Closeburn Parish Church Records

The parish of Closeburn is bound on the north by the parish of Morton, on the east by Kirkpatrick-Juxta and Kirkmichael, on the south by Kirkmahoe and on the west by Keir. In 1606, the original parish church was united with the old church of Dalgarnock, which almost surrounded the smaller parish of Closeburn. The parishes were, however, separated, as a result of a recommendation of the Presbytery of Penpont in 1648, and once more re-united about 1671. As part of the settlement that made Presbyterianism the established Church of Scotland in 1697, Closeburn received official status and the old church of Dalgarnock fell into ruin. Its churchyard, however, continued to be used and is still used to this day.

The parish of Closeburn has baptismal registers dating from 1765, marriage registers from 1766 and burial records from 1765. Earlier entries are to be found amongst the Kirk Session Minutes of the United Parishes of Closeburn and Dalgarno, along with the Accounts of the Kirk Session. These cover baptisms from 1726-1754, marriages 1726-1742 and 1748-1753, burials 1737-1741 and 1748-1753. The Accounts of the Collection of the Poor Money commences from 28 May 1718 to 13 February, 1753, and is called �An Account of the Collection, the Poor�s Money and fines scandalous person and how the same is distributed�. Some early Milligan baptisms appear in the church records of Morton, where some of the Milligans attended this church prior to official establishment of Closeburn parish in 1697.


Extracts from the Morton Church records

February 28, 1692
Baptism of John Milligane son of Thomas Milligane and Jean Nivison in the parish of Closeburn.

May 30, 1693
Baptism of Jean Milligane daughter of John Milligane and Marion Taitt in the parish of Closeburn.

July 9, 1693
Baptism of Henreta Milligane daughter of Alexander Milligane and Henreta Blaekie in the parish of Closeburn.

October 15, 1693
Baptism of Alexander Milligane son of John Milligane and Isabel Brown in the parish of Closeburn.

October 7, 1698
Baptism of John Milligane son of John Milligane in the parish of Closeburn.


Accounts of the Collection of the Poor 1718 to 1753

May 28, 1718
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To John Milligan, �1 16s.
To Robert Milligan, �1.

Money Collected from persons, included:
From Thomas Milligan, �2.
From Jean Douglas, �2.

July 20, 1718
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To John Milligan, �1 4s.
To Robert Milligan, 12s.

August 31, 1718
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To John Milligan, �1 10s.
To Robert Milligan, �1.

December 3, 1719
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To John Milligan, �1 16s.
To Robert Milligan, �1 4s.
To Janet Robson, 13s.

May 6, 1720
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Milligan, �1 4s.
To John Milligan Beddle, �2 2s.

November 11, 1723
The Session according to appointment convened to distribute the twenty pound Stirling bequeathed by the deceased John Wallace merchant in Glasgow to the poor of the united Parish of Closeburn and Dalgarno, poor included:

To Robert Mulligain received, 7s.
To Jean Mulligain received, 3s.
To John Mulligain received, 3s.

December 14, 1726
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �2 8s 8d.
To the Beddle, �3. 0s 0d.


Baptisms 1726-54, 1765-1854: Marriage 1726-42, 1748-53, 1766-1854: Burials 1737-1847

July 18, 1727
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �2 8s.

March 5, 1727
Baptism of Jean Mulligain daughter of James Mulligain and Agnes Mulligain in Crossgrip.

February 6, 1728
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

July 18, 1728
Marriage of Agnes Mulligain and John Martin in this Parish married.

August 8, 1728
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

February 2, 1729
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

March 20, 1729
Marriage of John Mulligain and Helen Nivison in this Parish married.

July 1, 1729
Marriage of Mary Mulligain in this Parish and William Fead in Tinwald married.

August 11, 1729
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

December 2, 1729
Baptism of Elizabeth Mulligain daughter of James Mulligain and Grissel Anderson in Glencross.

December 11, 1729
Marriage of Henret Mulligain in this Parish and James McCall in Mortown married.

January 20, 1730
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

April 5, 1730
Baptism of Alexander Mulligain son of John Mulligain and Helen Nivison in Rosehill.

April 5, 1730
Baptism of Janet a daughter of James and Agnes Mulligain in Crossgrip.

