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JOHN GORDON of CROVIE (1805-1896)
It is re-printed here in it's original format:
The writer has been enabled to compile the present table of the Genealogy of the Gordons of Bovagli (commonly called the Halhead Gordons) from the Rent Books of his father , Grand Father and Great Grandfather who were all farmers on the Estate of Abergeldie.
He regrets that it is not in his power to give a fully accurate account as his Books do not give the names of the first three generations but considerable confidence may be placed in the list as down to the seventh generation there was but one heir male in each family.
The founder of the family was a Gentleman of the name of Gordon, a son of the Laird of Halhead, Leochel, Cushnie, Aberdeenshire who came to the Estate of Abergeldie and then rented some land. His descendants have never been removed from the Estate.
John Gordon, Crovie House
Troup
Gamru, Banffshire
September 1872
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Table of the Generations
1st son of Halhead
2nd son of the 1st
3rd son of the 2nd
4th James Gordon, Clachanturn, Abergeldie - son of the 3rd
5th Donald Gordon, Tornauran, Abergeldie - son of the 4th
6th James Gordon, Kintore, Abergeldie - son of the 5th
7th Donald Gordon, Bovagli, Abergeldie - son of the 6th
8th John Gordon, Bovagli and ex…….(looks like Farebyin Kingedword") now Crovie, Troup, Gamru, Banffshire.
8th Donald Gordon Bovagli, Abergeldie
8th Peter Gordon, Baddoch, Braemar
8th James Gordon Finnylost, Strathdon
- sons of the 7th
This table is certified as correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
By me
John Gordon
Crovie House, Troup
Gamru, Banffshire
September 1872
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Table of the generations and families of the Gordons of Bavagli, Crathes, Abergeldie
4th James Gordon, farmer in part of Clachanturn, Abergeldie - son of the 3rd
5th Donald Gordon, farmer, Tornauran, Abergeldie and Jannet Abercrombie his spouse - son of the 4th - children James, Margaret, Ann.
6th James Gordon, farmer, Kintore, Abergeldie and Jannet Smith (Fergus Mieras) his spouse - son of the 5th - children Jannet, Jean, Margaret, Peter, Donald, Hellen, Nicolas
7th Donald Gordon, Bovagli, Abergeldie and Elspet Gordon, eldest daughter to John Gordon, Camlet, Abergeldie, his spouse - son of 6th - issue:
John b 3 Apr 1805
Margaret b 2 May 1807
Jean b 22 Aug 1809 - died of smallpox at 7 years of age
Donald b 4 Dec 1811
Elspet b 10 Oct 1813
Peter b 1 Oct 1815
Mary b 11 May 1821 - died young
Elizabeth Died young
Hellan b 22 Aug 1824
James b 5 Jan 1826
The above Donald Gordon, Bovagli, departed this life at Bovagli on 13th March 1854 aged 83 ½ years. The above Elspet Gordon, Bovagli, departed this life at Heugh Head of Colston, Tarland, at our daughter, Hellan's residence on the 19th March 1866 aged 81 ½ years and both were intered in their own burial ground in the Bony Churchyard of Crathes, 12 years betwixt their deaths and 14 years betwixt their births and 20 years betwixt mother and me, their oldest son John and will be 76 years on 3 Apr 1881.
Macduff 24 Jan 1881
Oldest son of Bovagli and his family:
8th John Gordon, (compiler of this manuscript), Bovagli, ex Foulzie, KingEdward, now Crovie Farm, Gamru, Troup, Banff and Elizabeth Pyper, second daughter to the late Alexander Pyper, Bridgend, Kingedword, Aberdeenshire, his spouse. Born 18th September 1822, married Aberdeen 19th August 1845 - eldest son of the 7th. Issue:
John b 10 Jun 1846
Peter b 13 Apr 1848 - married 21 Apr 1875 Isabella McGillvary
Alexander b 11 Jun 1850
William b 12 Nov 1852 - died in infancy
Elizabeth b 13 Feb 1857 - married 23 Mar 1875 William Minty
Margaret b 16 Feb 1857 - died at Macduff 19 Sep 1884
William Wernham b 20 Nov 1854
Donald b 2 Aug 1862
Charles Collie b 20 Oct 1865
Peter Gordon 2nd son of John Gordon, Crovie, Gamru, born 13 Apr 1848 and Isabella Murdoch McGillvary, only child and daughter of William McGillvary by his wife Margaret McCloy or McGillvary of Funkeston Alva, born 12 May 1852, married at Caernandrew 21 Apr 1875. Issue: William McGillvary b 31 Jan 1874, Elizabeth b 7 Jul 1877 and Margaret.
