Help with reading a birth record - Forsyth Tree

[cforsyth74]

Firstly a big thank you to the creators/moderators of this site - what a fabulous resource!

I'm hoping someone can assist with reading an old parish birth record dated from 1680? I've managed to go back 10 generations in my tree so far, but I've become stuck as I can't understand/decipher the birth record for Alexander Forsyth found here:

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17

For anyone who's interested, my name is Craig Forsyth and I live in Melbourne, Australia. The tree I've managed to create can be found here:

http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/43654 ... 2687385120

Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.

Kind Regards
Craig Alexander Forsyth

[Russell]

Hi Craig and a big welcome to
First off, well done getting your family connections so far back. Lots of family records rather disappear somewhere in the 1700's and they have to give up. I'm not surprised you had problems with the OPR entry. It is quite cursive, flamboyant script. It hasn't come out well in the Gallery so the usual trick of magnifying it just blurs the image. I'll PM you my e-mail address if you want to send me a copy to have a bash at interpreting it.

Russell
PS For a first post it sets quite a challenge. Just the kind we like

[jgmills]

Hi Craig,

From what I can make out Sept 26 1680 - John Forsyth in Ogstoun(s) had his lawful son baptized Alexander, witness : John ?? and Thomas ??

Ogstoun looks like it may be an old name for Gordonstoun see this old map http://maps.nls.uk/view/?id=302

I'm afraid I can't make out the surnames of the two witnesses.

Hope this helps though.

Cheers
John

[Montrose Budie]

Gordonstown was the only mansion in the parish of Drainie; Drainie consisting of the ancient parishes of Kinneddar and Ogstoun.

mb

[Montrose Budie]

That is not an easy OPR entry to read, not only because some of the letters are secretary hand but also because 'ff' is used for 'F', the long cursive f is used for s; a short line above a word or part of a word indicates an abbreviation; and the thorn, looking very like a 'y', sounded as 'th', is used, as in 'yre' with a bar above it to mean 'there'; plus there's one usage that I've never seen before, -

The place is not Ogstoun but Ou'gftou'ne !

What u' means I have no idea; other than, from looking at the rest of the page this writer's way of writing the letter 'u'.


My transcription of this OPR entry, -


Forsyth

John fforsyth in Ou'gftou'ne hade his Lawll son bapt: named
Alexander witn. John Deafon & Thomas Malles yre.

i.e. both John Deafon & Thomas Malles were from Ou'gftou'ne

mb