Oathlaw (Angus)

(formerly Finavon, Finhaven)

Records, sources & information about the Parish of Oathlaw

Parish number 315


map of Oathlaw

More maps of Oathlaw

Introduction
Births & baptisms
Books & articles
Census records
Church Session
Clock & watch tax
Deaths & burials
Estate & family records
Farmers
Farm horse tax
Heritors' records
Land owners
Maps
Marriages
Ministers of the parish
Monumental inscriptions
Old parish registers
Parish Church
Photographs of places
Population statistics
Statistical Accounts
Tenants
Testaments & wills
War memorial
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Introduction

Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.

Abbreviations

NLSNational Library of Scotland
NRSNational Records of Scotland, formerly called the National Archives of Scotland [NAS] and, before that, the Scottish Record Office [SRO]
HM General Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YY (Tel: +44-131-535-1314)
OPROld Parish Registers of Births/baptisms, Banns/marriages & Deaths/burials (pre-1855)

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Books & articles

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Statistical accounts of Oathlaw

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Maps of Oathlaw

Plan of the estate of Finhaven in parish of Oathlaw, revised to 1840 - NRS GD41/498

1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - published 1957

1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1859-61, published 1865

For the full range of maps of Oathlaw in the National Library, see National Library's Maps.

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Photographs of places

Geograph.org: Oathlaw - recent photographs of Oathlaw. National Grid ref. NO4756.

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Oathlaw parish church

Located at National Grid ref. NO476562. Built in 1815. Now a private house.

Photograph of the former Oathlaw Kirk

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Parish ministers 1560-1942

adm.: admitted, ass.: assistant, bapt.: baptised, contr.: contract, dem.: demitted, dep.: deposed, ind.: inducted, lic.: licensed, mar.: married, min.: minister, ord.: ordained, pres.: presented, rel.: related, res.: resigned, suc.: successor, test.: testament, tr.: translated

David Lindsay of Pitcairlie1560-1576parson in 1541; conformed and held this parish & Inverarity
William Lindsay1576-1578reader
Alexander Kynnimonth (Kinmont)1585-1586min. 1585, with Inverarity and Kirkbuddo also in the charge; tr. to Kirriemuir 1586
James Hepburn1591-1595M.A. St Andrews 1585; min. 1591; d. Jul 1595, aged ca. 30; mar. Eliz. Graham; issue: Agnes/Anna
James Elliot1597-1618M.A.; min. 1597; tr. to Forfar aft. 17 Jun 1618
Andrew Allan1622-1649M.A. St Andrews 1610; adm. to Clova 15 Oct 1615; tr. & adm. bef. 17 Oct 1622; dep. 26 Sep 1649, being confused & ignorant; d. bef. 12 Jul 1661; mar. (contr.) 1616 Sybilla, dau. of Andrew Clayhills, min. of Monifieth; issue: Margaret, Jane
David Ochterlony1650-1658M.A.; ord. 8 Aug 1650; tr. to Fordoun aft. 23 Sep 1658
Andrew Straton1659-1693/5prob. of Fodra fam.; chaplain to Lindsay of Edzell 3 Apr 1656; ord. 4 Aug 1659; d. 1693 or 1695
John Grub1696M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1683; intruded here ca. 1696; declared fugitive by Privy Council 1701; preached in meeting house at Gardyne, Kirkden Jun-Jul 1712 and in Arbroath Nov 1713; intruded at Kirkden Jun 1714, at Inverarity Sep 1715 to Feb 1716, at Carmyllie 1716; performed bapts & mars at Guthrie 1712-1715 and elsewhere; dep. 5 Jun 1717 as Jacobite; opened meeting house in Brechin, which was closed 1726 by court order
John Anderson1710-1725M.A. Edinburgh 1688; ord. 30 Aug 1710; anti-Jacobite; d. 28 Jan 1725; mar. Agnes Dunbar, who survived him
John Martin1726-1740M.A. St Andrews 1697; ord. 9 Feb 1726; d. May 1740; mar. Jean Stewart, who survived him
Thomas Raiker1740-1803b. 6 Jun 1711 Anstruther Wester FIF, 7th son of Robt R., excise officer; ord. 31 Dec 1740; d. (father of the synod) 31 Jan 1803; mar. 1742 Mary, dau. of James Profit, merchant, Kirriemuir
Lewis Littlejohn (Ludovic Littlejohn)1803-1830b. ABD; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1786; schoolmaster here; ord. 8 Sep 1803; d. 8 Nov 1830; mar. 1809 Agnes, dau. of Andrew Milne, farmer; issue: Lewis; Douglas Gordon; Joseph; James Gordon; Ford; Gordon; Patrick; Wm
Andrew Cromar1831-1835b. 1795, son of Patk C., farmer, Lumphanan; M.A. Marischal 1814; ord. 10 May 1831; d. 10 Nov 1835; mar. 1828 Jane, dau. of Geo. Philip, Arnroath; issue: Margaret Milne; Jane (mar. David Ritchie); Geo. Philip, wine merchant, Arbroath; Barbara (mar. Alexander Thou Scott, min. of Bargeddie)
Harry Stuart1836-1880b. 1801, son of John S., farmer, Birse ABD; M.A. Marischal 1820; ord. 28 Apr 1836; d. 18 Mar 1880 Oathlaw; unmar.
Alexander Ritchie1880-1926b. 3 Jun 1855 Collace PER, son of Alexr R., farmer; ass. St John's Edinburgh; ord. 22 Sep 1880; dem. 28 Dec 1926; d. 30 Jan 1929 Coupar Angus
Thomas Henry Wright1927-1942B.D.; b. 9 Nov 1857 Oundle, Northants; tr. from Scots Ch., Paris & ind. 12 May 1927; d. 24 Jun 1942 Brechin; mar. (1) 1886 Anna Gilchrist; (2) 1920 Finella, dau. of James Guthrie, banker (son of rev. Thomas Guthrie, D.D.)