August 2, 1730
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Robert Mulligain, �3.

February 18, 1731
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Andrew Tait, �1 16s.
To Robert Mulligain�s funeral, �2 8s.

November 29, 1731
Baptism of John Mulligain son of John Mulligain and Helen Nivison in Rosehill.

March 7, 1732
Baptism of Mary Mulligain daughter of James Mulligain and Grissel Anderson in Glencross.

May 11, 1732
Marriage of George Mulligain and Margaret Adamson in this Parish married.

October 8, 1732
Baptism of Agnes Mulligain daughter of James Mulligain and Agnes Mulligan in Crossgrip.

February 21, 1733
Baptism of George Mulligain son of James Mulligain* and Grissel Anderson in Glencross.

Note: *Entry has �George Mulligain�, but Grissel Anderson was married James Mulligain.

July 30, 1733
Marriage of John Mulligain and Janet Gilchrist in this Parish married.

February 7, 1734
A list of those to whom the Bibles and Confession of Faith, bough with a part of the twenty pound Stirling mortified by Mr. Wallace, were given included:

John Mulligain to his son 1 bible and confession of Faith.
John Mulligain Beddle given confession of Faith.
Agnes Mulligain in High Tree 1 bible.
John Grierson in Park 1 bible and confession of Faith.
Andrew Tait 2 bibles.
John Mulligain 1 bible.
Helen Mulligain 1 bible and confession of Faith.

July 9, 1734
Marriage of James Mulligain in this Parish and Mary Edgar in Keir married.

May 18, 1735
Baptism of John Mulligain son of John Mulligain and Janet Gilchrist in Drambrake.

June 24, 1735
Baptism of George Mulligain son of William Malligain and Isabel Robson in Glencross.

July 22, 1735
Marriage of Janet Mulligain and William Tait in this Parish married.

August 1, 1736
Baptism of Thomas Mulligain son of John Mulligain and Janet Gilchrist in Dumbrake.

February 17, 1737
Baptism of Joskiah Mulligain a son of William Mulligain and Janet Robson in Glencross.

Note: Joskiah may be a mistake for Isobel, but then the text reads �a son of�. Perhaps the name was meant to be Jacob.

October 11, 1737
Burial of George Mulligan in Park.

November 19, 1737
Burial of Agnes Mulligan, a child, Glencross.

June 12, 1738
Baptism of James Mulligan son of William Mulligan and Janet Robson in Corsburn.

January 15, 1739
Burial of Janet Edgar in Park.

January 11, 1740
Burial of a child of Thomas Milligan in Dumbeck.

June 9, 1740
Baptism of John Milligan son of John Milligan and Jean Robson in Corsburn.

April 19, 1741
Baptism of James Millegan son of James Millegan and Mary Eggor in Auchencairn.

June 28, 1741
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan � �3.

January 7, 1742
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, �3.
To Jean Milligan, �1 10s.
To John Milligan for graves, 16s.

June 19, 1742
Baptism of Janet Milligan son of William Milligan and Janet Robson in Corsburn.

August 8, 1742
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, �1 10s.

February 1, 1743
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Jean Millagen, �19 11s.
To Janet Milligan, �3.

February 13, 1744
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Jean Millagen, �22 12s.

August 5, 1744
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, �1 8s.

February 11, 1745
To Janet Milligan, �9 18s.
Also on Account of those person who received from 29 January 1744 to 11 February 1745.
To Janet Milligan, �3.

August 11, 1745
Baptism of Margaret Milligan daughter of John Milligan and Mary Hanin in High Trees.

August 1, 1746
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Jean Milligan, 2s 8d.

January 29, 1747
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Jean Milligan, 2s 6d.
Also on Account of those person who received from 29 January 1746 to 29 January 1747.
To Janet Milligan, �12 6s.

May 22, 1748
Baptism of Margaret Milligan daughter of John Milligan and Margaret Haining in Hytrees.

July 2, 1749
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, 3s.
To Jean Milligan, 2s.
Also on Account of those person who received more from 10 February 1749 to 10 February 1750.
To Janet Milligan, 11s 9d.
To Jean Milligan, 7s.

February 1, 1750
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, 5s.
To Jean Milligan, 4s.

