Alexander Duff, Auchindachy, Keith, born 1807

[Fordyce]

Hi Fordyce,
Hariot Moir with the Duffs in 1841 - do you know who she was?  I know it describes her as a servant but wouldn't be the first time a servant/boarder/pedlar turned out to be a relative. Harriot's not what you'd call a very popular Scottish name of the time - only 31 Har* females showing for the whole of Banffshire in 1841.
Jen

Good point. But, no, I don't know who she is. I first thought she was Hariot Beauvie who married George Moir/More in Aberdeen! - but she isn't (definitely). But there are Hariots around, including a Harriot Jane More b 10 Sep 1800 in Aberdeen to Alexander More & Margaret Innes. (I regard More and Moir as interchangeable.)

But there's nothing I can find that identifies this Hariot Moir, so unfortunately I cannot see how to progress that particular avenue.

[Forfarian]

Thanks. I do have a note of Robert C and Jean George, but nothing more on him. I don't think he's mine, or at least not that I can prove.

[jennywren001]

I've had a look at that tree on Ancestry - not convinced the Correction Wynd death is him as in 1841 living at Correction Wynd are the following people.
DUFF    Alexr. M 55 Tailor    
DUFF    (Mrs) F 55               
DUFF    Alexr. (Junr) M 30 Advocate
In 1851 no sign of the younger Alexander but the older couple have been joined by a granddaughter called Harriot Duncan Gordon aged 11.

Jen

[Fordyce]

I've had a look at that tree on Ancestry - not convinced the Correction Wynd death is him as in 1841 living at Correction Wynd are the following people.
DUFF    Alexr. M 55 Tailor    
DUFF    (Mrs) F 55               
DUFF    Alexr. (Junr) M 30 Advocate
In 1851 no sign of the younger Alexander but the older couple have been joined by a granddaughter called Harriot Duncan Gordon aged 11.

Jen

I can confirm the person who died in Correction Wynd is this one:

Entry from "History of Society of Advocates in Aberdeen":
"Duff, Alexander. 14th June, 1837 [when became an Advocate].
Son of Alexander Duff, tailor, Aberdeen. Alumnus, Mar. Coll.,
1827-31. App. to Francis Gordon (1796).
Died, unmarried, at Aberdeen, 9th April, 1842, aged 35."

He left a Will:
DUFF ALEXANDER 18/06/1842 ADVOCATE IN ABERDEEN T. 18/06/1842 SC1/37/19/P913
   - ABERDEEN SHERIFF COURT INVENTORIES SC1/36/19
DUFF ALEXANDER 18/06/1842 ADVOCATE IN ABERDEEN EXTRACT TESTAMENT
   - ABERDEEN SHERIFF COURT WILLS SC1/37/19

That's him out of my equation, as is their 1851 census. However, because of the Harriot name turning up, I looked further. I conclude this is just a coincidence of names. It appears the child is Harriet Gordon b Aberdeenshire d/o John Gordon & Elizabeth Duff: they can be found in 1841, Harriet age 1, her father was a tobacconist. Cannot find her birth but amazingly I found her death certificate, as Harriet Kilkelly, died 6 May 1911 in Philadelphia, birth given as 3 Dec 1840; buried in Arlington Cemetery.

Alexander Duff (our advocate) bpt 1 Jun 1807 Aberdeen to Alexander Duff (our tailor) & Elizabeth Urquhart.
Elizabeth Duff bpt 16 Dec 1812 Aberdeen to ditto.
Elizabeth Duff m John Gordon 1 Sep 1832 Aberdeen.

That'll do for me! Final conclusion: they are nothing to do with my Alexander Duff the cooper in Rhynie.