed that his rent should be the working of the minister's home fifteen acres, and the supplying of the McVicar household at the manse with cheese, butter, and meal. When Cursitter was told of this by the minister, he protested vigorously, pointing out that his grown-up son whose services he needed could not live with his parents on half the original Helye, and that Henry Hay, given both the half and the benefit of the minister's home croft, was so favoured that Cursitter would see the laird about it. Mr McVicar agreed reluctantly to split the original in three, Robbie to have the west, his son, Jim, the middle, and Henry Hay the east and fertile portion. 'But the name, Mr McVicar,' said Robbie. 'It is no longer the farm of Helye.' 'Call it that which you like. To me that is of no interest,' snapped the minister. Henry Hay, now having good prospects, persuaded a girl whom he had long hankered for, to marry him, and began to build a little cottage on his croft, saying that its name was Paradise. Robbie Cursitter continued to call his Helye, and his son Jim said he would wait until he had buildings erected before naming his. Many thought that Hay was rash in naming his croft Paradise until he found it to his liking. Another misfortune befell Robbie Cursitter shortly after the division. Near the house and steading of Helye there was a mound, and in this mound very old people declared that a mound-dweller called a hogboon lay asleep, and some day would waken. A hogboon is known in other parts as a boggart - a goblin or bugbear. According to the elders, hogboons could be either troublesome and vindictive or friendly and helpful, and all of them were sportive. They could go into hibernation in the mound for weeks, or years, or even centuries. There was no telling when they would wake up. Both Robbie and his wife knew the old legend, but, as they had never been troubled at Helye, they never gave the matter a thought until the hogboon woke up and began to pester them. While old Mrs Cursitter stood over her churn one day, rhythmically raising and lowering the dasher, the handle began to vibrate violently in her hands. Then the lid flew up, followed by the dasher, and cream scattered all over her clean flag-stoned floor, and into the embers on the hearth, spitting, and smelling as it evaporated. Next the door flew open, and something flashed past her. She thought she caught sight for a moment of a little figure, a man with a beard, wizened, and not more than two feet high; but she was not sure if she actually saw it or imagined it. Robbie Cursitter was winnowing grain in the barn. He had half-filled the riddle, as he called his coarse sieve, and, while lifting it off the floor, it whirled around in his hands, flew up into the air, and spilt its contents over Robbie. As soon as he recovered from his surprise, he remembered old tales of hogboons, and called out, 'Here Trim, here Trim.' A big shaggy dog bounded up. 'Seek him Trim. Trim him, Trim,' shouted Robbie, but was chagrined to see his dog leap around and speed away, yelping in pain. It dashed straight to the water-filled quarry, plunged in under the water, came up and remained near the edge. Meanwhile Mrs Cursitter, the better of her fright, had .arranged two nests for her broody hens. She went to a box under which she had imprisoned the hens, lifted the edge, and reached in carefully to get a hold on one. A low, husky quack sounded, and she drew out a drake. 'My gracious!' she exclaimed, and flung it from her. Again she reached in and drew out another drake. 'Bless my soul !' she muttered and went to see if the broody hens were on the nests. They were not, and the eggs she had put in were gone. For three more days the Cursitters were pestered. Milking pails leaked, cream turned sour overnight, pigs squealed, and calves ran galloping around the small pasture as if they had heard the Prodigal Son had returned. On the evening of the third day of torment, when things had been quiet for hours, Jim Cursitter came home after labouring on his croft for days. He now had the walls of a small cottage up, and he would thatch it in autumn. He wanted to start a byre, but had not yet got the stones. Too tired to take much interest, he listened to his parents' tale of woe. 'I chose to keep the name Helye,' shouted Robbie, 'but now it shall be Hell, for that's what it is.' His son stirred himself. 'That's what I thought of calling my stony bit of ground. But I'll do with Purgatory. Mind you, the minister won't like it.' 