James, Elizabeth & Alex Alexander at Craigo, Logie Pert 1840 -1880

[nw_whiskers]

Dear All,  James, Elizabeth and Alex Alexander are living around Craigo in the 1840 - 1880 era and are brothers and sister all born Fettercairn according to their Census entries.  We have the Death Certificate for each of them and they all point to John Alexander, Crofter/Weaver & Mary Carnegie as the Parents.  Unfortunately John Alexander & Mary Carnegie are a big mystery as they are missing from the OPR as far as all my searches have gone so far.  The approximate birth dates for the three children suggest that there are more members in this family.

James died 1869 aged 52 years so born ~ 1816

Elizabeth died 1886 aged 71 years so born ~ 1814/5

Alexander died 1884 aged 77 years so born ~ 1806/7

The Question is:- Does anybody out there have an Alexander family line with John Alexander & Mary Carnegie, Fettercairn Parish, KCD in it as I would be VERY please to have a line from them with a birth year around ~1800 - 1825 as this would help fill out this family history.  The ONLY possible mention we have of them (JA & MC) is a marriage in Marykirk in 15 July 1798.  We have the Death Certificates and the Marriage Certificates for each of them so there is no mystery about James, Elizabeth or Alex for that matter but a LARGE BRICK WALL on the Parents and any other Brothers and Sisters.

Many thanks, nw_whiskers.
 
 

[mgs1]

Sorry I can't help directly with your brick wall.  I am descended from the same missing pair through Alexander Alexander and wondered if you were aware of his tombstone in Logie Church.  I have a photo of it if you want.

[nw_whiskers]

Dear Megs1, Lovely to hear from you and yes I have a photograph or two of the lovely "old stone" in the Old Logie Church Yard.  It is interesting to hear that you are from the Alex Alexander, East Hill of Craigo line.  May I ask is it from the May Niddrie one or the Jane McPherson one?  That in itself is of interest as that may yield clues that are not evident to either of us at this point.

I terms of the Headstone it is a lot older than any of the people that are listed on the back or written side if I can call it that.  From around 1748 or so.  The one next to it is in the name of Margaret Read and Robert Findlay, Tolmants b ~ 1680.  The next one along is for John Milne, Craigie husband to Margaret Nuckle b ~ 1658.  Three VERY interesting Headstones in a line.  The question I keep asking myself is how on earth did the Alex Alexander ever get his name on that one --- through the Niddrie side I persume.  They could have a connection to the initials carved on the other side which look like JR & IC.  Perhaps J Read or something like that!

Anyway, I am more than please to hear from you and have probably given you more to think about than you reckoned upon.

Your thoughts would be most appreciated,  nw_whiskers

 

[mgs1]

Hello again

I am descended thro' one of the 9 children of Alex Alex & Jane McPherson.  My grandfather was at one time the tenant farmer at E Hill of Craigo.  It is interesting to learn that the gravestone is much older than the "written" side would suggest, I was not aware of that.  I have not done a great deal of digging farther back than JA & MC but the Marykirk couple married 1798 do seem possible.

Regards mgs1

[nw_whiskers]

Dear Mgs1,  Sadly I am not very good at your side of the family as I am in the May Niddery line but my Mother always had Jane McPherson on the family chart some 50 years ago.  She would never have guessed that it would be of such fascination to us in 2013.  I have been to the David McPherson Alexander one at Montrose to see it a few times and another one nearby with lots of Gold Lettering on it and taken pictures of both of them in spite of all those trees around there making it difficult.  I have some Headstones in the Old Bervie Church Yard, Gourden Cemetary, Benholm, Rosehill in Montrose and most certainly in Australia.

Elizabeth or "Betsy" to her family is in Laurenckirk Old Church Yard and some of her family are in the New Cemetary there.

James is VERY new to us so we haven't worked on where he is but Ann Taylor from Dunnichan his wife is reckoned to be in the 1901 Census for North Craigo.  I think that family have links to North America but we have to wait and see about that part.

The JA & MC thing looks impossible by "conventional" means but we are trying to collect all the family names we can as that can be an asset in the search for them.  A grave stone would be most helpful if "there is one".  A Mort Cloth entry is also a possible asset so all is NOT lost.  I know that a John Alexander made a donation of £1 to the Fettercairn Church on the death of his Father but what was his fathers name etc ?  We know so little about JA & MC and where they actually stayed is the real problem!

