John Collie Born Abt 1755-1759

StuartC · Post by **StuartC** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:59 pm

I appreciate this is a long request but it has been bugging me for some time now and would appreciate any help !!

Having researched SP at some considerable length, I am now thinking that my ancestor was not born in Edinburgh as I first thought. The first Collie birth in Edinburgh/Midlothian I can find close to his birth date is for a a Robert Collie (b 1778, to an Alexander Collie and a Jean Mackfun? or McPhun?)
No other Collie's appear to have been born in Edinburgh (or Midlothian) between 1700 and 1778, if SP records are correct and indeed if the birth were recorded.

So what do I know ?

1) He was born about 1755 - 1759 (family anecdotes)
2) Elgin has been mentioned but not substantiated
3) He married in Edinburgh 18th October 1781 (OPR register)
4) He died before 1836 (family anecdotes)
5) He was an Upholsterer/Shoemaker (family anecdotes)
6) First child (daughter) named Anne (OPR record)
7) Second child (daughter) named Margaret (OPR Record)
8) Third child (son) named William (OPR Record)
9) Fourth child (daughter) named Janet (OPR Record)

If naming traditions were followed then his parents could have been William Collie and Margaret Unknown.

Researching SP again for a William Collie and a Margaret ????? comes up with a possible match, which gives a Willm Collie marrying a Margt McKenzie on 17/12/1741 Drainie, Moray, (GROS Data 130/0020 0108). However searching both SP and IGI does not yield any children from this marriage, so I cannot determine if John Collie was their son.

Looking at the map of Morayshire, Drainie and Elgin are not that far apart, so there maybe some truth in the family anecdotes.

The surname of Collie is quite prevelent in Moray (115 births 1700 - 1785) as well as Aberdeen (90 births), Kincardine (148 births), Perth (25 births), Angus (7 births) and Dundee City (3 births)

Any help on this would be much apprciated.

Regards
StuartC

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:56 pm

Hi Stuart
I expect you have looked here already, but there are certainly a number of Collies menioned in these MIs - maybe something useful to be found?
http://www.mbgrg.org/index.shtml
Collie Margaret McKenzie 1773 Drainie (BS) 072
Collie William - 1768 Drainie (BS) 072
Seems to be same stone, so looks to maybe be a married daughter?
Paterson Margaret Collie - Drainie (BS) 072

which leads to:

Buried tombstone, number '072' from Drainie (BS) Burial Ground (no longer accessible for general inspection). Please quote these details in any correspondence.
072 Paterson Robert - - - -

072 Anderson Hugh - - - -

072 Paterson Margaret Collie - - Possibly transferred to Spynie.

072 Anderson Margaret Munro - - Unlocated at Drainie in 2003. Prev transcript used

072 Collie William - 1768 72 -

072 Collie Margaret McKenzie 1773 - -

A full transcript is given in the MBGRG publication
'The Forgotten Tombstones of Moray, Volume 2'

Perhaps there may be more to tell you about those Collies in the full MI?

Best wishes
Lesley

StuartC · Post by **StuartC** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:02 am

Hi Lesley,

Thanks for the info. I had not seen the site before There are a couple of (maiden surnames) names that stand out as having a possible connection.

I will have quite a lot of follow-up to do now !!

Regards
Stuart