'Him!' exclaimed his mother. 'He'll tell folks that he rules Paradise, Purgatory, and Hell.' Just as she had finished saying this, a window cracked, and broken glass scattered on the floor. 'There goes the hogboon again,' sighed Mrs Cursitter. 'Why don't you put a curse on him, Father?' asked Jim. 'That I will. ' Taking a deep breath he shouted: ' Hogboon. Blast your miserable skin. Get out of this place. Go to the devil, your master, or to the minister, for he has a fine mound near his big house on the bay.' The door opened gently. A low sighing noise lasted for a minute, and the door gently closed. 'He's gone,' exclaimed Robbie, gleefully. 'Aye,' said his wife, 'but the poor thing sighed pitifully at the door.' 'Poor thing! Do you want your windows broken and your cream spilt, and your eggs taken ?' 'No, Robbie, but the devil or the minister ! That's a sore choice.' 'May be. May be. But Hell is the name I gave this house, and Hell is to be its name.' 'And mine,' added Jim, 'stays Purgatory, aye, even if I ever get all the stones dug up, and break the heather.' Although Helye had peace when the name was changed to Hell, the old Cursitters had a hard struggle to make ends meet on their small croft, and Robbie grew feeble, allowing the buildings to deteriorate. Jim had little time to spare, for his Purgatory took all of it. Meanwhile, the hogboon had taken up his abode in the mound on the bay near the fine manse of the Reverend Patrick McVicar. For weeks he lay quiet, making his cell in the mound to his liking. McVicar, ignorant of the mounddweller, learned with glee that the name of Helye was now Hell, and the other croft Purgatory. As Mrs Cursitter had foretold, he was proud of being the proprietor of Paradise, Purgatory and Hell, and pleased with his home acres worked by Henry Hay. His girth, extensive as it had been, extended more with hearty eating - a large, flabby man with a dog-fish eye, and a loud hectoring voice. His complacency did not last long. Things began happening at the manse. The butter brought by Mrs Hay, though weighed, tasted, and smelled by the minister, turned rancid overnight; the cheese dissolved into watery curds. The meal which he had weighed and examined turned mouldy. He blustered at poor Henry Hay who stammered that the minister well knew that the produce he and his wife had brought was fresh, clean, and of full weight. Before long, however, Mr McVicar had to admit that trouble was being caused by something strange and mysterious. On Saturday night he could find only thirty pages of the English translation of his sermon for Sunday, although the forty-five pages of the Gaelic version had not been touched. Sunday came, and the congregation was dismissed with his blessing after being only forty minutes in the pews. When he arrived back at the manse, after the service he stood outside, examining the windows of his study, and then he examined every window in the manse. There was not a sign of an illegal entry. To make sure, he went round the manse a second time. As he passed a water butt, raised two feet above the ground, it toppled over, and drenched him. No thought of the cause worried his mind while he divested himself of his clerical garb in the bedroom, and flung the dripping garments down the stairs, calling to the maid to dry them. For the rest of the day he sat by the fire sneezing, his flesh quivering. That night he ordered the cook to have the maid get two round stones, heat them in the oven, wrap each in a flannel satchel, and put them in his bed. In spite of the warmth of the stones, his back felt cold all through the night. The maid was the next to be pestered. When she went to heat the stones on the following evening, she could not find them, though the flannel satchels were there. She went to the beach to get two more. Having found one suitable, she placed it above the beach, and sought another. Almost all the stones on the beach were small pebbles, but she found one that would do, and carried it up, intending to pick up the first. But it was gone. She dropped the second, and looked all around. A rattling startled her, and she saw the second stone roll down over the pebbles and go plump into the sea. 'Mercy me!' she exclaimed. 