James Leslie, fruit merchant, St Michaels

[drjohnmc]

I just wanted to wish you luck with your future research. As you get further back in time it is extremely difficult.

 Have you tried the Moray Burial Ground web site?

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Forfarian]

Thanks. As I live almost on the spot, I have the best chance of finding that elusive snippet of information! Yes, I know the MBRG, some of them personally.

Best of luck with yours also.

[DaveL]

Hi, my brother pointed out this post to me. I've just picked up some information that we had about our family, and am trying to reconcile and extend. So a beginner, and new to this forum too.

This is an extract from a fairly comprehensive document that has been made available to us:
"
43. JAMES29 LESLIE (ALEXANDER28, ALEXANDER27, ....) was born 09 Mar 1791 in Drainie, Parish of Spynie. Elgin Scotland., and died Abt. 1830 in Bay of Biscay. Buried at Sea.. He married MARY CULBARD 09 Sep 1816 in St Giles Church Elgin Scotland. She was born Abt. 1792 in Drainie Elgin Scotland, and died 11 Jun 1879 in Drainie Elgin Scotland.
Children of JAMES LESLIE and MARY CULBARD are:
49. i. MARGARET30 LESLIE, b. Abt. 1818, St Michaels, Azores Islands.; d. 12 Dec 1894, Elgin Scotland.
ii. ALEXANDER LESLIE, b. Abt. 1820, St Michaels Azores; d. 02 May 1832, Elgin Morayshire Scotland.
iii. MARY MADALINA LESLIE, b. Abt. 1822, St Michaels Azores; d. 07 Nov 1831, Elgin Morayshire
Scotland.
"
(sorry, looks like the post doesn't cope with superscripts)
So that corresponds with what another reply said, though I haven't yet got to grips with all the extra info from the post of 12 Dec last - info which will help me!
It looks like our family line comes through James's oldest brother John.

Does that add anything useful?

[Forfarian]

Hi DaveL, and welcome to RootsChat.

Thank you for that information. It is helpful because it pretty much matches the information I have. Except that according to the census Mary Culbard was born in Elgin, not Drainie, and her death was registered in Elgin, not Drainie.

It is helpful in particular because it seems to confirm that James Leslie was the son of Alexander Leslie and Isobel Adam, but on the other hand it seems to say that his grandfather was Alexander Leslie, whereas my chart has him as John, and that's the bit I would like to be sure about.

What is you document and where did it come from?

An extract from my chart is below. Once you have made two more posts to the forum, you can send me a Personal Message with your e-mail address and I'll send you the full chart.

1. Alexander LESLIE (b.Est 1697)
   sp: Margaret INNES (b.Est 1697)
   2. Jean LESLIE (b.1727-?Crocken,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
   2. John LESLIE (b.1729-Crossmoor,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      sp: Agnes COLLIE (m.17 Nov 1757)
      3. Alexander LESLIE (b.1760-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
         sp: Isobel ADAM (m.3 Mar 1787)
         4. John LESLIE (b.4 Jan 1788-Westerfolds,Drainie,MOR,SCT;d.22 Sep 1868-Crawford                Place,Partick,Glasgow,LKS, SCT)
            sp: Janet ADAM (b.1795/1796-,Duffus,MOR,SCT;m.23 Dec 1819;d.15 Oct 1867-Crawford Place,Partick,Glasgow,LS)
         4. Alexander LESLIE (b.20 Nov 1789-Westerfolds,Drainie,MOR,SCT)
         4. James LESLIE (b.9 Mar 1791-Westerfolds,Drainie,MOR,SCT;d.1823/1831-,,,SEA)
            sp: Mary CULBARD (b.1788/1789-,Elgin,MOR,SCT;m.9 Sep 1816;d.11 Jun 1879-,Elgin,MOR,SCT)
         4. Janet LESLIE (b.16 Apr 1793-Westerfolds,Drainie,MOR,SCT)
         4. William LESLIE (b.7 Sep 1795-Westerfolds,Drainie,MOR,SCT)
            sp: Margaret ATHERTON (d.1847-,Warrington,LAN,ENG)
            sp: Sarah JONES (b.1823/1824-,Warrington,LAN,ENG;m.1849;d.1870-,Warrington,LAN,ENG)
      sp: Margaret STRONACH (m.26 Jun 1762;d.20 Oct 1765-,Drainie,MOR,SCT)
      3. John LESLIE (b.1763-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. James LESLIE (b.1764-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Robert LESLIE (b.10 Oct 1765-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
         sp: Margaret BROWN (m.1768)
      3. William LESLIE (b.1768-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Margaret LESLIE (b.1769-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. James LESLIE (b.1772-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Catharine LESLIE (b.1774-,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. William LESLIE (b.1776-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Charles LESLIE (b.1778-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Margaret LESLIE (b.1780-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
      3. Joseph LESLIE (b.1785-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
   2. Elspet LESLIE (b.1736-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
   2. Alexander LESLIE (b.1738-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
   2. Margaret LESLIE (b.1741-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)
   2. Jean LESLIE (b.1744-Shempston,Duffus,MOR,SCT)

