Mitchell mystery in Portsoy.

[1pds]

Just a small point...

You mention "Andrew Mitchell, baker, who married an Isabella Imlach in Fordyce (Portsoy I'm sure)"

The church in Portsoy is part of the parish of Fordyce.

Good luck with your search!

[GDub71]

That's why I added (Portsoy I'm sure), so as not to confuse the parish of Fordyce with the village of Fordyce.

[Madam57]

Hi,
I'm very new to this. I've only just started my family tree. A friend did some initial research to get me started. Safe to say I'm totally hooked.
I noticed my friend had the same place of birth for my paternal grandparents, North High Street, Portsoy, which I found strange. As did my dad so I decided to google the address. I couldn't believe my eyes when I came across your entry. Not only were you speaking about the address I was looking for, you were mentioning the same people that are on my tree. Martha Jane Mitchell Farquhar is my Great grandmother. Martha & Alexander's daughter Williamina had my dad, John Hector Adamson.
I'm fascinated by what you wrote about Hay Farquhar. Did you find out what the outcome was of the complaint against him?
My friend gave me details from my Grandparents up to 3x Gt Grandparents but very little detail to broaden the tree. I'd appreciate if you could tell me what you know or point me in the right direction. My friend has Jean(Jane) Mitchell's date of birth as 1796.

[GDub71]

Hi Madam57,

I will start off by saying that I have had the pelasure of meeting your Grandmother Minnie when I was quite young and I've met your father a few times, although probably the last time was at my Gt Grandmother's funeral in 1993. My Gt Grandmother was Margaret Riach, and she and I were very close. My father probably knows your father better, although it was always Sheila that we saw most often as her and my Dad are about the same age.

I've actually been researching our family for over 20 years, so I have a lot of info to share. Its probably better if we communicate via E-Mail, so I will send you a PM with my E-Mail address! 

[Fordyce]

I have a Mitchell mystery in Portsoy too, and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's the same person.

I've been asked to identify the *step*brother of Minnie in a photograph a copy of which I've had for some years. The penny has only just dropped that the person that Minnie's daughter (my second cousin) gave me (James Riach] is actually a *half*brother.

That set me looking deeper, and I alighted on this thread as the result.

Martha Jane Farquhar was second wife of Alexander Riach whose first wife Elizabeth Geddes is one of mine on my paternal side. As well, her dau Williamina Ann Grant Riach ('Minnie'] marr James Duff Wilson Adamson who is one of mine on my maternal side. Obviously I would like to add to the info I already have on these family lines, and happy to reciprocate.

But it's the mention of Jean Mitchell in this thread... Until yesterday I hadn't connected this Martha Jane Farquhar with Hay Farquhar and his mother Jean Mitchell.

Ann Smith of 2 Schoolhendry St calls herself a cousin when she is informant upon the illeg birth of Jessie Morrison Watson to Margaret Watson in Chapel St Portsoy on 1 Dec 1864. Margaret Watson was d/o blacksmith William Watson & Jessie Geddes my 3xgtgdparents.

Ann Smith was born 1820/21 in Portsoy. She died 23 Jul 1907 at 54 Church St, when her gddau Jane Wilson gave her parents as George Smith general merchant and Jane Scott ms Mitchell. Jane Wilson was born 19 Mar 1885 illeg d/o Jane Ann Littlejohn who herself was illeg d/o Ann Smith. It looks like Ann Smith was also illeg.

Finding out just how Ann Smith was related is proving near impossible, especially as one cannot put too much reliabilty on someone knowing accurately the names of her gtgdparents of some 86 years previously. But Jane Wilson was very specific. I have a fair candidate for George Smith; I'm drawing a blank on Jane Mitchell.

But now I find not only that there is ample time enough for Ann Smith to be born to Jane Mitchell before her Farquhar marriage, but also that in 1851 Alexander Farquhar & Jane Mitchell lived next door to said William Watson & Jessie Geddes, and in all likelihood Hay Farquhar worked alongside or indeed was employed by William Watson.

The grandmother of Jessie Geddes is named as Janet Moir, who I can estimate as born approx 1760. And Janet Mitchell's mother is named as Janet Moir, who since married in 1797, could be the same person. By my reckoning, there is potential for Ann Smith and Jessie Geddes to be cousins, with Ann Smith being 1st cousin twice-removed to the child whose birth she registered.

Another connection. Is this Ann Farquhar d/o Hay Farquhar?
1892: same Jessie Morrison Watson had an illeg child Alfred Morrison who died. Informant: "Ann Farquhar Nurse Present N.H.S Portsoy". N.H.S will be North High Street, not National Health Service!
1894: Jane Watson dies. Informant: "Ann Farquhar neighbour present North High St Portsoy".

