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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Angus (Forfarshire) => Topic started by: nw_whiskers on Sunday 31 March 13 16:09 BST (UK)
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Dear All, James, Elizabeth and Alex Alexander are living around Craigo in the 1840 - 1880 era and are brothers and sister all born Fettercairn according to their Census entries. We have the Death Certificate for each of them and they all point to John Alexander, Crofter/Weaver & Mary Carnegie as the Parents. Unfortunately John Alexander & Mary Carnegie are a big mystery as they are missing from the OPR as far as all my searches have gone so far. The approximate birth dates for the three children suggest that there are more members in this family.
James died 1869 aged 52 years so born ~ 1816
Elizabeth died 1886 aged 71 years so born ~ 1814/5
Alexander died 1884 aged 77 years so born ~ 1806/7
The Question is:- Does anybody out there have an Alexander family line with John Alexander & Mary Carnegie, Fettercairn Parish, KCD in it as I would be VERY please to have a line from them with a birth year around ~1800 - 1825 as this would help fill out this family history. The ONLY possible mention we have of them (JA & MC) is a marriage in Marykirk in 15 July 1798. We have the Death Certificates and the Marriage Certificates for each of them so there is no mystery about James, Elizabeth or Alex for that matter but a LARGE BRICK WALL on the Parents and any other Brothers and Sisters.
Many thanks, nw_whiskers.
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Sorry I can't help directly with your brick wall. I am descended from the same missing pair through Alexander Alexander and wondered if you were aware of his tombstone in Logie Church. I have a photo of it if you want.
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Dear Megs1, Lovely to hear from you and yes I have a photograph or two of the lovely "old stone" in the Old Logie Church Yard. It is interesting to hear that you are from the Alex Alexander, East Hill of Craigo line. May I ask is it from the May Niddrie one or the Jane McPherson one? That in itself is of interest as that may yield clues that are not evident to either of us at this point.
I terms of the Headstone it is a lot older than any of the people that are listed on the back or written side if I can call it that. From around 1748 or so. The one next to it is in the name of Margaret Read and Robert Findlay, Tolmants b ~ 1680. The next one along is for John Milne, Craigie husband to Margaret Nuckle b ~ 1658. Three VERY interesting Headstones in a line. The question I keep asking myself is how on earth did the Alex Alexander ever get his name on that one --- through the Niddrie side I persume. They could have a connection to the initials carved on the other side which look like JR & IC. Perhaps J Read or something like that!
Anyway, I am more than please to hear from you and have probably given you more to think about than you reckoned upon.
Your thoughts would be most appreciated, nw_whiskers
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Hello again
I am descended thro' one of the 9 children of Alex Alex & Jane McPherson. My grandfather was at one time the tenant farmer at E Hill of Craigo. It is interesting to learn that the gravestone is much older than the "written" side would suggest, I was not aware of that. I have not done a great deal of digging farther back than JA & MC but the Marykirk couple married 1798 do seem possible.
Regards mgs1
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Dear Mgs1, Sadly I am not very good at your side of the family as I am in the May Niddery line but my Mother always had Jane McPherson on the family chart some 50 years ago. She would never have guessed that it would be of such fascination to us in 2013. I have been to the David McPherson Alexander one at Montrose to see it a few times and another one nearby with lots of Gold Lettering on it and taken pictures of both of them in spite of all those trees around there making it difficult. I have some Headstones in the Old Bervie Church Yard, Gourden Cemetary, Benholm, Rosehill in Montrose and most certainly in Australia.
Elizabeth or "Betsy" to her family is in Laurenckirk Old Church Yard and some of her family are in the New Cemetary there.
James is VERY new to us so we haven't worked on where he is but Ann Taylor from Dunnichan his wife is reckoned to be in the 1901 Census for North Craigo. I think that family have links to North America but we have to wait and see about that part.
