Donald families throughout Banffshire

[MoreGubbins]

Hi Derek,

I have your family - I've sent you a private message.

Looking forward to hearing back from you,

Iain.

[MoreGubbins]

Hi Lance,

Hi Iain, I am researching the Sutherland family, specifically Archibald Sutherland who married a Janet Donald in the  1760's, possibly in Banff as their children, George, Hugh, Isabella, Robert, Elizabeth and Jean were born in Mortlach between 1769 and 1781.
Thanks for your time, cheers, Lance

I hope you have had some luck in your search. I've been looking at Mortlach Donalds tonight. Here is a list of the early (pre-1800) baptisms in Mortlach, along with abodes and related witnesses:

ROBERT DONALD   -   ELSPET MITCHEL
1742   Robert, Enoch
1745   Elisabeth, Enoch
1747   Isobel, Little Enoch
1748   Josep, Enoch
ROBERT DONALD   -   ISOBEL MILNE
1744   Margaret, Tambally, w. Alex'r Donald there
1746   Janet, Tambally
JOHN DONALD   -   JEAN STUART
1743   Alexander, Tomballie
1745   Isobel, Tambally
1747   James, Tambally, w. James Donald, Enoch
1752   John, Tambally, w. John Donald, Enoch
1759   Robert, Tambally, w. Robert Donald there
JAMES DONALD   -   ELSPET THOMSON
1765   James, Enoch, w. James Donald there
1767   Margaret, Little Enoch, w. Rob't Donald jun'r, Tomballie
1769   Elizabeth, Little Enoch
ROBERT DONALD   -   JEAN MITCHEL
1768   John, Tomballie, w. John Donald, Tomballie
1769   Isobel, Tomballie, w. Jno Donald, Enoch
1772   Elspet, Tomballie, w. John Donald
1774   Alexander, Nether Tomballie, w. Alexander Donald, Laggan
1777   Jean, Tomballie, w. Alexander Donald, Tomballie
1779   Robert, Enoch, w. Alexander Donald Tamballie; John Donald, Enoch
ALEXANDER DONALD   -   ELISABETH DONALD
1786   Alexander, Little Enach

I notice that Robert Sutherland's 1776 baptism notes Robert Donald of Tomballie as a witness. I have an extensive family tree for him. It's likely that he was your Janet Donald's relation. Your Janet Donald may then be Janet Donald, b. 1746, in Tambally, daughter of Robert Donald and Isobel Milne. It's speculative, but it might give you something to work with.

Best of luck,

Iain.

[Whenu]

Thanks Iain, been away from the PC for a while, will look into these results, cheers, Lance

[Rebecca Johns]

Hello Iain--

I am researching my family history which includes a number of Donalds from Banffshire. I believe I have traced my great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Lebbie) Donald born illegitimate in 1891 to Elizabeth Donald in Aberdeen and who died shortly thereafter. She would have been unofficially adopted by her aunt, Jean (Jane) Donald, born about 1848, who married George Farquhar in 1867. I believe the elder Elizabeth and her sister Jean were the children of Alexander Donald, b about 1826 in Cullen, Banff, and Elizabeth Grant. Any information you might have on Alexander's family going back before 1826 most appreciated.

Best,
Rebecca Johns
Chicago, IL, USA

[bellaode]

Hi I am just wondering if you have any information on a Maggie Ann Donald who married a James Duncan.  Maggie was born about 1880 and dies 1959
Thanks Teresa

[flabbergasted]

Hi Iain,
 
I am a descendant of Magdalen Donald who was baptised in 1768, Alvah, Banff, Scotland. She was the daughter of James Donald who resided in Berryhillocks. She had three known siblings: Thomas born 1771, William b 1773 and Barbara b 1776.

Magdalen married John MELLIS is 1799 King Edward, Banff, Scotland.

I am wondering if you would have any further information relating to this family that you would be willing to share with me.

Regards,

Susan

[Wullie2]

I am on the hunt for one Captain Alexander Donald of the 41st Regiment of Foot (Invalids), born circa 1725, place and parentage unknown, who died at his home in the Canongate, Edinburgh, on 20 November 1797, and is buried in Canongate kirkyard, “east of Allan’s stone”. He was married (date and place unknown) to Marjory Robertson, who was born circa 1733 (place and parentage unknown); she died 9 May 1819, age 89, at Howard Place, Edinburgh, and is buried in William Robertson's tomb in Greyfriar's.

