The People of the Scottish Burghs: Perth, 1600-1799

Description

This is the second volume in a series of source records pertaining to the inhabitants of Scottish towns and cities in the 17th and 18th centuries, any number of whom or whose progeny ultimately made contact with the New World. As such, compiler Dr. David Dobson offers it as an aid to local historians and genealogists.

Perth, a Royal Burgh since 1124, has a long tradition of self-government and therefore of burgesses, but, unfortunately, there are no surviving burgess rolls. In their absence Dr. Dobson was able to piece together the identities of over 2,000 17th- and 18th-century residents of Perth from primary sources, such as the High Court of the Admiralty of Scotland, Commissary Court of St. Andrews, customs and excise records, burgh records, port books, monumental inscriptions, etc., located in the National Archives of Scotland and in the Perth and Kinross Archives.

Most, though not all, of the individuals named in this work were merchants or tradesmen, and, therefore, members of the town’s voting class of burgesses. While a minority in their own right, they nonetheless reflect the kinds of town sources available to family historians. Dr. Dobson has arranged these individuals alphabetically and for each has unfailingly given the individual’s occupation, an identifying date, and his source. In numerous instances he has also extracted supplementary information, variously consisting of date of birth; name of spouse, children, and/or parents; name of ship traveled on; date of will; and more. Any person researching his ancestors in the town of Perth between 1600 and 1799 can be grateful for Mr. Dobson’s efforts in amassing this significant cache of leads.