Alexander McLean Paisley (1763-1774)

[USCRx1977]

My McLean ancestors are from the Abbey parrish. Alexander McLean married Ann Lang, both of the Abbey parish, in 1763. [16/07/1763 MCCLEAN, ALEXANDER (Old Parish Registers Marriages 559/ 40 195 Abbey) Page 195 of 712]. They had at least 4 children in Scotland (baptized in Paisley in 1766, 1768, 1770 & 1773), before emigrating to North America in 1774, following their pastor in Paisley, John Witherspoon.
Family tradition has it that they originally settled in the Paisley area from the island of Mull.
I have quite a bit of information about the family once they reached North America.

I've been unable to find out anything about either of this couple (McLean & Lang) in Scotland other than their marriage: birth(dates), parents, siblings, etc. I've researched ScotlandsPeople, FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, etc. I'm planning a trip to Scotland next May, 2019, and would like to do as much research before I go. Any suggestions of next steps in my research?

[Lesley Robertson]

John Witherspoon called to the Parish of Beith in 1745 and transferred to Laigh Parish, Paisley in 1757. He has 4 columns in the Fasti of the Church of Scotland (if you go to the Internet Archive, search Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae and you can download a pdf of volume 3 for Glasgow & Ayr, his main entry begins on page 174). He seems to have led an "interesting" life, the most relevant for you being that he was in St George's or the Laigh Parish, Paisley, when he accepted the Presidency of Princeton College, New Jersey, USA.

Witherspoon is not on the lists of Ministers for either of the Charges of Abbey Parish. BTW, an older name for the Abbey Parish was St Mirin's.

When you searched Scotlands People, did you look at the actual church records, or just the index? The records are often not very informative, but should tell you which Minister did the baptisms. However, looking at what you've found about McLean/Lang, you've done very well, considering the poor state of documents from back then.
It might be worth looking for gravestones - Scottish stones can be very informative, where they've survived acid rain, etc. The Scottish Genealogy Society sells books of transcriptions. This and other sources can be found in the set of sticky messages at the top of the General Scottish forum HERE.

It might also be worth looking for the Minutes of the Abbey Presbytry (Parish Council). If your people were really incomers, it should be mentioned - when people moved from one parish to another they were supposed to present a certificate of membership from their old Parish Minister to their new Minister. This was taken rather seriously as money was involved - if someone fell on hard times, the Parish they belonged to was responsible for support.

[USCRx1977]

Thanks SO much, Lesley, for your suggestions. I will start on them ASAP.
One other tidbit about 'my' Alexander McLean. He is described in a few documents as being a silk weaver. In addition, the comment is made that, "So much were they (Alexander and Ann) esteemed that the communion in Paisley in 1774 was celebrated a month earlier in order to give these pilgrims a godly farewell." They left soon after for New York in British America. These comments are from the Home and Foreign Record of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, December 1861, p. 40.
Would either of these additional pieces of information possibly lead to other avenues of research?
Thanks SO much for your thoughts.

[Lesley Robertson]

If, as it sounds from what you say, a large group left together, it might be worth looking for local newspapers of the time.
I think that the British Newspaper Archive still has its “3 free searches before you join” offer running - I have a sub, so didn’t use the offer, read the rules carefully first.

It’s always worth checking with the local FHS and archives - their urls are on my pc and I’m not, but I’m sure you can find their contact info on GENUKI.org.uk.

[grisel]

Hello there and welcome. I am in fact a Paisley Buddy (native of Paisley) tho I don't live there anymore, so interested in your post. As Lesley said you have done very well to get back to 1763!
I would normally suggest to contact Paisley Heritage Centre at Paisley library which is normally very helpful but the museum and library are closed for major refurbishment. But you could try David.weir @ renfrewshire.gov.uk who was in charge.
They may have old pamphlets or newspapers of the time.

[grisel]

Another place which holds records is the national records of Scotland in Edinburgh. www.nrscotland.gov.uk They have an online catalogue. I spotted
CH2/490 Records of Paisley Abbey Kirk session1699-1953

CH2/1392 Records of Paisley Low,St George's/Laigh kirk session 1769-2003

CH2/1392/84Paisley St George's church "A memoir of the Rev J Witherspoon's Emigration from Paisley Scotland to Princeton USA in1768"
These may or may not have anything of interest.

[grisel]

If you are visiting Paisley the abbey is of great interest. There is a plaque to John Witherspoon inside.
There is also a statue of him outside the university.
The Laigh kirk where John Witherspoon preached is close by in New St, now Paisley Arts Centre. You can have a coffee there.
Sma' Shot Cottages, also nearby, is a small weaving museum which would show you how Alexander might have lived. There is also a Weaver's Cottage in Kilbarchan a few miles away run by the National Trust for Scotland.
It's a shame Paisley museum is closed as it has a textile section with old looms etc and lots of information.

You could also contact Renfrewshire Family History Society. renfrewshirefhs.co.uk

[grisel]

I found an old post from ancestry I think where someone had found her ancestor being admitted to the silk weavers' guild in Paisley in 1817. She said that Paisley museum has reels of microfilm with minutes from the weavers'guild so she went to Paisley and had a look.

[grisel]

To add to your list of possible children.
SP has deaths of Alexander McLean, son of Alexander Mclean abbey 1765
and Helen Mclean daughter of Alexander, 1767.

[grisel]

I found an old post from ancestry I think where someone had found her ancestor being admitted to the silk weavers' guild in Paisley in 1817. She said that Paisley museum has reels of microfilm with minutes from the weavers'guild so she went to Paisley and had a look.

What a shame. From the National Archives it looks as though these records don't start till 1808 so too late for you.