Maybe this is all simply coincidences of names, but it does bear looking into.

Re the Cairnrankie shipwreck, my Watsons had almost exactly the same story - they watched their man's boat wreck itself at Portsoy - indeed so close to the harbour "that all the crew got off and went home for their tea; Capt Watson was so ashamed he never went to sea again". I eventually solved the story with the excellent help of Davy Mair from Buckie Fishing Heritage Museum - the boat was the Jane Shearer and it foundered at Cullen, the whole town came out to watch, it was reported in the local papers and I even have a photograph of the boat foundering. The timbers can still be seen over 100 years later at low tide after a swell, right in the corner of Cullen Bay beside the harbour wall.

I wonder if the two family stories relate to the same event?

And the halfbrother or stepbrother anomaly? I can see no reason to suspect a stepbrother situation, so a Riach halfbrother he is.

Sorry for the long post, but at least two longstanding brick walls of mine look as they might be about to crumble.

How best to proceed?

[GDub71]

Hmm, is this Sheila's quine I wonder!

A lot of this makes sense. Of course, the "Ann Farquhar Nurse Present N.H.S Portsoy", is Hay Farquhar's wife - Ann Muiry. She was a midwife and sick nurse, as well as often laying out the dead, so my Granny told me. Martha must have accompanied her at times as she later took on the same role.

The name Watson pops up in John Watson farquhar, a child of Hay and Ann.

Jean Mitchell is certainly a bit of a mystery. Its possible that her family were Episcopilian, or there may be some other reason why her birth doesn't show up in the IGI.

Another possible connection is that most of the central characters here are small business proprietors. Alexander Farquhar... a barber, George Smith, General Merchant... Jean Mitchell's father "Andrew", a baker and in Pigots directory for 1825, there is a James Moir, Grocer in High Street. Is it likely that the progeny of shop-keepers would be expected to find a match among families of similar social standing?

[Fordyce]

No, not Sheila's quine! Sheils's second-cousin (and a loon), via our gtgdmother Helen Duff.
After Helen Duff's several escapades, including that with John Adamson, she married John Watson (s/o William Watson & Jessie Geddes), and had six more children. one of whom is my gdfather William Watson (b 1874 Banff). This is where the Ann Smith and Jane Mitchell mysteries come in.

On the other unrelated hand, Peter Geddes & Ann Young are my 4xgtgdparents. Elizabeth Geddes is their gddaughter and it was she who married the very young indeed Alexander Riach, and had nine children.

I can get my main Geddes line back to 1650, mostly Fordyce with a smattering of Deskford. The brick walls I mentioned are (a) to identify Jessie Geddes' gdmother Janet Moir (b) to fathom how and whether Jessie Geddes from Portsoy connects with my main Geddes from Fordyce. The relationship of "Ann Smith Cousin" might be the key.

Hope that clarifies!

Thx for identifying the informant Ann Farquhar. I didn't know that - I had thought by 1892 maybe her dau Ann Farquhar would have been active in that field.

I don't suppose, then, there are any clues on Hay Farquhar's children birth registrations as to where middle names came from, or informants of interest? I have to admit I can't see any reason why John Watson Farquhar b abt 1866 should be named after the only John Watson of my lot - he was away from home by then and there are no others in the family of that name.

The Episcopalian records of Portsoy are reflected in the IGI, so one might expect that Jean Mitchell would have turned up. More likely, perhaps, is that she is Catholic. I only found out recently that John Geddes & Elspet Robertson, parents of Jessie Geddes, were long-term members of the Congregation of The Annunciation Church (RC), Portsoy, which shouldn't in retrospect have come as much of a surprise because, despite nearly every event in all later years being Established or Free Church, there were hints that hinted.

I agree there are a lot of shop and master trades involved, but I haven't found it possible to pin anything down as a consequence. E.g. in the 1860s Jessie Geddes's nephew John Shand was a master shoemaker at 28 South High St, and brother-in-law Alexander Murphy (one of the hints...!) the same in Banff.

PS typical! After posting, checked out Portsoy's Episcopal records in IGI and Catholic Records in SP, and found 'your' Ann Cameron Mitchell baptised in Portsoy Episcopal!

[GDub71]

Hi again, It's (*) isn't it?

I was going to try and get in touch with you anyhow, as I have a query regarding the Geddes family. I actually believe that my Sister-in-law is also related to Elizabeth Geddes and hoped that you might be able to clarify. If you are indeed (*), I shall PM you the details!

Moderator Comment: (*) Name removed. Please remember that people often select their user names to protect their privacy. A good place to exchange personal information is always via the Personal Message service here on RC.

Since I've been moderated, I hope I can get away with Mr. H.G?