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    Who was the wife of Alexander Laurie 'of Tillymauld' I wonder.  Her name is the missing jigsaw piece in the family tree I have traced in fair detail to date.

    The death certificates of Margaret Laurie b. 1784 (m. G. Robertson), Elspeth b. 1785 (m. J. Hepburn) and James b.c. 1789 (m. M.Ruddiman) all in Monquhitter, state she was Mary Legg/Leggat.
Looking at Monquhitter records I found an Isabel b. 1776 and an Elizabeth b. 1779 also born to an Alexander Laurie.  Another record indicated a Helen (m. J.Walls) as a daughter of Alexander too.
So far so good.  Six children born to Alexander L. in the same parish, in a pattern of years.

If this Alexander was the eldest son of John Laurie of Gamrie and MacDuff  (who later moved to Tillymauld, Monquhitter by way of Tillybo and Overbrae) and Margaret Bannerman, then he was born in 1751 in Draught of Fortrie.
The Mary Legg was probably the one born 1749 at Bruntyards as it was nearby.

However this would mean they were a very young couple.  There is no marriage record.

OPRs do record an Alexander Laurie married a Jane Harper 'both in this parish' (Monquhitter) in 1775.
The Jane would appear to be the daughter, born in 1749 (!) of Torriel Harper and Isobell Legg of King Edward parish.
A witness at the baptism of Isabel (1776) was Isobell Legg of Blackhills. (A 'Backhills' is next to Bruntyards)  Confused?  So am I.

They too would have been a very young couple.

Needless to say I have been back and forth from Banffshire to Aberdeenshire records. The places are close or fairly close but the county boundaries were changed.  The possibilities of spouses is limited as there were few Alexander Lauries/Lawries, Leggs and Harpers.

I have the MI booklet the MI booklet for King Edward parish but not that for Monquhitter as it has not yet been published. I understand there is more recording to be done.

All pointers/thoughts most welcome.
MairiD

Hi Robert,
I am surprised and delighted to hear from you.  It seems we can supply missing jigsaw pieces to eachother.
Will send you an email.  Meantime, can you amend the first dates in your post--ie. Angus, born 1781 and Mary born 1784.  Am not sure whether you can do this now--no matter as I know the dates and make that kind of mistake too.
James married Agnes Cuthbertson in 1878 in Cramond village, now part of Edinburgh. He died in 1930, she in 1931. They actually had four children viz.
Neil b.1879 ---went to America or Canada?
Henry b. 1881, a domestic servant (bootman) in Edinburgh, single (as you mention,) d. 1925 in Edinburgh.
Angus b.1884 went to America or Canada?
Agnes b. 1889,d. three days later, buried in the Eastern Cemetery, Edinburgh.
 
(I can remember talk of distant relatives in former S. Rhodesia, but cannot recall whether they were MacMillans too.)
James and his cousin stuck together in work on the railways, in social life as they married sisters and in home life as they were often neighbours and lived in the same building latterly.  Edinburgh life would have been so very different to that in S. Knapdale!
Have not looked at the Walkers and MacMillan trees for a few months so need to ferret out the papers. Please bear with me.
Mairi.

John MacIntosh was born at Cambusavie, Dornoch c. 1775 and guessing from a protracted court action, 1776-1778 which went to the House of Lords, (involving Wm. Sutherland v. the Countess of Sutherland,) I imagine his parents were moved from this farm.
He signed up c. 1795/6, joining William Wemyss' 93rd Regiment of Foot.  (He may in fact have been in the earlier Sutherland Fencibles but his discharge papers of 1815 say the 93rd. and were signed by Wm. Wemyss.)
John fought at the Battle of New Orleans and lost a leg there.  He returned to Cork, Ireland with the remaining men and presumably made his way home from there. This endurance test is unimaginable!  I do not know whether he was obliged to return to Fort George or disbanded elsewhere.
He married, in 1817, Jean/Jane Fraser who, judging by records, hailed from Dores, by Loch Ness.
(Perhaps he met her as he staggered, somehow or other, up the Great Glen towards Inverness.)
They settled at Balvraid.  One census document gives the address Balvraid muir, so that would be on poor land. Prior to enlistment he was a shoemaker (stated on his army papers). He may have been able to continue this occupation despite his disability. Remarkably he raised a family of two there;
Ann, b. 1818 (who married a John Matheson and who emigrated to Australia,, with children, some time between 1851 and 1861)
and John b. 1823, also at Balvraid (who married Barbara Sutherland in 1846.) More of his family in another post.
Brave John, the Chelsea pensioner, lived on for around thirty eight years with only one leg. He died at Balvraid in 1852 while his wife, Jean/Jane died in 1863 there.
I have tried to find John in the first Census of 1841. It looks as if he might have been in Fodderty, at Bottacks. (Perhaps displaced there, as the returning men were cheated out of their previous tenancy.) However his wife is listed as Ann and there is a so far unidentified Christian, aged eight, living with them. Balancing those facts are John's age (correct) and his description (Army P.)
I have identified his neighbour there, Duncan/Donald McIntosh also a shoemaker.  He was younger and also at new Orleans where he was wounded in the thigh.
If anyone can add to these facts or correct me, I would be delighted.
Thanking you in anticipation,
MairiD
 

Hello Mary,
Thank you for such a quick and detailed reply!  I am in Edinburgh.  My great aunt, who lived here and died a long time ago now, talked wistfully of childhood holidays in Kilberry, in the early 1900s and the wonderful freedom she and her McMillan cousins had around there, especially on the beaches. I have not been able to get to that part of Knapdale. I have been to different parts of Kintyre but only Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig and that east coast down to Tarbert. However I have studied many online and other pictures and descriptions as well as modern and old maps so have a good idea of S. Knapdale.
Before I write more I am off to check Angus and Mary's offspring on 'Scotlandspeople'.  I have Mary as being born in 1823 and Dugald the twin of John.
If you do not hear from me for a while it is because my brain cells are concentrating on navigating Windows 8 on my new laptop.  My current problem is a constantly fluctuating print size.  Am wondering whether I have a lot of static in me or whether this new integral mouse(pad) is ultra sensitive. It is probably both!
Cheers,
MairiD