GORDON, Alexander of Balnacraig then Keithmore, Jacobite 1715 & 1745, Dr ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

'2055- Dr. Alexander. 1715, Oct. 24, captured, with Francis, 2079, at Dunfermline, by Col. Cathcart's troops (S.P. Scotland, Letters and Papers, P.R.O., 2nd series, bundle 8, No. 95). 1716, Sep. 3, too ill to march to Carlisle (ibid., bundle 12, No. 154).

Perhaps son of Patrick, of Clashterim, and uncle of James, of Clashterim, 2104- Father Dawson says (Catholics in Scotland, 251) that Dr. Gordon, who witnessed a deed in 1698, 'took part in the losing side in 1745 [sic] and so had to keep out of sight for some time. He owned a small property on Deeside, but in his later years lived retired in Auchindoun, and died there at an advanced age in 1763." '

from Gordons Under Arms

'In 1807 the priest in charge of the Glengairn mission wrote: "I am in the most pitiable situation imaginable in Corgarff, for want of a place for divine worship. 'Tis in the wretched dark kiln I officiate there at present. I am resolved if possible to build a Chapel in that Country." The Ordnance Survey map of 1869 shows five limekilns within half a mile of St Mary's, Tornahaish, which was built soon after, apparently confirming that one or other of these provided a temporary altar. However a second example from near Dufftown in the 1780s suggests otherwise:

'Mass was said at intervals at the farm of Tullochallum. . . No room in the modest house was large enough for the few Catholics, so that mass was celebrated in the "kiln". A complete set of hangings to cover the temporary altar were kept at Tullochallum; and one of the sons . . . had the honour of carrying the altar stone and chalice, with other requisites, from Shenval.'

So began my 1990 Innes Review note 'Mass in the Kiln'. The passage quoted in the second paragraph is from the Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's The Catholic Church in Scotland (Aberdeen, 1874), a vast compilation recently indexed for the Scottish Catholic Archives by Ann Dean. Tullochallum and neighbouring Keith-more were owned by Dr Alexander Gordon of the Glasterim family, in the Enzie district close to Fochabers. Bishop James Gordon, founder of the original Scalan, grew up as the brother of Alexander at Glasterim. Bishop George Hay usually stayed at Tullochallum on his rides between Scalan and the Enzie, where he had been a priest before being consecrated as bishop in the upstairs chapel. Hay worked on his spiritual books at Tullochallum as well as Scalan.

from Scalan News


" '...There are some most excellent secular gentlemen in this same city (Valladolid); among the rest, the comptroller general of the Royal Revenues of Old Castile is just such a man as Mr. Craw, himself, or Dr. Gordon of Tullochallum . . . .';
Dr. Gordon, here mentioned as an ornament of the Catholic Church, along with Mr. Craw, was a brother of Bishop Gordon. He had taken part on the losing side in 1745, and so had to keep out of sight for some time. He owned a small property on Dee-side; but in his latter years lived retired in Auchendown, and died there at an advanced age, in 1763."

Note: This is an extract from a letter dated 18 November 1771 to Bishop Hay from Robert Grant, Principal of Douai College.

"Dr Gordon, of whom mention has been made more than once in the foregoing pages, had at one time owned the estate of Balnacraig, on Deeside. This he gave, in default of male heirs, during his lifetime to the eldest of his three daughters, who had married James Innes, of Drumgask, near Aboyne. Dr Gordon then went to live at Keithmore, where Mass was said in his house by the priest of Cabrach, and this was the beginning of the Dufftown mission. It would thus appear that this good man and his daughters were largely instrumental in the foundation of the three missions of Balnacraig, the predecessor of Aboyne, Keithmore, the predecessor of Dufftown, and Kempcairn, that of Keith.

both extracts above from Catholics of Scotland


"In 1731 Mr Brockie then newly arrived on the mission 'got a croft in tack' from Dr Gordon of Keithmore, at Shenval itself, and removed thither. He had under his charge the Catholics of Cabrach, Glass, Mortlach, and Aberlour."

"During the incumbency of Mr Brockie, the chapel at Shenval was burnt by the Duke of Cumberland's soldiers, after which Mass was said in a barn till 1780. Mr Brockie was succeeded by Mr, later Bishop, Geddes. He found this mission laborious indeed, yet he greatly liked it. He served by turns five stations Shenval, where he had a house of his own and for most part had the venerable Bishop Hugh Macdonald for a lodger, it being unsafe for the good bishop to appear in the Highlands, on account of the part he had taken in the Rising of 1745; Keithmore, where Dr Gordon, brother of Bishop Gordon, dwelt; Beldorny, Aberlour, and Auchanachy."