'Something will not let me take big stones. I'll take six smaller ones.' She did so, carrying them in her apron, and she put them in the oven. When they were hot, she put them in the satchels, and put these in the minister's bed. Mr McVicar went upstairs after his wife had gone to bed. His cold was some better, and he was looking forward to the comfort of heat on his back and chest. He climbed in beside his wife into a warm bed, reached down to get the satchels, and put one on his back and the other on his chest. Warm and comfortable, he was just about dropping off to sleep, when he gave a gasp. Both satchels not only had turned icy cold, but also one felt as if things were moving inside it. Up he jumped. 'What's the matter, Patrick ? ' asked his alarmed wife. 'The matter ! Light the lamp. ' Mrs McVicar did so. The minister pulled out both satchels, and both of them wriggled. He dropped them on the floor. His wife picked one up and undid the cord. She held it upside down. Three young coalfish dropped out and wriggled on the carpet. The McVicars gazed in horror. Mrs McVicar recovered, opened the window, and threw the other satchel out. Then she rang for the maid, who came up and looked in surprise at her employers in their voluminous night shirts. 'Jeannie, look what you put in your master's flannels.' Jeannie looked at the fish with popping eyes. 'I never did. I put in three stones. Where would I get the cuithes ?' 'Go down and get the other satchel from outside the window. Take it up, and bring cook with you.' Jeannie did so, and soon returned with old Mrs Norquoy, the cook. Sure enough, when the satchel was gingerly opened as it wriggled, three cuithes were in it. 'Mrs Norquoy,' said Mrs McVicar, 'could anyone have put fish in these instead of the stones Jeannie says she put ?' 'No,' said the cook. Nobody could have done so. I saw her put the stones in with my own eyes.' The four looked at one another in consternation. A slithering attracted their attention. Two satchels lay on the floor, but the fish were gone. 'I know, sir. I know,' said the cook brightly. 'That's the work of a hogboon.' 'A hogboon !' exclaimed the McVicars simultaneously. 'Aye, a bogle. He'll have been asleep in the mound for long, and now he's up to his tricks again.' 'Have you seen . . . whatever it is?' asked Mrs McVicar. 'You don't see them, ma'am. Never. They just pester from nowhere.' 'They must be sent by Satan to pester me in my good work,' said the minister. 'What am I to do ?' 'There's only one thing,' said the cook slowly. 'Put a curse on him. Tell him to be off.' The minister drew himself up. 'Hog . . .' he shouted. 'What did you call it, cook ? ' 'Hogboon, sir. Hogboon!' 'Hogboon,' boomed the minister, 'you limb of Satan, go back to where you belong. Back, Hogboon, back to Hell, you offspring of Beelzebub.' A slithering noise was heard, an~ then silence. 'That's done for him,' said the cook. 'He'll not dare pester you again.' She and the maid went away. Mrs McVicar went back to bed. The minister blew out the lamp, and as he padded to the bed he stepped on the slimy spot where the fish had fallen. He shivered, and dived under the bedclothes. In spite of his sufferings, Mr McVicar rose in the morning, his cold better, and pleased with the effect of his curse. As days went by and no hogboon tormented him he remarked to his wife: 'The imp has gone where I commanded him to go.' Mr McVicar was right, though not in the way he understood. Robbie Cursitter knew that the hogboon was back in the mound at Hell, but it was a changed creature. Mrs Cursitter found her eggs gathered; Robbie found his grain winnowed and later it was flailed for him. His wife found her empty waterpail full, and peats carried in. In their failing days the hogboon was a great boon to them. Meanwhile, Henry Hay had found it impossible to meet all the minister's demands, and sadly gave up Paradise, and took service with a big farmer. As other crofters knew why Henry had given up, no one wanted to take the place. At last Mr McVicar got Jim Cursitter to take it and its duties for a fixed rent in cash, the minister getting another crofter to work his acres, and pay for its props in kind. A year passed, and Mr McVicar was appointed to a church outside the island, somewhere in Fife, and a young Mr Ritch was appointed to St Colms. When the old Cursitters died, Mr Ritch restored the former Helye to its original size, giving Jim Cursitter the tenancy. As his father's buildings were in disrepair, Jim took the roof off the house, and replaced his thatch roof with the flag-stone roof of Hell, and in the years following removed all the stones from Hell and Paradise. The hogboon did not live on in the memories of the generations that followed. The wiser sons of the fathers regarded all old legends