The JA & MC thing looks impossible by "conventional" means but we are trying to collect all the family names we can as that can be an asset in the search for them. A grave stone would be most helpful if "there is one". A Mort Cloth entry is also a possible asset so all is NOT lost. I know that a John Alexander made a donation of £1 to the Fettercairn Church on the death of his Father but what was his fathers name etc ? We know so little about JA & MC and where they actually stayed is the real problem!
I greatly appreciate your input so keep it going if you can, nw_whiskers.
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Greetings from Canada nw_whiskers!
My name is John Brian Beattie and James Alexander (1815-1869, m. to Ann Turnbull Taylor) was my 2nd great grandfather. I'm related through his daughter Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Taylor Alexander who married James Beattie. They lived in North Craigo (currently 2nd house west of North Woods). Lizzie's grandfather was John Alexander m. to Mary Carnegie, and I have noted John's father as Alexander Alexander (b. 1734 in Marykirk) m. to Margaret Faulconer (1735-1836), and Alex Alex's father as Alexander Alexander (b. ~1700 in Marykirk) m. to Jean Gleg 1727.
In 1987 I saw the gravestones for James and Elizabeth Beattie in the Old Logie Churchyard below the Mains of Logie...is this where Alexander Alexander's 'old stone' is too, and which Alex Alex is he?
My family (myself, wife, daughter 21, son 23) is coming to Scotland in early August 2014...we're staying at the Marykirk Hotel Sat Aug 2. My great grandfather James Duguid Barron owned this hotel ~1898 to 1911, after which the whole family came to Canada. His daughter Margaret 'Maggie' Barron married James and Elizabeth's son John Beattie from N Craigo, who came to Canada a year earlier with Margaret's brother Arthur Barron.
Let me know if you have any other questions about James Alexander.
Cheers,
Brian
Dear Megs1, Lovely to hear from you and yes I have a photograph or two of the lovely "old stone" in the Old Logie Church Yard. It is interesting to hear that you are from the Alex Alexander, East Hill of Craigo line. May I ask is it from the May Niddrie one or the Jane McPherson one? That in itself is of interest as that may yield clues that are not evident to either of us at this point.
I terms of the Headstone it is a lot older than any of the people that are listed on the back or written side if I can call it that. From around 1748 or so. The one next to it is in the name of Margaret Read and Robert Findlay, Tolmants b ~ 1680. The next one along is for John Milne, Craigie husband to Margaret Nuckle b ~ 1658. Three VERY interesting Headstones in a line. The question I keep asking myself is how on earth did the Alex Alexander ever get his name on that one --- through the Niddrie side I persume. They could have a connection to the initials carved on the other side which look like JR & IC. Perhaps J Read or something like that!
Anyway, I am more than please to hear from you and have probably given you more to think about than you reckoned upon.
Your thoughts would be most appreciated, nw_whiskers
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Do you have the birth certificate for Mary Carnegie? I have that.
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Any chance this Thomas Carnegy b. 1749 at Careston w. of Brechin could have become Thomas Carnegie 4th Esq of Craigo through marriage to Mary Gardyne b. 1750, who was the 2nd daughter of James Gardyne 2nd Esq of Middleton? Thomas and Mary (Gardyne) Carnegie are Mary Carnegie's parents.
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How lovely it is to hear from your side of the Alexander/Taylor side of the family. I was thinking about where the Alexander/Taylor Headstone was and suspected that it could be by the river behind Logie Mains Farm. The sister Elizabeth Alexander is behind the Old Church in Laurencekirk and the other brother Alexander Alexander (my side!) is by the river behind Logie Mains Farm. I will send you pictures for both of them so that you can relate to them with ease.
Alex Alexander born ~ 1807, died 9 Nov 1884
Elizabeth Alexander born ~ 1815, died 12 Nov 1886, married James Archibald 13 July 1844 at Marykirk. She was at East Hill of Craigo in 1841 Census with Alex Alex and William Alex., My Great Grandfather was William born 1 April 1837 who sadly lost his mother a few days after he was born. We at this end are a bit stuck with the John Alexander & Mary Carnegie bit as the records "appear" to be lost. A big frustration for us and my 90 year old 2nd cousin in Australia.
