James (Minzies) Menzies (1766 - aft. 1818)

Born 23 May 1766 in Crawford, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Janet (Scott) Menzies — married 3 May 1795 in Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died after Dec 1818 after age 52 in Scotland

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Biography

This profile is part of the Menzies Name Study.

James (Minzies) Menzies is a member of Clan Menzies.

James (Minzies) Menzies was born in Scotland.

Birth and Baptism

James 'Minzies' Menzies was born on 23 May 1766 and was baptised on 29 May 1766 in Crawford, Lanarkshire, Scotland.^[1][2] He was the son of Thomas Minzies and Janet Lockie.

Marriage

James Menzies married Janet Scott on 3 May 1795 in Westerkirk, Dumfries-shire, Scotland.^[3][4][5][6] They had ten children during their marriage;

• Child: Thomas Menzies-2154
• Child: Janet Scott Menzies-2153
• Child: Robert Menzies-2152
• Child: Margaret Menzies-2156
• Child: James Menzies-2160
• Child: Mary Menzies-2155
• Child: John Menzies-371
• Child: Robert Menzies-2159
• Child: Elizabeth Menzies-2157
• Child: Anne Menzies-2158

Death

James Menzies died sometime after the birth of his last child Anne in 1818 in Scotland.

Reference Notes and History

From Christopher Menzie - descendant relative - James "Minzies" Menzies worked at the Louisa Antimony mine and lived in Jamestown, a now ghost town of 40 miners by the town of Langholm, Scotland. It was here where he met Janet Scott. The mine was owned by the Westerall Mining Company. https://canmore.org.uk/site/67767/glenshanna-burn-louisa-mine

"The local laird, Sir James Johnstone of Westerhall, conducted a survey for minerals on his land and discovered antimony c1788. He formed the Westerhall Mining Company with Captain Cochran and Mr Tait as shareholders and work began in 1793. The mine was worked on three main levels between 1793 and 1798 and produced over 100 tons of Antimony, worth £8,400. Ore was smelted at the mine and evidence of this activity can be traced by the banks of the Meggart Water where water power was used to drive the bellows. Fuel was obtained locally from peat or by coal from Canonbie, which no doubt was the source of limestone used in the manufacture of pure Antimony. The product was used for speculums, bell metal and types for printing."

Forty men were employed, working a six-hour day for wages of £23-£26 per annum, with the usual liberties of land for a garden and some grazing. The company built a village for the workers, called Jamestown, on the heugh [= hill] by the Meggat Water. A granary was built to store meal for re-sale to miners in winter or times of dearth, at the rate at which it was purchased. A school followed, and the miners, with the earnestness for self-improvement typical of most lead-mining communities, started a library. This was instituted in 1792 with a gift of £15 worth of books, quickly augmented by the miners' own purchases. The minute book of the Jamestown Library indicates the concern of the miners for poetry, philosophy, comparative religion, geology and political economy."

James was as a member of the Jamestown Miner’s Library quarterly meetings. - "James Menzies signified his intention of becoming a member at the quarterly meeting."

James was noted to have paid fines for unexcused absences to the meetings – “On 2 June 1794, 1 July 1794, 1 August 1794, and 1 August 1795 the records show James Menzies was fined for unexcused absences.”

His monthly salary was 20 shillings.

2 January 1796 - “Jas. Menzies being demitted 1 for some time having paid all arrears the night, of Eighteen Shillings and one halfpenny.” (Demitted means suspended membership)

James and Janet had an irregular marriage in the spring of 1795 – irregular means without the parish preacher. It was common among the working poor that didn’t have the means of paying the parish fee for declaring the marriage in a church service and didn’t live close to the kirk. James had his children Thomas and Janet while living at this residence.

James worked with two other 'Menzies' – Adam Menzies with two sons, John and Robert. Another was Robert Menzies, who married Katherine Rutherford, whose descendants moved to New Brunswick. Any perceived relations between the three men have yet to be established (but could with Y-DNA testing).

The Antimony/Louisa mine closed in 1798 and the family moved on.

The family moved to the Crawford parish, where records show their son Robert was born.

They moved again to Glenbuck, which is three miles east of Muirkirk. The rest of their children are recorded as being born in Muirkirk while they had residence in Glenbuck.

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTLN-MF7 : 10 February 2018), James Menzies, 23 May 1766; citing , reference 2:15K9ZKV, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,066,586.
2. ↑ Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, FHL Film Number 1066586, Reference ID2:15K9ZKV.
3. ↑ National Records of Scotland. Old Parish Records. STATUTORY MARRIAGES: Westerkirk: OPR: 854/ 10 235 Page 235 of 245.
4. ↑ Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910, FHL Film Number 1067972.
5. ↑ "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTRY-34C : 10 February 2018), James Menzies and Janet Scott, 03 May 1795; citing Westerkirk,Dumfries,Scotland, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,972.
6. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTKZ-7V5 : 10 February 2018), John Menzies, 23 Apr 1809; citing , reference 2:16GR22S, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,041,400.

Acknowledgements

To Christopher Menzie, R Hare Hare-1576 and P Gray Howard-18870 for research and contact with the Menzies family.

FURTHER INFORMATION - MENZIES PROJECT https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:MINGUS_Inc._%28Menzies_INternational_Genealogy_UnderStudy%29-1