The Challenge of the SMITH Surname

I guess that everyone has a SMITH somewhere in their family tree, but my maiden name was SMITH, so I have a major stake in the game of SMITH. 

My SMITH family are from Scotland, and of course it is the most common name in Scotland.(1)

Alexander Dunn SMITH was born in Barrachan, Mochrum, Wigtownshire, to Francis SMITH and Agnes YOUNG.(2) He married Helen TURNER (3), and they emigrated to Australia in 1853. (4)

My challenge is definitely his parents. The Kirk Session records for Mochrum are sketchy, and although I have found records of Alexander's older siblings being born in the same place, there is no record of the marriage of Francis SMITH and Agnes YOUNG, and no records of their births/baptisms or deaths/burials. 

These are their children:

• Mary born 17 October 1809 at Barrachan
• Jane born 7 May 1811 at Barrachan
• Agnes born 20 December 1813 at Barrachan
• James born 15 November 1815 at Barrachan
• Sarah Cherrie born 10 May 1818 at Barrachan
• Robert born 15 May 1820 at Barrachan, and
• Alexander Dun(n) born 3 Oct 1823 at Barrachan.

Apart from the records of the births/baptisms of these children, the first record I can find for Francis SMITH is 14 Sep 1822 when he received 6 shillings distributed from the Poor money by the Kirk. (5) He was a weaver, and I conclude that he was 'of' the Parish as he was receiving this poor relief. He regularly received money from the Kirk until 20 Mar 1824. So far I've not discovered any record of his death, but it must have happened between that date and 26 June 1824, when Agnes YOUNG starts receiving money from the Kirk. Agnes 'seems' to be in the 1841 census, 53 years, living at Barrachan Farm along with Agnes McKOMIR (10 years) and Agnes BROWN (85 years).(6)

So, I wait patiently to see if my challenge of poor people called SMITH, in a place with no records can ever be overcome. I'm more than happy to receive suggestions.

(1) Scottish surnames - Wikipedia

(2) Results for Alexander Smith | Scotland's People - , "National Records of Scotland", [https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople] Index for ALEXANDER DUNN SMITH, Parents: FRANCIS SMITH and AGNES YOUNG, Gender: M, Birth Date: 3 October 1823, Parish #: 892, Parish: Mochrum, Ref: 20///9; accessed: 31 January 2025

(3) Results for Alexander Smith | Scotland's People - , "National Records of Scotland", [https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople] Index for ALEXANDER SMITH and ELLEN TURNER, Date: 4 December 1843, Parish #: 892, Parish: Mochrum, Ref: 20///211; accessed: 31 January 2025

(4) Queensland State Archives, Microfilm of passenger list "Agricola: arriving Moreton Bay 26 Feb 1853

(5) Mocrum kirk session Minutes (1826-1847), Poors' accounts (1794-1834), CH2/269/1, CH000200269-00001-00001-.jpg

(6) Results for Agnes Young | Scotland's People, "National Records of Scotland", [https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople], 1841 Census Index: AGNES YOUNG, Gender: F, Age at Census: 53; Ref: 892/ 7/ 7, Registration District: Mochrum; accessed: 31 January 2025