Yes, I am interested in your work on the Alexander & Carnegie side as your family may have bits that we have never seen before.
Your visit in the Summer time sounds great so we may well have a meet then for an exchange of thoughts. I have written enough for a first post to you but I will make a post of the pictures for sure.
My best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Dear bbeatie, One photograph of the Alex Alex., or should I say that of his first Father in Law as it is his name at the top. The other side is even more interesting but we have yet to figure out how it all fits together. William Niddrie b 29 April 1759 Logie Pert. Alex Alex was married to his daughter May Niddrie b ~ 1803 died 11 April 1837 which is shortly after William was born.
I am still digesting your above post with obvious interest. One small observation about Esq and Mrs in the OPR is that this normally applies to the VIPs of the time. John Alexander is in the records as a Crofter/Weaver, Fettercairn (parish!) so it is just possible that Mary Carnegie came from a more modest background. Do NOT get me wrong about this as I am VERY PROUD of how the family worked hard to get on in the world in what were hard times in Scotland.
Enjoy the picture from the Old Logie Churchyard just to the right of the door of what is now a set of walls.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Thanks for the photo of the gravestone which includes my 2nd great grandfather James Alexander's brother Alex! Have you had a chance to see if James Alexander's gravestone is at the Old Logie Churchyard?
I know what you mean about the Esq. I believe the Thomas Carnegie Esq of Craigo, who fathered a Mary Carnegie, was the 4th Esq of Craigo, so from a wealthy line of lairds. Unlikely that this Mary's father would be the son of a Cotter Man (Thomas, son of Alexander Carnegy). Just that the dates line up so nicely with Mary born the same year as John Alexander, and married in Marykirk. There were certainly lots of Carnegies in the area at that time.
Do you have the death certificates for John and Mary? Please pass them on to me if you don't mind as I haven't found them yet.
Cheers,
Brian
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Dear Brian, Sadly we have VERY LITTLE on John Alex & Mary Carnegie other than they are mentioned on the THREE Death Certificates and a POSSIBLE marriage for them at Marykirk on 15 July 1798. The entry is very brief:- John Alexander and Mary Carneggie both of this parish. No witnesses or mention of a place name which makes it difficult to put it mildly. I have not been in the Old Logie Churchyard for about a year but I must correct that shortly. If I understood your post it is in there somewhere not that there are that many stones to read as long as they are still standing. I have been back to the early 1700s in the OPR for Banffshire and they are frequently detailed on where the people lived and where the four witness stayed into the bargain so the Marykirk one is about as brief as they come. We are also short of a grave stone for them as that can be a GREAT help in the search. My wife and I have spent many hours in the Angus graveyards searching for anything that would help us move forward with JA & MC.
Please DO NOT be put off with my fundamental way of examining the evidence as I am always open to a different way of looking at things to make progress if we can. I know where the Marykirk Hotel car park is as we were in it the last time we were along that road. Not a lot of parking space in Marykirk and they speed past on what is a rather narrow road.
We spent time on the 1797 Horse Tax Records for Fettercairn Parish to get a picture of the Families with Horses as they had to pay their taxes so we know that they are not always in the Church Records. I was also looking for a possible Alex Alexander connection like yourself but which one ?
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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NW, do you have any leads for the parents of John Alexander who married Mary Carnegie? Have you considered John Alexander b. 7 Apr 1774 in Logie, son of John Alexander and Mary Ker or John Alexander b. 11 Jan 1777 in Marykirk, son of Alex Alexander and Margaret Faulconer or John Alexander b. 21 Nov 1779 in Fettercairn parish, son of John Alexander and Mary Mitchell?