Aitchison's Edinburgh directory for 1797-98, p. 84, has an entry for an Alexander Donald, living at the head of Somerville’s Close (later renamed Brown’s Close), Canongate. Thomas Aitchison’s A Directory for Edinburgh, Leith, Mussleburgh, and Dalkeith. July 1794-July 179[6]?, page 68 , has a listing for “Donald Capt. Alexander of Invalids, foot of New str. Canon.” And Williamson's Edinburgh Directory, June 1790 to June 1792, p. 29, has an entry for “Donald Captain Alexander, Wier’s close, Canongate.”

I do not know if Alexander and Marjory Donald had any sons, but they had an only daughter, Sarah [or possibly Margaret], born circa 1752, date and place unknown, who died 15 April 1831, age 79, at Edinburgh. She married William Robertson, Deputy Keeper of the Records of Scotland.

Alexander Donald appears to have served as an officer in the 41st Regiment of Foot (Invalids), the 89th Regiment of Foot (or Gordon’s Highlanders, and the 85th, as well as in "Lieut. Col. Morris’s Battalion. I have no dates for his service for the 41st. In the 89th, an Alexander Donald was variously Ensign, Adjutant and Lieutenant between 1759 and 1764. In 1781, he still gave his rank as Lieutenant (at the baptism of his granddaughter Sarah, in Edinburgh), but he was made "Captain in the army by brevet" in 1783 (London Gazette, May 27) At that time, he was in the 85th.

Perhaps significantly, he was identified in 1760, in a list of officers in Lieutenant Colonel Morris's battalion as "Gent[leman]. Adjutant.”  There were several well-kent Banff and Moray names among his fellow officers.

There was also an Alexander Donald was or aspired to be a landholder in Aberdeenshire and/ or Banffshire between 1769 and 1771. Peter May, surveyor, factor and farmer in Linkwood, near Elgin, had dealings in April 1769 with a Captain Alexander Donald who was interested in acquiring a farm called Dykeside, held by Lord Findlater. Donald lost to a competitor for Dykeside (one George Stronach), but he was also looking at a farm in the Muirtown estate. See Ian Adams, ed., Papers on Peter May (1979). However, my Alexander Donald appears not to have become a captain until 1783.

Moray Heritage Centre’s LIBINDX database has an Alexander Donald (NM234795), a soldier and tacksman, living at Manbeen, near Elgin, who in 1771 raised a court action against his servants for desertion from service (ref. ZBEL B32/771/31). In Adams, ed., Papers on Peter May, p. 109, there is a reference to a William Donaldson in Manbeen in 1768. (The surnames Donald, Donaldson and McDonald or M’Donald were sometimes used interchangeably in 18th-century records.)

As a North American, presently held captive by the pandemic, I don't access to any Scottish records not online. I am wondering if anyone with the patience to have read through this account might have this Alexander in their database, of if someone might be able to suggest any other leads I might follow up, either from a distance, or on some (still-anticipated) future visit to Scotland.   

[MonicaL]

Hi Wullie2

Connected to William Robertson. Just wanted to add a note for you. In case you do not have this, his will is available on download and is currently free to view due to Covid. See https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D387566

Will of William Robertson, Keeper of the Records of Scotland of Edinburgh , Mid Lothian
Reference: PROB 11/1391/216
Description: Will of William Robertson, Keeper of the Records of Scotland of Edinburgh , Mid Lothian
Date: 27 April 1803
Held by: The National Archives, Kew

Monica

Added: I see that Ancestry also have these digitised...so you may well have this already 

[Wullie2]

Hi Monica -- I do have the will (though only recently), but thanks very much for responding. It's a key document for unraveling the family -- and what a fascinating family it is! The link I'm pursuing is an enigmatic mention by a distant ancestor writing in the early 1870's that a man named Donald in (or from) Mortlach, Banffshire had a daughter who married "a Robertson who became head man in the Register Office." I'm not convinced of the Mortlach claim, but I did find a Donald/Robertson link. A later Robertson (George) shows up as executor for the estate of one James Shearer, G.P.O. Surveyor for the North of Scotland (d. 1840 or '47; don't have my notes open). He also had a Donald link in his ancestry.