Ministers of the Congregational Church in Oathlaw

See Congregational ministers in Oathlaw.

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Monumental inscriptions

Monuments in Oathlaw Kirkyard bearing pre-1855 information (ca. 40 stones) are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Angus, Vol. 1: Strathmore" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1993), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Angus MI - Vol. 1. Pre-1855 Strathmore" in their online shop.)

Andrew Jervise recorded some monuments at Oathlaw in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 1, pp. 335-8.

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Oathlaw war memorial

Now inside Tannadice kirk: 1914-1919 : 1939-1945

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Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1855 to present

Indexes and actual records for Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths, beginning 1 Jan 1855, are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.

Births, Marriages & Deaths, before 1855

Indexes and actual records for all extant Old Parish Registers (OPRs) (pre-1855) of the Established Church of Scotland are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.

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Church Session Records of Oathlaw Parish Church

Nature of recordDatesNRS ref. CH2/287/...
Minutes1716-17171
Accounts1732-17411
Minutes1741-17512
Proclamation18412
Minutes1774-17803
Accounts1772-17803
Minutes1780-17974
Minutes & accounts1780-17955
Minutes1796-18406
Book of discipline1808-18607
Minutes1860-19108
Communion rolls1860-18808
Cash book1840-19069
Minutes1844-18699
Cash book1906-196710
Proclamations1880-193411
Marriages1956-197012
Communion roll1897-193713
Interment register1675-192114
Yeaman mortification accounts1907-196615
Papers re Yeaman mortification1949-196716
Misc. papers incl. death certificates19th-20th C.17

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Oathlaw Heritors' records

Nature of recordDatesNRS ref. HR580/...
Minute book1881-19291
Cash book1882-19292
Papers re ecclesiastical buildings, etc. (church, manse)1882, 18983
Copy excerpt from valuation roll of county of Forfar, parish of Oathlaw18224

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Land owners

There were 7 proprietors of land in the parish in 1835:

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Estate & family records

Papers of Langlands of[?] Bogardo, and of Roseberry, Jamaica, 1746-1831 [Angus Archives ref. MS 692/1]

