GRANT genealogy

12 Dec 2018
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Dr Geoffrey Mann
geoff.mann@btinternet.com
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4. Isabella GRANT

5. John GRANT 1796-c1853?

 
spouse's records

m Elizabeth REID 1817



John was born in the village of Ordiquhill, Banff. This area of Scotland was a Roman Catholic region in the late 18thC at a time when it was not always safe to be so. John moved to Aberdeen and became a baker. He married Elizabeth Reid at the Roman Catholic church in Aberdeen when he was 20 and baptised three children there, though one died as an infant. He moved back to the village of Fochabers, about 15 miles from his birthplace and continued as a baker. Three more children were born there.

When he was about 40 however he returned to Aberdeen seemingly unable to continue as a baker. Two more children were born in Aberdeen before his wife died sometime in the 1840s.

In 1851 John was now a labourer living in Aberdeen with 4 of his sons and a housekeeper, but died shortly after aged around 55.



           age
   Date   JG ER
EVENT
     1796
 9Oct1817 21 24
 6Jun1819 23 26
 1Oct1820 24 27
 3Apr1825 29 32
 7Sep1826 30 33
12Apr1828 32 35
 9Sep1829 33 36
     1833 37 40
     1835 39 42
 6Jun1841 45 48 
14Jun1845 49 52
30Mar1851 55
 ?  c1853 57
John born in Ordiquhill, Banffshire
m Elizabeth REID at RC Chapel in Aberdeen; John was a baker
dau Isabella bap in Aberdeen; John was a baker
unnamed child baptised in Aberdeen; John was a baker
son John Grath-- baptised in Aberdeen; John was a baker
son George baptised in Fochabers; John was a baker
son James b in Fochabers; bap 12Apr; John was a baker
son Alexander b in Fochabers; bap 13sep; John was a baker
dau Elspit b in Aberdeen
son Charles b in Aberdeen
linen warper in Aberdeen with wife and 6 children
wife Elizabeth buried in St peter cemetery Aberdeen
labourer in Aberdeen with housekeeper and 4 sons
died

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born m=married d=died
C=Christened    B=Buried

BIRTH

The death certificate of Isabella Grant-4 shows she was the daughter of John Grant, a baker, and Elizabeth Reid. Her baptism to these parents at the Roman Catholic chapel in Aberdeen on 6 Jun 1819 was preceded by their marriage on 9 Oct 1817. Parents with these names, living in the village of Fochabers, baptised three children between 1826 and 1829 at the Roman Catholic church there. John was a baker in Fochabers and the coincidence of names, occupation and religion leaves no doubt that these were the parents of Isabella.

The names of the three children baptised at Fochabers, identifies the family in the 1841 and 1851 census in Aberdeen. The children's birthplace was given as Belly, the parish in which Fochabers is situated. In the 1851 census, John's birthplace was given as Ordiquhill, Aberdeenshire in 1797. In fact it is in the county of Banffshire and is about 14 miles from Fochabers

John Grant therefore was born about 1797 in Ordiquhill. He was probably born into a Roman Catholic family, but his baptism has not been found. There was no RC church at Ordiquhill, the nearest being at Portsoy (6m) Keith (8m) and Fochabers (14m). This area was a Roman Catholic enclave during the second half of the 18th C, when it was not entirely safe to be so. Consequently, records at this time are not well kept or preserved.

