Methven, Perthshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #380

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Methven. To learn more about how to use these records to search for your ancestors, go to the Scotland: Research Strategies.

History
METHVEN, a parish, in the county of Perth; containing the villages or hamlets of Almond-Bank, Balwherne, Bellstown, Bragrum, Gibbiestown, Glack, Meckphin, Scrogiehill, and Wood-end, 6 miles (W. by N.) from Perth. The name of this parish is derived from the Gaelic word Meodhan, signifying "middle," a term applied in reference to the situation of Methven in the middle of Strathmore. The church, built in 1782, is a large, substantial, and convenient edifice, containing 1100 sittings: an aisle was built in 1825, when was also added a beautiful spire, nearly a hundred feet high, with a public clock. There is a meeting-house in connexion with the United Associate synod, as well as one belonging to the Free Church.

The New Statistical Account of Scotland (pub. 1834-45) offers uniquely rich and detailed parish reports for the whole of Scotland, covering a vast range of topics including history, agriculture, education, trades, religion and social customs. The reports, written by the parish ministers, are available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Click on ‘Browse scanned pages’ then search the parish reports for your parish of interest. Also available at the

Census Records
A census is a count and description of the population, taken by the government, arranged by locality and by household. Read more about census records.

Here is a list of the FS Library microfilm numbers for the, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

The 1901 census of Scotland is indexed on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. To use it, you must register and pay a small access fee. All available censuses, 1841-1901, are indexed on this website. It may be easier for you to pay to use the website rather than access the separate indexes through the library.

Church Records
The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about church records. Here are the pre-1855 records that exist for this parish.

Condition of Original Registers—
Indexed: For an index to these records, see Scotland’s People website, a pay-for-view website. The Scottish Church Records Index is also still available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. Some records may also be indexed in other FamilySearch collections for Scotland. Births: Births intermixed with marriages and other matters until 1667. No entries December 1663–April 1665. Separate record of births begins May 1668. No entries, except one, February 1671–January 1672, a few for 1678–1679, May 1677–October 1694, September 1732–May 1739, December 1741–June 1743, April 1747–October 1748, and only a few entries for December 1752–December 1758. Another record of births for 1700–1747 in volume two is intermixed with marriages and other matters. There are no entries 1711–1727 and 1732–1739. At September 1783 there is a list of the children baptized in the Associate Congregation of Methven, December 1753–November 1783, after which the regular record is resumed. Mothers' names are not recorded until 1809. Marriages: Marriage record prior to 1667 is mixed with that of births. Separate record June 1668–January 1671 and July 1672–December 1677. No entries December 1663–April 1665, August 1679–November 1694, and December 1732–July 1739; the entries between last mentioned date and June 1748 are engrossed in the record of proclamations, etc., in volume two. No entries in regular record February 1751–November 1783, but entries of proclamations for the whole of the period occur in vol. 3, intermixed with other matters. Only proclamations are recorded after October 1789. No entries January 1844–March 1845. The entries are written in pencil. Source: Key To The Parochial Registers Of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes and Accounts 1701–1709, 1726–1756, 1827–1936 Baptisms 1732–1737, 1742–1743, 1748 Marriages 1734, 1736–1737, 1742 Accounts 1694–1702, 1720, 1760–1773, 1779–1809, 1817–1851 Young Communicants 1824–1843 Collectors Book of Assessment of Heritors 1776–1809 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/501.

Noncomformist Church Records
A nonconformist church is any church that is not the Established church. Read more about nonconformity in Scotland in the article on the Scotland Church Records Union Lists.

Methven United Presbyterian Church
History— Supply of Sermon was obtained from the General Associate Anti-burgher Presbytery of Perth, 1751. The church was built in March 1753. A new church was opened 1868. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D. pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source.

Records— FS Library Film Number Baptisms 1751–1881 0889483 item 3 X Accounts 1751–1881 0889483 item 3 X Memberships 1751–1881 0889483 item 3 X Marriages1846–1875 0889483 item 3 X Minutes 1846–1875 0889483 item 3 X Note: The X means records have been extracted. Other: Minutes 1810–1883 Congregational and Managers Minutes 1853–1929 Treasurers Account Book 1840–1912 Communion Rolls 1846–1910 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/444. See also notes under Established Church – Old Parochial Registers on previous page.

Methven Free Church
History— The Free Church congregation was organized here after the Disruption and had to face the opposition of the minister of the parish, the laird, and the teacher. After much difficulty a site was secured, from a small village proprietor. Here the church and manse were erected. Membership: 1848, 180; 1900, 60. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols, pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records— Session Minutes 1845–1907 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/445.

Civil Registration Records
Government or civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths (also called statutory records) began on January 1, 1855 in Scotland. Each parish has a registrar's office and large cities have several. The records are created by the registrars and copies are sent to the General Register Office in Edinburgh. Annual indexes are then created for the records for the whole country. See the article on Scotland Civil Registration for more information and to access the records.

Probate Records
Methven was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of St.Andrews until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Dunblane. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. You must register on the website but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills &amp; Testaments,' is free. You may then purchase a copy of the document or, if the document is before 1823, it will be on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library. To find the microfilm numbers, search in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Perthshire and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Dunblane. The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Perthshire. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Perthshire and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.