Trying to find the parents of John Davidson born 1771 in Botriphine

[AJDesigns]

He married Jennet SMOLLETT [[SMOUT] 1 Feb 1791
She was born 1768 in Blairshinnoch
Children were
Anne b: 1791
Alexander b1796
William b 1797
Elizabeth b: 1800
James b: 1802
Mary b: 1804
John b: 1806
Janet b: 1808
Hellen b: 1811
George b 1813 - my ancestor

[Forfarian]

Welcome to RootsChat

In the index to the parish registers on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk there is a baptism of John, son of James Davidson and Helen Roy, on 21 April 1771. Have you looked at the original document?

This John Davidson was only 19 when your John Davidson married Jannet Smollett/Smout. Most young men had not established themselves sufficiently by the age of 19 to be able to maintain a wife and children.

Also, I note that James was his third son and Helen his 5th daughter, which might suggest that John's parents' names were not James and Helen. The naming tradition suggests that they might have been Alexander and Elizabeth.

Do you think this is your John Davidson? If so, what additional information are you looking for?

If he isn't, what evidence do you have that yours was born in 1771 in Botriphnie?

[AJDesigns]

Thank you for your reply
I don't have any firm evidence who their parents are.
The problem is that Davidson is a common surname in the area and they tended to repeat christian names down the families.

[ColC]

I’m guessing below might be the marriage, I note the record for John already posted but I do not see the one for Jannet that you mention in 1768, what were her parents names?.

JOHN DAVIDSON   MARRIED   JANNET SMART   01/02/1791   BANFF

Eldest child born soon after the marriage.
DAVIDSON   ANN   JOHN DAVIDSON/JANNET SMOUT   03/07/1791   BANFF

I note the other children born BOYNDIE, MOTHER, SMOLLET, SMOLET, SMOLLAT

HOWEVER I DO NOT SEE A RECORD IN BANFF FOR GEORGE ON SP?

I wonder if another child was born between Ann 1791 and Alexander 1796?

Colin

[Forfarian]

I see a death of George Davidson, aged 50, in Gamrie, mother's maiden surname Smollet.

There is no obvious link to Botriphnie. Boyndie, Banff and Gamrie are neighbouring parishes on the coast. Botriphnie is an inland parish in the foothills of the Grampian Mountains, about 35 miles south-west of Banff.

Blairshinnoch is in the parish of Banff, a stone's throw from its boundary with Boyndie. See
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14.7&lat=57.64770&lon=-2.61660&layers=5&b=1&marker=57.65100,-2.59645 and https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ6462

[ColC]

Seems unlikely but could this be GEORGE DAVIDSON?
JAS. DAVIDSON/JEAN TORIE
10/12/1814
GAMRIE AND MACDUFF

Colin

[Forfarian]

I don't think so.

(1) The husband of Janet Sm*t was John Davidson. The husband of Jean Tor*, according to the baptisms of their four recorded children, was James Davidson.

(2) Janet Sm*t married John D in 1791. That's 31 years before Jean Tor*s youngest child was baptised in 1822. So unless Jean Sm*t was exceptionally young at her marriage, she would probably have been past childbearing by 1822.

(3) George Davidson, mother's maiden name Torry, died in New Deer in 1884, age given as 66. Though of course he could be a child of different parents - need to view the death certificate to check.

[ColC]

I appreciate the comments Forfarian but the fact there does not appear to be a record for George, father John, it crossed my mind that George the son of James, may be a family relative, was brought up by John & Jannet?

Of course it may simply be that George son of John was not baptised.

Colin

[Forfarian]

Either is of course possible.

I suspect that in fact it's just that George's baptism was not recorded.