The birth and christening of Allan ‘Pinkertoun’ were recorded in the Renfrew Parish Register in 1742:

Pinkertoun – Allan Son lawful to John Pinkerton & Agnes Barr was born 26 Baptized 27th July

The marriage of Allan Pinkerton and Agnes Smellie was recorded in the Renfrew Parish Register:

Allan Pinkerton Farmer in Walkinshaw in this Parish, and Agnes Smellie Daughter lawful to Hugh Smellie Ship-Master in Port Glasgow, Booked their names for Proclamation in order to marriage. Aug: 25th 1768.

The same event was also recorded in the Port Glasgow Parish Register:

Allan Pinkerton Farmer in the parish of Renfrew and Agnes Smellie daughter to Hugh Smellie Ship Mr in Portglasgow were booked in order to proclamation for marriage.

Forebears

Parents

The birth of John Pinkerton was recorded in a frustratingly incomplete entry in the Abbey Parish Register, dated February 1705:

John – Son Lawll to Allan Pinkarton and (blank) was born (blank) day of Bap: the 11 of this Instant Wit: James and John Whyte – Pinkarton

The deficiency is to some extent corrected by an entry in the same Register four years later, in 1709; William was presumably John’s younger brother:

William – Son to Allan Pinkerton & Agnes Erstone was born June 22 & Bap: 23. witn: Robert Cochrane & Wm. Pinkerton – Pinkerton

If Allan Pinkerton’s birth record has been properly identified, then his parents were John Pinkerton and Agnes Barr.

The marriage of John Pinkerton and Agnes Barr was recorded in the Renfrew Parish Register on 28^th June 1740:

John Pinkerton in this Parish and Agnes Barr in the Parish of Paisley gave up their Names for Proclamation in order to Marriage.

It had also been recorded in the Abbey (Paisley) Parish register two days previously, on the 26^th:

John Pinkerton & Agnes Barr were booked for proclamation in order to marriage

Grandparents

If John Pinkerton’s birth record has been correctly identified and William was indeed his brother, then his parents were Allan Pinkerton and Agnes Airstone or Erstone.

The marriage of Allan Pinkerton and Agnes Airstone was recorded in the Abbey Parish Register on 12^th May 1694:

Allan Pinkerton & Agnes Airstone both in ys paroch were booked in order to proclamasone & marriage

An entry in the Abbey Parish Register dated August 1686 attests the birth of one Allan Pinkertonne on the 6^th and his baptism on the following day, father’s name also Allan. This attests that the name of Allan Pinkerton, passed down in numerous lines, was already established in Renfrewshire from the mid-seventeenth century.

Family lore insists that there was a demonstrable relationship between Allan Pinkerton, born 1742, and his more famous namesake, the Chicago detective, born in the Gorbals. That there was a shared ancestor of the same name is probable but he may have been at several generations’ remove.

Sister

Allan Pinkerton, born 1742, had at least one younger sister, Janet, whose christening was recorded in the Renfrew Parish Register:

1752 Pinkarton – Janet Daughter lawful to John Pinkartoun & Agnes Barr was born the 2d & baptized the fourth of ffebruary