Harrower Family Tree » James Archibald (1723-1783)

Personal data James Archibald 

• He was born in the year 1723 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland.Source 1
• He was baptized on April 14, 1723 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland.Source 1
• Profession: in the year 1766 Coalier; birth of son, John.Source 2
• (Kirk Session Minutes) on September 4, 1748 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland: Christian Waters in the coalhill was cited and appeared and said she was with child to James Archibald in the coalhill, and that the guilt was committed the first week of April on Saturday between the towns of Old and New Mount Flowrys. James Arch.Sources 3, 4
• (Kirk Session Minutes) on April 23, 1749 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland: Margt. Hay in the coalhill, a widow woman, was with child in fornication with James Archibald.Source 4
• (Kirk Session Minutes) on July 9, 1749 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland: Margt. Hay and James Archibald, both in Duries coal hill, were called and James Archibald admitted being the father of the child.Source 4
• (Kirk Session Minutes) on December 3, 1749 in Scoonie, Fife, Scotland: James Archibald was publicly rebuked for the third time.Source 4
• He died between 1777 and 1783.Source 3

  He died some time between 1777 and 1783. (Burial records in Inveresk parish are missing from 1763 to 1783).

• A child of Andrew Archibald and Janet Robertson

Household of James Archibald

(1) He is married to Christian King.

Their notice of marriage was on February 25, 1749 in Inveresk and Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.Source 5

Child(ren):

1. Agnes Archibald  1749-???? 
2. Janet Archibald  1751-????
3. Isabell Archibald  1753-????
4. Andrew Archibald  1755-1833 
5. George Archibald  1760-????
6. John Archibald  1766-????
7. Christian King Archibald  1758-???? 

Event (Cautioner for Man) on February 25, 1749 in Inveresk and Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland : John Lindsay.Source 5

Event (Cautioner for Woman) on February 25, 1749 in Inveresk and Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland : Robert King (Brother).Source 5

(2) He had a relationship with Margaret Hay.

Child(ren):

1. William Archibald  ± 1749-????

Notes about James Archibald

1. April 14, 1723 James lawfull son to Andrew Archibald and Janet Robertson in Coal Hill was baptized befor the congregation.

2. James Archibald and Christian King both in this parish gives up their names in order to marriage the 25th of February cautioner for the man John Lindsay for the woman Robert King her brother. Belonging all to the coalwork here.
Married 17th of March.

3. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Archibald-177 (Original site not working)
Some of the information on James Archibald (husband of Christian King) came from Lindsay S. Reeks' book "Scottish Coalmining Ancestors" and was verified by checking the "Old Parish Registers."

Biography for James includes:
James Archibald was the seventh child of Andrew Archibald and Janet Robertson, baptised 14th April, 1723 and living in the coaltown of Durie, Scoonie parish. He became a Coal Miner , following his ancestors down the mines.

James must have been quite a lad, reading the following:

The Scoonie Kirk Session Minutes for 4th September 1748 indicate that "Christian Waters in the coalhill was cited and appeared and said she was with child to James Archibald in the coalhill, and that the guilt was committed the first week of April on Saturday between the towns of Old and New Mount Flowrys. James Archibald appeared and admitted above, and both were rebuked and exhorted to repentance." This child would have been born about the beginning of 1749. (Child's birth cannot be found in Scotlands People)

James probably fled from Fife, because next we find he has crossed the Firth to Midlothian. It is possible Christian King went with him or she was with her married brother Robert King, who had moved from Scoonie parish to Inveresk parish. It is possible they stayed with Robert King, considering the following events. James married Christian King on 17th March 1749 in Inveresk parish, after it was proclaimed there on 25th February. Witnesses were John Lindsay for the man and Robert King, brother, for the woman. Robert King was married to John Lindsay sister, Katherine Lindsay.

James' troubles were not yet over; the past caught up with him!

