Cabrach

[Stuart P]

Researching Isobel (Isabella) STRACHAN, born 1771-1773, CABRACH, Banffshire. This is the place she listed on 2 later census'. She married William Patrick 20 Mar 1803 in Cupar, Fife. I am looking for her birthdate and parents and any other ancestors. Isabella is my husband's 4th Great Grandmother.
Kathy Dunn
Reno, Nevada, USA

Sorry but I can't tell you much about the Strachans.
I've just put my Cabrach research onto a website http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stuartpetrie/ - a genealogy for the whole parish including all the OPR data, census files, etc.

[USA Lass]

I am researching the family of Peter GRANT and Anne McPHERSON.  According to the 1841 census, Peter was living at Ardluie with 2 of his daughters (Elizabeth and Jean), and there is no mention of Anne (she probably had died by then).  Peter was listed as the Blacksmith.  By 1851, ther is no mention of Peter.

I am descended from Peter and Anne son, John (I can't find a registration of his birth, but he was born between 1828 and 1832, I've seen dates within that range).  According to John's marriage certificate, his parents were both deceased by the time of the marriage (in Kincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire) in January 1859.

I found a satellite view of the Ardluie/Balymulloch area of Lower Cabrach, and am not sure if there were several dwellings at the site (it looks like a large farm now). All that is left of Balymulloch are the stone walls on 2 buildings.

Any idea where the family might be buried (they aren't in the Upper Cabrach churchyard, and I'm not sure where else they might be)?  Any help with the family would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Lara
Wisconsin, USA

[Stuart P]

I am researching the family of Peter GRANT and Anne McPHERSON.  According to the 1841 census, Peter was living at Ardluie with 2 of his daughters (Elizabeth and Jean), and there is no mention of Anne (she probably had died by then).  Peter was listed as the Blacksmith.  By 1851, ther is no mention of Peter.

I am descended from Peter and Anne son, John (I can't find a registration of his birth, but he was born between 1828 and 1832, I've seen dates within that range).  According to John's marriage certificate, his parents were both deceased by the time of the marriage (in Kincardine O'Neil, Aberdeenshire) in January 1859.

I found a satellite view of the Ardluie/Balymulloch area of Lower Cabrach, and am not sure if there were several dwellings at the site (it looks like a large farm now). All that is left of Balymulloch are the stone walls on 2 buildings.

Any idea where the family might be buried (they aren't in the Upper Cabrach churchyard, and I'm not sure where else they might be)?  Any help with the family would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Lara
Wisconsin, USA

Peter Grant in Bridgend had a child born about the beginning of February 1828, but did not apply for registration. This MAY be John as there is an ag lab born Cabrach of the right age at Culsh, Kildrummy in 1851. Another unregistered child born Bridgend about Jun 1830 is likely to be Jean Grant.
The OPR record for the birth of an illegitimate Adam Grant in 1853 names the father as John Grant son of Peter Grant in Ardluie. The only Peter Grant there in the 1851 census was a servant (ag lab) the husband of Elspet Dow born ca 1816 and actually the illegitimate son of Peter Grant the blacksmith and Elspet Mitchell.
Traditionally there has been a smithy at Bridgend within living memory and it looks as though the Alluie smithy transferred to there.
An alternative burial place for Cabrach folk was at Wallakirk (sometimes called Dumeath) near Beldorney Castle in Glass parish to the east. There is in fact a Peter Grant, blacksmith, buried there who died 2nd Jul 1890 at Haugh of Glass age 73 but I don't know of a connection.
Stuart

[Stuart P]

I have a website http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stuartpetrie/ which attempts a complete genealogy of the Cabrach along with complete census download and some diaries.

[USA Lass]

Thanks Stuart.    I checked out your site (wow that's a lot of work!!)  I'll check out the 1851 Kildrummy census for John (hopefully he's the same one). 
Since Anne was from Mortlach, would she possibly been buried there (her parents were still living in 1841 and in Mortlach, but again, I don't know where they are buried)?  This side of my family has been a "brick wall" for too long.
Thanks again,
Lara

[Stuart P]

......Since Anne was from Mortlach, would she possibly been buried there (her parents were still living in 1841 and in Mortlach, but again, I don't know where they are buried)? ........

You can use http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/mainmenu.asp to get grave records from Banffshire and there is http://www.abdnet.co.uk/mi-index/ for indexes to most of the Aberdeenshire graveyards.

[Bryn_taylor]

Hello StuartP,

I'd like to thank you for all the work you've done on your website. 

I've managed to find a considerable amount of information about my ancestors linked here:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stuartpetrie/ind655.html#@I3095@

I live in Canada, and have been finding it difficult to get a handle on the area, and you've helped me to flesh out my line a bit.  My line goes on down through MacDuff Taylor. 

The amount of detail you've managed to get is astounding.

By the way, I find there were a number of people around that time giving their children the first name of "Duff" or "MacDuff".  I assume it was due to the MacDuff family in the area being very popular at the time.  Any ideas on that?

Thanks again!
Bryn Taylor

[Stuart P]

--- My line goes on down through MacDuff Taylor. ---By the way, I find there were a number of people around that time giving their children the first name of "Duff" or "MacDuff". I assume it was due to the MacDuff family in the area being very popular at the time. Any ideas on that?
Bryn Taylor

MacDuff Taylor's gt-grandparents, William Taylor &  Jean Fettas, were also my 6xgt-grandparents, so I have more information about certain lines of descendants once they leave The Cabrach. If you contact me via the website perhaps we can share information, I'd like to know more about Macduff and his descendants.

Normally when you see a christian name like MacDuff, Gordon, Forbes, etc you start to search for a family connection with that surname, but it can also be named after the local laird, minister or some other obscure reason. The Duff family were powerful landowners in Banffshire. Whether they were "popular" or not is another matter.
Stuart

[rewan]

Hi Just found this site it looks good. My mother was born at Blackwater in the Cabrach. Her grandad Alexander Gordon lived at the Guauch. Pronunciation Jach.