Crathie Folk

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:54 pm

Hi All!

I haven't posted here for a while (though I lurk from time to time). I've been busy for the last year, changed jobs, studying and rearing kids - or should I say rearing one who is an adult in years but...nuff said?! Anyway I'm taking some time to myself and I've returned to my brick walls which seem to be all I have in my family history. My problem is that I can find my family in the Crathie area between 1800 and 1900 and really after that I haven't a lot. They leave and sometimes I can trace them to Ireland, Canada, India, US, etc but I can't go back beyond 1800 or forward from 1900 for the vast bulk of them. It doesn't help that Mitchell is the surname of interest and that we have names as common as Maggie, Mary, Peter, Charles, etc.

I have only come in contact with about three other 'addicts' who have an interest in the Crathie area and I think if a few of us got together we might help one another build a better picture of the area. I'm not a techie so I don't know how I could contribute but when I look at a site like 'Glenbuchat Ancestors 'or the now sadly dead 'Stonehaven Genealogy', I just wish there was a 'Crathie Folk' out there.

Any takers?

Tish

PaulaD · Post by **PaulaD** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:23 pm

Hi Tish,

That sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately I have no rellies in Crathie and I'm a technophobe. However something similar for Longside and Old/New Deer would be great.

Perhaps some of the techies out there could tell us how its done

Paula

csa · Post by **csa** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:39 pm

Hi Tish

I live just 7 miles from Crathie, so if I can be any help please let me know ( eg visting the famous Crathie Church ) There is a family history centre in Aberdeen which I hope to visit soon.

Best wishes

Carolyn

daisymaisy · Post by **daisymaisy** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:11 am

Hi I am tracing family members from the Crathie Braemar area the name is Coutts ,we went up to crathie cemetery and found James Coutts and Elspet Riach (buried not too far from Queen Victoria's Guilly John Brown).James and Elspet are who I had down as my great grandparents ,untill I saw the dates and they were too old too,so we think they took on the role as parents to their daughters illigitimate son .

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:27 am

Hello Tish & all,

I've no idea how it's done but one of the most beautifully simple local websites I've seen is http://www.uphall.org/index.htm
Jean posted the url on another thread a couple of weeks ago.

Perhaps when you see something you like you could contact the webmaster of the site to find out how to go about it, what software etc. If you did set up a site you could even give it a similar look provided you didn't step on any copyrights.

Keep it simple and easy on the eyes.
Alan

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:19 pm

Alan

thanks for the tip - I agree with you the simpler the better - just need someone simpler than me to do it!

Paula

Glad to see I'm not the only one in need of some techie help - hope you get your site. Maybe if we keep plodding here someone will come to our rescue. This site has already worked miracles for me so I'm still hoping!

Daisy

I have a Coutts connection too - one of 'my' Mitchells, Elizabeth Bowman Mitchell (b. 1891 daughter of James Mitchell and Mary SMith) married an Alexander Simpson COUTTS son of John Coutts and Jane Lawson. I have only found one child Amelia Helen Coutts who died a year old in 1923. I don't know if they had other children or not and have been unable to find them since. Any connection with yours?

Carolyn

I have the Crathie MIs and found some very valuable information there. Sometime you are going to the kirkyard you might let me know and maybe I could prevail on you to check one of the Headstones. There is some conflict between the information in the MI and information I received from another contact.

About ANESFHS - it's a great society in so far as it opens doors for you. I only had a name and Crathie to work off and they stated me off with some information. I have visited their shop and bought some useful publications there. The area they cover is too large to be the type of help I'm looking for. That said they are great and their website is good too.

Thanks everyone and iof anybody else out there is interested in Crathie (and has the know hoe to connect us all together, just holler!!!

Thanks

Tish

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:48 pm

Any of you got John Coutts (1884-1975), born Crathie, son of Peter Coutts and Jane Lamond in their tree? He married Agnes Stewart (or Paterson - a distant relative on my family tree) in 1909 in Ratho, Midlothian.

All the best,

AndrewP

csa · Post by **csa** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:01 am

Hi
I am very happy to go out to Crathie in the next few days. I will have my father in law to stay and he is into family history too!!.
Just let me know what you would like me to check.
Best wishes
Carolyn

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:18 pm

Andrew,
sounds familiar - will check and get back to you either tomorrow night or Sunday night.

Carolyn,
thanks for your kind offer. Here is the conundrum:

According to the Crathie MI, Headstone 304 has the following inscription:-

"In loving memory of Mary Smith wife of James Mitchell d. Tynabaich Cottage, Crathie 8 March 1924 aged 72;
above James Mitchell d. there 4 November 1927 aged 78.
Alexander M. McNerney killed in action Rouen 29 July 1916 aged 26; his wife Anne Mitchell d. Tyhabaich 24 December 1952 aged 66. Their son Alexander T. McNerney accidentaly killed 20 August 1933 aged 20.
Base: 1 line text.
Plinth: Also Isabella Mitchell granddau of above James & Mary Mitchell d. 28 November 1970 aged 70"

So far so good and I can establish the stated relationships between all of these and have verified their dates of birth, marriage and death on SP. The last mentioned Isabella is a daughter of Maggie Mitchell, daughter of the James and Mary mentioned and her birth certificate confirms that she was illegitimate and had the full name of Isabella Edmonston McDonald Mitchell (I think there may be clues to her parentage in that name as none of those names are from her mother's line!). I found no marriage.

Information from a contact in New Zealand (who is not in touch now) also transcribes the same headstone and the information is identical until you come to Isabella. According to them this is what is written:-

Isobella Mitchell Crane - daughter of the above James and Mary Mitchell who died November 23rd 1950 aged 20 years. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord"

you know, just as I type this I am beginning to see what the problem might have been!

She can't have been James and Mary's daughter, the time line is all wrong. But maybe the NZ connection read 'Crane' for 'Grand'; '23rd for 28th'; '1950' for '1970' and 'aged 20' for 'aged 70'. I'm more inclined to believe the MI - ANESFHS have been doing this for a long time and I'm sure they get it right.

Oh dear, I hope this isn't a wild goose chase but if you're still willing to go up there you might be able to see if there are any more recent inscriptions. The adjacent Headstones 303 and 302 are the same family. 298 - 301 inclusive also mention Mitchells but I have been unable to establish a link with them.

If you think it's not worth taking a look, that's fine too.

Enjoy your father-in-law's visit. Mine never visits, he says we live too far away which is a pity.

Tish

csa · Post by **csa** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:27 pm

Hi Tish

Just back from Crathie Kirkyard.
You were right, your NZ connection misread the inscriptions, the MI record is correct.

Headstone 302 has been altered-not sure if that helps.

A separate stone in front of 301 (on top of the grave) was laid by Queen Victoria (more impressive than John Brown's!!).

I have taken a note of all six headstones as well as photos including Tynabaich Cottage. If you would like me to send them to you please give me your e-mail address via "personal message"

Good luck

Carolyn