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

[Rosinish]

I'll keep that in mind. Thank you.

A timeline would be helpful for the thread with all referrals to specific images e.g. Reply # x y or z

Annie

[GR2]

Here's the will of Alexander the schoolmaster Joass:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MkE4hXgCPVRoThP0_lHzE4_tOLGRMEax/view?usp=share_link

Interesting to read. I was surprised a school teacher did not have a library if books.So Alexander did have 2 marriages.
Confirmation of brothers William of Burnside and John.
Mention of only one child Elizabeth B.? (Bremner?) to his 1st wife.

I have had a read through the will and Elizabeth Bremner is not Alexander Joass's daughter. The will does not indicate that Alexander married twice, but his wife did, and Elizabeth is her daughter by a previous marriage. She is mentioned in the section of the will where Margaret Morrison accepts the provisions made for her if Alexander dies first and states what is to happen if he outlives her. She specifically leaves her daughter £20, her body clothes, and a chest of drawers, although Alexander is given liferent of them.

[DouglasH]

  Has anyone managed to find a will or other documents to support Alexander marrying twice?

[Forfarian]

The railways having been in operation yesterday, I have made it home and am reunited with my copy of  Banffshire Schools and Schoolmasters.

Alexander Joass is mentioned in the chapter on Boyndie but the references shed no light on his family connections.

On Page 74 It is recorded in 1796 that the visitors of the school were much satisfied with the diligence of Mr Joass, the schoolmaster, and the proficiency of the scholars. As to Mr Joass we will have something to say later; to everyone interested in the local past his name is anathema.

On Page 76 One of the earliest of what may be described as the modern race of [Boyndie's] dominies was Mr Joass, whose establishment was carried on in what was for a considerable time the farm-house of Upper Dallachy and is now a cottar house. Mr Joass was teacher and session clerk, and it is reported that certain session records now awanting were destroyed through his failure to regard them as valuable documents, he having as a matter of fact used them to light his pipe. Whatever may have been his distinction and his success as the head of the parish school, it is this unhappy fact through which, in the main, he lives today in local history.

Upper Dallachy https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14.7&lat=57.67444&lon=-2.60802&layers=5&b=1&marker=57.67787,-2.61367 (not to be confused with the place of the same name in the parish of Bellie in Moray).

[DouglasH]

Thank you, Have extracts from the book but was hoping there was more in there, saved me £60. The comment on p258 under Rothiemay where he was schoolmaster and sessions clerk from 1780-88 and renowned for using the records as spills for his pipe makes me wish he was not related.

[Forfarian]

Ah, I missed the Rothiemay reference.

Have you followed up the mention on P258 that he graduated MA from King's College in 1788? The online references I have found are not very informative but the university archives might have something more detailed. In particular they may have a record of his father's name.

[DouglasH]

All I have managed to find is that he studied at Kings college from 1777-1781, graduated m.a.1788

[Forfarian]

All I have managed to find is that he studied at Kings college from 1777-1781, graduated m.a.1788

Just so. But there could be information in the university archives that isn't in the books that have been digitised and made available online.

[DouglasH]

Unfortunately due to location am unable to access records other than online.