Thought I would share this OPR gem.....

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:55 pm

I really like this taken from the OPR for Sorn, Ayrshire in 1788: Nov 4th was born and baptized 9th (by the Revd Mr Wilson, Cumnock) Oslea Miller lawfully procreat betwixt John Miller and Sislia Mair spouses at Catrine.

Note that no sex is given for the child (well, all the others on the page have names like William & Elizabeth). We reckon that Oslea is female and called after her mother - Cecilia in modern-speak - but I do think the "lawfully procreat" bit is more interesting than just "lawful". Unfortunately there were no unlawful children on the page so I don't know how they were described!

Muriel

Post by **paddyscar** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:22 pm

Seems a bit 'over-the-top'

Could it be that the minister was surprised that it was lawful? Are all the other births on the same page described as 'lawful'?

Frances

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:41 pm

Yup - it's obviously the way they chose to record it because there are several other children (with rather less high-falutin' names

) over a number of years & they are all described the same way. I've scanned each page in the hope of finding an illegitmate one but they seem to have been a very abstemious bunch in Sorn

The entries are all in the same hand.

Muriel

karenc · Post by **karenc** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:25 pm

well it makes a change from the OPRs usually found. makes it a bit more interesting when you find one like that.

karen

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:28 pm

The varied spellings of Cecilia have been interesting too (and a real pain to find in the index) - she was baptised as Cicely, married as Secilla and had her children as Sislia, Sislea and Secila. The first time I find her as Cecilia is at the age of 87 in the 1841 census! Of course, her mother is not mentioned in the baptism or marriage entries so I have no idea if the name came from her.

Muriel