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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: rosneath on Saturday 14 May 11 18:10 BST (UK)
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I have been researching my ancestors William DAVIDSON of Knockenbaird and Elspet REID of Myreton who married in Insch on 26 June 1686. I know that after they marry, they are tenants on a farm toun called Scotstown.
I am trying to find out more about their siblings and descendants and have started by looking at the 1696 Poll of Aberdeenshire. I find a few REID tenant farmers mentioned in the Insch area and where the wife is mentioned, I have found their marriages and children's baptisms on the IGI and/or Scotland's People.
However it is the linking together that I am having difficulty with and I wonder if anyone can help with the following info I have found:
There is a family of Alexander Hall at Knockenbaird and they show up in the Davidson/Reid children's baptisms. There are other Reids dotted about the Insch parish which are probably siblings of our Elspet. Namely:
John REID and Margaret Webster at Myreton - he probably took over his father's lease if Elspet was 'of Myreton'
Alexander RIED and (1) Jean Robertson poss (2) Elspet Hall at Meikle Wardes
Janet REID and Gilbert Jameson at Pyke
Christian REID and James Martin at Headie Town of Meikle Wardes
William REID and Agnes Webster at Carniston
The landowner at this time was Count Patrick LESLIE and it has been suggested that where REID and DAVIDSON farmers were the tacksman in each farm toun, they were likely to have a blood connection to Count Leslie. I can't find that, either. But the Reid and Davidson families all baptise one son Patrick for several generations after this so there must be something!
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Patrick Davidson
B: 13.09.1700
M: 1730, Elspet Chambers
D: 1772
Parents of Elspet Reid- John Reid and Margaret Webster of Myreton
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The Poll Book was pretty well written up in about November 1695. It only includes those who were liable to pay, so underage children and the very poor are not mentioned.
Patrick Leslie was not a Count, just a laird. Count is the European term for what we call an Earl in Scotland (though his wife is called a countess). Patrick was not one of the nobility.
Be careful when you use "of" after someone's name. John Smith of Myretown actually owns the land. The Register of Sasines then lets you trace his family further. John Smith in Myretown is a tenant (also called a tacksman as he has a tack or lease) or a subtenant. At the end of the 17th century in this part of Aberdeenshire there were no enclosed farms and several families might hold leases for parts of the same larger farm.
Graham.
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It is also worth mentioning that in parish records of Aberdeenshire, 'of' a farm usually meant it was owned and 'in' meant that it was tenanted. Large farms had several tenants 'in' them and were sometimes designated a 'toun' or 'town'.
Count Leslie (our Patrick's granduncle) was a Count in the Holy Roman Empire so not part of the Scottish nobility per se. Patrick was definitely a Count. I quote 2 references below ...
1."Walter Leslie's patent of the dignity of Count of the Holy Roman Empire was granted to him and his two brothers, William and Alexander, and their heirs, that, in case he died without issue, they might succeed him in his titles and estates.
"Being possessed of great wealth, Water Leslie frequently remitted sums of money to his brother Alexander Leslie, fourteenth Baron of Balquhain, and his nephew Patrick Leslie (1640 - 1710), fifteenth Baron, and enabled them to retrieve their estates, then very much embarrassed by the extravagance of former possessors.
Walter, Count Leslie, died at Vienna 4th March 1667, aged sixty-one years, and was buried with great pomp in the Leslie chapel in the Scotch Benedictine Abbey there. He was succeeded by his nephew James, second Count Leslie who died 1694."
2. Having no issue, Walter entailed his estates on his nephew Count James, eldest son of his brother, Alexander Leslie, fourteenth Baron of Balquhain, and his heir-male; whom failing, on Patrick Leslie, younger son of the said Alexander Leslie, and his heir-male; failing whom, on the heirs-male of his father-in-law, Maximilian, Prince Dietrichstein; family whom, on the heirs-female of the said James and Patrick Leslie, his nephews, when the entail was to be exhausted.
Patrick Leslie, after his succession to the Leslie estates in Germany, on the death of his brother Count James in 1694, also made additons to the Balquhain property, purchasing the lands of the barony of Insch, Boddam, Greenhall, Muiryheadless, Knockenbaird, Scotstown, and Aquhortes.
Source:
http://books.google.com/books?id=lyENAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA113#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Page 113 - 129
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Hello,
Could you please help me? I am researching Davidsons in the Insch area.