Brian
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Dear Brian, The James Beattie & Elizabeth Alexander Headstone is still standing there but no sign of James Alexander & Ann Turnbull Taylor as far as we can see.
The picture for JB & EA should be attached.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Thanks for checking this out! Will save us time when we get there...we only have 10 days in Scotland. I see you're in the area of the Barron side of my family who were in the New Deer area.
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Dear Brian, It is a nice Grey Granite Stone leaning a bit to the side which you can not see as I had to crop it to get it to load. Unfortunately, the granite ones can be difficult to photograph and get the text to show clearly. Elizabeth "Betsy" Alexander is a better prospect in this regard and I know that her death certificate ties her to John Alex & Mary Carnegie. So you have two of the three we know about.
Have you got a death certificate for Ann Turnbull Taylor or her date of death for that matter. I have her parents as Robert Taylor (62 yrs) & Jean Taylor (58 Yrs) at Letham Den & Braes, Dunnichan (ref 1841 Census).
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Just found the death certificate for Ann Turnbull (Taylor) Alexander. You have the correct parents.
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Ann died 1 Dec 1904 in Craigo.
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Ann married James Alexander 30 Apr 1849 and she died at the North Craigo house in 1904...she was living in this North Craigo house since at least 1861. Her daughter Elizabeth, with husband James Beattie (m. 1882), as well as her grandchildren (including my grandfather John Beattie) lived with her at the North Craigo house. James was a Ganger = leader of a gang of railway platelayers...he broke the Beattie tradition of farm labourers/bleachers in the mills.
I took a video of the Elizabeth/James Beattie gravestone in 1987...nice to see it's still standing and legible. I was ready to give up finding it at the time, then there it was... the very last one in the SE corner that I looked at. Phew!
My grandfather John Beattie went to the Montrose Academy and studied carpentry in the early 1900s then he took more advanced carpentry courses at Gordon College in Aberdeen before he left for Canada. I have a carpentry text book of his from the Academy and also a text for a similarly titled but advanced course at Gordon College. I also have other books and many wooden tools he used in his trade. He built about 100 houses in the Guelph area and my dad was a carpenter too.
My grandmother Maggie (Barron) Beattie was born on the Upper Ironside farm just north of New Deer. Her father James Barron was born and raised/worked at the Slacks of Cairnbanno...not sure which farm though. Her family moved in the late 1880s to Aberdeen for a few years where her dad was a police constable, then moved to Marykirk where her dad owned the Marykirk Hotel ~1898 to 1911. I'm hoping to get more details from my 2nd cousin once removed, Jack Webster, who is a famous UK journalist/ writer from Maud. Jack just finished publishing his 18th book, A Final Grain of Truth. He lives in Glasgow now, but he's going to meet up with us at some point. When we're in Aberdeen on Sun, Aug 3 I'm really hoping we get lucky and there's an Aberdeen FC home game we can attend in the new season.
Cheers,
Brian
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Dear Brian, Both of your posts are excellent! I knew she had outlived him by many years as I saw her on the census information but not how long exactly. The real question is where is she buried? I can go and look for the announcement in the local newspapers now that I have a date to work with. It may NOT tell us where buried but I will try for it. She may be on the Taylor Family Headstone if the "potential one" behind Logie Mains was not available for some reason. I looked in Dunnichen Churchyard last year but nothing on the Alexander side in there. Yes, I have been looking for her for some time so your post is a good move forward. The other point is with her at 1 Dec 1904 there should be an official record of where she was intered. The local news papers in Scotland will be on tape which means that it can be a slog NOT like you have in Canada where they are on-line. Remember your "strict privacy laws" in Canada and an open forum.
I will post a "relevant bit" from Andrew Jarvise, Epitaphs & Inscriptions in North East Scotland page 209-210 Logie Montrose as I reckon you are in there on the Carnegie families. It holds the only clue or thread that I have other than the where buried on Ann Turnbull Taylor died 1 Dec 1904. I would say that the latter is the best one for now but it may not take us very far forward.