"At the risk of a slight digression, it may be interesting to note that the Strathisla mission was in 1785 fixed at Kempcairn, where the two daughters of Dr Gordon, of Keithmore, had resided since the death of their father in 1765. Kempcairn, of which an illustration is given in Gordon's 'Book of the Chronicles of Keith' is a small farm about half a mile from Keith. The farmhouse is 'a but and a ben' of one story, and the small chapel was at the south end, straw-thatched, and possibly still standing, In 1831 Mr Lovie transferred the church to Keith, where the present chapel and priest's house were erected by his exertions. Dr Gordon, of whom mention has been made more than once in the foregoing pages, had at one time owned the estate of Balnacraig, on Deeside. This he gave, in default of male heirs, during his lifetime to the eldest of his three daughters, who had married James Innes, of Drumgask, near Aboyne. Dr Gordon then went to live at Keithmore, where Mass was said in his house by the priest of Cabrach, and this was the beginning of the Dufftown mission. It would thus appear that this good man and his daughters were largely instrumental in the foundation of the three missions of Balnacraig, the predecessor of Aboyne, Keithmore, the predecessor of Dufftown, and Kempcairn, that of Keith."

from Catholic Highlands of Scotland ^{2 4}

  Research Notes:

ANOTHER COUPLE

There was another couple named Alexander Gordon and Isobel Mitchel living in Aberdeenshire in the parish of Glass, at Boghead, in the later 18th century.

TACK

This was a contract between the owner of land and the tenant on the land, giving the teant possession for a fixed number of years in return for a fixed rent. In some specific contracts the tenant could sub-let the land or build structures on the land for workers..

CLARIFICATION

In the family tree at
http://www.scalan.co.uk/Ratisbon.htm ,
the paternity of Henrietta Gordon who married David Menzies is assigned to Dr Alexander Gordon whose wife was Isobel Mitchell. This may be correct, or it may be a misunderstanding, by reading "Isobel Gordon" as the wife's married surname, rather than her own maiden surname.

The website above names six daughters as siblings of William Gordon, son of Alexander Gordon and Isobel Mitchell:
Janet (husband John Hamilton)
Isobel
Helen
Elizabeth (husband David Menzies)
Ann
Henrietta

The daughters of Alexander Gordon and Isobel Gordon include all of these names, except for Elizabeth:
Janet 1717
Isobel chr 1720
Henrietta chr 1724
Anna chr 1726
Hellen chr 1730
The text of the Old Parish register for St Nicholas Aberdeen identifies the father as a collector of taxes or as a merchant and his spouse as named Isobell Gordon. Parish baptismal registers usually identify the spouse/mother, if it does so at all, under her maiden surname.

This is not to say that there were not two lots of parents and children at that time with those names, but it may also indicate a confusion.

The Catholic Highlands of Scotland states that Dr Alexander Gordon of Keithmore had three daughters:
"Dr Gordon...had at one time owned the estate of Balnacraig, on Deeside. This he gave, in default of male heirs, during his lifetime to the eldest of his three daughters, who had married James Innes, of Drumgask, near Aboyne. Dr Gordon then went to live at Keithmore, where Mass was said in his house by the priest of Cabrach, and this was the beginning of the Dufftown mission."

We have some evidence that one of the three, Catherine, married James Innes. Yet Catherine was not included in the list of names in the family tree that claimed six sisters. No specific source was noted for the list. It would be right in the situation to at least have doubts about the authenticity of the family tree as published there. ^{5 6 7 8}

Alexander married Isobel MITCHELL, daughter of James MITCHELL of Auchanacy and Isobell McGILIVERY. (Isobel MITCHELL was born about 1680.)

  Marriage Notes:

"18 Oct 1780 Isobell MITCHELL, daughter of James MITCHELL of Auchanacy, and spouse of Doctor Alexander GORDON of Keithmore, formerly of Balnacraig; also Isobell M'GILIVERY, spouse of James MITCHELL; also Janet MITCHELL, daughter of John MITCHELL of Auchanacy, and relict of John HAMILTON in Sandston; also Penelope MITCHELL, daughter of James MITCHELL, and spouse of John ROSS of Allanbuy, and her administrators"

from Banff Sasines ⁹