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Towie in the Cullen context is a farm near lintmill part of Birkinbog Estate latterly being part of Forglen Estate before being sold off .
The above I received from a family friend on this thread .
Other member had also gone back to this Gray of Braik . It seems there is a rough consensus on direction .
Given Culloden was 1746 is it possible that that Alexander was also there as a boy ?
With the earlier Jacobite rebellion being 1733 one starts to wonder if some of this hand written Gray history may be factually correct but with the wrong uprising  .
Stewart

Forfarian - that's very kind of you to reply, and so promptly.

 So we have Jean - not Jane; and Boggie possibly not Bogie.

I have this piece of info if its of any use - not sure how reliable it is - from a family researcher back in the fifties:

Alexander's father (a Schivas Gray?) was employed by the Laird of Auchintoul, Mr Morrrison, on the river Don from 1735 until 1746, when he joined Bonnie Prince Charlie's army at Culloden where he died of wounds. His only son, Alexander, was raised & educated by Morrison, trained as a gardener. Then employed by Abercrombie of Forglen (Near Aberchirder on the Deveron) where he met Jane, daughter of Laird of Towie.  They married and left Forglen to Marble Quarry Farm near Portsoy in 1768 where he market-gardened.   

There is no mention of Alexander's mother. I wonder of anyone knows any more about his father?

"daughter of Laird of Towie" - not sure if that's short hand for illegitimate - the laird appears to be a Barclay.   I assume Abercrombie was the Gardener/factor of Forglen. 

Thanks for the information. Appreciate it.

Hello have you anything to pinpoint Alexander’s fathers name as Schivas as I have been told  it was John  Gray. of  or  working at Muiresk nr Turriff .
There are at least two Auchentouls one on the  river Don near  Alford the other at Aberchirder or Foggie . The Foggie one is the most likely due the connection to it and Laithers next to Muiresk  at Turriff never mind the distances involved .
If you can confirm something about this ‘ Schivas Gray ‘ and any chance of this leading to the Estate of Schivas thst would be interesting . There is a Duke of Gordon connection to Schivas  estate and a Gray connection too . With the John Gray supposedly being killed in Duke of Gordon’s army at or enroute to Culloden this Schivas connection might just be the reason for ‘ being taken under the umbrella of the house of Gordon ??

Hello,
There is a book available at the Salmon bothy  ,along the shore from the cemetery that lists all the inscriptions in the cemetery.
If you cannot access this I can have  a look this nxt week.
S

Will try to take one this wkend and  see if I can manage to upload it.

Thank you again Forfarian.