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Thanks Gary. Would love a copy of your talk.

Nancy Macdonald Jordan
Houston, TX

Sorry for the Rothiemurchus BANFFSHIRE error. I knew it was Inverness - I've been there. Also, the reference to Mortlach being south of Dufftown, I know about the history of Dufftown, I was referring to the cemetery being south of Dufftown proper, been there, too.

Good point about John Stuart death in 1837 mentioning only his sisters.

Thanks for helping me.

Nancy Macdonald Jordan
Houston, Texas

At any rate, I think it's clear enough that the John Stuart who married Elspet Bremner and founded the Quaker Oats dynasty can't have been a Stuart of Birkenburn unless the connection was much further back.


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Agree - not likely same Stuart family.

I just wonder why Margaret Bremner Macdonald gave birth to her 4th child at Birkenburn in 1844? Her husband (James Macdonald) died at Blackhillock in 1847 according to his gravestone. Blackhillock is a place name, while Birkenburn is a farm across the road. He may have died at the farm and they wrote Blackhillock on the gravestone as a place name. Who would they have known in 1844-1847 at Birkenburn Farm that would have given them refuge?

Thanks for your help.
Nancy Macdonald Jordan

Thank you for posting - quite fascinating.

My ancestor James Macdonald (1799-1847) of North Uist married a local Keith girl Margaret Bremner (1806-1871)and left her a widow in 1847 with 5 children, including a son Robert Graham Macdonald born 1844 at Birkenburn according to a family bible. He was apparently named after the local secessionist minister Robert Graham. My assumption is the family were members of the Secessionist Church in Keith as none of the 5 children have birth records.

The Stuart name is prominent in my family history although I am not descended from any Stuart. Margaret Bremner's sister Elspet Bremner married John Stuart and she and her husband emigrated to Ontario, Canada before 1850. John Stuart founded Ingersoll Mills and made oatmeal. His son Robert (1851-1926) later founded Quaker Oats and was a first cousin to my great great grandfather Angus Macdonald MD (1836-1886) (see Wikipedia) through the Bremner sisters. Angus' sons, my great grandfather Robert John Macdonald and his brother George Macdonald, emigrated to the US in the 1890's to work for Quaker Oats. George Macdonald married his 2nd cousin Margaret Stuart, the daughter of Robert Stuart. My grandfather Ewen Macdonald also worked for Quaker Oats.

The known Stuart family progenitor Robert Stuart (1767-1852) was a retired Army pensioner and was born in Rothiemurchus, Inverness and died in Dufftown, Banffshire. His wife's surname was also Stuart, Christian (Stuart) Stuart died in Ingersoll, Ontario in 1874. Her birth family appear to be from near Dufftown, Banffshire, but moved to Tomintoul, Kirkmichael, Banffshire before she was born.

Stuart is as common in Scotland as Smith is in the US. I'll try to see if Dr William Stuart son of John Stuart of Birkenburn is related somehow. May be a needle in the haystack, but worth a try.

Thanks again,
Nancy Macdonald Jordan
Houston, TX

We had a wonderful time.  Met your wife who was very hospitable and Galvin (?) and he directed us to his Grannie's farm house for a nice chat.  The sun came out just as we arrived which was a good omen!  We visited several "ancestral" homes while in the Keith area, including Drumgrain the ancestral home of the John Bremner family and Upper Hillside the ruins of the family farm of his son, also John Bremner and his wife Isobel Dick.  We visited the farm house next door called Mid Hillside and made the acquaintance of the Walker's who live there now and they gave us a very nice tour and provided tea.  We also visited The Grange Memorial Hall which my GGGgrandfather Angus Macdonald MD of Edinbugh endowed and Grannie Watt remembered attending dances there.  The only thing on our list that we couldn't find was the location of the grave of James Macdonald ( Angus' brother) in Keith Cemetery.  We wandered all around in the rain, but no luck.  It is in section E # 11 and 12, but none of the lairs were labeled.  The library in Keith wasn't able to help except to eliminate the top part of the cemetery as a locale, which is well documented.  He died in 1888 on Land St at Keith.  He was retired Army, and the Registrar in Keith as well as the Inspector of the Poor.  His grave site was purchased " in perpetuity" so it should be easily found.   Anyway, I was glad to find your post during our visit.  The timing was perfect! 
Best Regards, Nancy Macdonald Jordan, Houston, TX