Thomas Sinton1

(say 1740 - say 1801)

BMDB data

     Thomas Sinton was born say 1740 SCT assumption being that he would need to be about 30 before becoming tenant of Sunhope.2
     Thomas Sinton married Elizabeth Curry say 1780 ?Lauder, BEW, SCT.1,3
     Thomas Sinton was assumed to have died say 1801 Soonhope, Par. of Lauder, BEW, SCT, or possibly Thomas retired then? The farm is advertised in Aug 1801 as for let from Sep 1802.2,4,5,6,7
     At least one tree has Thomas as born Oct 1755 on the same date as the Thomas born to James of Southdean.
If this is true, a direct male line SINTON from Thomas should be a good DNA match to the Southdean SINTONs already represented in the SINTON Surname DNA project
However it seems unlikely that an 18 yr old would have the tenancy of a 900 acre farm.8,2

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Thomas Thomas had been tenant Sunhope, Par. of Lauder, BEW, SCT, bet. 1772 - 1797 as this letter to his landlord the Marquis of Tweeddale shows:
1779 January 25th
Unto the Most Honourable George Marques of Tweeddale
The Petition of Thomas Sinton Tennant in Suhope [sic]
"Humbly Sheweth
That your Petitioner Possesses the whole farm of Sunhope for Nigh Seven years have done so with Great Satisfaction Under your Lordship and your ffactors but for all my Lawfull endeavours find it is not in my power to make it produce the Rentall that I pay for some time back I have been oblidged to Borrow Money to Make up your Lordships rent as the Articles on the farm are much reduced by the price likwise since Mr Riddle fenced Round Dodhouse I am oblidged to keep three herds [i.e. shepherds] where there was but one befor which make Aditionale Burthen to me Upwards of twenty pounds Sterl. and in a Case Simular to mine the tennant in the Kelphope [a neighbouring farm] have got his farm Down Ten pound yearly and Some of Lord Lauderdals tennants Likwise I have often Repeated my Grievences to your Lordships factor but to no purpose May I therefor please your Lordship to Consider my Case and to alow me what Deduction of my rent as your Lordship Shall please as real Necessity oblidges me to make this Aplication as I am not able to Stand all the present rentall for I must either fall short in paying your Lordships rent or quit the farm with Sorrow and regrete I say this [in?] hopes your LordShip will not let me be any Longer(?) and your petitioner Shall ever pray
Tho. Sinton"
My transcriber adds that there are signs towards the end that he is beginning to lose the plot and get quite emotional.
He was still there by 1797 as the horse tax rolls show he had 2 work horses, taxed at 2/- each (entry definitely reads "Sunhope", as does the 1772 letter, parish registers have Sunup (1785/7), the to let ad has Soonhope, as do modern maps).
Indications are that the tenacy changed hands around 1801. This being derived from a farm to let ad in The Caledonian Mercury of 27 Aug 1801:
"STORE FARM IN LAMMERMUIR To be Let by public roup, for 16 years from Whitsunday 1802, within the house of Mr Dow at Channelkirk, upon Tuesday the 22d of September, 12 o'clock noon. THE FARM of SOONHOPE, consisting of about 900 Scots acres, lying in the parish of Lauder and shire of Berwick. This farm is well-known to be a remarkable sound sheep walk. The articles of roup will be seen in the hands of Jas. Hay, W.S. and the shepherds upon the premises will show the marches."
The next mention found was in Dec 1806 when a meeting of creditors was being called for a William WILSON of Soonhope, late writer to the signet in Edinburgh. Harry adds that Hugh STEVENSON was farming there for his father Joseph in the early 1800s, and an ad in Jun 1817 shows it in possesion of Robert STEVENSON.4,8,2,5,6,7

Family

Elizabeth Curry (say 1760 - )
Children
  • Margaret Sinton3 (Oct 1782 - )
  • Thomas Sinton+1,9,10 (Apr 1785 - bet. 1863 - Feb 1871)
  • George Hay Sinton+11,12 (May 1787 - Oct 1846)
  • William Sinton+ (cir. 1791 - Nov 1867); main reason for linking William to Thomas and Elizabeth is the Hampstead SINTON nursery connection - makes him brother to George Hay S. of Sinton's Nursery; plus there's the G & W SINTON oilmen in Edinburgh shortly before they pop up in London8,13
ChartsThomas & Elizabeth (CURRY) SINTON
Last Edited30 Jan 2013

Citations

  1. Peter Sinton, "SINTON/SCOTT/TROTTER ex Peter S," e-mail to Lorna (1:1), Birth 26 Apr 1785 Thomas George s/o Thomas SINTON & Elizabeth CURRY, SCT, rcvd Feb 2001.
  2. H D W (15319), "Borders Corres. ex H D W," e-mail to L Henderson (1), Thomas SINTON, 1779, Soonhope, from the Marquise of Tweeddale's estate papers in the National Library of Scotland, N.L.S. Catalogue of MSS, Vol.X, Thomas Sinton 14755, fol.140 (1779) (Soonhope). catalogue ref rcvd Aug 2005, transc. rcvd Jan 2013.
  3. FamilySearch Labs Record Search (LDS) online at http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/, Birth 16 Oct 1782 Margaret /o Thomas SINTON & Elizabeth CURRY, Lauder, BEW, from Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 batch C11748-4 film 1067901, extracted Jan 2013.
  4. 1797 Farm Horse Tax Rolls - Scotland online at http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/, 13 Sep 1797 Thos SINTON, Sunhope, Par. of Lauder, BEW, extracted Dec 2009.
  5. Newspaper clippings, Aug 1801 Soonhope to be let Sep 1802, "STORE FARM IN LAMMERMUIR", advertised Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Thursday, August 27, 1801; Issue 12474, extracted Jan 2013.
  6. Newspaper clippings, Dec 1806 Soonhope, "NOTICE TO SOONHOPE's CREDITORS", advertised Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Thursday, December 11, 1806; Issue 13251, extracted Jan 2013.
  7. Newspaper clippings, Jun 1817 Farms of Dodhouse & Soonhope to be let, "in possession of Robert STEVENSON", advertised Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Monday, June 23, 1817; Issue 14912, extracted Jan 2013.
  8. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Jan 2013.
  9. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Birth 26 Apr 1785 Thomas (erroneously indexed as Thomas George) s/o Thomas (tenant Sunup) SINTON & Elisabeth CURRY, Lauder, BEW 748/00 0020 0178, copy d/loaded Jan 2013.
  10. FamilySearch Labs Record Search (LDS) online at http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/, Birth 26 Apr 1785 Thomas George s/o Thomas SINTON & Elisabeth CURRY, Lauder, BEW, from Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 batch C11748-4 film 1067901, extracted Jan 2013.
  11. FamilySearch Labs Record Search (LDS) online at http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/, Birth 6 May 1787 George Hay s/o Thomas SINTON & Elizabeth CURRY, Lauder, BEW, from Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 batch C11748-4 film 1067901, extracted Jan 2013.
  12. Scottish BMDB entries (to 1854), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Birth 6 May 1787 George Hay s/o Thomas SINTON & Elizabeth CURRY, Sunup, Par. of Lauder, BEW, 748/00 0020 0183, copy d/loaded Jan 2013.
  13. Post Office Directories (SCT) by Post Office online at http://digital.nls.uk/directories/, 1811-12 G & W SINTON, Oilmen, 37 High St, Edinburgh, extracted Jan 2013.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area.