Historical and Genealogical research

Unfortunately we do not have old records in our possession as these are kept in Edinburgh in two buildings as follows:-

Births, deaths and marriages before 1855 are kept at:

NEW REGISTER HOUSE 3,
WEST REGISTER St.
EDINBURGH
EH1 3YT
Tel. 0131 334 0380

All Kirk Session records and births deaths and marriages after 1855 are kept at:

SCOTTISH RECORDS OFFICE EDINBURGH
Tel. 0131 556 6585

The General Register Office for Scotland, the official government souce of genealogical information for Scotland, now has a live online search facility at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Monument Inscriptions

A list of inscriptions on monuments in Dalserf churchyard is available from:
Lanarkshire Family History Society
c/o Reference Department
Hamilton Central Library
98 Cadzow Street
Hamilton
Lanarkshire
ML3 6HQ Scotland

Monument to Rev. John MacMillan

A tall obelisk which is situated in the graveyard only about six feet from the North-east corner of the church building itself marks the grave of the Rev. John MacMillan who was the first minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church which arose out of "the United Societies".

John MacMillan was deposed from the church of Scotland in 1703. He had been inducted to the charge of Balmaghie only 2 years before. He was deposed for his unyielding stand on covenanting principles from which the Church of Scotland had moved away by this time. MacMillan however after allowing his predecessor to occupy the Balmaghie pulpit for a year, illegally forced him out of his manse and his pulpit and remained for 20 years in spite of attempts by the authorities to remove him. His success in this respect was due to his popularity in that community which closed ranks around him. He moved to Larkhall (then within the parish of Dalserf) and remained there until his death in 1753.

The monument was renovated in 2004 thanks to the Covenanter Memorials Association.