We have three of the John Alexander & Mary Carnegie children but there must be more but we can not find them in Scotlands People as the links to the Mothers Name are not complete on that data base --- time and effort is the reason given!
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Dear Brian, The Jarvise text has it as:- The old kirk and burial-ground has a secluded and romantic site upon the west side of the North Esk. He even winds in a bit about a George Beattie poem "John o' Arnha" I always enjoy a visit there as it is such a peaceful and scenic place in my eyes. The picture is from late summer 2008 or 2009 as you can see the pink flowers just above the high dyke. As you say the SE corner is where to look for the Grey granite stone. The other ones of interest are back across the grass to the front left corner of the church to the four in line out from the end wall. Jarvise mentions the 2nd or 3rd on right hand column of page 210. Robert Findlay, Tolmants, husband to Margaret Reid died 1742 aged 60. I will post the heavily carved side so that you can associate with it and understand that both sides match. This in CONTRAST to the Alex Alexander one that stands nearby.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Dear Brian, James Alexander and Ann Taylor could be in the Churchyard at Marykirk just along the road from the Hotel or Ann Alexander nee Taylor could be in the new Cemetery just to the North of Marykirk. Jarvise is an overview of many Churchyards in Scotland and may not be of interest to you but I can give you a link to it if you wish. I have a few addictions but football is not one of them even although I am aware of Aberdeen doing well in the past year or so. Family history (some surprise!), computer programming, gardening and a glass or two fine wine are always on the menu around here. A visit to the local supermarket was most helpful but the library and the IGI was not exactly fruitful this morning but that is not unusual so do not despair! The Herald years by JW was available for loan so my wife will have a go at that one. I picked up a nice chart on the Carnegies so I will give it a scan and post it.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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NW, I still think there's a possibility that our Mary Carnegie is the daughter of Thomas Carnegie, 4th Esq of Craigo, especially after finding the complete Jervise writings online and looking at p 210 with the strong Carnegie connection to the Old Logie Church. There's mention of Thomas Carnegy Esq of Craigo and his wife Mary (Gardyne) Carnegy buried there as well as their son David. Their '2nd' daughter Elizabeth erected a monument to her parents at the church. Mary Carnegy was born the year after David and must be the 1st daughter...perhaps she's not mentioned or buried there because she married a 'commoner' i.e. John Alexander. I don't think it would be the 1st time this has happened.
I have wondered how James and Ann (Taylor) Alexander had a house of their own in North Craigo shortly after moving from Hillside ~1858. Was it possibly due to a family connection with the Carnegie's, i.e. James' mother? Then James and Elizabeth (Alexander) Beattie are buried in the Carnegy graveyard, as well as her dad's brother and family, but not her dad and grandparents John and Mary?? Have you seen any sign of Elizabeth Carnegie buried at the Old Logie Church along with her parents and brother David? Would be odd if all of that Carnegie immediate family was buried there but not Mary.
Cheers,
Brian
I am still digesting your above post with obvious interest. One small observation about Esq and Mrs in the OPR is that this normally applies to the VIPs of the time. John Alexander is in the records as a Crofter/Weaver, Fettercairn (parish!) so it is just possible that Mary Carnegie came from a more modest background. Do NOT get me wrong about this as I am VERY PROUD of how the family worked hard to get on in the world in what were hard times in Scotland.
