Forgan, Fife, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #431

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are no birth entries October 1700–January 1704. Mother's names are not recorded until November 1723. Marriages: After January 1782 the record is one of proclamations only. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1695–1700; 1717–1935 Volume of Transcriptions for 1695–1717 Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH2/160.

Newport Free Church
History— The minister of Forgan parish and many of his congregation came out in 1843. The church and manse were erected at Newport in 1844. A new church was built in 1869. Originally a small Fife village, Newport became a suburb of Dundee. This brought increase of membership. The church at Wormit was an offshoot from Newport. Membership: 1848, 250; 1900, 418. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— Session Minutes 1843–1930 Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH3/1583.

= Civil Registration Records =

Government or civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths (also called statutory records) began on January 1, 1855 in Scotland. Each parish has a registrar's office and large cities have several. The records are created by the registrars and copies are sent to the General Register Office in Edinburgh. Annual indexes are then created for the records for the whole country. See the article on Scotland Civil Registration for more information and to access the records.

= Probate Records =

Forgan was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of St. Andrews until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Fife at Cupar. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. You must register on the website but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills &amp; Testaments,' is free. You may then purchase a copy of the document or, if the document is before 1823, it will be on microfilm at the Family History Library. To find the microfilm numbers, search in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Fife and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Fife. The library also has some post-1823 probate records for [County]. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of [County] and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.