The earliest known record of the BATIE surname occurs in the England-Scotland border region of Northumberland County, England in the late 1600's. Our recorded history begins here at the Falstone Presbyterian Chapel in the area known as "North Tynedale" in the valley along the North Tyne River. The geographical areas shown in Figure 1 for the English East and Middle Marches (the Liberties and Marches are discussed later) comprise the current area of Northumberland County, England. This area was also home to the ROBSON and TELFER families. Early TELFER records also appear under several spelling variations in the records of Falstone Presbyterian chapel, as well as Jedburgh, Scotland. Civil and church records show also that the area on both sides of the border had been home to the ROBSONs for several centuries.

The BATIE surname is of Old English or Saxon origin; its most common English variant is BATY. Both the BATIE and BATY variations are found in many English and Scottish counties, predominately in Northumberland County, England. In Scotland, a similar name is BEATTIE/BEATTY, but there is no known connection to the BATIEs. The name BATIE is most likely to have been derived from the Christian name of Bartholomew, an Old English name. It has also been suggested that there might also be a French origin stemming from La Batie, France. In French, La Batie means a fortified village or place, or small fortress. At least fourteen places in France are named La Batie. However, J. Kenneth BROWN, a genealogist in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, has suggested that "It is beyond imagination to think that a Frenchmen should leave 'La Batie' to travel north to some French or Belgian port by either horseback or coach, then cross the Channel and then travel some 400 miles, a long hazardous journey to the remotest valley in the most northern county of England....If a Frenchman came to this lawless land he would virtually be committing suicide, he would have a hostile reception - no place for any French settler."

TELFER, with its modern variants Telford, Talfourd, Tolver and Tulliver, was the nickname of William I's minstrel, described by Guy of Amiens in 1068:

"In the very van of William's army at Senlac strutted the minstrel Taillefer, and went to his death exercising the double arts of his hybrid profession, juggling with his sword, and chanting an heroic lay of Roncesvalles."

The name is first recorded as a surname about 1103, Dunning Taillifer, in Devon, England and dates from the tenth century in France as the nickname of the Duke of Angoulême, Old French taille fer "cut iron", "iron-cleaver", aptly suited to a warrior who could cleave clean through the iron armour of his foe. Many spelling variations of the surname exist in the records of Falstone Presbyterian chapel: Telfer, Taleford, Tailford, Tailifer, Telfoord, and others. However, it must be remembered that in the 1700's when these early records first appear, not everyone could read or write. Names in formal documents such as marriage and baptism registers were often entered by the minister according to how they sounded to him. And people's names were often spelled differently by the same person on different occasions.

In addition to the Tynedale area of what is now Northumberland County, there were several Telfer families just over the border in Jedburgh, Scotland at least as early as the late 1600's. According to the Jedburgh Parish Old Parochial Registers "James Taylfoord & Jennet Gray were married" on 28 November 1694, "Thomas Tolipher (a workman in Jedburgh) ... had a womanchild Baptized Margaret" on 16 October 1690, "Adam Tolipher merchant had a womanchild Baptized Esther" on 4 January 1694, "Richard Tolipher in Swinie had a manchild Baptized James" on 5 January 1696, and several others. As in the Falstone records, spelling of the surname in the old Jedburgh registers varied among Tolipher, Telfard, and others.

The ROBSON surname is well established on both sides of the England-Scotland border and also in the northern Scottish Highlands region. In the Highlands, ROBSON is a surname of Clan GUNN; in the Border region, most ROBSON families belong to Clan ROBERTSON (Clan DONNACHAIDH in Gaelic). For these border ROBSONs, there are two theories of the origin of the surname. Quoting with permission from Edward S. ROBSON, author of the article "The ROBSON Surname of North Tynedale, Northumberland,":

In the Museum of Antiquaries, there is a fragment of a cross which dates back to the seventh or eighth century. This cross was found a little above the church of Falstone, which was the seat of the primary Robson branch. The stone is inscribed on both sides in the same language, but with Roman letters on one side and in Anglo-Saxon runes on the other side. The cross is a monument (gravestone) and is inscribed thus:

"Eomaer set this (cross) up for his Uncle, Hroethbert. Pray for his soul."

Hroethbert is the Old English equivalent of Robert. Is it possible that the Robson surname dates back 1200 to 1300 years in the very place where they centred during their heyday? Are we all sons (descendants) of Uncle Hroethbert?

