James McHardy of Ordachoy
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For those who like the facts and nothing but the facts, this is not the page for you. There are no irrefutable links here; no definitive answers. There are only significant coincidences, tenuous connections and gut feelings. In the course of transcribing the Roman Catholic Registers I discovered a gap in the register of baptisms between 1757 and 1781and Fenton MacHardy found on his recent trip to the National Archives in Edinburgh that there was a period between 1762 and1804 when the mission was served intermittently by various priests, and during this period the registers were not maintained in any systematic fashion. It is into these years and this gap that the origins of the parents of James of Ordachoy most probably fall. Unless some other Catholic volume turns up that includes the missing years or some alternative source of information is found, all we have to work on is what can be found in the RC Registers that do exist.
The starting place in this line of inquiry is not James himself but one William McHardy. The 1866 files states the following on sheet 6:
“James McHardy of Ordachoy...had an uncle named William who was a Priest at Corgarff, Tornahaish, was also at Braemar and some are still living of whom he baptised...He strongly adhered to the McLeod McHardy and his name is still to be seen in the Catholic Directory as McLeod McHardy (Revd) and usually signed his name William McLeod.”
From the research Fenton MacHardy has undertaken in writing a superb biography of William the priest, he has determined that William was born around 1772 and was priest at Braemar from 1798 until his death, at Ordachoy, in 1809. In all likliehood, William was James' brother rather than his uncle.
Bearing in mind the McLeod McHardy connection, it was with interest I found the following in the RC Registers: |
Register of Baptisms, Roman Catholic Congregation,
St. Andrew's Parish, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
1703-1757, Volume 1. |
| 1752 |
May 17 |
'A list of those I baptised since I came to the Mission of Braemar, in April 1752. I began only the pastoral functions on the 17th May.'
William McLeod |
| 1753 |
Mar 5 |
MacHardi. James, Protestant and Margaret Grant, Catholic, Auchaladar, a son, Alexander Machardi, alias McLeod. bap. Auchaladar.
Godf. :- Alexander MacGrigor, portioner ibid.
Godm. :- Margaret Farquharson. |
Here we find another priest William McLeod at Braemar in 1752, and of those children he baptized in his short time there (just over a year), one of them is named Alexander Machardi alias McLeod. The baptism begs the question: what is the link between William McLeod of 1752, Alexander Machardi McLeod, and the William McHardy McLeod who would become priest in 1798? Unfortunately, that gap in the registers leaves us hanging in some frustration.
What then, can we learn about Alexander MacHardi McLeod and his parents instead? They are listed as James MacHardi, Protestant, and Margaret Grant, Catholic, of Auchallater. Going back through the register, in addition to Alexander here are their children: |
| 1735 |
Dec 19 |
McCardie. James, Tamninraw, 'the father being Protestant, mother Catholic, the father consenting to baptism a son, John, bap. Achendrain.
Godf. :- John Grewar, md., Tamninraw.
Godm. :- Elizabeth McCardie, md., not far but pretty near to the old Castle of Braemar. |
| 1740 |
Apr 3 |
McHardy. James, Protestant, and Margerit Grant, Catholic, Tamnaraw. a daug. Elizabeth, bap. Auchindryn.
Godf. :- Alexander Farquharson, Auchindryne.
Godm. :- Margrit Farquharson, Achalidir. |
| 1742 |
Aug 16 |
McHardy. James. Tomnanraw, Protestant, and Margerit Grant, Catholic, a daug. Margerite, bap. Tomnanraw.
Godf.:- Mr. P.G.
Godm.:- Lillias Brocky or Broky. |
| 1748 |
May 5 |
McHardy. James, Protestant, and Margaret Grant, Catholic, Tamnanraw. a son, James, bap. Tomnanraw.
Godf. :- myself
Godm. :- Elizabeth McHardy, Gleney, grd mother to the child. |
| James and Margaret had lived in a place named Tamnanraw before moving to Auchallater, and a grandmother in Gleney, near to the old Castle of Braemar, was Godmother to two of their children. The grandmother, being named Elizabeth McHardy, it could be supposed would be James' mother. However, women in the RC Registers are for the most part listed by their maiden names. Consider the following: |
| 1747 |
Sep 4 |
McKenzie. Donald, and Isbelle Grant, Achindryn, a son, Collin, bap. at Achindryn.
Godf. :- myself for Collin McKenzie, Dalmore's son.
Godm. :- Elizabeth McHardy, grd. mother to the child. |
| 1748 |
May 5 |
McHardy. James, Protestant, and Margaret Grant, Catholic, Tamnanraw. a son, James, bap. Tomnanraw.
Godf. :- myself
Godm. :- Elizabeth McHardy, Gleney, grd mother to the child. |
| 1750 |
Dec 22 |
Grant. alias Keir, Duncan, and Elspit Grant, Little Inverey, a daug. Elizabeth, bap. at Little Inverey.
Godf. :- myself
Godm. :- Elizabeth McHardy, grd, mother to the child. |
| The common name among the parents of the children for whom Elizabeth is Godmother is not McHardy but Grant. Add to this the following piece of information: |
| 1731 |
Jan 31 |
McCardie. John, called Ian Buy, Della chork, a daug. Mary., bap. at the Mill of Achendrain.
Godf. :- John Grant, called Ian Gairr, lives below the Kirk, not far from the old Castle of Braemar. md.
Godm. :- Mary Grant, md., Castletoune. |
| There's a John Grant also living “not far from the old Castle of Braemar.” (It would appear, incidentally, that John McCardie or Ian Buy would be brother to Alexander McCardie, father to Alister of Auchallater.) Borrowing now from some research by Sandra Gurney, she found a snippet of information on page 223 of a book in Aberdeen City Library entitled Crathie and Braemar, that reads, “Kindochit (Braemar) 26 Feb 1710. The minister reported he caused charge...John Grant and Elizabeth McHardy in Ballachlaggan for ye irregular marriage with a priest, who being called, not compeiring were appointed to be charged.” Here then is a strong suggestion that Elizabeth McHardy, or Grant, is Margaret's mother and not James'. So what of James' parentage? Well, at this point, this is the end of the road, unless someone can point me in the direction of another — any suggestions would be most welcome. |
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