July 29, 1750
List of persons received from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, 3s.
To Jean Milligan, 2s.

November 20, 1750
Burial of Jean Milligan in Park.

February 7, 1751
List of persons to receive from the Poor collection, included:
To Janet Milligan, 4s.

May 6, 1751
Burial of Janet Milligan in Crossgripe.

February 13, 1753
Account of persons who received from the Distribution of the poor and at other times from 7 February 7, 1751 to 25 January, 1752, included:
To Janet Milligan, 11s.

March 29, 1753
Burial of Jean Milligan in Clauchrie.

May 16, 1753
Burial of Janet Milligan in Spoon Slap.

August --, 1765
Baptism of Thomas Milligan son of John Milligan.

December 10, 1766
Marriage of James Milligan and Jannet Smith.

November 19, 1767
Baptism of John Milligan son of James Milligan and Janet Smith in Closeburn.

[blank] 1768
Burial of John Milligan in Corsburn.

[blank] 1769
Burial of Janet Milligan.

December 20, 1769
Baptism of William Milligan son of James Milligan and Jannet Smith in Closeburn.

[blank] 1770
Burial of Thomas Milligan�s child.

September 10, 1772
Baptism of Jannet Milligan daughter of James Milligan and Jannet Smith in Closeburn.

[blank] 1774
Burial of Margaret Milligan.

[blank] 1776
Baptism of Mary Milligan daughter of James Milligan and Janet Smith in Closeburn.

October 22, 1778
Birth of Margaret Miligan daughter of James Miligan and Janet Smith in Closeburn.

[blank] 1777
Burial of Thomas Milligan.

October 23, 1778
Birth of William Miligan son of John Miligan and Isabald Gilespie in Closeburn.

August 5, 1780
Birth of James Miligan son of James Miligan and Jannet Smith in Closeburn.

December 29, 1780
Birth of Jannet Miligan daughter of John Miligan and Isabald Gilespie in Closeburn.

February 6, 1783
Marriage of Mary Miligan and Thomas Wallace both of Closeburn parish.

July 12, 1784
Birth of Mary Miligan daughter of John Miligan and Isabald Gilespie in Closeburn.

September 29, 1786
Birth of Margaret Miligan daughter of John Miligan and Isabald Gilespie in Closeburn.

March 9, 1787
Marriage of William Navison and Grizzle Miligan both of Closeburn parish.

November 11, 1787
Marriage of Robert Miligan in the parish of Holywood and Janet Hoatson in Closeburn parish.

July 24, 1789
Marriage of Mary Miligan in Closeburn parish and John Bryden in the parish of Troqueer.

November 26, 1789
Birth of John Miligan son of John Miligan and Isabald Gilespie in Closeburn.

January 2, 1791
Birth of James Miligan son of John Miligan and Catharine Hanning in Flints House.

April 20, 1791
Burial of James Milligan, Flinthouse.

September 11, 1791
Burial of James Milligan, Nether Nockelshang.

November 29, 1791
Burial of James Milligan, Crosshouse.

January 31, 1792
Marriage of Agness Miligan and Thomas Broun both of Closeburn parish.

October 14, 1792
Birth of Agness Miligan daughter of John Miligan and Catherine Hanning in Lakehead.

October 30, 1792
Burial of Janet Miligan in Crossburn.

August 16, 1793
Burial of Thomas Miligan in Castlesods.

April 18, 1794
Marriage of Mary Miligan in the parish of Morton and William McLean in Closeburn.

December 19, 1794
Marriage of Janet Miligan in Closeburn parish and John Dargavel in the parish of Penpont.

September 17, 1797
Birth of Margaret Miligan daughter of John Miligan and Catherine in Lakehead.

August 28, 1799
Burial of John Milligan, Dalgarnogate.

November 26, 1799
Birth of Child of John Miligan and Catherine Hanning in Lakehead.

February 6, 1802
Burial of Agnes Milligan, Dumbreck.

August 21, 1807
Marriage of Jannet Milligan and William Dalrympel both in Closeburn parish.

December 21, 1804
Burial of Janet Milligan, Dalgarnockgate.

June 24, 1840
Burial of Isabella Milligan, Knockleshang, decline.



Updated 19 October, 2022



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