Strachan (Kincardineshire)

Introduction

Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.

Abbreviations

NLS	National Library of Scotland
NRS	National Records of Scotland, formerly called the National Archives of Scotland [NAS] and, before that, the Scottish Record Office [SRO] HM General Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YY (Tel: +44-131-535-1314)
OPR	Old Parish Registers of Births/baptisms, Banns/marriages & Deaths/burials (pre-1855)

Books & articles

• See also, for history of the parish:
  • The Statistical accounts of Strachan

  • General histories listed on the page for Books about Angus & Kincardineshire

  • Strachan family connexions - James Strachan of Mincing Lane & Tooting (d. 1808) and James Leigh Strachan-Davidson (1843-1916), Master of Balliol College, Oxford

Statistical accounts of Strachan

• Old Statistical Account of the 1790s - vol. 5, p. 375
• New Statistical Account of the 1840s - vol. 11, p. 231

Maps of Strachan

• 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - published 1961
• 1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1864, published 1868

For the full range of maps of Strachan, see National Library's Maps.

Photographs of places

Geograph.org: Strachan - recent photographs of Strachan. National Grid ref. NO6792.

Parish church

The ruined former kirk is located at National Grid ref. NO674923. The priest of the mediaeval church was ex officio Archdeacon of Brechin.

The later parish kirk, built in 1866, is now closed.

Above: the parish kirk of 1866 on the north side of the road through the village. There is a worn and partly defaced memorial in the roadside wall in front of the kirk:

1865 In remembrance of William Burnett Ramsay of Banchory Lodge ...

Other churches

Above: the former Free Kirk (later, United Free Kirk), now a private house, on the north side of the road through the village.

Parish ministers 1560-1900

adm.: admitted, ass.: assistant, bapt.: baptised, contr.: contract, dem.: demitted, dep.: deposed, ind.: inducted, lic.: licensed, mar.: married, min.: minister, ord.: ordained, pres.: presented, rel.: related, res.: resigned, suc.: successor, test.: testament, tr.: translated

John Irvine	1574-1580	reader
James Ross	1585-1599	adm. bef. 1585; tr. to 3rd charge Aberdeen 11 Sep 1599
Thomas Burnett of Slowie	1599-1637	2nd son of Wm B. of Slowie; gson of Alexander Burnett of Leys; adm. 1599; d. Aug 1637; mar. Christian, dau. of Andrew Strachan, min. of Logie-Durno; issue: Andrew, Thos, James, Christian
George Burnett	1641-1658	M.A.; adm. bef. 1641; tr. to Kincardine O'Neil bef. 19 Oct 1658
John Strachan	1659-1701	yr son of Robert Strachan, physician, Montrose; schoolmaster Montrose 1656; adm. bef. 17 Aug 1659; d. Jan x Feb 1701 at great age; mar. (1) Beatrix, 3rd dau. of David Strachan, bishop of Brechin; issue: Robert, rector, Montrose Grammar School; Jean; mar. (2) 1669 Margaret, dau. of John Speid of Ardovie; issue: Geo., mercht, Montrose; James; Alexr; John
Alexander Simm	1702-1703	M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1697; ord. 23 Sep 1702; d. aft. 23 Jun 1703 probaly unm.
Lewis Reid	1704-1762	b. 1676 Banchory-Ternan, son of Thos R.; gson of Robt R., min. of Ban.-Ternan; M.A. Marischal 1697; ord. 21 Mar 1704; d. 26 Nov 1762; mar. (1) 1704 Margaret, dau. of David Gregory of Kinairdy; issue: David; Thomas, philosopher & min. of New Machar; Isobel; Jane; mar. (2) 1735 Janet, dau. of Alexander Fraser of Phopachy; issue: Margaret (mar. Alexander Leslie, min. of Fordoun); Eliz.; Grace (mar. John Rose, min. of Udny); Robt; Mary
John Ramsay	1763-1800	b. 1732 in Fife; presbyt. min. Kirkley, Northumberland; adm. 27 Jul 1763; dem. 26 Nov 1800; d. 4 Aug 1821 Aberdeen; mar. Jean Thomson
William Thomson	1801-1807	b. 1764 Annandale; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1783; ord. 7 May 1801; d. 20 Nov 1807; mar. 1804 Helen Adamson
James Bryce	1808-1814	b. 1785 son of John Bryce, min. of South par. Aberdeen; M.A. Marischal 1800; ord. 31 Aug 1808; chaplain of HEICS Bengal establishment 1814; D.D. Edinburgh 1818; dem. 1836; d. 11 Mar 1866 Edinburgh; mar. 1822 Mary, dau. of Hugh Meiklejohn, D.D., min. of Abercorn; issue: Mary; Anne Isabella; Anne ELiz.; John Henry; Harriet Flora McWhirter (mar. George Thomas Jamieson, D.D., min. of Portobello);
Alexander Cushny	1815-1820	ord. 29 Mar 1815; tr. to Rayne 7 Jun 1820
James Gordon Garioch	1820-1835	b. 1783 ABD; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1812; ord. 14 Sep 1820; d. 9 Nov 1835; mar. 1824 Helen, eldest dau. of John Roger, min. of Kincardine O'Neil; issue: Frances Farquharson (mar. Alexander Rhind, Free Kirk min., Knockando); Mary Russell (mar. John Bain, Free Kirk min., Delting); Cath. Forbes; Jane Charlotte (mar. Wm Burnett, Free Kirk min., Huntly; James; John; Rachel (mar. Wm Leslie Reid, advocate in Aberdeen)
David Scott Fergusson	1836-1843	b. 1808, son of Andrew F., min. of Maryton; ord. 10 Jun 1836; joined Free Kirk 1843; min. of Free Kirk, Strachan 1843-97; d. 4 Sep 1897 Strachan; mar. (1) 1836 Eliz., yst dau. of Alexr Duthie, customs officer, Abd; issue: David Scott; mar. (2) 1877 Margaret, dau. of John Emslie, hotel-keeper
David Martin	1843-1861	b. 1802, son of David M., land surveyor; ord. 21 Sep 1843; d. 13 Jun 1861; mar. 1844 Mary, dau. of Wm Millington, Staffordshire
Alexander McLean	1861-1906	b. 1828 Inchture, son of John McL; ass. Erskine; missionary Brodick 1854-7; ass. St Paul's Dundee 1857-9; ord. Wallacetown Dundee 17 Feb 1859; tr. & adm. 7 Nov 1861; dem. Oct 1906; d. 26 Feb 1913; mar. 1869 Patricia Collins, only dau. of John Grant Dawson, advocate in Abd; issue: John Dawson, min. of Maryton; Alexr; Helen Bowman; Hugh Barrack, farmer, Canada; Elise Margaret; Geo. Barrack, engineer; Patricia Collins; Wm James, engineer; Anne Gladstone, teacher; Grace Grant; Emily Duranti
Andrew Tweedie	1907-1917	M.A., B.D.; ord. 15 Feb 1907; tr. to Maryculter 13 Jun 1917
Peter Carmichael Marr	1917-1919	b. 1899 Leith, son of Andrew M.; M.A. 1912 B.D. 1916 Edinburgh; ass. Dalziel; missionary Darnconner; ord. 27 Sep 1917; dem. 1 Oct 1919; ass. Linlithgow 1922; adm. Haywood 27 Nov 1923; charged with murder of James McNair Dalgleish, house painter, Leith on 30 Aug 1930; found insane; confined in criminal lunatic asylum 17 Nov 1930; d. 15 Jul 1937
James Alexander Waddell Mulligan	1920-	b. 1862 Portadown, son of John H. M.; B.A. Queen's Belfast 1886; ass. Abbey Church Dublin; ord. Ray Manor Cunningham 9 Dec 1890; etc.; tr. & adm. 15 Jan 1920; mar. 1894 Jemima, dau. of Rev. James Anderson; issue: John H.; James A.; Hugh W.

