Stichel and Hume, Roxburghshire, Scotland Genealogy

Stichill and Hume (#808)

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

History
STITCHELL and HUME, two ancient parishes now united, the former in the district of Kelso, county of Roxburgh, and the latter in the county of Berwick; 4 miles (N. by W.) from Kelso. The district of Stitchell, which is situated on the north-eastern boundary of Roxburghshire, is supposed to have derived its name, signifying in the Gaelic language "a declivity," from the elevated site of the village at a height of more than 600 feet above the level of the Tweed at Kelso. The parish is bounded on the west by the water of Eden. The church, situated in the village of Stitchell, is a substantial structure, in good repair, and affording ample accommodation for the parishioners. There is a place of worship for members of the United Secession.

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 Stichel and Hume. 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 Scotland Census Records.

Click here for a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the

Below is information for any known surname indexes:

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 indexes through the library.

Church Records
The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about Scotland 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 Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Some records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are no entries November 1642–September 1648. The record beginning 1640 is stated to be for the "Paroche of Hume and Stitchel". Four pages of irregular entries, 1733–1753 are recorded after 1755 entries. Marriages: No entries July 1719–June 1720, July 1757–October 1758 and July 1790–August 1806. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
The Kirk session was the court of the parish. The session was made up of the minister and the land owners and business men of the parish, chosen to serve on the session. The Kirk session dealt with moral issues, minor criminal cases, matters of the poor and education, matters of discipline, and the general concerns of the parish. Kirk session records may also mention births, marriages, and deaths.

Here is a list of the surviving Kirk session records for this parish:

Minutes 1834–1967 Poors’ Fund Accounts 1801–1858 Testimonials Given and Received 1764–1789 Accounts 1735–1937 Mortcloth Money 1764–1768 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1325.

Nonconformist 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.

Stitchel Associate Presbyterian Church
The united parishes of Stitchel and Hume having become vacant in 1731, the elders applied to the Presbytery of Kelso for a hearing on various probationers. There was disagreement between the heritors and the elders as to the choice, and a man disagreeable to the majority of the elders and congregation was settled in the parish in 1734. In 1737 those elders and members petitioned the Associate Presbytery for supply of sermon, but due to lack of ministers, supply was only about once in two months. In 1739, a minister was supplied and seceders in Morebattle and Stitchel were united into one congregation meeting in both places. After the death of that minister the following year, Morebattle and Stitchel were disjoined and supplied with sermon as separate congregations. Their first church was built at Stitchel in 1740. The congregation was in the act of calling a new minister when the Breach took place in 1743. Their first choice, John Potts, along with many members of the congregation, went to the Associate Burgher Synod, but before he could be confirmed, he was sent to serve in London, where he remained for three years. In his absence a large Secession took place at Kelso and they joined with those at Stitchel, and Mr. Potts eventually accepted their call in 1751. These congregations were disjoined in 1753 and Mr. Potts went to Kelso, leaving Stitchel vacant again. They called a new minister who remained with them until his death. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— Extent of records is unknown.

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
Stichill and Hume was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Peebles until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Jedburgh. 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 Family History Library. To find the microfilm numbers, search in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Roxburgh and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Peebles The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Roxburgh. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Roxburgh and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.