Seeking info: Alexander Joass -farmer at Burnside- married Helen Ross 23/04/1774

[Alan of Kaslo]

Greetings.

I have been searching for the parents of my grandfather Alexander Joass for several years. The last documents I have is for his son Walter Joass who was born in Banff 25 Dec 1780. There is a thread below this one regarding Walter Joass and his son Walter but I did not want to hijack it with questions about Alexander Joass.

Here's what I know...

-Alexander Joass married Helen Ross on 23/04/1774 at Monquhitter
-They had several children including my grandfather Walter 25 Dec 1780
-My Alexander Joass was a farmer at Burnside of Cullen , Banffshire

What I don't know...
-Correct date of birth/baptism for Alexander Joass
-Correct death date
-Correct parents

As per usual there is a wide range of birth-dates for Alexander Joass in peoples trees on ancestry. Most say 1756 but there are others given. The thing is there were several Alexander Joasses in the Banffshire area at the time. At least 2 were having kids at the same time in Gamerie.

JOASS
ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER JOASS/ANNE LUMSDEN FR542 (FR542)
M
06/07/1781
GAMRIE AND MACDUFF

JOASS
WALTER
ALEXANDER JOASS/HELEN ROSS FR428 (FR428)
M
01/01/1781
GAMRIE AND MACDUFF

Most/many trees on ancestry say Alexander Joass that married Helen Ross was born in 1756:

JOASS
ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER JOASS/MARY DUNCAN
M
17/09/1756
GAMRIE AND MACDUFF

Alexander Joass - Schoolmaster

Alexander Joass, M. A., schoolmaster,
Boyndie, who died 9th Feb., 1831, aged 75

He had a will:

JOASS
ALEXANDER
7 / 10 / 1831
SCHOOLMASTER IN BOYNDIE, SPOUSE OF MARGARET MORRISON

1831-75 is 1756 ...So Alexander Joass the schoolmaster was the one born in 1756. For the longest time ancestry has auto-suggested Alexander Joass M.A schoolmaster as father of Walter Joass 1780. Hundreds of people followed along and have the schoolmaster in their trees as Walter 1780's father.

When I discovered that Walter Joass's father was actually a farmer it became obvious he couldn't also be the 50 year schoolmaster. So that has left me trying to
find out when Alexander the farmer was actually born and who his parents are.

Like I said there are several possible Alexander Joasss in Banffshire and Aberdeenshire at the time. It's possible, even likely that Alexander the schoolmaster and Alexander the farmer (both born at Burnside Of Cullen) are related.I was hoping that someone who had any info about parentage could chime. I would appreciate and help or comments.

Thanks in advance!

Attached:
-Wedding of Alexander Joass and Helen Ross
-1775 birth of Agnes Joass , sister of Walter Joass 1780

[Alan of Kaslo]

On the death document for Walter Joass in 1862 it lists his father as Alexander Joass -farmer.

[Alan of Kaslo]

Here is the birth of 1756 Alexander Joass -schoolmaster.  The same witness is there as Agnes Joass birth...Alexander Craig of Bloodymire.

[MonicaL]

ADDED: You had this entry for the will already. Must read and digest info better me 

Alexander Joass, schoolmaster, left a will & testament (see SP, 3 different entries). One shows him as:

Alexander Joass
7 / 10 / 1831
schoolmaster in Boyndie,
spouse of Margaret Morrison

So unless he married twice, he is not your Alexander.

Monica

[Neale1961]

-Alexander Joass married Helen Ross on 23/04/1774 at Monquhitter
-They had several children including my grandfather Walter 25 Dec 1780

Alan - a couple of thoughts.
The only children I can see are: Agnes 1775, James 1777, Walter 1780.
So am I missing baptisms; or Helen Ross died young; or they were older parents.

They were married at Monquhitter - so whose parish was that - his or hers?
There is a James Joss having children in Monquhitter around 1726-1730.

[GR2]

In the old kirkyard at King Edward:

By Alexander Joass farmer in Burnside of Cullen to his father Alexander Joass and his mother Beatrice Addison. The former d. 5th the latter d. 7th Jan. 1763 and both buried on 9th of said month. Son Walter Joass d. 5 Feb. 1764; spouse Mary Duncan d. 18 Sept. 1772; above Alexander Joass d. 9 Feb. 1802 aged 80; Grand-dau. Jane, dau. of William Joass, Burnside of Cullen d. 22 June 1821 aged 11; Also to the memory of Alexander Joass M.A., more than 50 years schoolmaster of the parish of Boyndie d. 1831 aged 75.

In memory of George Joass farmer in Cowsmill, King-Edward, d. 30 Dec. 1869 aged 57; dau. Elizabeth, school teacher, Birkhall, Ballater d. 11 Oct. 1880 aged 23.

By Alexander and George Joass to the memory of their father William Joass farmer Burnside of Cullen d. 28 Jan. 1847 aged 81; his dau. Agnes d. 17 Oct. 1843 aged 39; their mother Isabella Porter d. at Burnside 17 Mar. 1854 aged 75.

[Alan of Kaslo]

Thanks for the comments. Appreciated.

I had seen that grave info in the past but recently I went to review it but couldn't find it. Thanks for that GR2!

Hello Neale.

I think I missed the part about Alexander Joass potentially re-marrying Helen Ross after the death of Mary Duncan in 1772... What threw me was the fact that Helen Ross doesn't appear on the grave. Seems odd that his first wife would get mentioned prominently and nothing about Helen.

I spent a bunch of time searching for that grave info before posting this. I first saw it on a paid-subscription site as I recall but I didn't save it because I had discounted it. Now I can see that everything lines up ... the Burnside farmer , the second marriage , infant son Walter who dies in 1763 and then my grandfather gets named Walter in honour in 1780.

I guess the lingering questions I have are: What happened to Helen Ross ,why is she not mentioned and what connection is Alexander Joass schoolmaster (just says "Also to the memory of"). Finally what is Alexander Joass birth/baptism if he was born around 1722 as mentioned on the grave.

Thanks again for the help. I'm still figuring things out and not 100% sure but the grave info looks promising.

[Neale1961]

If I am reading that memorial inscription correctly …
I am thinking that Alexander Joass (School master) 1756-1831 is the son of Mary Duncan and Alexander JOASS who died 1802.



I wonder if the age at death (80 years) is correct for Alexander Joass died 1802?
This baptism would fit a man who married Mary Duncan in 1755

JOSS   ALEXANDER      (father Alexander)
M   28/04/1732   223   10 / 159   MONQUHITTER

Then it makes sense that a couple of years after Mary Duncan died, he married Helen Ross.

[Neale1961]

By Alexander and George Joass to the memory of their father William Joass farmer Burnside of Cullen d. 28 Jan. 1847 aged 81; his dau. Agnes d. 17 Oct. 1843 aged 39; their mother Isabella Porter d. at Burnside 17 Mar. 1854 aged 75.

William was the son of Alexander Joass and Mary Duncan born 1765. He married Isabella Porter in Banff in 1803.