My forebear James Davidson married Jean Paterson on 5 January 1768 at Premnay (next to Insch).
Their children were christened at Kemnay: George, 1768; Isobel, 1770; Margaret, 1772; Jean, 1774; William, 1775; James, 1777; John, 1779; Andrew, 1782; Alexander, 1783; Peter, 1785; Anne, 1789; Mary, 1792.
Best Wishes
Douglas Parker.
Melbourne, Australia
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Hello Douglas
Sorry for the delay in replying, I haven't been on RootsChat for ages. I have several James Davidson entries on my tree but none really look like your chap:
1. James bap/born 1739, son of James b. 20 Dec 1687 Insch, Aberdeenshire who d. AFT 1746
Cairniestoun, Insch, Aberdeenshire. No further info that I have but he could be your man in Kemnay.
2. James bap 14 Oct 1732 Insch, witnesses James Davidson of Cairniestoun and John Crookshank of Mill of Wardhouse, son of William Davidson b. 01 Jan 1693 Insch, Aberdeenshire d. AFT 1746
Largie, Insch. His son James was b 1769 d 1853 and married a Jane. So probably not your chap
3. James Davidson b. 04 Dec 1739 Newtown, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire d. 14 Feb 1816
Newtown, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire. Burial Insch Old Kirkyard. Occupation Farmer, Newtown, Kennethmont but he m. Singer, Elizabeth 09 Dec 1773 Insch, Aberdeenshire who d. 27 Jul 1817
Not much help, I'm afraid.
Isabel
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My great x5 grandfather, William Davidson, and unknown mother had a son James Davidson, born in Insch on 25 August 1762. He became a journeyman shoemaker and is buried in the Old Howff graveyard in Dundee.
Can anyone help me trace his mother, siblings and grandparents please? I looked in the Insch graveyard the last time I was there without success. Where do you think I should look next?
Chris
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On reading your message, I alerted at the mention of Knockenbaird and as I have ancestors from this area I wondered if you had come across the Hall family. Here are my details:
My ancestors begin with George Hall b. abt.1720 d. Knockenbaird and married to Elisabeth Reid 25 June 1747 Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. They had 9 children: George b.1747;Elspeth b 1750; Janet b 1752; Margaret b.1753; William b. 1756; Mary b.1760; Jean b.1760; Agnes b.1762; Walker (Walter) b.1765. The George from this family (b.1747) m. Jean Ledinghame 20 March 1790 Insch, Aberdeen, Scotland. They had 4 children: Alexander b.1791; George 1793; Walker b.1796; Isabell b.1800. The George from this family (b.1793) m Anne (Lidingham) Ledingham Abt. 1811 Scotland. They had 6 children: Margaret b.1812 m John Davidson b 1804 Premnay, Aberdeen, Scotland m 9 June 1838 Chapel Of Garioch, Aberdeen, Scotland. They had 2 children: John and William
Let me know please if you need anymore information.
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Hello
Funny you should post something today, just when I am looking at the 1696 Poll List for Insch!
For Knockenbaird the listing says:
Alexander HALL, elder and younger
Elspet HALL, his daughter (presumably daughter of the elder and sister of the younger but not very clear)
William HALL and Janet JAMESON his wife
James Andersone and Margaret HALL his wife
Janet Andersone his daughter
In Greinhall there is:
John HALL and Elizabeth Black, his wife
Hope that is a bit helpful
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Hello, Thank you for replying so quickly and I do apologize for ending my message to you as the internet here where I live in Australia decided to cut out and had to be reset. My area of focus is on George Hall b. abt. 1720 to Elisabeth Reid. I came across the MI website and found an Index to MI Booklets published by ANESFHS - George Hall d.1810 booklet: Kirkyard of Insch (AA092) burial ground: Insch - stone: 38 George Hall July 1810; Alexr. Hall Feb. 1825; Walter Hall n.d.. I am trying to find more information on George and Elisabeth as, I am assuming, George lived and worked in the Knockenbaird area and I was given the information that George had died at Knockenbaird. I am naturally limited in my searching but, is there somewhere I am able to search for the evidence that they lived and worked in this area? The MI information looks promising but I am still not sure.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you for your reply with information and I will keep these on file, just in case.