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Farmers / Tenants

FarmNameDates
BankheadAndrew Falconer-1841-1851-
doThomas Watt-1861-
doForbes Dick-1871-1881-
BattledykesCharles Carnegie-1841-
doDavid Carnegie-1851-1861-
doJames Carnegie [d. 1909]-1881-1891-
doJames Wilson-1902-1914-
doW.M. Duncan-1926-1942-
BirkenbushWilliam Carnegie-1861-1902-
doJames S. Batchelor [d. 1913]-1906-1913
doMrs Seaton [wid. of Thomas Seaton]-1914-
doJohn Cameron Seaton-1914-1935-
doW. Murdie-1938-1942-
BlairyfeddonAndrew Cook-1841-1851-
doMrs Margaret Cook-1861-
doRobert Cook-1871-1881-
doDavid Young-1891-1902-
doPeter Robertson-1906-
doMrs Robertson-1910-1942-
BogardoHarry Batchelor-1902-1910-
doA. Lamond, jun.-1914-1926-
doJames Findlay-1929-1942-
BogindolloDavid Kidd, sen.-1841-1851-
doDavid Kidd, M.D.-1881-1891-
doJohn S. Falconer-1900-1906
doWilliam Kirkwood1906-1921-
doW. & J.F. Kirkwood-1927
doWilliam D. Cunningham-1930-1942-
CouttstonTo LetSep 1864
doDavid Ramsay-1880
doTo LetAug 1880
doThomas Mackie-1891-1914-
doMrs Mackie-1918-1921-
doJohn Ritchie-1926-1930-
doGordon Milne-1935-1942-
DrumcluneWilliam Wylie [several of that name]-1869-1954-
East BogDavid Robb-1851-
doThomas Ogilvy-1861-
doWilliam Wylie-1906-1914-
East & West CarsebankWilliam Nicoll-1902-1906-
Easter OathlawWilliam Fairweather-1851-
doAlexander Fairweather-1861-
doJames Adams, M.D.-1891-
doWilliam Paterson [d. 1897]-1897
doRepresentatives of William Paterson-1902-1906-
doMrs William Paterson-1910-1916-
doJames Paterson-1918-1942-
EskhillVice-adm. E.C. Drummond of Eskhill-1906-
doR. Christie-1930-1935-
doJ. & N. Stewart-1938-1942-
Haughs of FinavonAdam Robbie ?-1861-
doAdam Pattullo-1881-
doLt.-col. C.G. Gardyne-1906-
doDavid Lamond-1914-1921-
HowmuirMrs E. Norrie-1902-
MeadowsJohn Webster-1841-1861-
doJoseph Webster-1871-1881-
doJohn Webster-1891-1926-
doJames Murison-1930-
doJ. & H. Murison-1935-1942-
Milton of FinavonAlexander Batchelor-1861-1891-
doAllan Batchelor-1902-1935-
doMrs Batchelor-1938-1942-
NewbarnsRobert Lawson-1851-1861-
doWilliam Duke-1881-1891-
doJohn R. Taylor-1902-
doAlexander McHardy of Newbarns-1906-
OrdieDavid Ritchie-1841-1851-
doWilliam Ritchie [d. 1914]-1881-1914
doGeorge & D. Ramsay-1914-1921-
doR. & J. Murray-1926-1935-
doJames Murray-1938-1942-
ParkfordJames Webster-1841-1861-
doJohn Webster [d. 1913]-1881-1906-
doWilliam Williamson-1909-1910-
doAlexander [d. 1913] & T.W. Hair-1913-
doThomas & J. Hair-1918-1921-
doRobert Malloch-1924-1930-
doAlexander & -- Glennie-1931-1935-
doWilliam Crichton-1938-1942-
West BogDavid Robb-1902-
West Mains of FinavonGeorge Crichton-1841-1871-
doJames W. Crichton-1881-
doGeorge Batchelor-1891-1921-
doWilliam Beattie-1926-1930-
doW.W. Findlay-1935-1942-
Wester OathlawDavid Millar [d. 1894]-1851-1894
doAlexander Ritchie-1902-
doJames Kidd-1905-1914-
doWilliam Dalgety-1918-1930-
doDavid Whitton-1935-1942-
WolflawAlexander Keay-1851-1891-
doJohn & Alexander Keay-1902-
doDavid Milne, sen. & jun.-1908
doJames Keay [d. 1935]-1910-1935
doWilliam Wilkie-1937-1942-
WoodsideRobert Davidson-1841-1881-
doWilliam Davidson [d. 1893]-1893
doThomas Fenton-1906-1914-
doCharles Symon-1918-1930-
doJames Lindsay-1935-1942-

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Census records

Records of the official censuses of the parish in 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1921 are held in Register House, Edinburgh and are open to the public on payment of a fee.

Indexes to all the original census records, and the records themselves, can be accessed online at modest charge at ScotlandsPeople.

Microfilm copies are also widely available in libraries. The 1881 census is available on CD-ROM.

The early censuses of 1801-31 do not name individuals.

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Population statistics

Yearmalefemaletotalref.
1755435Dr Alexander Webster
1790217213430Old Statistical Account
1801384
1811355
1821201204405
1831533
1841
1851424
1871234218452
1881227213440
1891212187399
1901183182365
1911173151324
1921168150318

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Testaments & wills

Oathlaw was in the Commissariot of Brechin.

Indexes to all extant pre-1926 testamentary records (wills & inventories of moveable property) can be searched free of charge at ScotlandsPeople. Digital (and paper) copies of the documents can be purchased at that site. See further the introduction to Angus & Kincardineshire at Testaments.

Testaments of Oathlaw people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Brechin, 1576-1823
'T' before the date indicates that the copy in the register is lost, but the original testament is extant.

