Cassie of Monquhitter

[VelkyAl]

Looking to find more details about my grandmother's family who were Cassies from Monquhitter.

My grandmother was Mary Cassie (1912-1965), married to Lewis Beddie Scott from Fraserburgh.

Her parents were John M Cassie and Elizabeth Calder, and I only have a mother listed for John, Annie H Cassie, daughter of Alexander Cassie and Mary Philip. Alexander's father was James Cassie, mother was Elizabeth Killoh.

If anyone has any dates for these folks that would be great, as would being able to go back past James Cassie.

If anyone knows who John Cassie's father was that would also be fantastic.

[ruthhelen]

John M Cassie was registered as John McKnight Cassie, born in 1887 in New Blyth, Aberdeenshire. It was relatively common practice for illegitimate children to be given their father's name as a middle name, so that would suggest that McKnight would be a good candidate for the surname of his father.

He isn't indexed as John Cassie or McKnight on SP, which suggests the father wasn't present at the registration of the birth, but having a look at the entry on SP may reveal a corrected entry where the father is named following subsequent court action by the mother.

John Cassie married Lizzie Calder in 1909 in Millbrex, Aberdeenshire. Again, he isn't indexed as John Cassie or McKnight, which suggests his father isn't named on the marriage registration either, but you can check that on SP to be sure.

Ruth

[GR2]

Are these the Cassies from King Edward, who were at Mill of Byth in 1841 and 1861, and at Waterloo in 1851?

[VelkyAl]

Are these the Cassies from King Edward, who were at Mill of Byth in 1841 and 1861, and at Waterloo in 1851?

I believe so yes.

[ruthhelen]

Your Cassies are an interesting - and large - bunch.  And on this journey, I’ve found two links into my own family! There are a lot of them - and I’m not entirely convinced I’ve got them all yet, as the surviving parish records for King Edward for most of this period are incomplete.

James Cassie and Elizabeth Killoh had 10 children that I’ve found so far, between 1799 and 1811. James also had two children with his first wife, Isobel Pirie, who he married on 2 Feb 1794 in King Edward. Fortunately, all the children survived beyond 1855, so death records exist - and Elizabeth Killoh herself lived until 1863.

I can’t find any record for James Cassie’s birth or death - although there are a couple of trees on Ancestry which have him born in 1752 to William Cassie and Marjory Reid (this is one of the few baptisms that appear in the King Edward records). I’m not sure I’m buying this as our James, as that would have made him over 40 when he first married and nearly 60 when his youngest son was born - which isn’t beyond the bounds of possibility, but I wonder if there’s a generation missing. If there is, however, I can find no documentary evidence of it.

There is a James Cassie (presumably James Cassie senior) listed at Auchnagorth in the 1809/10 Aberdeenshire tax rolls - then there’s a gap in the 1819/20 rolls, where Auchnagorth appears against George Chalmers and John Black. By 1830/31, Auchnagorth is back with the Cassies, with James Cassie (presumably the James born 1796, who appears as head of the house in the following censuses). So James Cassie senior must have died between 1810 and 1820 - which would fit with him being around 60 in 1810, I suppose.

None of these Cassies appear to have been buried at King Edward - or at least, no monuments appear to survive - and there are practically no burials recorded in the parish records.

By way of summary - the children of James Cassie - the first two with Isobel Pirie, the remainder with Elizabeth Killoh:

- Margaret Cassie, b. 1794, King Edward; m. William Mitchie, 1816, King Edward; d. 1862, Forglen, Banffshire; two children.
- James Cassie, b. 1796, King Edward; d. 1866, King Edward; unmarried.
- Ann Cassie, b. abt 1799, King Edward; d. 1880, King Edward; unmarried.
- John Cassie, b. abt 1801, King Edward; d. 1886, King Edward; unmarried.
- William Cassie ,b. abt 1802, King Edward; m. Margaret Urquhart, 1828 King Edward; d. 1890, King Edward; six children.
- Andrew Cassie, b. abt 1803, King Edward; m. Jane Andrew, 1827 King Edward; d. 1870, Old Machar; six children.
- May Cassie, b. abt 1803, King Edward; m. James Kidd abt 1827 King Edward; d. 1887, King Edward; three children.
- George Cassie, b. abt 1804, King Edward; m. Ann Andrew, 1827, King Edward; d. 1884, King Edward; nine children.
- Alexander Cassie, b. abt 1805, King Edward; m. Mary Philip, 1830 King Edward; d. 1897, New Deer; eleven children.
- Robert Cassie, b. abt 1807, King Edward; d. 1869, King Edward; unmarried.
- Adam Cassie, b. abt 1809, King Edward; d. 1868, King Edward; unmarried.
- David Cassie b. abt. 1811, King Edward; m. Mary Robertson, 1833, King Edward; d. 1888 King Edward; nine children.

