THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE BROADHYTHE OF FINDOCHTY IN 1731, WITH MARRIAGE DATES AND NOTES

Estimated Population: Total 70; Males 41; Females 29.

Notes:

N1....It seems likely that daughter Helen died in infancy.

N2....Son John was born in the Seatown of Broadhyth, but does not appear to have survived childhood. Daughter Elspet's birth taken from the IGI.

N3....John Prott was described as Skipper in the Parish Session Minutes 1724. He died on 6.1.1735 in Broadhyth. Christian Prott appears in late records and was married to William Wood and moved to Portknockie in 1734, and was recorded as a Name Mother there in 1739.

N4....George Thain was last recorded in 1728. Daughter Elizabeth was born in the Seatown of Findochty. The child born in 1728 was not named in the baptismal record, and possibly did not survive. Isabel Ross may have been a fisher's servant with George Thain as he was named as the sponsor at the baptism of her illegitimate daughter Jean to John McBay in 1725. She originally came from Tarbat, presumably the parish in Ross and Cromarty. No other record names her, and she may have returned to Tarbat, as the Session Minutes suggest she might do, although her daughter seemingly was brought up in the Broadhyth.

N5....No records refer to this family after 1726 and they probably left the area, and not counted here.

N6....Margaret was born in the Broadhaven of Broadhyth. Another daughter called Janet born earlier in Duffus Parish must have died. No records refer to this family after 1726 and they probably left the village, and so not counted.

N7....From 1731, Alex Smith appears as a resident in Broadhyth and possibly was an incomer.

N8....Margaret Sharp was John Flett's second wife. His first was Elspet Prott. Margaret was the daughter of William Sharp of Grange and Janet Christie. William and his son John were living in Portessie, at least from 1731. Daughter, Anna did not survive and it is doubtful if Janet did, and so recorded but not counted here.

N9....In 1724 Alex McKenzie was brought before the Kirk Session and fined 20 shillings Scots for verbally abusing the wife of John Prott over the land privelege accorded to her skipper husband.

N10...This family seems to have moved from rural Findochty into Broadhyth around the early 1733/4 and so it is recorded but not counted here. Alex Forbes died in 1740. Sons Alex and William did not survive as other sons were so named in 1734 and 1738.

N11...Donald McKenzie witnessed in 1729, but not later. His wife, Margaret Campbell, died in July 1726. Alex McKenzie, S9, many times recorded as a witness, may have been their son. Son Charles was not recorded after 1726 and may have left the village.

N12...Adam Sutherland died in Broadhyth in 1739, and so is counted here.

N13...Daughter Anna did not survive, and probably died before this time, and so is not counted here.

N15...The marriage of John Smith and Anna Steel raised much controversy with the parish session, having been married "irregularly" by the meeting house preacher, Mr. Longmuir. Anna came from Burghead, her parents were Robert Steel and Elspet Badan. William Smith was recorded as a Broadhyth witness regularly from 1727 until 1750 and was perhaps John's brother. Katherine Steel, Anne's sister, was named regularly from 1746 to 1755 in the distribution list of poors' money. Margaret Smith, John's mother died in 1735.

N16...John McBay was the father of Isabel Ross's illegitimate daughter, Jean, (S4) before his marriage to Jean Sutherland. The indications are that this family moved to Fordyce Parish in the early 1730s.

N17...It can be inferred from daughter Anne's baptism that Mary McDonald may have died. No record of the family exists after 1729 and they probably left the area soon afterwards, and so are not counted here.

N19...No record of this family appears after January 1730 and like other McKenzie families probably left the village, and so are not counted here.

N20...Alex Flett was born in Burghead.

N21...John Luke was recorded regularly in Broadhyth as a witness from 1727 until 1755.

N22...It is assumed that the Robert Ross, spouse of Janet McKenzie, had been widowed and then married Catherine Ross. No records of this family appear until the death of Catherine Ross in Farnachty farm in 1753, and it seems that they left the village in the early 1730s.

N25...John Nicol in Broadhyth was a witness twice during 1731. He was later described as a carpenter.

N26...Thomas Sutherland was the husband of Jean Herd, presumed dead, (M.13.05.1691 Cullen). He died in Broadhyth on 27.01.1733.

N27...William and John Farquhar were recorded as witnesses in the early part of the decade, but they seem to have moved on in the mid 1730s.

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