[DaveL]

Thanks for that info, which I'll look at later - first another quick post to count towards the two I'll need!
The document is headed
Descendants of George Leslie, of Drumbarrow 1st Laird Aikenway
dated 8 Sept 2007.
I'm not sure how we (my brother I think) got hold of it, but it's referenced in this link
https://electricscotland.com/webclans/minibios/l/leslie_david.htm

(ah, just noticed, it's downloadable from that link)

[Forfarian]

Ah, yes, I see it. It looks as if at least some of it may have been taken from Colonel Leslie's The Historical Records of the Family of Leslie (1869), though some of it disagrees with the information in that book.

It says that Alexander Leslie, the son of Alexander Leslie, 3rd of Balnageith and Ann Duff, was the Alexander Leslie in Westerfolds who married Isobella Adam and became the father of your ancestor John Leslie and of James the fruit merchant.

I think there has to be some doubt about that.

Alexander Leslie and Isobella Adam's first son was named John, and John Leslie in Shempston was one of the witnesses at the baptism. There is a baptism of Alexander Leslie, son of John Leslie in Shempston, in 1760, and Shempston and Westerfolds are quite close to one another. So I would want to see some pretty convincing proof that this Alexander Leslie in Westerfolds was not the son of John Leslie in Shempston, and then further proof that he really was the son of Alexander Leslie of Balnageith.

[DaveL]

Hi again,
having had a look, I agree there seems to be a fair amount of doubt! I begin to realise the importance of looking at the witnesses too:)

May I also ask, have you come across this record: 26/05/1689 LESLIE, William [O.P.R. Births 130/00 0010 0067 DRAINIE]?
I can't decipher all the text (I see rootschat has a thread that offers help)
May 26 - 89 ... The said day Alexander Leslie in ...[..lio?] had his lawful son baptised named William, witnessed Thomas .... and William Man .... in ... [...fold?]

- not that I can see yet how that fits in!

I'll pm my email address now - thanks for the offer!

[DaveL]

and maybe I should add, we've also got Adam family info going back to the same time, dated 30 Jan 1993, again not sure where that came from.

ps: i thought I'd posted this yesterday, but I've found the tab open on my screen, please excuse if in duplicate

[Forfarian]

May I also ask, have you come across this record: 26/05/1689 LESLIE, William [O.P.R. Births 130/00 0010 0067 DRAINIE]?
I can't decipher all the text (I see rootschat has a thread that offers help)
May 26 - 89 ... The said day Alexander Leslie in ...[..lio?] had his lawful son baptised named William, witnessed Thomas .... and William Man .... in ... [...fold?]

The said day Alexr Leslie in @lie had his lawll son baptized named William witnesses Thomas Banks weaver yr [there] and William Man weaver in @hlfold.

I used @ because the clerk has twice used abbreviations that I don't recognise.