My wife is descended from Alexander Leslie of Balnageith and his wife Isabelle Adam. Isabelle Adam's brothers set up a citrus fruit importing business working out of the Azores and Lisbon importing into Liverpool. They started off their business in London.
Their son James Leslie m to Mary Culbard in 1816 was buried at sea in the Bay of Biscay in 1830. He worked out of the Azores. My wife's direct ancestor is his brother William who also worked in the Azores and his 2 eldest children were born there before he moved on to Warrington and then the family moved to Manchester.
Investigation has shown that the fruit crop in the Azores was decimated in the 1820s? hence the change in life circumstances of William Leslie.
Wow! That's quite a story. But I think a little work will be needed to reconcile what I have with that.
The Alexander Leslie of Balnageith I know about was the son of William Leslie of Balnageith, and was born in 1724.
July 27, 1724.William Leslie of Bannageith had a child baptised named Alexander. Witnesses Alexander Grant of Conrack and Alexander Gellie minister at Fordyce. [Rothes Parish Register] His mother was Margaret Gellie.
He married Anne Duff, daughter of John Duff of Thomshill and Margaret Gordon of Farskane. They had ten of a family. Their eldest son was William Leslie.
1748, September 11th. William lawful son to Alexander Leslie of Balnageith in Burncrooks and Mrs Anne Duff his spouse was baptized. Witness Mr James Gray minister. [Rothes Parish Register] This William Leslie was the minister of St Andrews-Lhanbryd from 1779 until his death in 1839.
The seventh child of Alexander Leslie of Balnageith and Anne Duff was Alexander.
1756. July 9th. Alexander lawful son to Alexander Leslie of Balnageith in Burncrooks was baptized by Mr Thomas Gray Minister at Dundurcas. Witnesses Mrs Margaret Gordon at Old Milns near Elgin and Mrs Margaret Gellie in the Upper-Glen [Rothes Parish Register]Isobel/Isabella Adam married Alexander Leslie, in 1787. 1787,
March 3. Alexr Leslie in Drainy and Isabella Adam in Spynie were matrimonially contracted and marrd. [Drainie Parish Register]. They had four sons and a daughter, including John, merchant in Elgin, James who married Mary Culbard and William who lived latterly in Warrington.
So far, so good.
However it is not clear (to me, at least), whether Alexander Leslie, husband of Isobel Adam, was the son of Alexander Leslie of Balnageith or the son of John Leslie of Shempston.
April 27th, 1760. Alexander lawful son to John Lessly and Agnes Collie in Shempstone was baptised said day. Witnesses Alexander Collie in Inch..., Jean Innes in Causie and Mary Young in Crookmire. [Duffus Parish Register]Noting that the eldest son of Alexander Leslie and Isobel Adam was named John, and that one of the witnesses at John's baptism was John Leslie In Shempstown
1788, Jany 11. Alexander Leslie in Westerfolds had his lawful son by Isobel Adam born 4th currt baptized and named John. Witnesses John Leslie in Shemstown and John Adam in Westfield. [Drainie Parish Register] it seems reasonable to suppose that Alexander's father was John Leslie, not Alexander Leslie of Balnageith. But it's perfectly possible that it was Alexander Leslie of Balnageith.
I have yet to see, and would be extremely interested in seeing, any primary evidence to prove either that Alexander Leslie, husband of Isobel Adam, was the son of Alexander Leslie of Balnageith or that he was the son of John Leslie of Shempston and Agnes Collie.
Naturally I do not trust anything I find online unless it is an image of an original document (and even then I am wary), but I have seen a tree that suggests that William Leslie of Balnageith, grandfather of the Reverend William, was the son of John Leslie and Margaret Innes of Burncrooks. His putative date of birth is 1690, but I have not found a baptism.
I have also seen it suggested that John Leslie of Shempston was a son of Alexander Leslie and Margaret Innes.
November 28th, 1729. John Leslie lawful son to Alexander Leslie and Margaret Innes in Crossmoor was baptised. Witnesses John Leslie there, John Forsyth in C..., Margaret Kessack and Elspet James. [Duffus Parish Register] This is plainly not the same Margaret Innes because (a) her husband is Alexander, not John and (b) there is a gap of 39 years between the putative date of birth of William Leslie of Balnageith and that of John Leslie in Crossmoor, even assuming that he is the later John Leslie of Shempston.
