Guthrie Family Group 6 – Branch A
JANET GUTHRIE (1791 – 1866) and DAVID COCKBURN
of Berwickshire, Scotland

JANET GUTHRIE
Parents: George Guthrie (1751 Eyemouth, Berwickshire – 28 June 1821 Foulden, Berwickshire, miller/tenant farmer) and Janet (or Jennet) Mennion (c1753–1 May 1820 Foulden, Berwickshire; spelling variations include Mennen, Menion, Mennon, or Mennan in parish and statutory records due to phonetic transcription by clerks) Birth: about 1791 (estimated from age at death; no confirmed Old Parish Register baptism located despite searches in Hutton, Foulden, and adjacent Berwickshire parishes)
Birth Location: Berwickshire, Scotland (presumed Hutton or Foulden parish, consistent with siblings’ records and family milling/tenancy ties to the Nunlands/Foulden area)
Marriage: 25 November 1814 to David Cockburn (master joiner)
Marriage Location: Foulden, Berwickshire, Scotland (recorded in Old Parish Registers)
Cockburn Children: Yes – at least 8 with 3 surviving
Residences: Early married life in Foulden (children born there); later Ladykirk (subsequent children); final years in Paxton, Hutton parish, Berwickshire (reflecting typical rural mobility within a 10–15 mile radius of the Scottish Borders for trades and tenancy opportunities)
Death: 20 June 1866 at 3:45 p.m. (age 75)
Death Location: Paxton, Hutton, Berwickshire, Scotland (cause: “Natural Decay” – a common 19th-century descriptor for age-related frailty in rural populations without specific medical diagnosis)
Burial Location: Unverified, probably Foulden Churchyard
Notes: Janet’s statutory death registration explicitly names her parents as “George Guthrie, Miller & Janet Mennon, both decd.,” providing the key linkage to Guthrie Family Group 6, Branch A. She outlived her husband (who predeceased her, as she is listed as widow) and was survived by at least some children. Informant on the death record was James Armstrong, son-in-law (indicating at least one daughter married into the Armstrong family, a common Borders surname). The family’s movements between Foulden, Ladykirk, and Hutton parishes align with the agricultural and small-trade economy of early 19th-century Berwickshire, where joiners (carpenters/cabinetmakers) supported farmsteads, mills, and local construction during the Agricultural Revolution. Spelling variations in maternal surname (Mennion/Mennen) are typical of pre-1855 Scottish records and appear consistently across sibling pages. No emigration is recorded for this nuclear family; they remained rooted in the Scottish Borders.

DAVID COCKBURN
Parents: Unknown (research ongoing; likely Berwickshire family given consistent residence and occupation) Birth: about 1796 (estimated from 1841 Scotland Census)
Birth Location: Berwickshire, Scotland (presumed; exact parish unconfirmed)
Occupation: Master joiner (a skilled trade involving carpentry, cabinetmaking, and millwork – essential in a region dominated by grain/flax mills and tenant farming)
Marriage: 25 November 1814 to Janet Guthrie
Marriage Location: Foulden, Berwickshire, Scotland
Residences: Foulden and Ladykirk parishes (children’s birthplaces); family appears in Ladykirk-area enumerations by 1841
Death: Before June 1866 (Janet listed as widow on her death record; exact date, location, and cause unknown – research ongoing)
Burial Location: Unverified, probably Foulden Churchyard
Notes: David’s occupation as “master joiner” indicates he ran a small workshop or employed apprentices, as evidenced by at least one son listed as a joiner apprentice in the 1841 census. The family’s parish shifts (Foulden to Ladykirk to Hutton/Paxton) reflect seasonal or opportunity-driven mobility common among skilled tradesmen in the Borders, where proximity to the Tweed River supported milling, agriculture, and cross-border trade (including occasional smuggling). No will or probate located. Further searches in kirk session records or Berwickshire Sheriff Court documents may reveal tenancy or business contracts.

FAMILY NOTES/HISTORY
The Cockburn-Guthrie family exemplifies the skilled trades and rural mobility of early 19th-century Berwickshire during the tail end of the Agricultural Revolution and lead-up to the Industrial era. David’s role as master joiner supported the region’s milling economy (flax and grain mills powered by the Tweed and its tributaries), farmsteads, and local building booms, while Janet’s Guthrie lineage tied the family to tenant farming and milling through her father George Sr.

The couple’s children were born across Foulden (early years) and Ladykirk (later), with later residence in Paxton, Hutton – all within a compact cluster of eastern Berwickshire parishes. This intra-county movement was typical for families balancing tenancy opportunities, trade apprenticeships, and kinship networks in the Borders, where proximity to England facilitated trade (and sometimes informal economies). High infant mortality likely claimed unrecorded siblings, as hinted by 1841 census discrepancies and the era’s realities. No evidence of emigration appears (unlike some Guthrie branches that ventured to Canada or Australia); the line remained local through at least the mid-19th century.

