Clue 1 - Mary Leys
Gordons o' Girnoc
The Girnoc Farms
Past Research
Location Map
Gordon Tombstones
Sources
In mid February of 1782 'Camlet John' married Euphemia MacAndrew, the daughter of the neighbouring farmer of Loinveg. In a later pedigree (in 1905 this was in the possession of Charles Brown of 56 Dee Street, Aberdeen), seen by, and later described by Dr J.M. Bulloch the parents of 'Camlet John' was given by John Gordon of Crovie as...
"the son of ------ Gordon and Mary Leys."
Frustratingly the Christian name was left blank. Presumably it was unknown.
28th July 1757: "Nathaniel Gordon in Ballater and Margaret Ley in Tullich were matrimonially contracted and signed pledges for abstinence and performance"
The observant will notice that here we have a 'Margaret Leys' not 'Mary' - as originally suggested by John of Crovie. Well this 'linked parish entry' gained such acceptance that after 90 years it was still offered as credible. Indeed, one of the most remarkable of all the Camlet Gordon descendents - David Morrice Gordon (1899-2001), who had spent a lifetime researching his family origins, commissioned private research by Scotland's foremost geneaologist - Donald Whyte. The result: a private book that was to be the true pinnacle of decades of research: it was entitled "Gordons in Upper Deeside." The Camlet research contained within this manuscript continued the 'Nathaniel hypothesis' of Dr Bulloch and Edward of Cairnfield.
This writer never felt entirely comfortable with 'Nathaniel Gordon of Camlet,' especially as not one single descendent of the family was ever to carry this name forward.
Disheartened by all this confusion the present writer gave up. Several years passed and no further thought was given to the matter. It was then, that quite unexpectedly, a star from distant shores shone a beacon of light upon the remote Camlet.
It was a wonderful Australian collaborator who was to remind the writer of the true importance of primary source material:
For if one is to examine in detail the original Glenmuick parish record, it reveals that the marriage between Nathaniel Gordon "in Ballater" and Margaret Ley "in Tullich" which was contracted on 28.7.1757.....NEVER TOOK PLACE.
28th July 1757: "Nathaniel Gordon "in Ballater" and Margaret Ley in "Tullich" were matrimonially contracted and signed pledges for abstinence and performance".
This was one entry in a list of similar entries which was followed by the following item:-
"All the above WERE married EXCEPT Nathaniel Gordon and Margaret Ley, whose marriage......su.p?......after due proclaimation."
Whatever the reason for the break down of the relationship between Nathaniel Gordon and Margaret Ley, their marriage seems never to have been solemnized. It is likely then, that it never took place. For this reason researchers who have linked this couple into their families may well be wrong.
The 'Nathaniel Mission paper' (this is a private manuscript) goes on to discount Janet Forbes as a potential mother of 'Camlet John,' particularly as there is no recorded parish entry for any child being born in Crathie (or indeed any other parish in Scotland) with the parents: Nathaniel Gordon and Janet Forbes. Short of emigrating (and there is no evidence for this) the likeliest explanation is that this Janet Forbes, the new wife of Nathaniel Gordon, died young, perhaps even as a result of complications of childbirth?
It would appear then that this Nathaniel Gordon married again to Elizabeth Ogg. The date of matrimony recorded as November of 1766. All their children were born within Glenmuick parish (at Cobbleton & Wardhead)
In all there was only ever two 'Nathaniel Gordon's' in Upper Deeside. The above paper explains that the two Nathaniel's were almost certainly COUSINS and that their roots were not of Crathie, but in fact of Strathdon!
Therefore these two men named Nathaniel Gordon, who both ended up in Deeside, were related as second cousins. As follows:-
1. Nathaniel Gordon born 1732; in "Wardhead" 1769-1782. (It was this Nathaniel Gordon that married Elizabeth Ogg)
His paternal grandfather was Patrick Gordon Milton in Glenbuchat, Glenbuchat.
2. Nathaniel Gordon born 1743; in "Toum" 1770-1780.
His paternal grandfather was John Gordon in "Foggie Miln", Strathdon.
Their grandfathers, Patrick Gordon and John Gordon were brothers.
So closure may have been brought upon Nathaniel (though connections continue to arise with the Wardhead Gordons), but not, it should be emphasized upon 'Mary Leys,' for if this was a truism of grandson John (of Crovie), then the next search was obvious:
...to establish if there was any other Gordon who married a 'Leys.'
Furthermore, could 'Mary Leys' help place the proposed Camlet connection with Crathienaird? This takes us neatly to a body of work entitled "Don't Leys Me Out!"