There are two other Cassie families in King Edward around the same time - who I suspect are related - and possibly related to this James Cassie branch. Peter Cassie and Isabel Ross had a son, John Cassie, in 1781, who married one Jean/Jane Cassie (b. 1802), daughter of William Cassie and Elspet Greig - I would guess they were cousins, making William Cassie and Peter Cassie brothers - and also perhaps James Cassie senior - although I have no evidence of that…

John and Jean/Jane Cassie had four children in King Edward before settling in Orkney.

William Cassie and Elspet Greig’s son, James Cassie, was a shoemaker, and he and his family are evident in the census records in King Edward. He married twice - first to Martha Laird, with whom he had at least eight children; and second, to Margaret Thom, with whom he had a further six children. James, Martha and Margaret are the only members of this extended family who appear to be buried in King Edward kirkyard.

William Cassie and Elspet Greig's son, William Cassie, married Ann Massie from Marnoch, Banffshire - I’ve only found two children for this couple. Their daughter, Margaret Cassie died a spinster - she appears with her father, William, in the 1841 census in King Edward. There was another daughter born to William Cassie and Elspet Greig, Isobel Cassie, but I can’t find any trace of her after her baptism in 1804, so perhaps she died in infancy.

And as a footnote - the primary link into my own family is via Mary Philip, wife of James Cassie and Elizabeth Killoh’s son Alexander. Mary Philip’s brother, Thomas Philip, married my 2nd cousin, 6x removed, Christian Lawrence.

Phew 

Ruth

[VelkyAl]

And as a footnote - the primary link into my own family is via Mary Philip, wife of James Cassie and Elizabeth Killoh’s son Alexander. Mary Philip’s brother, Thomas Philip, married my 2nd cousin, 6x removed, Christian Lawrence.

Phew 

Ruth

That is a phenomenal amount of information! Thank you very much. I guess we are distantly related then as Mary Philip was my 3x great grandmother.

[GR2]

These extracts are from James Godsman's book on King Edward.

"Lower Auchnamoon.......... In 1750, William Cassie and Marjory Reid assumed the tenancy. He was the son of Alexander Cassie and Margaret Pyper, Easter Melrose."

"Yonder Auchnagorth......... Before 1740, the tenant is George Hynd. James Cassie, born at Auchnamoon in 1752, succeeded George Hynd before 1784. He died at Auchnagorth about 1812. His second wife Elizabeth Kiloh, described as "a handsome and powerful woman," resided at Auchnagorth for many years. She was assisted by her second son William, who in 1866 was succeeded by William Chalmers...."

The book states that Alexander Cassie, tenant of Jackstown, moved to Easter Melrose (both in Gamrie) before 1708. His wife was Margaret, daughter of James Reid in Crovie. They had children, James, Alexander, Isobel and Anna. Alexander Cassie senior died 21-1-1730 (gravestone at King Edward). Alexander Cassie junior married Margaret Pyper, daughter of John Pyper in Oldtown of Melrose. They had children, William, Peter and Mary. William went to Auchnamoon, Byth. His wife was Marjory Reid. They had sons, James and William.

Let me know if you want the complete text.

[VelkyAl]

These extracts are from James Godsman's book on King Edward.

"Lower Auchnamoon.......... In 1750, William Cassie and Marjory Reid assumed the tenancy. He was the son of Alexander Cassie and Margaret Pyper, Easter Melrose."

"Yonder Auchnagorth......... Before 1740, the tenant is George Hynd. James Cassie, born at Auchnamoon in 1752, succeeded George Hynd before 1784. He died at Auchnagorth about 1812. His second wife Elizabeth Kiloh, described as "a handsome and powerful woman," resided at Auchnagorth for many years. She was assisted by her second son William, who in 1866 was succeeded by William Chalmers...."