Jan
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Hi Jan
Not to worrry, it is all a challenge, this internet stuff!
I have the Insch Kirkyard booklet - its just been published. Knockenbaird at the time you are interested in is a farm town which means there is a main farm but various households providing a service to that farm. No farm is mentioned on stone 38 and it looks as if Walter Hall might not have lived in Insch as there is no stone for him.
I have found that the baptismal records on Scotlands People give a bit more detail. Perhaps where the father lived and also if there were witnesses, where they were from. It’s pay per view but worth it.
Cheers
Isabel
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Thank you for your suggestion and I will look into this.
Good luck in your research.
Jan
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Hello Isabel
I also have this James on my tree, he is my 5th great grandfather. Any other info you can provide would be wonderful
Jason Davidson
3. James Davidson b. 04 Dec 1739 Newtown, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire d. 14 Feb 1816
Newtown, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire. Burial Insch Old Kirkyard. Occupation Farmer, Newtown, Kennethmont but he m. Singer, Elizabeth 09 Dec 1773 Insch, Aberdeenshire who d. 27 Jul 1817
Not much help, I'm afraid.
Isabel
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Hi Jason
James Davidson and Elizabeth Singer are my 3 x great grandparents. So I think that makes us cousins of some degree!
I descend from their son Arthur baptised 20 Oct 1774 Kennethmont d 23 Jul 1856 Newtown Kennethmont and his wife Christian Thomson baptised 17 Dec 1745 Kennethmont d 23 Feb 1874 Inverurie.
As far as I know James D and Elizabeth Singer married in Insch on 9 Dec 1773 and only had three living children:
Arthur b 1774
Elizabeth b 1783
and
James b 1786
Elizabeth b 1783 know very little about apart from her birth.
James b 1786 married Jean Singer b 1780, dau of Robert Singer of Daviot and Jane Thomson. I only have records of their daughters.
It looks like there were children born between 1775 and 1782 that did not survive.
Maybe you can help me with filling in some gaps!
Cheers
Isabel
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Hi Isabel
James and Elisabeth are my 5th great grandparents
Not sure how to connect offline, as I just found this site.
Maybe worth connecting more
Jason
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Hi
Are you on Ancestry or any other genealogical site? Gedmatch? Facebook? They don't allow posting of email addresses here so perhaps we can find another way to connect.
Isabel
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Sent you a PM
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I am related to everyone in all of these posts. My family of Ledingham's Lived in Insch and Oyne So I have Lesllie,Reid,Davidson,Robertson,Hall and so on in my tree. The ledinghams of rayne and Premnay are decedents of the george ledingham tree and those in inch and oyne are decedents of David. Its the same family but Georges line split off in the early 1500's and they did not marry into each other after that. All the family's in the area trace back to the royal family at some point or another. most have multiple royal connections. Right now I am working on filling in the blanks on my tree So I would love to see Family trees anyone has done from this area.
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John Davidson (1781-1861) was my 3rd great grandfather. He farmed at Hatton of Ardoyne in the parish of Oyne.
1781, June 17th. John lawful son to Alexander Davidson and Margaret Wright in Tofthill of Auchline was baptised before the congregation. George Gilles and Alexander Mearns in Auchline witnesses. [Clatt Parish Register]
Does he fit into any of your families?
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Hi Ledingham1
In my Davidson tree, I have at least 10 Ledinghams but not in the direct line that I can tell. Closest is Elizabeth Ledingham 1819-1895 that married George Cooper of Wraes. Their son John Alexander Cooper married my great grandmother Jeannie Davidson nee Allan after her first husband (my great grandfather) died.
Another is Elspeth Ledingham 1781-1865 who married John Davidson, a 2nd cousin of my great great grandfather (I think I have the greats right!)
I didn't know about the royal connection, I'd always assumed there was no Stuart connection at all. I'd love to know more.
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My Davidson line farmed in Ellon and Udny from the late 1600's.
I also have Ledinghams from Premnay, the earliest I've found is John
b. abt. 1757.
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Hi all
My earliest Ledinghams that I can track seem to be Elspeth (1781 Insch - 1865 Cusalmond) and her brother John (1791 - 1851+) who might be the children of James Ledingham (1739 Premnay - ?) and Helen Anderson (1757 - ).
Do they link to anyone else?
Isabel