William Minty, farmer, Nethermill, born 1 Jan 1843 and Elizabeth Gordon, eldest daughter to John Gordon, Crovie, Gamru, born 13 Feb 1854 and married 23 Mar 1875. Issue: James William b 26 Nov 1876, Elizabeth, Isabella.
2nd and 3rd sons of Bovagli and their families
8th Donald Gordon, Bovagli, Abergeldie and Margaret Smith, his spouse, married 26th Jan 1855 - 2nd son of the 7th. Issue:
John - died
Mary Ann - died
Donald
Margaret
James
Elizabeth
David - died
Victoria
8th Peter Gordon, Baddoch, Braemar, and Euphemia Meston, his spouse, married 5th Oct 1845 - 3rd son of the 7th. Issue
Hellen b 19 Feb 1843
Margaret b 18 Jan 1846
Donald b 24 Jun 1847
Peter b 14 Oct 1848
John Died
James Died
Euphemia Died
Meston b 19 Jan 1861
Youngest son of Bovagli and his three daughters with their families
8th James Gordon, farmer, Finnylost, Strathdon, and Ann Grassich, his spouse, married 29Jun 1855 - 4th and youngest son of the 7th. Issue
James - Engineer (dead when the notes were added, ie after 1881)
John
Jean
Mary Ann
Donald
William
Ann
Alexander Peter - Dead when notes were written
Margaret Gordon, Bovagli, married 1834 to John McColl, gamekeeper, Abergeldie - eldest dau of 7th. Issue:
Duncan
Elspet
James
Peter
Margaret - died at sea on way to Australia
Gordon - born in 1845, drowned
All left for Australia in 1852.
Elspet Gordon, Bovagli, married to Patrick Glennie, overseer, Abergeldie, now farmer Eastfield, Ballater - 2nd daughter of the 7th. Children not recorded.
Hellan Gordon, Bovagli, married James Glass, Heugh Head Colston, Tarland - youngest daughter of the 7th. Children not recorded. 2nd Marriage to James Hay, Heugh Head Colston, Tarland. Children not recorded.
7th Peter Gordon, Kintore, Abergeldie, elder brother to Donald Gordon, Bovagli and son of the 6th generation and Margaret Riach, his spouse. Issue:
John married Margaret Bowman, dau of John Bowman, Ballachburn (difficult to read)
James married to Mary McHardy, dau of Arthur McHardy, Balnacroft
Francis killed whilst making the railway Glasgow to Edinburgh. Buried Kirkliston.
Donald married Jean Symon of Crathienaird (difficult to read)
Peter
Hellan married John Smith, Clauchenburn, Abergeldie
Ratchell married Michie, gamekeeper, Linn of Muick
Charles batchelor in Kintore with his sister Rachel, Mrs Michie, a widow (as above)
Note below for 8th generation - of Kintore:
8th John Gordon, eldest son of 7th, as above, Braemar Collage, and Margaret Bowman, his spouse. issue a son James Cameron and a daughter.
8th James Gordon,2nd son of 7th called "Kintore", gamekeeper, Abergeldie and Mary McHardy, his spouse. Issue:
Charles - doctor in Natal
William - drowned at Ballater in River Dee
Margaret - died
Betsy - married to M D Belhelvie
James - went to Hamilton, Canada
Arthur - soldier in Crown Sergeant Volunteers
Margaret - in Natal, married in Banff on 28 Aug 1884 Sergeant Major Arthur Gordon, Royal Artillery, has a son named Charles Peter.
Peter - banker, Cape of Good Hope
8th Donald Gordon Esq, 4th son of Kintore, Vintner in Forfar, and Jean Symon, his spouse. No children recorded.
8th Peter Gordon, 5th son of Kintore, cattle and sheep dealer in Banchory. Unmarried (1875).
8th Charles Gordon, 6th son of Kintore, croft and wood merchant. Unmarried (1875).
Notes on the next generation:
Charles Gordon, doctor in Natal, grandson of Kintore and son of James Gordon, gamekeeper, Abergeldie married to the daughter of Michael Francis Gordon Esq of Abergeldie. Issue: 2 daughters died young. Dr Charles Gordon's spouse died, he has married again and now lives in Natal. (1875)
Sisters of Kintore and Bovagli, my aunts:
Jannet Gordon and Peter Gordon, her husband in Kintore, Abergeldie - eldest dau of 6th. Issue: Jean Gordon and William Rattry her husband who left this country (when Sir Robert Gordon leased Balmoral) with a large family of sons and daughter for Canada. Their son James Rattry married Jean McHardy, eldest dau of John McHardy, wright, Birkhall, now the Prince of Wales' property.