The other theory holds that the Robson surname derives from the bastard sons of Robert with the Beard, or Sir Robert de Umfraville, Lord of Tours and Vian. In 1075, he received from his kinsman, William the Conqueror, a grant of the lordship, forest and valley of Redesdale.

The Robson surname was one of the so-called riding or border reiver surnames. The family was located primarily in the North Tyne valley, especially around Falstone. Sir Robert Bowes claimed that "the countreye of North Tynedaill, ... is more plenished with misdemeaned people..." In 1551, he wrote, "They stand most by Surnames whereof the Charltons are the chief, and in all services or charges imposed upon that country the Charltons and such as are under their rule, be rated for one half of that country; Robsons for a quarter; and the Dodds and the Milburns for another quarter." Our ancestors have been described as "a wight riding sirname," wight meaning vigorous. The riding surnames were families on both sides of the borders (the majority, in fact) who engaged in cattle, sheep, and horse rustling, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, and robbery...

Early in the sixteenth century, the Robson surname was comprised of four "graynes" or branches, each led by a heidsman. Graynes seemed to reflect cousinly relationships living on neighbouring farmsteads. The primary grayne appeared to be the Falstone branch, the head of which has been described as the Laird of Falstone. John Robson was heidsman of the Falstone grayne at least from 1535 to 1552. John shared Falstone with his older brother, Henry, and their sons. Lyell Robson (Coeur de Lion, Cuddy Lion, Lion Hearted) was heidsman of the Yarrowhall grayne during this time. The Belling of Bimmerhill grayne of the Robson surname was headed by Geoffrey Robson. In 1559, Sir John Forster summoned the heidsmen of the Tynedale surnames to meet him at Chipchase to give bonds for keeping the peace. The following Robsons signed the document: Symont Robson of Langhaugh, Andrewe Robson of the Bellynge (Belling) and Hobb Robson of the Fawstone (Falstone). In the 1570's another John Robson was the heidsman of the Stonehouse grayne. In 1524, Robert Robson was identified as the heidsman of Bimmerhill (Byndmyrehill).

An early reference to a Robson is found in a Roll of Pleas held at the Court of Wark dated 1293. Thomas Robson was stabbed by Ralph Bond of Newbrough whose home he was burgling; also William Robson was beheaded at Bellingham. He had killed Alicia, the daughter of Bernard the miller, with an axe.

To place these BATIE, TELFER and ROBSON families in their proper context in location and time, a short summary of the English-Scottish border area activities is in order. With permission from the author, the following extract provides a brief historical perspective for us to appreciate the conditions faced by our ancestors residing along the England-Scotland border:

Although the Norman invasion and William the Conqueror's victory in 1066 gave the crown of England to William, he was not able to extend his control over the fiercely independent Anglo-Saxon residents in the upper part of Tynedale. The English border lands were designated into areas called Liberties (see Figure 1) which were ruled autocratically by a Lord who swore allegiance to the crown. The Lord was required to compensate the Sheriff of Northumberland the sum of 10 per year for the loss of control over that part of his judicial authority. Effective administration of the Liberty depended upon the ability, determination and interest of the Lord and his agents. A weakly governed Liberty resulted in lawlessness, raiding of livestock, burning and pillaging of farm buildings, and murder of members of feuding clans and families. Unfortunately, this was too often the case.

In the fourteenth century, a system of administration was instituted for local administration of lands on both sides of the Scotland-England border. Since the border residents could not rely on the Lord of the Liberty to effectively protect them and maintain some form of law and order, they banded together in a self-help system for their own mutual support. Several English and Scottish Marches were established, each with a Warden whose job it was to keep the local peace, mete out justice to offenders and maintain some semblance of law and order. In 1373, King Edward III formally recognized the practice, which had been in existence for years, of regular meetings between the Scottish and English Wardens to settle border disputes.

At these meetings the Wardens dealt with those who had broken the laws and customs of the Marches. These were a blend of ancient elements going back to Anglo-Saxon law codes and new expedients specifically introduced to deal with the disturbed state of the Border. The regulations laid down provisions whereby many offences, including those derived from feuding or raiding, were punished by fines and by levying compensation for the benefit of the injured parties. What border rules saw as more serious offences, i.e. "March Treason", were given summary death sentences followed by immediate execution by hanging, beheading or drowning in a convenient pool. Misdemeanors received summary justice such as that meted out to the unfortunate Emma from Wauchope, who was beheaded on the spot for theft. On the English side, death was the penalty for such crimes as aiding and abetting Scottish raiders, assaulting any Scot in possession of a safe-conduct pass, harboring Scottish fugitives, betraying English campaign plans in time of war and even marrying a Scottish woman without the Warden's consent!

