Cameron, Fife, Scotland Genealogy

Cameron #412

History
This parish was anciently a part of the widely extended parish of St. Andrews. It became a separate and independent parish in 1645. The name of the parish was taken from the farm of Cameron upon which the manse and church were built. The number of families in the parish is 255. The average number of births for the last seven years is 26, of marriages 8, and of deaths 10. During the last three years there were 5 illegitimate births in the parish. There are one parochial school and two private schools within the parish, at Lawhead and Denhead.

About 4686 acres are under cultivation, 1767 acres are pasture on which the Fifeshire breed of cattle is raised, 476 acres are wooded, and 214 acres are waste-land. Grains of all kinds, potatoes, turnips, and hay grown. Coal, limestone, and other stones are quarried within in the parish. The nearest market-town is St. Andrews but there is a post-office in the parish. There are eight houses licensed to sell whiskey, and two where only beer is sold, which is more than are necessary for the convenience of the inhabitants. The fuel in use throughout the parish is coal.

The church is nearly in the center of the parish. It was built in 1808 and has seating for 495. There is one Burgher meeting-house situated on the border of the parish adjoining the parishes of Kilconquhar and Carnbee, where there is a considerable population at a great distance from their parish churches. The number of families of Dissenters is about 12.

The above extract is taken from the account written in January 1837.

Source: The New Statistical Account of Scotland, for Fife. FHL book 942 B4sa, 2nd series, vol. 9; also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages via the parish reports.

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Libraryand family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: Births are intermixed with marriages until 1709. There are no entries June 1709–1717, after which separate registers are kept. Marriages: Marriages are intermixed with births until 1709. There are no entries June 1709–1717, after which separate registers are kept. Separate entries of contracts and of marriages are kept prior to 1709. The fact of marriage is very frequently omitted about 1782–1797. Deaths: Records are not regularly kept. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1694–1739, 1883–1952 Cash Book 1717–1739 Accounts 1752–1792 Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH2/49.

Lathones United Presbyterian Church
History— Six praying societies in the parishes of Cameron, St. Andrews, Denino, Carnbee, Ceres, and Kilconquhar formed an association for prayer and mutual edification in about 1680. This association formally acceded in a body to the Associate Presbytery in 1733. Due to various causes of dissent in the district, the association grew rapidly. But the Breach in 1747 divided the Seceders. The larger proportion of them adhered to the Associate Burgher Synod and helped to form the congregation of St. Andrews. In 1787 an attempt was made to form a congregation in this place with supply of sermon obtained from the Associate Burgher Presbytery of Perth, but due to opposition the attempt was abandoned after two years. Further attempts were made, but it was not until the union of the two great branches of the Secession in 1820 that it was possible. Supply of sermon from the United Associate Presbytery of Cupar was granted in 1824. A church was built almost immediately at Lathones. In spite of some opposition in the area, the congregation thrived.

[According to the New Statistical Account for Fife for 1837, the Burgher meeting house was situated on the border of the parish, adjoining the parishes of Kilconquhar and Carnbee, where there was a considerable population at a great distance from their parish churches. The number of families of Dissenters was computed at 12 at that time.]

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, including ministers.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.