Jean Gordon and John Thaw, Haugh of Glenesk, her husband - 2nd dau of 6th. Issue:
David - farmer, Mains of Ballhall, Brechin
John - living in Brechin, died 12 Jul 1875
Ann
Nicolas
Margaret Gordon and John Gordon, widower, Camlet, Abergeldie, her husband - 3rd dau of 6th. Issue:
Alexander
Elizabeth - married James Kennedy, Camlet - issue: William, Alexander, Elizabeth, James (died), Carolina, Jean, James, Mary, Hellan, Peter, Donald.
Hellan Gordon and her husband James Stewart, Gaingery, Glenmuick - 4th dau of 6th. Issue:
Alexander
Charles
John
William
Ratchell
Margaret
Hellen - married Mr Stewart, then James Anderson, schoolmaster, Stracathro - Stewart descendants in Australia. Note: Edinburgh 10th July 1875 - spoke to William Anderson and gave him the genealogy of the Gordons of Bovagli to forward to Australia and is to give a call on me at Crovie when in Banff at Ramsay, The Editor of the Banff Journal, he being my cousin Hellen Stewart's son.
Nicolas Gordon and her husband Joseph Gordon, Camlet, Abergeldie - 5th dau of 6th. Issue:
John - went to Salt Lake City with his 2nd spouse
Jean - spouse to Charlie Lys
Margaret - spouse to Donald McKenzie, farmer, Ardoch, Crathie
Elspet - went to Australia
Hellan - went to Australia
Issue from Margaret and Donald McKenzie: John, Jean, Donald, Euphemia, Joseph, Alexander. John farmed at Ardoch and Daldownie and married Hellan Coutts, both went to America 1884.
John Gordon, Camlet - 1st Marriage to Euphemia McAndrew. He is my grandfather (my mother's father). Issue:
Uncle Joseph - married to Aunt Nicolas
Uncle John - married to Mary Downie
Uncle Peter - married to Margaret McPherson
My mother Elspet - married to my father, Donald Gordon, Bovagli
Aunt Jean - married to Donald McDonald
Aunt Margaret - married to George Brown, Byth village (1875)
At father's death in 1854 I valued all his effect for mother's behoof on to brother Donald which amount to £140 Sterling which was £20 to each of her family alive but I never used any of it.
The 19 years lease that I contracted for commissary at Whitsun 1829 which father asked me a few years before saed lease was done. If we should grant bewest the old carriage road that went through the Glen to the Prince Consort for to join his Balmoral Forest for which I cordially gave my consent, and at whatever they chose to deduct off the Rent of £65 which was granted the sum of £32.10 which brought the Rent of Bovagli down to £32.10. But Father on so doing he hoped that they would not remove him from Bovagli when his lease was done, which was never done (honourable).
But although I had created Father honourably head master over Farm and Glen and all that was thereon that I had gained of a full stock of sheep and cattle which I allowed the sheep to carry all his Brand and Tar marks. In Honour of him for bringing up such a family upon such a poor concern as he possessed in Bovagli. But when the Glenavon Sheep came of age and was sold which came to about £299 and in place of such money being added to the Bovagli funds from where it came, brother Donald bought Bovagli, sheep and glen, from Father, and paid him with what was his, the Glenavon sheep price as above, look I rented from the Gordons of Inshbobart their part of Conachrick at £23 and bough John Coutts Loine of Abrearder's wedders at 10/- for 200 which came to £105 and gained £100 on that lot, and all that returned back to the Bovagli funds, and the wool paid the rent, in addition to what the Bovagli old wedders got of Conachrick.
But I had always a different way of working by which brother Donald had, for I could not stand to be selfishly inclined, else Father had neither the sheep nor the glen in his power to give to Donald past me, and on to Donald who was only 15 years of age when I began and carried on a I did until Bovagli and Foulzie at the joint rents of £105 was full stocked both of sheep, cattle and horses all conducted by me the writer up to 1836 observe page 47 how cash and value rested, in the year 1836 and 12 years of the 19 years lease of Bovagli to finish and 17 years of the 21 years of the 19 years lease of Foulzie to finish and had I been backed up according to expectations, I don't know what I might have accomplished before both leases was done in short.
