THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE BROADHYTHE OF FINDOCHTY IN 1761, WITH MARRIAGE DATES AND NOTES

Estimated Population: Total 109; Males 47; Females 62.

Notes:

N1....William Campbell was last recorded in 1756, and apart from son Alex, none of his family appears in the records. It seems possible therefore that he may not have survived. Daughter Elspet seems not to have survived and, like her father, is not counted here. An unnamed child was born in 1754, who may have been called Ann, who was married in 1778 to a soldier, called Henderson.

N2....Helen Cumming was the widow of Alex Gordon, last recorded in 1745 and presumed dead by 1761.

N3....This family were last recorded in 1752, and George may have been lost at sea in c.1754, as Mary was still in the village in 1769.

N4....Grand daughter, Mary, was the natural daughter of Elizabeth Thain and John Anderson.

N5....John Thain was recorded as a witness in 1756.

N6....Alex Flett was the son of James Flett and Margaret Cumming at S13. Janet Mair probably came from PORTKN'KIE. The couple were married, probably around 1755, but no record of the date has yet been found. No record later than 1763 has been found.

N7....John Smith was the son of John Smith and Anna Steel, (S15). Elspet Flett was the daughter of James Flett and Margaret Cumming, (S13).

N8....Margaret Sharp was the widow of John Flett. John last appears in the Session Minute for poor relief in 1753, and probably did not survive until 1761, although no burial is mentioned before the last entry in 1757. Grandson, James Sutherland, was the illegitimate son of Janet Flett and John Sutherland at S22 or S23. Daughter Elspet seems not to have survived to adulthood.

N9....Alex Flett was the son of John Flett and Margaret Sharp. He was last recorded in 1752 and may have been lost at sea c.1754. No other records of the family were recorded and widow Helen probably moved away.

N10...Robert McCulloch witnessed up to 1776. Daughter Anna married John Garden and moved to Portessie in 1762.

N11...No reference has been found to this family in the 1751-61 decade and so they had probably left the area.

N12...William Smith witnessed up to at least 1768.

N13...Daughter Margaret had moved to PORTKN'KIE after marrying William Mair in 1756. Twins Anne and Janet both seemed to have died in infancy.

N14...Jean Forbes was the widow of William McBay who died in 1743.

N15...Anna Steel was last recorded in 1746 and husband John Smith, elder, last appears as a witness in December 1754, but is assumed to have survived. John's brother? William was last recorded in 1753, and may have been lost at sea c.1754. The unnamed child seems not to have survived to adulthood.

N16...James Flett was the son of Alex Flett and the deceased Anna McKenzie, (S20). Margaret Jappy probably came from Buckie. Daughter Anne does not seem to have survived.

N17...Being in the militia it is likely that David Sinclair and his family left the village in the 1750s and so are recorded but not counted here.

N18...Alex McBay, Elder was implied in records in 1753 and probably witnessed in 1756.

N19...Alex Thain was the son of George Thain and Anne McKenzie at S4. Daughter Helen's mother was not named in the baptismal record. Marriage details have not yet been found.

N20...Alex Flett from Burghead was the widower of Anna McKenzie. Daughter Helen married William McCulloch about 1765-6. Son Alex seems not to have survived.

N21...John Luke was recorded regularly in Broadhyth as a witness from 1727 until 1755, and may have died before 1761.

N22...Daughter Anna Sutherland married John Sutherland, S23, in 1769 and they were recorded in Knowhead farm in 1773, where their son Alex was born. Daughter Helen seems not to have survived. 23 James Sutherland witnessed at Broadhyth until 1761. Son John married Anna Sutherland at S22 in 1769.

N24...William Flett was the son of John Flett and Margaret Sharp at S8.

N25...John Gaddie came from farming stock and was probably part of the rural population. The family seems to have left the village before 1761.

N26...Alex Smith appears regularly as a witness until 1755 and so may not have lived much longer. Daughter Janet was possibly the Janet Smith who married Robert Sellar, a farmer near Findochty in the early 1760s. Similarly Jean may have married either John Thomson or James Cowie in 1754. Nothing else is known about this family, and they may have left the village during this decade. Helen was from Cullen Parish.

N27...Jean Mcbay had her last child in 1756 and Alex Campbell witnessed until 1776. Son Alex did not survive and it seems neither did James.

N28...James Smith was the son of John Smith and Anna Steel at S15. Helen Sutherland was the daughter of James Sutherland and Elspet Howie at S23.

N29...James Flett was the son of John Flett and the deceased Elspet Prott, (S8). Catherine Calder had been in the village since at least 1752. Son Alexander was Catherine's natural child, by James McBay, who seems not to have survived. Son James's mother was not named in the baptismal entry but there can be little doubt that he belongs in this family, as the other James Flett's wife had had a daughter just eight months earlier. Daughter Elspet, identified from her later marriage in Portessie is speculatively accorded in this family.

N30...James Campbell may well have been James Anderson, son of John Anderson and Helen Prott. He possibly changed his name to Campbell after his widowed mother married William Campbell, see N1. Anna Flett was probably the daughter of Alex Flett and the deceased Anna McKenzie, (S20).

N31...John McBay was the widower of Margaret Findlay who probably died in the later 1750s. John married Jean Sutherland at S23 in 1764. Daughter Janet seems not to have survived.

N32...Jean Bruce was the widow of George Gordon, who was no longer recorded after 1754. The family probably moved to Buckie, or George may have been lost c.1754.

N33...James Gordon and Anna Sutherland were not recorded in the village after 1752 and James may also have been lost c.1754. Their firstborn was not named in the baptismal entry.

N35...Janet Innes was the widow of Alex McBay, younger, who suddenly disappears from the records and may have been lost c1754. Janet probably moved to Portknockie afterwards.

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