Enjoy the picture from the Old Logie Churchyard just to the right of the door of what is now a set of walls.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Dear Brian, My mind is always open to the many different avenues and warms to the thought you put forward on the Carnegie connections. It is good that you got the Jarvise stuff which gives a good overview of many churches in Scotland. I was trying to develop what is on the four in a line logically for you as they carry interesting details. The inscription on Robert Finday (Findlay) one goes on to read:- Also his daughter Margie who departed this life in the year 1720 aged 1 year. The IGI (Logie Pert) says that Margaret was born 18 Jun 1719 so it does tie together. The craftsmanship on these headstones is incredible as you will see when I post some of them. The initials RF & MR are prominent on the artistic face as is 1746 (RF death ?). The point about the Alex Alex stone is the initials on the sunset side are probably JR & JC and four down the sides ER, WR, RR & MR (the children?) and 1748. There is some debate about the Js could be Is BUT is it J Rait, J Reid or many other possible ones. Is it Jean or Janet Croal, Jean Carnegie or again many others that we can think about. I tried to trace the Niddrie & Lakie side back last year to see if they connect but NOT as yet. Perhaps it is the Mary Carnegie side that connects with them or even the John Alex side or a FLUKE! How is that for the WILDEST of SPECULATION from somebody who is always looking for "the evidence" to make it bind together!
With my feet back on the ground again I have the HistoryofCarnegi02fras.pdf which may type into your search engine. It is about 19 Mega Bytes. I did scan pages 438, 439 & 440 and put them through an Optical Character Reader process but they would need some editing to look about right. The search engine may be better for you in the end but you can let me know. The Spring sun is shining in Scotland again and the weeds in the garden are needing my attention but that does not stop my mind working on this project while I do the digging. Fertile on two fronts.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Dear Brian, The Carnegies of Craigo makes interesting reading so it is worth the search engine route if possible. Pages 439 and 440 in particular.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Confirmed from HistoryofCarnegi02fras.pdf that Mary Carnegie, 1st daughter of Thomas, 4th Esq of Craigo, married George MacPherson Grant, NOT John Alexander. Oh well, back to the drawing board. I have read a bit about the Carnegie's before and they certainly are an interesting family! Thanks for the Carnegie link!
BB
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Dear Brian, Sorry about the Mary one but nothing ventured etc., We have all been there before but always pick ourselves up to fight another day. There are plenty more Mary Carnegies to work with so do not despair. Here is the sunset side to keep you interested in the subject. It is Spring Sunshine in Scotland this morning so I will be digging out my weeds thinking about another step forward with James Alex & Ann Taylor.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Dear Brian, The 4th one in the line of headstones. On the sunrise side it reads:- Here lies John Milne who lived sometime at Craigie husband to Margaret Nuckle who departed this life April 14th 1730 age 72. (b ~ 1658). The 1st and the 4th are to the same design and may even be by the same craftsman so we can reasonably claim that the 1st initial on the 1st stone is a J and not an I. Yes, I am nit picking on a very a small point but the challenge is more than big enough already without chasing the wrong initials. Craigie could be the name of a farm in the area where they were living latterly. The "lived sometime" is in effect saying to us that they were somewhere else at an earlier time. It is a "U" on the stone in Nuckle but it could be Nickle. I am not sure if I actually looked for this one on the Logie Pert IGI but my many notes may say differently.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Dear Brian, In the Brechin Advertiser for 6th December 1904 Death Notices:-
"At North Craigo, Logie Pert, on the 1st inst., Ann Taylor Widow of James Alexander, aged 80 years."
All of the notices are brief and follow the same format.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Dear Brian, Having gone back through my notes from Feb 2012 the JR & JC headstone at Logie, Montrose looks to come from John Read/Reid & JC. We have three children for John Reid:- Margaret b. 23 April 1721, William b. 20 May 1725, Elizabeth b. 9 March 1736 but no R Reid as yet. Margaret Reid married Wm Niddrie I. We have two children for them:- Robert (no details) and Jean b 24 Jun 1750. Robert Niddrie married Jean Milne. We have three children for them:- William Niddrie II b 1759, Elizabeth b. 1763, Clementine b 1766 but we reckon on at least one more for them. William Niddrie II married Jean Lakie. They had two daughters:- May b 3 Feb 1803, Jean b 7 Feb 1805. May Niddrie married Alex Alexander 23 May 1835. I need to stress test this line and get more out of the OPR to give it a bit more body but it looks about right as it stands. Elizabeth Niddrie (1763 - 1838) is on the 2nd headstone in the line. It looks as if she married John Forbes (1766-1839). Issac MacKenzie (1849) at Logie Works and Elizabeth Forbes d 2 Feb 1849 aged 46 (his wife) is also on the 2nd stone. Clementine Niddery may have been on this stone if the notes made by "George Alexander around 1935" or so are correct but time and weather have damaged that part. I will ask his grand-daughter if she has anything more on that bit of the story. As you can see the Alex Alexander family history story has been going on for a long, long time but we may have at long last the makings of a decode of the 1st headstone in 2014.