For the most part, these March Wardens had to assert their authority by rough-and-ready means on the spot. However, the chronic poverty of English medieval kings prevented them from providing Wardens with sufficient compensation to induce the Warden to take his authority seriously. They were often tempted to exploit the office for their own ends rather than administer their responsibilities in the best interests of the crown. As a result, the Tudor period saw a great deal of continued disturbance and disorder in the border areas.

After King James of Scotland succeeded to the English throne in 1603, the reivers were eventually subdued, but not without some further bloodshed. With England and Scotland now united under a single monarch, the border no longer served as a meaningful political barrier. In 1607, James formally abolished the March Laws and the jurisdictional March areas. The Border counties were then called the "Middle Shires" and their residents were to be assimilated into the general body of the realm. Ten Border Commissioners, five English and five Scottish, were given the specific task of bringing peace to the area, using force if necessary. One hundred of the worst offenders in Tynedale and Redesdale were rounded up and sent to do military service in Ireland. They were threatened with execution should they ever dare to return home.

This attempt to destroy what for centuries had been a way of life for the reivers was greatly resented. In 1611, to show their contempt for the King's Commissioners, a party of Elliots and Armstrongs from Liddesdale rode into Leaplish, murdered Lionel Robson, wrecked his house, killed Elizabeth Yearowe and injured several others. The day after this raid, a detailed list of those who had suffered was compiled by Sir William Fenwick, Keeper of North Tynedale; his account is horrific:

"Lyoll Robson, of the Small Burne, shott in at the harte with a single bullott, and slaine.

Elizabeth Yearowe, of Stannishburne, shott with twoe bullettes through both her thighes, the right thygh broken asunder with the shott, and slaine.

Walter Robson, of the olde syde, hathe his left arme broke asunder in twoe places with twoe bullettes.

Thomas Robson, of Yearowe Hall, shott with one quarter shott in the fillettes of his backe, an other quarter shott in his haunch, and another great bullott shott through his Breeches, and mist his skinne.

Mane Robson wyfe to James Robson, called Blackehead, is shott with fyve haile shott in her breasts.

Elizabeth Robson, wyfe to Jeffray Robson, beinge greate with chylde, is hurte verie sore in the head with the stroke of a peece.

Rinyon Robson, of the Bellinge, is shott with a bullett and an arrowe out of a long peece, and hurt in the handes.

Robert Charleton, of Bought Hill; Francis Robson, of Stannishburne; William Robson of Yearowe Hall; Henrie Robson, of Well Haugh; Anthonie Robson of Crosse Hills; Rinyon Robson of Fasteane; James Charleton, of the Bough Hill; and John Dod, of the Ryding, are all shott with bullettes through their clothes, but not hurte."

For this and other violations of the King's will, James struck back with a savage policy of reprisal. The kinships (graynes) were to be broken up, and no one was allowed to own weapons or horses, unless they were work horses. Informants and searchers hunted down fugitives and violators, who were promptly hanged. But old habits die hard. For many in North Tynedale, thieving continued to be a popular pastime, and the valley became the center of the stolen horse trade. Horses taken on the Border were sold as far north as Edinburgh and south to within 60 miles of London.

Some who suffered losses, however, were still prepared to take the law into their own hands and dole out their own form of justice. One night, Scottish thieves entered Tynedale and stole a flock of sheep belonging to Barty Milburn of Bog Head near The Comb. When he discovered the theft next morning, he set off in pursuit with his neighbour "Corbit Jack". Near Leatham just over the Border, they lost the trail, but rather than return empty-handed, they stole some sheep. They got as far as Chattlehope Spout, a waterfall near the head of Redesdale, when they were caught by two Scots who had given chase. Corbit Jack was killed in a fierce hand-to-hand fight. Barty was wounded in the thigh but he managed to lift his sword and slice off the head of the Scot who had slain his friend. As he is reputed to have commented later, "His heid span alang the heather like an inion." He then killed the surviving Scot, slung Corbit Jack's body over his shoulder and drove the stolen sheep safely home to Bog Head.

Notwithstanding the occasional raid here and there, the seventeenth century saw profound changes in the lives of the Border residents. When the Board of Commissioners was appointed by King James in 1604, one of the decrees was that the old system of customary tenure of lands was to be replaced with leasehold tenure. This brought to an end the practice of communal farming, and the social system based on kinships was finally broken. More importantly, agricultural progress, which had been impeded for so long by the border troubles, could at last get under way.