Charles Baillietenant in Battledikes12 Jan 1813
Agnes Bearenspouse to John Bruce, in Shephers-seat, par. of Oathlaw30 Jul 1663
John Brownin Auchinaday, par. of Oathlaw2 Nov 1664
John Bullin Hauke of Fynnevine, par. of Fynnevine23 Jun 1631
Charles Carnegie of Phinhaven13 Oct 1714
Mr James Carnegie of Fineaven13 Aug 1707, 1 Jan 1709, 27 Apr 1711, 13 Oct 1714 and T. 26 Jan 1745
Isobel Clarkspouse to William Duncan, in Haiche of Fynnephine, par. of Fynnevine18 Jul 1611
David Dalgetyin Cherishache of Finnevine7 Sep 1624
David Dalgetyin Easter Ordie, par. of Phinevin3 Mar 1658
Elspet Dalgetyin Orde, par. of Fynnevine4 Mar 1613
Elspeth Dalgetyspouse to David Fitchet, in Windedge, par. of OathlawT. 28 Jun 1669
John Dargiein Hill of Fynnevine1 Apr 1613
John Dargiein Maynes of Phinhaven, par. of Oathlaw, and Agnes Peacock, his spouse7 Jan 1662
Isobel Doigrelict of Thomas Hood, in PhinhavenT. 18 Jan 1679
Janet Duncanand Thomas Henderson, her spouse, in the Wood of Phineaven, par. of Oathlaw7 Sep 1663
Alexander Fodin Ordy, par. of Fynnevine22 May 1628
James Fyfein the Maynes of Phineaven, par. of Oathlaw, and Jean Dyk, his spouse8 Sep 1663
Mr James Hepburnminister at Fynnevin, and Elizabeth Graham, his spouse24 Dec 1599
Robert Hoodin Alainshot of Finevin, and Margaret Kininmonth, his spouseT. 15 Jan 1679
Agnes Junkinespouse to William Bellie, in Hauch of Phinhaven9 Nov 1688
Christian Lindsayspouse to James Dewquhar, in Hauche of Fynnevine, par. of Fennevin6 Jan 1626
John Lindsayin Utlaw, par. of Fynnevine18 Mar 1613
William Millin Hauch of Phineaven9 Sept 1663
Alexander Mortimerin Aikinhait, and Christian Huichoine, his spouse, par. of Fennevine3 Dec 1610
James Murraytenant in Revelgreen, par. of Oathlaw28 Aug 1773
Agnes Peacockpar. of Oathlaw13 Mar 1663
Gilbert Peacockin Bog of PhinhavenT. 27 Oct 1666
Patrick Pyotteant at Easter Ordie3 Oct 1814
Rev. Thomas Raikerminister of the gospel at Oathlaw24 Aug & 30 Nov 1804; 22 Feb & 10 oct 1805
Margaret Ritchiespouse to William Allan, in Ordie, par. of Fynnevine4 Aug 1631
Patrick Rossin Phinhavine, and Janet Donaldson, his spouse7 Jan 1662
David Sampsonin Hauch of Phineavin, and Isobel Baxter, his spouse18 Aug 1663
Jean Sampsonspouse to Robert Hood, in Mansion of FinhavenT. 21 Aug 1668
John Sampsonin Cottoun of Blerifeddene, otherwise called Quhit Forret, par. of Fennevine, and Isobel Wacker, his spouse21 Oct 1613
Janet Smithspouse to Patrick Barye, in Wolflaw, par. of Fynnevine10 Aug 1637
Janet Traillspouse to John Watson, in Boge, par. of OathlawT. -- 1663
Isobel Walkerspouse to James Fyffe, in Quhytforret, par. of Fynnevine24 Feb 1630
James Wallacelate tenant at Whinny Know of OathlawT. 18 Jun 1791
John Whytburnein the Hillsyde of Phinhaven, par. of Oathlaw3 Sep 1688
Alexander Woodin Brockhollo, par. of Oathlaw, and Margaret Adam, his spouseT. 24 Dec 1667
Andrew Youngsometime in Wardend of Phinheaven10 Jun 1702

Testaments of Oathlaw people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of St Andrews, 1549-1800, that have been lost, for which only entries in the minute books are extant.

Mr John Andersonminister at Oathlaw21 Jul 1725

Testaments of Oathlaw people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1514-1600

Robert Finlaysonin Akinhat, par. of Fynnevin, sher. of Forfar13 Mar 1594-5
William Palmerin Bogwilk, par. of Fynnevin in Angus31 May 1582

Testaments of Oathlaw people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1601-1700

James Jackferryman at Fynnevin, in Angus6 Jul 1602

Testaments of Oathlaw people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1701-1800

James Carnegy of Finhaven20 Jun 1778

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Clock & watch tax, 1797-8

Images of the original records for Oathlaw:

NRS ref. E326/12/2/45

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Farm horse tax, 1797-8

Images of the original records for Oathlaw:

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This page updated 2 Oct 2022