Janet’s 1866 death from “natural decay” at age 75 reflects relative longevity in a rural setting with limited medical care. Gaps persist in exact child outcomes and David’s death details, underscoring the challenges of pre-1855 records reliant on OPRs and fragmentary censuses.

The family memorial stone at Foulden Churchyard reads: Sacred to the Memory of William Cockburn Son of David Cockburn, Horndean D. 21.2.1820 Aged 10m. Also George Cockburn His Son D. 29.5.1822 Aged 14m. Also William Cockburn His Son D. 28.2.1829 Aged ??m. Also Adam Turnbull Cockburn D. 16.9.1837 Aged 5y. Also James William Cockburn His Son D. 16.5.18?6 Aged 1y. Also the Above David Cockburn D. 23.19.1860 Aged 67y. Also Janet Guthrie His Wife D. 20.6,1866 Aged 75y. Alice Cockburn His Granddaughter D. 9.2.1861 Aged 19m.

DNA testing (autosomal for all descendant lines) could triangulate with Guthrie Family Group 6 matches and clarify unlisted spouses or migrations. The family’s story highlights the resilience of Borders tradespeople amid economic shifts post-Napoleonic Wars, when agricultural improvements displaced some laborers but created demand for joinery in mills and housing.

Cockburn Children:
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE

CHILD 1: AGNES COCKBURN – c1816 Foulden/Ladykirk, Berwickshire – 14 Apr 1888
Spouse: John Purves m. 17 Jun 1842 in Edrom, Berwick, Scotland
Children: YES
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE
NOTES/HISTORY: Eldest known child; birth location spans the family’s early move between Foulden and Ladykirk.

1.) Janet Purves (b. 1848)
2.) Joseph Purves (b. 1850)
3.) David Purves (b. 1852)
4.) Agnes Purves (b. 1855)
5.) Ann H Purves (b. 1857)

CHILD 2: WILLIAM COCKBURN – 1819 Foulden, Berwickshire – 1820 Foulden, Berwickshire @ 10 months
Spouse: N/A – Died in his infancy
Children: N/A
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie / No Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
NOTES/HISTORY: Born in Foulden parish per family summaries. The memorial stone at Foulden Churchyard reads “Sacred to the Memory of William Cockburn son of David Cockburn, Horndean, D. 21.2.1820 Aged 10 m.”

CHILD 3: GEORGE GUTHRIE – abt. 1820-21 Berwickshire, SCT – 29 May 1822 @ 14 month
Spouse: N/A – Died in early childhood
Children: N/A
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie / No Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
NOTES/HISTORY: The family memorial stone at Foulden Cemetery lists the family of David Cockburn “Also George Cockburn his son D. 29.5.1822 Aged 14m.”

CHILD 4: ADAM TURNBULL COCKBURN – Abt. 1821 Berwickshire – 15 Dec 1826 @ 5 years
Spouse: N/A – Died in early childhood
Children: N/A
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie / No Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
NOTES/HISTORY: The family memorial stone at Foulden Cemetery lists the family of David Cockburn including Adam Turnbull Cockburn his son who died 15th Dec 1826 aged 5 years.

CHILD 5: JAMES WILLIAM COCKBURN – Abt. 1821 Berwickshire – 11 May 1828 @ 7 years
Spouse: N/A – Died in childhood
Children: N/A
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie / No Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
NOTES/HISTORY: The family memorial stone at Foulden Cemetery lists the family of David Cockburn including James William Cockburn his son who died 11th May 1828 aged 7 years.

CHILD 6: WILLIAM COCKBURN – 1823 Berwickshire – 1 Feb 1824 Berwickshire @ 10 months
Spouse: N/A – Died in early childhood
Children: N/A
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie / No Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
NOTES/HISTORY: The family memorial stone at Foulden Cemetery lists the family of David Cockburn including a second son named William Cockburn who also died in his infancy or early childhood.

CHILD 7: GEORGE COCKBURN – 16 March 1824 (baptized) Ladykirk, Berwickshire – after 1900 (per some compiled trees)
Spouse: Margaret Purves
Children: YES
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE
NOTES/HISTORY: Baptism explicitly names parents David Cockburn & Janet Guthrie in Ladykirk OPR. Appears in 1841 census context; later life may include Selkirk connections per secondary trees.

1.) Janet Cockburn
2.) Agnes Cockburn
3.) Margaret F. Cockburn
4.) Fann Cockburn
5.) David Cockburn
6.) Alexander Purves Cockburn
7.) Alice Cockburn

CHILD 8: JANET COCKBURN – 1826 Ladykirk, Berwickshire – ?
Spouse: James Armstrong m. 3 Aug 1860 Ladykirk, Berwick, Scotland
Armstrong Children: YES
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE
NOTES/HISTORY: Youngest known; potential marriage to Armstrong explains informant link. Census data hints at possible additional sons (e.g., David ~1822 joiner apprentice, Alexander ~1824 tailor apprentice in Ladykirk area), suggesting high infant/child mortality or incomplete OPR indexing – a common edge case in pre-statutory Scottish records. James Armstrong was listed as the informant on his mother-in-law’s death record.