Another entry in the Scoonie Kirk Session Minutes for 23rd April, 1749 reports that "Margt. Hay in the coalhill, a widow woman, was with child in fornication with James Archibald. She appeared and said that James Archibald, late residenter in Coalhill, then a single person, and now lately married to another woman, was the father of it, and that the guilt was committed on 29th October 1748 [after the above rebuke, it is noted] in the house of said James Archibald."

"On 9th July 1749, Margt. Hay and James Archibald, both in Duries coal hill, were called and James Archibald admitted being the father of the child." [This would be about the time the child was born.]

"On 3rd December 1749, James Archibald was publicly rebuked for the third time."
This child named William was baptised on 30th December 1749, Scoonie parish, "aged about 5 months " with the note "begotten in fornication between James Archibald and Margt. Hay."

It seems that James Archibald and wife Christian returned to Scoonie about mid 1749. At this time Christian was pregnant with her first child and may have wanted to be near home. Their first child named Agnes was baptised 17th December 1749 in Scoonie parish.

This means James had fathered three children who had been born in 1749 .

Some time after 1766, James and Christian moved permanently to Inveresk parish, Midlothian because James was a witness there, to several baptisms of his grandchildren.

He died some time between 1777 and 1783. (Burial records in Inveresk parish are missing from 1763 to 1783). Christian King was buried in Inveresk parish on 28th December 1787; "Christian King, relict to deceased James Archibald, coalhewer in the Cowpits."

*********************************** Information on baptism from Shauna Anderson
Parish records reads: [James b. 14 Apr 1723] "James lawful son to Andrew Archibald and Janet Robertson"

Information on marriage to Christian King came from Jean Campbell of Australia although they were married in Inveresk parish where Christian King's brother, Robert King, was living, all their children were christened in Scoonie.

This James Archibald is mentioned in the book "Scottish Coalmining Ancestors" by Lindsay Reek.

First born James appears to have died.
Information on birth and baptism came from Shauna Anderson
Parish record says: [James b 22 Jul 1711] "Andrew Archbald in Nether Lergo had a childe baptized by the Minister called James"

(Source, “Scottish Coalmining Ancestors” Lindsay Reeks and LDS films of OPR.)

Ref: Scottish Coal Mining Ancestors, author Lindsay S. Reeks. Gateway Press, Baltimore 1986.

"Direct transcription from the book"--------------------

JAMES ARCHIBALD was bp. 14 Apr. 1723, res., Coal hill, Scoonie p., son of Andrew Archibald & Janet Robertson [165]. He m. Christian King, 17 Mar. 1749, Inveresk p., after being proclaimed there 25 Feb., wit: John Lindsay, for man, Robt King, brother, for woman [76]. It is believed this m. relates to the ancestor, as his first son is named Andrew and his second dau. Janet.
Other factors are discussed below. Scoonie KSM for 4 Sep. 1748 indicate that Christian Waters in the coalhill was cited and appeared and said she was with child to James Archibald in the coalhill, and that the guilt was committed the first week of Apr. on Saturday between the towns of 0ld & New Mount Flowrys. James Archibald appeared and admitted above, and both were rebuked and exhorted to repentance [171].
Then on 23 Apr. 1749, Scoonie KSM report that Margt. Hay in the coalhill, a widow woman, was with child in fornication with James Archibald. She appeared and said that James Archibald, late residenter in Coalhill, then a single person, and now lately married to another woman, was the father of it, and that the guilt was committed 29 0ct. 1748 in the house of said James Archibald. On 9 Jul. 1749 Margt. Hay & James Archibald, both in Duries coalhill, were called, and James Archibald admitted being father of the child. On 3 Dec. 1749, James Archibald was publicly rebuked for the third time [171].
In view of the above two instances, it is understandable why James Archibald & Christian King may not have married in Scoonie p., but went to Inveresk p. to marry, and where Christians brother, Robert King, was already living, as reported on the King family. However, James & Christian must have returned to Scoonie p. immediately after their m., since all of their known children were bp. in Scoonie p. James' last known child, John, was bp. in Scoonie p. on 15 Jun. 1766 [165], and it is believed that sometime after that he and his family moved to Inveresk p., where he and Robt. King, witnessed a bp., of his dau., Agnes, and her husband, Wm. Lindsay, 22 Dec. 1771 [151].
It is believed that James Archibald d. after 5 Jan. 1777, when he was a witness again to the bp. of his dau., Agnes' child, Marion, in Inveresk p. He d. bef. 28 Dec. 1787, at which time his wife was bu. in Inveresk p., as "Christian King, relict to deceased James Archibald, coalhewer in the Cowpits" [148]. Burial records in Inveresk p., are missing 1763 to 1783, during which time James may have died.