 

However, the agricultural improvements were made primarily to the quality of pasture, since there is little arable land in the Upper Tyne Valley. Heavy clay soils and a climate with air frost more than 200 days per year discouraged much crop cultivation. For example, the 1604 Border Survey shows that in all of North Tynedale there were only 341 arable acres, 472 acres of meadow and 1,139 acres of pasture. Oats, barley, peas and beans were grown, but the predominant income was from sheep, mainly the Cheviot and Blackface breeds. In fact, farm rents were based not on the number of acres in a holding, but rather on the number of scores of sheep that could be supported.

Simonburn Parish in the mid-1700s was an enormous jurisdiction of the Anglican Church, within the Diocese of Durham. Its area corresponded approximately to that of the Liberty of North Tynedale shown in Figure 1. The area served was large only because it was initially too poor to support more than one parish church, located at Simonburn. In 1724, another Anglican Chapel was established at Falstone. The size of the parish was always a major problem, and by 1811 Simonburn Parish was divided into the six more manageable rectories of Falstone, Greystead, Thorneyburn, Bellingham, Wark and Simonburn.

However, certainly not all who lived in this region attended Anglican services. In fact, being so close to the border, a majority of Simonburn Parish residents were affiliated with the Scottish (Presbyterian) church. For instance, again referencing Beryl CHARLTON's work:

By 1807 there were over 1,000 in the Presbyterian congregation of Falstone with Kielder, yet as late as 1832, the congregation at the Falstone Anglican St. Peter's numbered only 30. The reason for the popularity of Presbyterianism in the Tynedale and Redesdale areas stems from Scottish politics. When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 his government was determined to clamp down on the militant Protestantism which they believed had led to Civil War. In 1662 a number of statutes were passed to hinder the activities of these "Dissenting" or "Nonconformist" (Protestant) Scottish ministers. To escape imprisonment and even death, many Scottish ministers fled across the Border. The old reiver's routes afforded easy access to Upper Tynedale and Redesdale, and the valleys became both a refuge and a rallying ground for the outlawed preachers. Such persecution of Presbyterian ministers continued until 1688, when the Dutch Prince William of Orange, a Calvinist, gained the English crown.

Presbyterianism already had a foothold in Northumberland and at first the local magistrates were fairly tolerant. Encouraged by this, the refugee ministers expanded their activities. William Veitch, for instance, preached at Kielderhead, Wheelcauseway and Deadwater between 1679 and 1687. His contemporary Alexander Peden, is reputed to have baptised William Robson of Emmethaugh in a cave at the foot of Deadwater Fell. Such open effrontery could not go unchallenged, and it was only a matter of time before the Anglican authorities reacted forcibly. In 1682, Arthur Baty of Kielder (a few miles northwest of Falstone) was hauled before the Archdeacon's court:

"For having his children christened by a Nonconformist and for keeping conventicles (meetings) in his house and admitting one Mr. Beigh (Veitch) alias Johnson to sow his poisonous doctrine. This Veigh to the best of our knowledge lives in Stamfordham parish."

Since the Anglican Church and the dissenting Presbyterians were often at odds philosophically with each other, the dissenting congregations constructed their own churches for worship by their members, often in close proximity to the Anglican churches. In Figure 1-2, the Falstone Presbyterian Chapel is just across the road from the Falstone Anglican St. Peter's Church. This map was originally drawn about 1854 as part of the Ordnance Survey of the British Isles and was updated in 1896. It even shows the stepping stones used for crossing the North Tyne river.

The Falstone Presbyterian Chapel as it appeared in 1990 is shown in Figure 1-3. The original chapel was built in 1709, and the current chapel was rebuilt on the same site in 1807 and restored in 1878. It was there in the original chapel, one of the first Presbyterian Churches in England, that Thomas BATIE married Margaret ROBSON in 1751. The record of this marriage, the earliest known of the BATIE surname, consists of the entry written by the Falstone Chapel Curate (Minister) in the Falstone Register of Marriages:

"July 9 1751 Thomas Baty and Margaret Robson both of this Chapelry Married by Banns."

In this period marriages could be performed either by Banns or by License. The great majority of marriages in Falstone Chapel were performed by Banns. This involved posting the Banns of Marriage (notice of intent to marry) on the Church door or in a public place three consecutive Sundays. If no objections to the intended marriage were raised during this period, the couple could then be married. Most marriages were performed within a few days after the third Sunday's posting.