A John Read/Reid born around 1690 - 1700 looks very possible but it all needs a bit more work which I MUST DO on the IGI and OPR. It looks more like a Niddrie/Niddery connection and not a Alex Alexander or a Mary Carnegie one --- sorry about that!
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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Dear Brian, The best chart we have at this point in time but it has to be STRESS tested against the records. Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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Can't wait to see the old gravestones in the Old Logie Churchyard Aug 2...thanks NW for all the info & pics!
Do you have marriage & death certificates for Alex Alexander and a death cert for his sister Elizabeth? I have both for their brother James (my 2nd great grandfather).
We're meeting up with Jack Webster our first day in Paisley...he's also going to meet us in the New Deer area to show us the farms our Barron family worked/lived at...he knows the current owners and will probably have lots of stories. So excited to meet him!
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NW, do you know anything about the Laws of Craigo? These are 3 tumuli, 2 of which were dug up, and giant-sized human remains were found in at least one of them. My 1987 film shows a sign for the "Laws of Craigo" (with a tractor drawing on it) in a field right across from the former Beattie home in North Craigo.
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Dear Brian, The only thing I know about the Law of Craigo is the farm steading has been converted into a fancy 4 bedroom house and is on the market for more than £410,00. Google for the property info and a view of the area. It looks the part for sure!
The Alexander history is lying low for now due to lots of gardening jobs and a few assembly language dialog boxes for the today world. I will go back and stress test the Niddery grave stone or stones when I get a chance to visit the Aberdeen Family History Society. It is good to go back after the initial excitement of the findings and check them out for possible errors and even a few new ones if we are lucky. It is on my MUST do list before the end of 2014 but I will need to fix my winter fuel needs first.
Unfortunately, the Niddery Headstone did NOT help either of us with the John Alexander & Mary Carnegie line which we are very interested in but that is what makes it an even bigger & desirable puzzle. If I remember correctly there are one or two Alexander gravestones in the Marykirk Churchyard but I have not been in there for several years so I am a bit vague on the exact details of what is there. Your Alexander line may be in there as I have not seen them anywhere else as yet! Marykirk is across the local boundary into Aberdeenshire as it is these days which may be a factor in your search for them.
My wife did find one of your friends books in the library but it was more like a narrative of events that he was attended in the past so it not overly interesting for us. Perhaps some of his more recent work would make more appropriate & amusing reading. HTML5 and CSS3 are currently on my shopping list so that narrows my field of reading interest in the short term.
I hope that you have a good time visiting Scotland as it will all flash past at a fast rate and you will be flying home with only half of what you wanted to see and experience.
Best wishes, Nw_Whiskers.
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Ya I know...wish i had 10 weeks instead of 10 days in Scotland!
I have relatives born and married at the Aberlemno church, so we're going to check out the church and the Pict stones. Fascinating history! In Canada, anything over 100 yrs old seems ancient, but ancient has a totally different meaning in Scotland and all of Europe actually.
I thought Marykirk is in Kincardinshire, not Aberdeenshire.
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When did Kincardineshire join into Aberdeenshire?