I greatly appreciate your input so keep it going if you can,  nw_whiskers.

[bbeattie]

Greetings from Canada nw_whiskers!

My name is John Brian Beattie and James Alexander (1815-1869, m. to Ann Turnbull Taylor) was my 2nd great grandfather.  I'm related through his daughter Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Taylor Alexander who married James Beattie.  They lived in North Craigo (currently 2nd house west of North Woods).  Lizzie's grandfather was John Alexander m. to Mary Carnegie, and I have noted John's father as Alexander Alexander (b. 1734 in Marykirk) m. to Margaret Faulconer (1735-1836), and Alex Alex's father as Alexander Alexander (b. ~1700 in Marykirk) m. to Jean Gleg 1727. 

In 1987 I saw the gravestones for James and Elizabeth Beattie in the Old Logie Churchyard below the Mains of Logie...is this where Alexander Alexander's 'old stone' is too, and which Alex Alex is he?

My family (myself, wife, daughter 21, son 23) is coming to Scotland in early August 2014...we're staying at the Marykirk Hotel Sat Aug 2.  My great grandfather James Duguid Barron owned this hotel ~1898 to 1911, after which the whole family came to Canada.  His daughter Margaret 'Maggie' Barron married James and Elizabeth's son John Beattie from N Craigo, who came to Canada a year earlier with Margaret's brother Arthur Barron.

Let me know if you have any other questions about James Alexander.

Cheers,
Brian

Dear Megs1, Lovely to hear from you and yes I have a photograph or two of the lovely "old stone" in the Old Logie Church Yard.  It is interesting to hear that you are from the Alex Alexander, East Hill of Craigo line.  May I ask is it from the May Niddrie one or the Jane McPherson one?  That in itself is of interest as that may yield clues that are not evident to either of us at this point.

I terms of the Headstone it is a lot older than any of the people that are listed on the back or written side if I can call it that.  From around 1748 or so.  The one next to it is in the name of Margaret Read and Robert Findlay, Tolmants b ~ 1680.  The next one along is for John Milne, Craigie husband to Margaret Nuckle b ~ 1658.  Three VERY interesting Headstones in a line.  The question I keep asking myself is how on earth did the Alex Alexander ever get his name on that one --- through the Niddrie side I persume.  They could have a connection to the initials carved on the other side which look like JR & IC.  Perhaps J Read or something like that!

Anyway, I am more than please to hear from you and have probably given you more to think about than you reckoned upon.

Your thoughts would be most appreciated,  nw_whiskers

[bbeattie]

Do you have the birth certificate for Mary Carnegie?  I have that.

[bbeattie]

Any chance this Thomas Carnegy b. 1749 at Careston w. of Brechin could have become Thomas Carnegie 4th Esq of Craigo through marriage to Mary Gardyne b. 1750, who was the 2nd daughter of James Gardyne 2nd Esq of Middleton? Thomas and Mary (Gardyne) Carnegie are Mary Carnegie's parents.

[nw_whiskers]

How lovely it is to hear from your side of the Alexander/Taylor side of the family.  I was thinking about where the Alexander/Taylor Headstone was and suspected that it could be by the river behind Logie Mains Farm.   The sister Elizabeth Alexander is behind the Old Church in Laurencekirk and the other brother Alexander Alexander (my side!) is by the river behind Logie Mains Farm.  I will send you pictures for both of them so that you can relate to them with ease.

Alex Alexander born ~ 1807, died 9 Nov 1884
Elizabeth Alexander born ~ 1815, died 12 Nov 1886, married James Archibald 13 July 1844 at Marykirk.  She was at East Hill of Craigo in 1841 Census with Alex Alex and William Alex.,  My Great Grandfather was William born 1 April 1837 who sadly lost his mother a few days after he was born.  We at this end are a bit stuck with the John Alexander & Mary Carnegie bit as the records "appear" to be lost.  A big frustration for us and my 90 year old 2nd cousin in Australia.

Yes, I am interested in your work on the Alexander & Carnegie side as your family may have bits that we have never seen before.

Your visit in the Summer time sounds great so we may well have a meet then for an exchange of thoughts.   I have written enough for a first post to you but I will make a post of the pictures for sure.

My best wishes,  nw_whiskers