Alternatively, a couple could be married at the earliest convenience of the Curate (minister) if they obtained a marriage License from the proper regional church official. Falstone Chapel records show that the cost of the minister's services was 1 or 2 shillings to perform a marriage "By Banns" and 10 shillings to perform a marriage "By License." Both were held as equally valid in the eyes of the Presbyterian Church.

Thomas BATIE and Margaret ROBSON had four children. The portion of the Falstone Register of Baptisms shown in Figure 1-4 contains the following consecutive entries:

"Margaret Batie Daughter to Thomas Batie Hine in Yarrow was Baptized May the 25th Day 1752.

Elizabeth Batie Daughter to Thomas Batie Hine in Yarrow was Baptized March the 2d Day 1754.

Arthur Batie Son to Thomas Batie Farmer in Bellen was Baptized May the 6th Day 1758.

John Batie Son to Thomas Batie Farmer in Bellen was Baptized October the 15th Day 1762."

It is most unusual to find consecutive entries such as these which record baptisms performed many years apart. However, as the facing page of this Register explains:

"The Names Registered in this Book are placed in proper Order as the Children were Baptized only from the 22d Day of June 1770. Those that are Registered which have been Baptized before that time are Written in the Beginning of the Book in the order as the Names were given in. As a Register had not been kept for some years past no other form could be followed here."

From the occupations of Thomas BATIE given in the baptismal records of his children, it can be inferred that he was a farm worker or servant. The Oxford English Dictionary lists "Hine" as an obsolete variation of "Hind," for which several definitions are available. Around 1600 it meant a married farm servant for whom a cottage was provided. A later definition was a skilled farm worker or a servant. Webster's Dictionary says this latter variation was used in Northern England and Scotland. Sometime between 1754 and 1758 Thomas and his young family moved, since his occupation at the time his third child was baptized is listed as "Farmer in Bellen." The locations of both Yarrow and Bellen are in close proximity to Falstone Chapel. Yarrow is shown in Figure 1-2 less than a mile due west of Falstone Chapel, and "The Belling" (not shown in Figure 1-2) is about two miles west northwest of Falstone Chapel on the northern bank of the meandering North Tyne River. The Ordnance Survey map of the adjoining area lists a farm site as "The Belling," whereas the Falstone Chapel baptismal record shows Thomas and Margaret's residence as "Bellen," but they both refer to the same location.

There is no known surviving record of when Thomas and Margaret were born, or when Thomas died. However, it is recorded in the Falstone Register of Deaths and Burials that Margaret died a widow in 1806:

"Margaret Baty of Falstone, Widow, died April the 18th and was buried in the Church-yard April the 21st 1806 - Aged 82 years."

Margaret BATIE (A), Thomas BATIE and Margaret ROBSON's oldest child, married William CHARLTON in 1781. The Falstone marriage register reads:

"Banns of Marriage between Wm Charlton of Chirdon in the Chapelry of Bellingham, and Margaret Baty of this Chapelry were published three Several Sundays, Viz September 30th October 7th and 14th by me Wm. Wilson Curate. William Charlton of Chirdon in the Chapelry of Bellingham and Margaret Batie of this Chapelry were Married by Banns in the Chapel of Falstone, this 20th October 1781 by me Wm. Wilson Curate of Falstone. This Marriage was solemnized between us William Charlton [Signed] and Margaret Batie now Charlton in the Presence of Bartholomew Charlton [Signed], Arthur Batie [Signed]."

There is no information available at this time to indicate that William CHARLTON and Margaret BATIE had any children of their own.

Elizabeth BATIE (B), Thomas BATIE and Margaret ROBSON's second child, married Robert TELFER in 1779. The entry in the Falstone Presbyterian marriage register reads:

"Banns of Marriage between Robert Telford of Highfield and Elizabeth Batty both of this Chapelry were duly published in the Chapelry of Falstone the three several Sundays underwritten viz,

December 5 1779
December 12 1779 By me Thomas Clemetson Curate
December 19 1779

This Marriage was solemnized between us Robert Telfer [Signed] and Elizabeth Batty now Telford her Mark (X) in the Presence of us William Robley and Thomas Robson."

Note that this entry shows that the minister spelled Thomas' surname both as TELFORD and TELFER: however, Thomas signed his name as TELFER.