4. Children, James Archibald and Christian King/James Archibald and Margt. Hay:

i William, bp. 30 Dec. 1749, age ca. 5m., begotten in fornication between James Archibald and Margt. Hay, Scoonie p. [165]. N.f.r.

ii Agnes, bp. 17 Dec. 1749, Scoonie p. [165]. M. (1) William Lindsay, (2) Peter Currie.

iii Janet, bp. 3 Nov. 1751, Scoonie p. [165]. 0wned irr. m., Inveresk p., 22 May 1775, to Henry
Wilson [76]. It is believed that this m. relates to the ancestor, since Henry Wilson witnessed three bps. of children of Janet's likely brother, Andrew, and Janet's second dau. was named Christian. She was bu. 22 Sep. 1819, as "Janet Archibald, spouse to Hendry Wilson, coalhewer in Cowpits", Inveresk p., age 70, which agrees with her birth year [165].

iv Isabel, bp. 19 Aug. 1753, Scoonie p. [165]. N.f.r.

v Andrew, bp. 26 Oct. 1755, Scoonie p. [165]. M. Janet Steel.

vi Christian, bp. 10 Mar. 1758, in minister's house at Leven, Scoonie p., res., Duries coalhill
[165]. Irr. m. in Edinburgh, and owned this m., 5 Feb. 1781, Inveresk p., to Robert Archibald [76]. It is believed this m. relates to ancestor. Their first dau, was named Christian and the next four children, all of them daus., with two named Christian, were all bp. in Inveresk p. The last child, Christian, was bp. 27 Jan. 1788 [18]. It is believed that her brother, Andrew, was the one who witnessed at the bps. of her first two children and that her husband, Robert, was the witness at two bps. of children of her brother, Andrew.

vii George, bp. 19 Oct. 1760, Scoonie p. [165]. N.f.r. Note: Scoonie baptismal records are
missing 1761-65, and it is possible that James & Christian may have had other children bp. there during this time.

viii John, bp. 15 Jun. 1766, Scoonie p. The name appears to be spelled "John Airsbit, son to
James Airsbit, coalier" [165]. M. 31 Oct. 1786, Inveresk p, Elizabeth Archibald, wit: Peter Currie for man, John Archibald for woman [76]. It is believed this m. refers to ancestor.
The witness, Peter Currie, was m. to his sister, Agnes. At bp. of their first child, Jean, in 1787, Andrew Archibald, a probable brother, and Robert Archibald, a probable brother-in-law, are witnesses. These witnesses at bp. of Sophia, on 27 Sep. 1789. The uncommon Christian name of Sophia was the name of the probable sister of John's mother [18]. There are no other children of this couple found in Inveresk bps., and this may be because the burial record in Inveresk p. for 26 Nov. 1789 of "John Aresbald, coalier in Cowpits," may refer to the ancestor [148].

Do you have supplementary information, corrections or questions with regards to James Archibald?
The author of this publication would love to hear from you!

Timeline James Archibald

Click on the names for more info. Symbols used:  grandparents    parents    brothers/sisters    children