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Q:- When did Kincardineshire join into Aberdeenshire? A:- I am not sure but it has been that way for a good number of years now. The only reason I mention the Logie Pert parish boundary matter is where James Alex., was buried as it could have been a consideration around the years 1869 or 1904 for your relatives. I was looking for my copy of Alison Mitchell Pre 1855 Gravestones for Kincardineshire this afternoon but alas it is lost for the moment not that James Alex., 1869 would be in it but it would be worth a look to be sure.
I have a picture of your interest at Aberlemno so I will reduce it in size and post it for you. Do you know what day you are likely to be there?
Best wishes, nw_whiskers.
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We'll check the Marykirk Church cemetery if we have time for James and Ann (Taylor) Alexander.
Aberlemno is a scheduled morning stop on the way to Marykirk from Edinburgh on Sat, Aug 2nd. My 2nd gr grandfather was also James Beattie...married to Ann (Clark). Ann's parents Joseph Clark and Elizabeth (Stormonth) were married in the Aberlemno church in 1812...Elizabeth was born in Aberlemno in 1789.
We'll pass thru Hillside where the James and Ann Beattie above were married and worked/lived at the Hedderwick farms. The James Alexander family lived in Hilllside as well on Lamondfauld, then moved to Logie Pert by 1861 when daughter Elizabeth was 3. The James Beattie family also moved to Logie where James was a bleacher at Logie Works. James Beattie Jr was born at Logie Works in 1855. James Jr and Elizabeth were married in 1882 in North Craigo.
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The Pict stone in the pic you sent is #2, the one right beside the Aberlemno Church...I believe it's the one with the battle scene on the back. #s 1, 3, and 5 are just down the road on the way to Brechin. #5 is faded and may be fake. #4 is in a museum.
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Q:- When did Kincardineshire join into Aberdeenshire?
In the most recent reorganisation of local government, in 1994 or 1995.
For purposes of family history research, the boundaries of the local authorities any time after 1975 are not much use, other than to try to work out where the archives of the historic local authorities might now be.
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Hi again NW,
Remember I confirmed that Mary Carnegie, 1st daughter of Thomas, 4th Esq of Craigo, married George MacPherson Grant, NOT John Alexander, so not the same Mary Carnegie John married. Well I have just recently discovered that the George Bertram MacPherson Grant family was the proprietor of the Craigo Estates which would include East Hill of Craigo that was farmed by Alex. Alexander and May Niddrie. Appears the Niddries were there from at least the beginning of the 19th century. Craigo Estates also included the Beattie/Alexander house in N Craigo (recently renovated and called Springbank Cottage).
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Dear BB, I have not been into the Alexander family history for a while but it is good to hear that you are still busy around the subject. The Niddery or Niddrie side goes back for two or three generation in the records with one of them in the Tax Records as a Carter. Scotland is having a period of very fine weather so it is lots of hard work at the garden crops just now.
Best wishes, nw_whiskers
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May Niddery and her sister Jean were both born at Hill of Craigo...do you have any idea which Hill of Craigo farm? We know her son William was born at East Hill of Craigo.
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I will have to go back to my notes to give you the Niddery family tree we have as it goes back a few generations but the OPR are not exactly wonderful on them. nw_whiskers.
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May Niddery was given the name 'May' at birth, but she is 'Marjory' on William's birth record...you would think it would be the other way around.
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A nice reference to William Niddery in the Tax Records and his cart hire activity!
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Dear bbeattie, Mary Carnegie daughter of William Carnegie, Farmer and Christian Macher died at St James Place, Brechin on 21 Feb 1869 aged 90 years. She was married to James Don, Master Blacksmith. Their son James was the witness on the Official Death Certificate. There are lots of Mary Carnegies in the records so it is VERY easy to get them mixed up and tied into the above Alexander line.
Happy hunting for the real Mary Carnegie that goes with this Alexander Family Tree. What makes you think that John Alexander her husband died 1841 as we know very little about the both of them other than a Marykirk marriage 1798. nw_whiskers