1.) Janet Ann Armstrong
2.) Agnes Lucy Armstrong
3.) Euphemia Armstrong
4.) Hannah P Armstrong
5.) Mary Armstrong

Primary Sources and Citations

• Old Parish Registers (OPR) – Marriages & Baptisms: ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. Janet (“Jenet”) Guthrie & David Cockburn marriage, 25 November 1814, Foulden, Berwickshire (ref. searchable via church registers). Children’s baptisms: Agnes (~1816 Foulden/Ladykirk), William (1819 Foulden), George (16 March 1824 Ladykirk), Janet (1826 Ladykirk). Cross-referenced with family summaries and 1841 census.
• Statutory Death Records: ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. Janet Cockburn (née Guthrie), 20 June 1866, Hutton (ref. 747/00 0017 or equivalent; details: widow of David Cockburn, master joiner; residence Paxton; parents George Guthrie, miller, & Janet Mennon; cause “Natural Decay”; informant James Armstrong, son-in-law). This record is the cornerstone confirming parentage and linkage to GFG6 Branch A.
• Memorial Stone Transcription: Cockburn-Guthrie Family (Horndean / Ladykirk parish area, Berwickshire, Scotland – photographed as I2831786-00303.jpg / O5cSJ)
  • This is a classic 19th-century Scottish monumental inscription (likely erected shortly after Janet Guthrie’s 1866 death). The stone is upright, curved-top, with raised lettering that has accumulated moss and lichen over ~160 years, but the carving remains largely legible. The watermark “Copyright – Scottish Monumental Inscriptions” confirms it is from a professional churchyard survey.
  • Literal Line-by-Line Transcription (Preserving original line breaks, spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations exactly as carved)
    • Sacred To the memory of WILLIAM COCKBURN son of DAVID COCKBURN HORDEAN who died 1st Feb.y 1820 aged 10 months. Also of GEORGE COCKBURN his son who died 20th May 1822 aged 11 months. Also of WILLIAM COCKBURN his son who died 1st Feb.y 1824 aged 10 months. Also of ADAM TURNBULL COCKBURN his son who died 15th Dec.r 1826 aged 5 years. And of JAMES WILLIAM COCKBURN his son who died 11th May 1828 aged 7 years. Also the above DAVID COCKBURN who died 26th Oct.r 1860 aged 67 years. Also JANET GUTHRIE his wife who died 20th June 1866 aged 75 years. ALICE COCKBURN his gr. daughter who died 3 Feb.y 1866 aged 19 months.
  • Notes on legibility & abbreviations
    • “Feb.y”, “Dec.r”, “Oct.r” = standard 19th-century contractions for February, December, October.
    • “gr. daughter” = granddaughter (common shorthand on Scottish stones to save space).
    • “HORDEAN” = residence / farm name (Horndean, a known settlement in Ladykirk parish, Berwickshire, near the English border). The stone does not say “Hordeans” – the final “S” is not present; it is simply “HORDEAN”.
  • No monumental inscription for any of the surviving children or other descendants appears on this stone; it commemorates only the parents and the children (plus one granddaughter) who predeceased them.
• Census Records: 1841 Scotland Census (Ladykirk/Horndean area enumerations via ScotlandsPeople/Ancestry). David Cockburn (age ~45, joiner) with family, including apprentices; confirms residences, occupations, and possible additional children. Later censuses (1851/1861) track surviving members in Hutton/Duns vicinity.
• Guthrie Genealogy Blog (primary compiled source): “A: George Guthrie & Jennet Mennion” (27 Dec 2019, updated). Full context for GFG6 Branch A, including this couple’s timeline, children summaries, and cross-references to sibling pages (George Jr. and Margaret Guthrie).

Secondary Reading & Contextual Resources

• Lewis, Samuel. Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1846/1851 editions) – detailed descriptions of Foulden, Ladykirk, Hutton, and Paxton parishes, including agriculture, mills, population, and trades like joinery.
• National Library of Scotland. Berwickshire Gazetteer maps and historical tax rolls (1645–1831) for tenant farmers, millers, and tradesmen in Nunlands/Foulden/Ladykirk areas.
• Old Scottish Genealogy (oldscottish.com). Foulden, Ladykirk, and Hutton parish histories, monumental inscriptions indexes, and local context for Borders families.
• Scottish Monumental Inscriptions (scottish-monumental-inscriptions.com). Churchyard transcriptions/PDFs for Foulden and Hutton (potential burial sites; purchase recommended for photos).
• Guthrie DNA Surname Project (FamilyTreeDNA) – Y-DNA confirms GFG6 paternal line; autosomal kits from Guthrie descendants enable triangulation with Cockburn-Guthrie lines (none noted yet for this branch).