as superstitions. But when the writer was a boy, he heard his elders speak of the houses of Hell and Paradise, and Purgatory was then standing, and still stands today. Shortly after World War I, a James Cursitter of Purgatory appeared before the Crofters' Commission that was enquiring into rents and other things. Cursitter was asked by the chairman if he was the man who took the roof off Hell and put it on Purgatory. W.T.C. APPENDIX SASINES The following was copied from a document at the Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City: The word "sasine" means the act of giving possession of land. The transferring of land to a new proprietor was considered so important that as much publicity as possible was given so that reliable evidence of the transaction could be preserved. Even when written records of the transaction started to be kept, it was considered necessary to have witnesses present when the grantee took possession. Often a symbolic act was performed in which the grantor would pick up a rock or clod of earth and give it to the grantee. Sasines started to be recorded as early as the 15th century. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, they were recorded in a number of ways which evolved into a standard way of recording. A written document known as the "instrument of sasine" was kept. Many of these are found in 15th century family records and in Notarial Protocol Books. In 1540 and 1555, acts of Parliament were passed regarding the means of recording. These proved ineffective. On the 15th November 1600 an act was ratified by Parliament requiring a register of sasines to be kept under the direction of the Secretary of State. It was called the Secretary's Register. This was done on a local basis (county and district). This law was suppressed by Parliament 24 June 1609. On the 28th June 1617, a law was passed requiring a public register to be kept under the direction of the Lord Clerk-Register. Sasines had to be registered within 60 days of the transaction. A "particular" register was assigned to each county and district that the country was divided into. A "general" register for the county as a whole was appointed to be kept in Edinburgh. The transactions could be registered in the particular register or registers of the locality or localities in which the land was located; or, they could be recorded in the general register. The Land Registers Act of 1868 eliminated the use of particular registers and from then on a single general register was kept. It continues today. Aside from the Particular and General Registers, Royal Burghs kept their own registers of sasines. Until 1681 they were also recorded in the Notarial Protocol Books. In 1681 a separate register of burgh sasines were kept. The majority of these have been deposited at the Scottish Record Office. Specific data available in Salt Lake City including scope, Volume(s), date(s) and microfilm numbers is as follows: GENERAL REGISTER Repertory of general and particular registers 1599-1868 216969 Index to the general register of sasines Vol. 1-2 1616-1630 216970 Vol. 3 1631-1640 216971 Vol. 4 1641-1652 216972 Vol. 5 1652-1660 216973 Vol. 6 1660-1670 216974 Vol. 7 1671-1690 216975 Vol. 8 1691-1700 216976 Printed index to general register 1701-1720 Q 941 B4sp No. 3 Minute books of general register of sasines Vol. 10-13 1717-1738 216977 Vol. 14-17 1739-1762 216978 Vol. 18-20 1763-1782 216979 ORKNEY Minute books of particular register of sasines Vol. 1-3 1661-1744 217008 Vol. 4 1753-1791 21709 Index of persons, to abridgments of sasines Vol. 1-2 1781-1868 217062 Index of places, to abridgments of sasines 1781-1830 217084 Abridgements of sasines Vol. 1-2 1781-1868 217126 I have only done a very cursory search of the sasines thus far. I am documenting the above in hopes that it will be useful in my or your future research. ORKNEY CHURCH RECORDS During my 11/89 visit to the Kirkwall library I began a search of the Orkney church records. At that time Ms Alison Fraser, archivist, gave me the following index to the Orkney holdings. Because this list is not publicly available I have elected to include it in my book. I scanned it using optical character recognition, condensed it by using a smaller type size and then imported it into my document. I have proof read the scanned text and believe that it is free from errors. However if in doubt I can supply a photocopy of the original index. Records relating to the Established Churches and also Secession, Free Churches etc. in Orkney. These volumes are stored in the Strongroom in St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required if they are to be consulted in the Search Room. Microfilm copies of most of the records are available at the Scottish Record Office in Edinburgh. This list is an accurate description of the above records as at 8 December 1988 when the boxes were checked by Mr. Cant, minister of St. Magnus Cathedral and Ms. A. Fraser, Archivist, Kirkwall. 