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Hi,

Just a quick update to say that when looking through the Perthshire Constitutional for 1851 looking for an obituary, I came across an advert offering "the Farm of Easter Bonhard, consisting of Fandowie and Cairneyhill" for let, so the Blair's home was somewhere on the modern Easter Bonhard Farm.

Hope this helps.

Robert

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone might be able point me in the right direction.  I descend from one Kenneth MacLean, a crofter from Achmore, Lochbroom (on the Scoraig peninsula).  He was married to Isabella MacKenzie, about whom I know nothing.  I believe Kenneth is the chap noted in the 1841 census aged 75.  He had a son, Donald (c.1806-1881), who was also a crofter.  He was married to Mary MacDonald (1822-1891), daughter of Colin MacDonald and Catherine Macrae.  I have a good deal of information about Donald and Mary's family, but would be interested to find out if anyone has any information about earlier generations or about any siblings of Donald or Mary. 

I have one other problem.  Their son, Colin MacLean (b. 1841), was a sailor in commercial service.  I know that he died at sea, sometime between 1890 and 1895 (I think in 1892) but cannot find his death entry in the Scottish, English or marine registers.  Any ideas?  As I say, I have fairly complete information on the family from Donald and Mary down, if that would be of interest to anyone.

Thanks,

Robert

Hi,

I've just stumbled over this interesting post.  I think I can answer the placename query.  My 5x Gt Grandfather was Alexander Macduff of Bonhard (1698-1765).  Alexander was a merchant and miller in Perth in the early part of the 18th century.  In the 1740s he had become wealthy enough to purchase the Bonhard estate (otherwise known as Pockmiln or Springfield).  Alexander was descended from the Macduffs of Fandowie, or Findowie, in Strathbraan, between Dunkeld and Amulree (the same place as previously mentioned, south of Aberfeldy).  The Macduffs had been in Strathbraan since the twelfth century and had been granted the feudal barony in 1431.  It had taken from them when Alexander's Great Grandfather was hanged for his part in the Gowrie Conspiracy in August 1600.  Evidently the farm tenanted by your Blair family was named after the old family stamping ground! 

I have read somewhere, but cannot for the life of me find the reference again, that Fandowie simply derives from the Gaelic for Church or Burying place of the Duffs.  Alexander named other farms on Bonhard after other properties he had owned or leased, including Blackcraigs which Alexander had let in the 1730s.  I'm afraid I don't know which of the present farms was Finduie of Bonhard, but it should be possible to identify it from the census records and a  map.  I'd be interested to hear if you figure it out! Looking at the list of names of farms somebody found on freecen, I'd have thought it would be close to the site of the present day airport.

I hope that this is of some help!

Robert

The Macduffs have been kicking around that part of Perthshire since about 1160.  In 1431, James I created one Finlay Duff the Feudal Baron of Fandowie.  The family had the feudal Barony removed sometime after one of the family, John Macduff alias Barroun, was hanged in 1600 for his part in the infamous Gowrie conspiracy.  John is my 9xGt Grandfather.

I have a copy of a tree headed "Macduffs of Strathbraan" which starts with Donald of Tomnagairn, who is noted as having been born in 1790.  I think this is the same tree as others have - it was completed in the late 1980s, and appears to be fairly accurate.  I also have a copy of my 3xgt grandfather's commonplace book, the original of which is with the University Archive in St Andrews.  He was Alexander Macduff of Bonhard (1792-1842).  In about 1816 he visited Fandowie and met an old man aged 90, called Donald Macduff of Tomnagrew, who gave Alexander the legendary history of the family.  Alexander's son, Rev Dr John Ross Macduff, reproduced the account in his autobiography.  This is obviously the same Donald as the Donald who was born in 1734.  There are a number of Macduff families who hail from Strathbraan, the most important of which were the Macduffs of Fandowie and the Macduffs of Ballinloan.  I think that the Tomnagrew family were connected to the Ballinloan branch, but I have no firm evidence of that yet!

This site is quite useful for more recent research: 
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lendavies/allduffintro.htm

Len Davies has done a bit of a one-name study and has compiled all of the Macduff records in the statutory records throughout the UK.

I hope that this is of some help/interest.  I have more information on the Macduffs if it would be of interest.

Robert