Odd Surnames Chizet and Gaa in Grange?

[GDub71]

The wife sure doesn't like it when I lay out the iniquities of her ancestors. Another one of her ancestors "struck the Minister". Can you imagine that?

I wonder if Margaret Thomson's child by Thomas Gall survived? This information is helpful in that it does suggests that Thomas was a good bit older than I believed him to be!

[carolbee]

Hi there. Only a year late, but have just spotted this. I am a descendant of Janet Gall/Gaa who married Alexander Bruce in 1766 in Grange, Banffshire. They had 3 sons and 2 daughters, and I'm descended from the middle child (and eldest son) William Bruce. There was a witness by the name of Alexander Chizzat at the baptism of one of their children, Margaret Bruce. If you'd like any more info, would be happy to send!

Gall is common enough, and often occurs as a variant of Gauld or Gold. I suspect that they all have a common origin.

... and we have a winner! Margaret Gall b.1733 to James Gall and Jean Craib, at Grange and Janet Gall b.1736 to same parents. So at least I had the sisters part right!

There's a whole load of Gall's and Gaul's in 18th Century Grange. I suppose it all comes back to phonetics!

Nice one Forfarian 

[GDub71]

Of course Carol, I'm always happy to add other branches to my tree. I take it that you've already worked out Janet's parents and Grandparents then. That's as far as I could get!

It's funny, because quite often the cut-off point seems to be around the time of the Great Fire of London. If you can get back beyond that in the North-East, then you're doing well!

[carolbee]

I have to say I haven't delved very far back into Janet's ancestry at all really, other than her parents who were James Gall and Janet Crabe/Craib. I presume you have all her other siblings (there were 6 children altogether - 3 boys and 3 girls): James 1726,  Alexander 1729, William 1731, and Isabel 1741.  Thanks for inadvertently providing me with the name of Isabell Bruce's husband, Patrick Chizzet (William's sister).

Don't know if you have this info. It's from the baptism records (provided to me by another Bruce chaser):

Jannet's surname is spelled "Gaa" in baptisms of five children:

1  Isobel BRUCE born Thorntown, bpt Grange 12 January 1768.
  Witnesses "William Keith in Farmtown, William Gall, Isobel Syme & Isabel Gaa"

2   Margaret BRUCE b Thorntown, bpt Grange 5 May 1770. (named after Alexander’s mother)
  Witnesses "Alexr Chizzat & Alexr Shand, Margt Keith, Margt Gaa"

3  William BRUCE b Thorntown, bpt Grange 21 May 1772.
  Witnesses "William Brown Schoolmaster at Grange, Anna Innes at Braco, Miss Katherine [rest illegible, discoloured and torn at bottom of page]"

4  Alexander BRUCE's baptism has no date. It is squeezed in very small handwriting between entries for January 17th and January 20th 1774:
"Alexander Bruce in Thorntown had a Child by his wife Jannet Gaa baptised and called Alexander. Witnesses Alexander Thomson, Jean Shand, Thorntown, Alexander Gordon, Craiglethy"

5  James BRUCE b Kirktown of Grange, bpt Grange 13 January 1780.
Witnesses "James Hui in Nethermiln and James Shand in Loch of Skeen and James Martin in Kirktown" (Loch of Skeen may have been in Forgue.)
 
I suspect that a lot of records have been lost in the past, due to fire or whatever. Research can be a bit of a lottery at times.

[GDub71]

Well, if I haven't mentioned them already, James Gall's parents were:
Thomas Gall and Margaret Lawrence (Thomas was in Balnamoon in 1695 when he begat a child through fornication with Margaret Thomson)
James was baptised 03/05/1702

His wife Jean Craib's parents were:
William Craib and Margaret Gairden
Jean was baptised 25/10/1702

I would be interested to know how William and Isobel Bruce are connected if you have evidence of that, as my wife is a descendant of Isobel.

[carolbee]

Thanks for the info on James and Jean's parents. I think you did mention James' father was Thomas.

So your wife is related to Isobell?  That's interesting - so she and I are distantly related!  William and Isobell Bruce were brother and sister:

This was the family:

Isobell BRUCE, christened 12 January, 1768, Grange, Banff
Margaret BRUCE, christened 5 May, 1770, Grange, Banff, married John Christie
William BRUCE, christened 21 May, 1772, Grange, Banff
Alexander BRUCE, christened 1 January, 1774, Grange, Banff
James BRUCE, christened 13 January, 1780, Grange, Banff

William was employed by the Earl of Fife as a personal assistant, and his brother Alexander was in the Napoleonic wars. I have letters written to William by Alexander, in the early 1800's, saying how much he wanted out of the army and asking William to put in a good word for him with the Earl, to get him out. I don't know what the replies were! 

Well, if I haven't mentioned them already, James Gall's parents were:
Thomas Gall and Margaret Lawrence (Thomas was in Balnamoon in 1695 when he begat a child through fornication with Margaret Thomson)
James was baptised 03/05/1702

His wife Jean Craib's parents were:
William Craib and Margaret Gairden
Jean was baptised 25/10/1702

I would be interested to know how William and Isobel Bruce are connected if you have evidence of that, as my wife is a descendant of Isobel.

[GDub71]

How cool to have letters from so far back. However, that Isobel Bruce wasn't married to Patrick Chizet, as their eldest child William Chizat was born in 1709. It's possible that she was their Grandfather's sister maybe?

[Neil Mac]

Just recently caught up with this thread and the post about
Margaret Bruce and John Christie. My wife's family
are descended through Margaret and John's daughter
Isabella Christie born in Garrowood in 1807 who married
an Andrew Murdoch in Grange in 1828. We have traced
the family after this but have nothing before.
Its interesting to read about Margaret Bruce because
all we knew about her was from some christenings and some
death certs. John Christie is in the 1841 Census but not
Margaret.

[Lindsaycoleman306]

Hi there!

I am Janet Gall and Alexander Bruce descendant!
My line goes through James Bruce who moved to Nova Scotia.

I would SINCERELY be interested in knowing more about this family! Especially the ancestors of Alexander Bruce:)

Also Carolbee I would be HIGHLY MOTIVATED to pay you to copy the letters you have between William and Alexander!
Please get in touch!

I believe the Bruce’s at one time were quite affluent... so I am also interested in learning where the demise occurred and why. Especially since my family suddenly moved to Nova Scotia. They founded the Bruce Settlement there.

Happy New Year!