John Monteath, author

[annby]

I'm interested in the writer John Monteath, whose splendidly titled work Dunblane traditions; being a series of warlike and legendary narratives, biographical sketches of eccentric characters, &c., was published in, I believe, 1887.
Reprints are fairly easily available and I'm going to buy one. I've been less successful in finding out more about the author. I'm descended from Perthshire farming Monteaths, who were at Wester Biggs, Blackford and neighbouring farms.
Please can anyone help with background info on John Monteath or his book?
Thank you.
Ann

[MonicaL]

Hi Ann

From reading, I think the book may have been published first in 1835. There is this that may help to follow up about John Monteath:

.....Our poet's paternal grandfather, leaving his
ancestral home in the Far North, journeyed southward
mitil he reached Kcir estate, near Bridge of Allan, on
which he found a habitation, married, and had several
children, all of whom died young, except a son and a
daughter. The latter became the wife of Mr John
Monteath, long the popular " Master " of Dunblane
School, and author of an interesting work entitled
" Dunblane Traditions;" while the former married the
Master's sister, and had a family of three sons and four
daughters. The second of the three sons — James
Saint-Blane, who was born in the town of Falkirk in
1841 — ultimately became the sole surviving male
member of the family. His father, after being a few
years engaged in teaching in Stirlingshire, became a
journalist in Stirling, where he died in 1852.
https://archive.org/stream/modernscottishp02edwagoog/modernscottishp02edwagoog_djvu.txt

Monica

[MonicaL]

Wondering if this family is connected...

Father John Monteath married Isabella Henderon

This looks to be the family in 1851. Everyone showing as born in Dunblane except for Isabella:

John Monteath 36 merchant
Isabella Henderson 33 b. Kilmadock, perthsh
James Monteath 9
Catherine Monteath 8
John Monteath 5
Henry Monteath 3
Mary Monteath 1
Margaret Dow 16 servant

Address: 28 High Street, Dunblane

Monica

[Rosinish]

This is worth a look through...

https://ryeland.com/getperson.php?personID=I7876&tree=Ryeland

Annie

[Forfarian]

That genealogical note about 'our poet' is a bit convoluted!

However I see that the paragraph before the one quoted by MonicaL refers to James Monteath MacCulloch as the poet.

There is a marriage of George McCulloch to Helen Monteath in Dunblane in 1831, and John Monteath married Helen McCulloch in 1824, also in Dunblane.

1851 Census, King Street, Stirling: George McCulloch, 36, printer's clerk, born Lecropt, with wife Helen, 45, and children George, 17; Margaret, 13; James, 10; William, 7; Helen, 5 and Isabella, 3.

So if we're discussing the poet's paternal grandfather he'd be a McCulloch, not a Monteath?

Helen McCulloch, other name Monteath, mother's maiden surname Christie, died in Stirling in 1866, aged 57.

George McCulloch and Margaret Christie had Jean 1802; John, 1803; John, 1804: Isabella, 1805; Margaret, 1812; George, 1814, all baptised in Lecropt. I can't find Helen's baptism.

There are baptisms of children of John Monteath and Helen McCulloch in Dunblane: Margaret, 1825 and Jane 1827; and of children of John Monteath (no mother named), all in Dunblane: James, 1841; Catharine, 1843; Henry, 1845; Mary, 1850; Isabella, 1854. The ones with no mother named match those of Isabella Henderson listed in the census.

In 1841, in Stirling, are Helen Monteath, 30; Jean Monteath, 13; Helen Monteath, 11; Isabella Monteith, 9; and James Monteath, 7. There is another listing of Jean Monteath, 13, a female servant in a household in Stirling. In 1851 there are Helen Monteath, widow, 42, born Dunblane; Margaret Monteath, 25; James Monteath, 17. Both Helens are still in Stirling in 1861, the daughter married with two children, Helen and Margaret Robin.

So it does look as if this is two separate families, one the family of John Monteath, who died before 1851, and Helen McCulloch; and the other, a different John Monteath married to Isabella Henderson.

You need to look at the 1866 death to see if this is Helen McCulloch, widow of John Monteath, and what her husband's occupation was.

[MonicaL]

I think the family I first posted is irrelevant to all this.

Re-reading the notes on James Monteath MacCulloch (as you say, convoluted and confusing), I agree Forfarian with the couples: George McCulloch and Helen Monteath/ John Monteith and Helen McCulloch.

If the original info is correct, the MacCullochs were siblings as were the Monteaths.

Monica

[MonicaL]

So...John Monteath (husband of Helen MacCulloch) was...
the popular " Master " of Dunblane
School, and author of an interesting work entitled
" Dunblane Traditions;"

And George MacCulloch was...
while the former married the
Master's sister, and had a family of three sons and four
daughters. The second of the three sons — James
Saint-Blane, who was born in the town of Falkirk in
1841

And James Monteath MacCulloch went by numerous pen names in his active writing career of poems and songs...

Is that how it is looking 

Monica

[annby]

And, whilst I need to engage in more detail tomorrow, if the Ryeland tree Rosinish posted checks out, John Monteath schoolmaster/writer who married Helen McCulloch, is potentially one of my ancestors.
Thank you all!

[MonicaL]

You need to look at the 1866 death to see if this is Helen McCulloch, widow of John Monteath, and what her husband's occupation was.

This death is for Helen McCulloch, sister of George McCulloch, who married teacher John Monteath (curiosity got the best of me  ).