Newton-upon-Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland Genealogy

Newton-Upon-Ayr, Ary, Scotland (#614)

History
The name of the parish is evidently derived from its situation on the banks of the Ayr river. Ayr is the nearest town. The parish is of very small extent, being only a mile and a half in length and a mile in width. The freemen are proprietors of all the land in the parish with the exception of ten acres. William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar, has the right of superiority over main street. The land was primarily used for, coal, potatoes, turnips, hay and grains of all kinds. The population in 1791 was 1689. The population in 1831 was 4020. The registers have been kept regularly since 1779.

The religious attendance of the parishioners was:

Established Church---2960 holding -708 sittings Relief 282 -116 United Secessions -188 --85 Original Seceders --102 --51 Reformed Presbyterians47 --15 Methodists --86 --24 Episcopalians --51 -13 Independents ---20 -11 Moravian --9 1

This account was written in 1837.

source: New Statistical Account of Scotland (FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 5)

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
Years Covered FHL Film Number Births: 1780–1854 1041406 Marriages: 1780–1854 1041406 Deaths:1811–1854 1041406

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index on computer at the Family History Library under “Databases on the Network.” Note: This parish disjoined in 1779 from that of Monkton &amp; Prestwick. It is bounded on the east by St. Quivox and is sometimes listed with it.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1780–1916 Accounts 1780–1812, 1837–1847, 1856–1885 Register of Deaths 1811–1844, 1853 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/827.

Newton–Upon-Ayr Free Church
History— James Stevenson, minister of the parish, and a large part of his congregation, "came out" in 1843. They met for worship in a Congregational Church until December of that year, when their own church was opened. About 1845 they purchased the Charity School buildings, and in 1847 built a school. The manse was erected in 1850. A new church was erected on the old site in 1862. A mission was carried on in Wallacetown until 1854, when it was sanctioned as a territorial charge. Membership: 1848, 602; 1900, 589. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1943–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914 Film #918572 More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Minutes 1843–1916 Communion Roll 1844–1853 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/795.

See also Ayr Parish.