Glassary, Argyllshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #511

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

= History =

A great portion of the parish was in possession of the MacDonalds. The Campbells of Kiran wre also supporters of the Reformation and elders in the Church. Lochgilphead is the nearest town. Mac Mhic Jain is a well known person from this parish. The land was primarily used for, cattle, black-faced sheep, some farming, and a distillery. The population in 1792 was 2568, and in 1841 was 5369. In 1828 a Government Church was erected. There is an Independent meeting-house in Lochgilphead. The vast majority of the communicants belong to the Established Church.

This account was written in 1844. Source:New Statistical Account of Scotland (Family History Library book, series 2 vol. 7)

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 Glassary. 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.

Go to the Family History Library Catalog entry for the census records of Glassary.

The library also has an and a  census surname index for the county of Argyle.

The 1901 and 1911 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, 1841-1911, are indexed on this website. It may be easier for you to pay to use the website rather than access the census and 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 Records—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index on computer at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some records may be indexed in the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true International Genealogical Index. ] Births:The flyleaf contains about twelve irregular entries 1750–1767. The record proper starts June 1768 and appears to have been well kept. The first few pages have suffered from dampness. Marriages: These are proclamations of marriages only. No entries appear June 1818–November 1820. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British book.

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: 

Lochgilphead
Minutes 1829–1870 Minutes of Heritor and Kirk Session 1831–1843 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/1041.

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 List.

Lochgilphead Free Church

History— This congregation was formed at the Disruption. The church was erected in 1844 and the manse in the 1850s. Membership: 1855, 600; 1900, 157. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— Extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Lochgilphead Reformed, Martyrs Free Church
History— A Reformed Church congregation was formed as a mission station in 1831, served from Lorn. In May 1843 it suffered through the Disruption, and its church building passed into Episcopalian hands. By April 1845 prospects had so far improved that a church was built. This congregation joined the Free Church in 1876. Membership: 1877, 58; 1900, 76. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— Minutes 1851–1905 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH3/1043

= 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 =

Glassary was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Argyll until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Dunoon 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 Argyll and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Argyll The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Argyll. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Argyll and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to the Argyllshire Parish List