1 ORKNEY, Synod of 1 Minutes 1704 - 1730 2 1760 - 1805 3 1806 - 1820 4 1821 - 1852 5 1852 - 1893 6 1894 - 1916 7 1917 - 1929 8 Scroll minutes 1818 - 1834 2 CAIRSTON, Presbytery of 1 Minutes 1725 - 1764 2 1782 - 1814 3 1814 - 1846 4 1846 - 1870 5 1870 - 1914 6 1914 - 1929 7 Benefice register 1904 - 1915 8 Scroll minutes 1800 - 1808 3 NORTH ISLES, Presbytery of 1 Minutes 1707 - 1735 2 1737 - 1778 3 1779 - 1803 4 1804 - 1820 5 1820 - 1843 6 1843 - 1862 7 1863 - 1878 8 1878 - 1896 9 1896 - 1929 10 Benefice register 11 Separate register 12 Fund for widows 1759 4 ORKNEY, later KIRKWALL, Presbytery of 1 Minutes 1639 - 1646 2 visitation 1702 1659 - 1661 3 diocesan synod 1662 - 1676 4 1676 - 1685 5 1697 - 1701 6 1701 - 1716 7 1716 - 1738 8 1738 - 1781 9 1781 - 1831 10 1831 - 1852 11 1853 - 1880 12 1880 - 1904 13 1905 - 1929 14 Separate register 15 Benefice register 16 Cash book 1930 - 1954 17 1965 - 1974 18 Ledger 1930 - 1956 19 Rent ledger 1930 - 1954 20 C.A. reports 1930 - 1931 21 Printed petition to Court of Teinds by Presbytery of Kirkwall 1920 22 Sederunt book [i.e. register of attendance of ministers at meetings] 1930 - 1950 23 1950 - 1969 24 Stewardship and Budget committee minutes 1965 - 1975 25 Account book 1960 - 1972 26 1954 - 1965 5 BIRSAY Kirk Session 1 Minutes 1747 - 1784 2 Minutes 1853 - 1868 Baptisms 1855 - 1867 Marriages 1855 - 1868 3 Baptismal register 1912 - 1956 4 Communion roll 1878 - 1905 5 1906 - 1920 6 1921 - 1969 6 BURRAY Kirk Session 1 Minutes 1904 - 1930 2 1932 - 1958 3 Congregational Board minutes 1932 - 1950 4 Baptismal register 1904 - 1931 5 Proclamation register 1904 - 1931 6 Deed of constitution 1936 7 Baptismal register 1934 - 1968 8 Minutes 1959 - 1968 9 Congregational Board minutes 1951 - 1968 10 Proclamation register 1938 - 1968 11 Weekly contribution register 1952 - 1981 12 Communion roll 1933 - 1966 7 CROSS & BURNESS Kirk Session, united with Sanday West in 1942 1 & 2 Minutes 1842 - 1926 Accounts 1855 - 1891 3 Minutes 1942 - 1959 4 Proclamations 1899 - 1932 5 1933 - 1958 6 Communion roll 1943 - 1956 7 Electoral roll 1956 8 Minutes 1704 - 1710 Marriages 1711 - 1733 Baptisms 1704 - 1707 9 Accounts 1717 - 1723 8 DEERNESS Kirk Session, St . Ninian's 1 Minutes 1728 - 1792 2 1833 - 1864 3 1893 - 1907 4 1907 - 1931 5 & 6 Proclamations 1830 - 1860 Accounts 1831 - 1872 7 Seat rents 1874 - 1876 8 Communion roll 1906 - 1930 9 1860 - 1931 [including proclamations, baptisms & church collections] 10 Proclamations 1931 - 1977 11 Communion roll 1931 - 1976 12 Property register 1956 - 1966 13 1970 - 1979 9 EDAY Kirk Session 1 Minutes 1821 - 1862 2 1863 - 1921 10 EVIE & RENDALL Kirk Session 1 Minutes 1725 - 1756 2 1830 - 1897 3 1897 - 1931 4 Scroll minutes 1830 - 1845 5 Baptisms 1855 - 1931 [Evie only from 1896] 6 & 7 Baptisms (scroll) 1855 - 1872 Proclamations 1866 - 1900 8 Proclamations 1901 - 1931 9 Communion roll 1830 - 1847 10 1904 - 1930 11 stipend book 1851 - 1853 11 FIRTH & STENNESS Kirk Session 1 Minutes 1723 - 1745 2 1845 - 1861 3 1862 - 1930 4 1931 - 1945 5 Baptismal register 1890 - 1945 6 Proclamation register 1919 - 1944 7 Communion roll 1938 - 1942 8 Proclamation register 1933 - 1945 9 Cash book [Stenness] 1925 - 1960 10 Non communicants roll book 1946 11 Congregational Board minutes [Stenness] 1936 - 1970 12 Property register [Stenness] 1956 - 1967 13 Proclamation register [Stenness] 1943 - 1977 12 HARRAY Kirk Session 1 Minutes (incomplete) 1796 - 1868 2 1879 - 1883 1895 - 1901 3 1901 - 1946 4 Communion roll 1864 - 1868 1895 - 1902 5 1901 - 1945 6 & 7 Baptismal register 1855 - 1877 Marriage register 1855 - 1878 8 Baptisms and marriages 1895 - 1902 9 Baptisms 1901 - 1945 10 Collections 1826 - 1861 11 Schoolmaster's register of fees 1874 - 1875 12 Property register 1956 - 1971 13 Congregational Board minutes 1946 - 1978 14 & 15 Burial register 1801 & 1833 - 1852 Communion roll 1836 13 HOLM Kirk Session, St. Nicholas 1 Minutes 1673 - 1707 2 1707 - 1764 3 Cash book 1933 - 1945 4 Proclamation register 1933 - 1945 14 KIRKWALL, St. Magnus Cathedral Kirk Session 2 Minutes 1761 - 1829 3 A