The baptisms of his children in Aberdeen were wtnessed by George Grant and Mr. George Grant and possibly they they were his brother and father. Ann Grant 1789-1877 was closely connected to the family and married to George Grant, who was possibly John's brother

MARRIAGE

From OPR Scotland

On 9Oct1817 by the Rev Priest Charles Gordon, Minister of the Roman Catholic Congregation in Aberdeen were lawfully married in said Chapel after banns,
John Grant, Baker in Aberdeen and Elizabeth Reid there, daughter of George Reid, labourer in Aberdeen.
Witnesses Alexander Innes, Cabinet Maker in Aberdeen and George Gordon, Baker there

DESCENDANTS

from register of St Mary with St Peter Roman Catholic Church in Aberdeen

C 6Jun1819 Isobel          / John Grant Elizth Reid Baker [witnesses:] George Grant Mr Geo Grant
C 1Oct1820 [no name]       / John Grant Elizth Reid [witnesses:] John Grant Mr Geo Grant
C 3Apr1825 John Grathan--r / John Grant Elizth Reid [witnesses:] George Grant Mr Geo Grant

from register of St Ninian, Tynet RC Church; identical copy in register of St Mary, Fochabers RC Church

C  7Sep1826 George s John Grant, baker in Fochabers & Eliz Reid
             Sponsors John Savage and Helen Cowie in do
C 16Apr1828 James s John Grant & Eliz Reid, Fochabers b 12Apr1828
             Sponsors:JohnSavage, Fochabers and Margt Clapputton, Fochabers
C 13Sep1829 Alexander Grant s John Grant, Fochabers, & Elizabeth Reid b 9Sep1829
             Sponsors John Savage and Helen Anderson 

from census

b 1833 Elspit [from 1841 census; baptism not found]
b 1835 Charles [from 1851 census; baptism not found]

DEATH

John was aged 55 in 1851 but has not been found in the 1861 census nor in the statutory register of deaths. Probably therefore he died between 1851 and 1854. There are several Aberdeen burials of a John Grant in this period but none that can be identified as John Grant-5

CENSUS

1841 Aberdeen Loch St 168A 21/45

John    GRANT  44 1797 linen warper S
Mrs     GRANT  49 1792              Y
John    GRANT  15 1826 flax draper  Y
George  GRANT  14 1827 comb mr app  Y
James   GRANT  12 1829 comb my app  Y
Alex    GRANT  11 1830 flax sorter Y
Elspit  GRANT   8 1833              Y
Charles GRANT   6 1835              Y
John    CUDDIE 40 1801 cow feeder   Y

1851 Aberdeen Cuerus Court, Loch St 168A 29/17

John      GRANT 55 1796 he wid labourer     Ordquhill ABD
George    GRANT 24 1827 so unm broker       Belly ABD
James     GRANT 22 1829 so unm horse shoer  Belly ABD
Charles   GRANT 16 1835 so unm app printer  Aberdeen ABD
Anne      RAE   34 1817 se unm house keeper Fintray ABD
Alexander GRANT 21 1830 so unm horse shoer  Belly ABD

ELIZABETH REID

Elizabeth married John Grant in Aberdeen in 1817, her father was George Reid a labourer in Aberdeen.
There is a suitable baptism at Old Machar, Aberdeen:

C 5Mar1793 Elizabeth Reid d George Reid, miller at Justice Mills and Margaret Smith his spouse.
baptised by Mr James Gregory, minister at Chapel of Ease; witness: James Brebner and John Smith

Marriage and all known baptisms to these parents:

C  4Mar1792 James           Skene
m 26Sep1792 George Reid & Margaret Smith at Skene both in the parish
C  5Mar1793 Elizabeth       Old Machar
C 12May1796 Jean            Old Machar
C 18Jul1798 Margaret Amelia Old Machar
C 10Aug1800 John            Skene
C 24Aug1806 Helen           Skene
C 28Aug1809 Agnes           Skene d of George Reid in Ord and his wife Margaret Smith

There is no proof that this is Elizabeth Reid who married John Grant.  She was married at a Roman Catholic church, whereas this baptism is at a Scottish Church. Her father George was a labourer in Aberdeen, whereas this George was a miller, though he may perhaps have ended his days as a labourer.  This George moved to Skene some ten miles from Aberdeen so presumably his daughter Elizabeth would also have moved there, but his burial is not recorded at Skene, so he may have moved back to Aberdeen where there are several possible George Reid burials.

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