The book states that Alexander Cassie, tenant of Jackstown, moved to Easter Melrose (both in Gamrie) before 1708. His wife was Margaret, daughter of James Reid in Crovie. They had children, James, Alexander, Isobel and Anna. Alexander Cassie senior died 21-1-1730 (gravestone at King Edward). Alexander Cassie junior married Margaret Pyper, daughter of John Pyper in Oldtown of Melrose. They had children, William, Peter and Mary. William went to Auchnamoon, Byth. His wife was Marjory Reid. They had sons, James and William.

Let me know if you want the complete text.

The complete text would be great! Thanks

[GR2]

   In 1675, James Cassie was in Middlethird, Monquhitter, in 1696, he is in Asleid. He is the father of the lines settled in Culbyth, parish of King Edward, and Jackstown, parish of Gamrie. 
   In 1696, William Cassie is in Culbyth. His wife's name is not known. His servants are George Leslie, Christian Hepburn, James Cassie, herd, his son, and William Cruickshank, shoemaker, and his spouse. In 1723 William Cassie is an elder of the parish church. Besides James, he had the following children: Jean, servant in Old Gullie in 1696, Alexander, at Culbyth in 1705; he is witness to a baptism of a son to John Russell in Clochforbie. James, who was herd at Culbyth in 1696, is farmer at Meadowbank, Forglen, in 1741. George, in Overtown of Auchry in 1734. Anna, baptised March 23rd 1701. Witnesses are Anna Leslie, daughter to James Leslie of Byth, and William Chessor of Old Gullie. Isobel, baptised March 6th, 1712. Agnes, residing in Forglen in 1745.
   Alexander Cassie, the eldest son, married Margaret Anderson. They had sons William, baptised December 13th, 1713. Walter, baptised August 2nd, 1710. Peter, baptised January 22nd, 1721. They were all born at Little Byth. Peter or Patrick was a merchant and burgess of Banff. He was admitted a burgess and guild-brother on September 12th, 1747. He is described as "a man of vision and energy." On October 14th, 1752, he married Janet Bisset, parish of Pitsligo. He died in 1793. Of his children, Alexander born 1753 died in London in 1822, a successful West Indian merchant. He left a legacy of £10,000, 3 per cent. Consols, under the management of the Town Council of Banff. Patrick, Writer in Banff, and a burgess in 1769. He married Bathia, daughter of Alexander Smith and Barbara Barclay, Pitgair, parish of Gamrie. Their daughter Barbara, born 1801, was Matron of the Elgin Institution for 11 years, she died there in 1856. The Banff line is represented by Alexander Cassie, The Firs, Turriff, whose valuable help with the family tree is much appreciated.
   In 1704, Alexander Cassie is tenant of Jackstown, parish of Gamrie. Before 1708, he removed to Easter Melrose, in the same parish. His wife was Margaret, daughter of James Reid of Crovie. They had sons James and Alexander, and daughters, Isobel, and Anna. James married a daughter of James Chives of Strichen. He was tenant of Tillymauld, and had a son William who succeeded. Alexander Cassie, the first of Melrose died January 21st, 1730. The stone in King-Edward Old Churchyard was erected by his son Alexander, whose wife, Margaret Pyper, was the daughter of John Pyper in Oldtown of Melrose. They had sons William, Peter, and a daughter Mary. The second son Peter Cassie, born 1735, succeeded his father in Easter Melrose. He married Elspet or Isobel Ross, daughter of James Ross in Silverford. They had a son John born 1781. John was a master mariner; he married Sophia Thorn at Alverstoke, Hampshire, on May 20th, 1813.
   William, born 1731, the eldest son of Alexander Cassie and Margaret Pyper, went to Auchnamoon, Byth. His wife was Margaret Reid. They had sons James, born 1752, William, who settled in New Byth. On April 25th, 1795, he married Elspet Greig, daughter of Alexander Greig and Isobel Rankine, New Byth, a branch of the Greigs of Eden. They had sons William, b. 1796, James, b. 1807, and daughters, Margaret, Jane, and Isobel. James, b.1807, was a shoemaker in New Byth, he died 3rd January 1875, aged 67. His first wife Martha Laird died 12th August, 1847, his second wife Margaret Thom died 11th June, 1888, aged 70.

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