Kilmuir-Easter, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Parish # 69

History
 The original name of this parish signifies the grave, or the chapel of Mary.

The parish lies partly in the county of Ross, and partly in the county of Cromarty. It is about 10 miles in its greatest length, and 4 miles broad. It is bounded on the west, by the parish of Rosskeen; on the east, by Loggie Easter; on the north, by Edderton and Kincardine; and on the south, by the sands of Nigg, and the Firth of Cromarty.

The Rev. John Porteous, was minister of the parish of Kilmuir Easter for a long period extending between 1732 and 1775. His grandfather is said to have come to Inverness in Cromwell’s army, and after the restoration he settled Kilmuir. There are six land-owners of the parish, Mr. Hay Mackenzie of Cromarty possesses the highest valuation, and is patron of the parish. There are three proprietors who generally reside in the parish; Mr. Hay Mackenzie of Cromarty, Sir Charles Ross of Balnagown, and Captain Robertson of Kindace.

There is a village in the parish, Milntown, in which there are four markets held annually. There is a post-office at Milntown, and a great country road runs through this village.

Agriculture is well understood, and practiced upon the most approved and scientific principles. The usual five-shift course is adopted; green crop, barley or wheat, two years grass and oats, or beans, or pease. The Cheviot and black-faced and Leicester sheep are common in the parish, and the polled Aberdeen black-cattle have been introduced on several farms.

The present church was built in 1798, and contains 900 sittings. It is situated in the south-east end of the parish, and is a distance of about five miles from some of the inhabitants. There are from twenty to thirty free-sittings in it. There is no chapel of ease or Dissenting chapel in the parish, except for one or two individuals, all are members of the established Church. The register of births commences in 1738, and there are no sessional records earlier than 1771.

This account was written December 1838.

Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2, vol. 14. 

Also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages under ‘For non-subscribers,’ then search for the parish report.

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are only 18 entries prior to 1755 and no entries for 1758. There are only a few birth records for June 1759–1765. There is one family, 1768–1783, recorded after February 1771. There are only two entries of births between February 1771 and April 1773. Marriages:There are only 11 entries December 1807–July 1817. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Heritors' Minutes 1829 Heritors' and Session Minutes 1843–1975 Certificates Burial Places 1823–1849 Accounts 1842–1850 Accounts and Financial Minutes 1771, 1775–1840 Note: All of the above available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/429.

Kilmuir–Easter Free Church
History— The minister of the parish, and his congregation "came out" in 1843. A church and manse were erected. The church having become dangerous, a new one was built and opened in 1876. Membership:1859, 600; 1900, 71. 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, including ministers.

Records— No pre-1855 records.

Return to Ross &amp; Cromarty parish list.