But brother Donald had that selfishness about him that shows what he was and has been to me all along of having the ability and honour of creating the first bankruptcy, first of my sons John and Peter his own officials at Crovie and last of all his own elder born brother John which I shall say is the greatest disgrace. I consider it far worse than all the loss of the whole capital that I had on Crovie belonging to me. Within bounds £2000 and on Cairnandrew within bounds say £3000, total of £5000 and 500 sheep arrested in Aberdeen 9 May 1878 = £1000 which was the beginning of all the mischief, in all a total of £6000 which is all gone to the lawyers and not so much of dividends realized as to pay the creditors own expenses and I and my family turned homeless and penniless 1879.
Signed John Gordon
Margaret Gordon, eldest daughter to Donald Gordon, Tornauran, Abergeldie (who was son of the 5th generation in the estate of Abergeldie) married to Alexander McGregor, Little Auchallater, Braemar - daughter of the 5th. Issue:
James
Donald, married in Aberarder
Jean
6th James McGregor, Auchallater, Braemar married to Margaret Davidson. Issue:
Mary - alive in Braemar Cottage 1875
Ann - dead
Alexander - dead
Kathrin - her husband Rev Mr Stewart , Free Church Minister Braemar
Donald - dead
6th Jean McGregor, Auchallater married to Alaster McHardy, farmer, Auchallater and Glen Callater, Braemar. Issue:
Charles - married to Hellan McIntosh, Loinavach, Braemar
Alexander - married Miss Duncan, Balachlaggan, Crathie
William - married Ann Cran, Marnoch
John - married Miss Macintosh, Coldrack, Braemar
Margaret - married John Bowman, gamekeeper, Ballochbuie
Ann - married Mr McHardy, farmer, Ordachoy, Corgarff
Charles McHardy, Auchallater, then Dalvorar, Braemar and Hellen McIntosh, Loinavach, Braemar, his spouse. Issue:
A daughter married to John Duncan, Glen Cluny
A daughter married to John Lamont, forester, Cluny
A daughter no married
Alexander McHardy went to Jamaica, came home and married Miss Duncan, Balchlaggan, Aberarder, Crathes and went back to Jamaica where he died and his widow came home to about Aberdeen and two children.
William McHardy, gamekeeper to the Earl of Fife, Mar Lodge, Braemar married Ann Cran. Issue:
James, William, Alexander, Peter, John, Charles, Jean, Ann, Joseph
John McHardy, gamekeeper to the Duke of Leeds, Mar Lodge, Braemar married to Miss Macintosh. Issue:
Alastair married to Jean Jipp
Maggie - widow
James married to Jean Lamont
Jean married to Mr Johnston, blacksmith
Charles - off to New Zealand 21 Nov 1885 on the steamer Kaikura
Lizzie
Ann
Mary
Isabella married to Mr Robertson, Excise officer
Elizabeth died at 21 years
Alaster McHardy, head oversman at Castle Newe to the Master of Forbes married to Jean Lipp. Issue:
A daughter married to Mr Minty, exciseman
The above Alaster McHardy gained the throwing of the heavy stone and light stone, turning of the Cabber, also of throwing the heavy hammer and by a slip of the foot lost the light hammer. This feat was done at London over Scotland, England and Ireland in the year I don't know what.
(from top of page 46 about the local Factor, Mr Cameron)
The new lease of 19 years from and after Whitsunday 1829 was drawn out for Father's signature but not according to bargain or missives I held on the bargain. So Father would not sign, as I told him not to do so. Then Cameron being, or had other in view for the glen, he would now wish to brake bargain (but I had the rent receipts and the missives) which I found out first by Aunt Margaret Camlet and me to take care of myself for he told me that it would go over his neck if he did not flit the Gordons of Bovaglie.
Then Cousin Hellen Gordon who was nurse to Cameron and Margaret, the children told me in secret that as she was creeping through with the children in the room, she observed Cameron writing something like a petition for the tenants to sign and she thought that it was something for Loinveg for the tenants to sign.
And I had occasion to meet Mr Cameron soon thereafter and says "Sir, I hear, by a quiet rumour, that Loinveg is going through amongst the tenants with some sort of a petiton against my Father." "Puff" he says "John I do not believe nothing of the kind but depend upon it Loinveg should the like be, it must come to me and I shall let you know". So to Bovagli I goes and starts next day with writing materials along with me first for Toldhu, Glenmuick, and all the tenants in the estate of Birkhall and………
The Bovagli Manuscript appears incomplete as several pages, at this point were torn out....