Ministers of Strachan Free Kirk (later, United Free Kirk)

David Scott Fergusson	1843-1897	see above list of parish ministers
James Crawford Laing	?-1915	b. ca. 1844 Dumbarton; d. 16 Dec 1915 Strachan

Monumental inscriptions

Monuments in Strachan Kirkyard bearing pre-1855 information (ca. 80 stones) are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Kincardineshire" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1999), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Kincardineshire MI - The Mearns" in their online shop.)

Full texts of all 175 inscriptions are in:
Robert W. Pirie - Monumental Inscriptions for Strachan Churchyard (Aberdeen: Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS, 1984).
The Aberdeen & North-East Scotland FHS has an online search facility for names of people on the monuments they have recorded. Their list of publications is here.

Andrew Jervise recorded several monuments at Strachan in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 1, pp. 29-32.

See also Strachan Churchyard.

Strachan war memorial
South side of road through the village, nearly opposite the former Free Kirk

See also Scottish War Memorials Project: Strachan

Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1855 to present

Indexes and actual records for Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths, beginning 1 Jan 1855, are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.

• Births & baptisms

  Additionally, in the National Records:

  • 1843 - 1949 for Strachan Free Church (later, West Church of Scotland); also contains 1836 - 1843 for Church of Scotland [NRS CH3/1295/4]

Births, Marriages & Deaths, before 1855

Indexes and actual records for all extant Old Parish Registers (OPRs) (pre-1855) of the Established Church of Scotland are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.

• Births & baptisms

  • 1704 - 1854

  Additionally, in the National Records:

  • 1843 - 1949 for Strachan Free Church (later, West Church of Scotland); also contains 1836 - 1843 for Church of Scotland [NRS CH3/1295/4]

• Banns & Marriages

  • 1759 - 1854

• Deaths & Burials

  • 1831 - 1842

Church Session Records of Strachan Parish Church

Nature of record	Dates	NRS ref. CH2/1305/...
Minutes & accounts	1783-1810	1
Accounts	1810-1824	1
Minutes	1843-1927	2
do	1928-1948	3

Church Session Records of Strachan Free Church
later, United Free; Strachan West Ch. of S.

Nature of record	Dates	NRS ref. CH3/1295/...
Minutes	1843-1914	1
do	1914-1949	2
Deacons' court minutes	1844-1949	3
Baptismal register (Ch. of S. 1836-43)	1836-1949	4

Strachan Heritors' records

Nature of record	Dates	NRS ref. HR678/...
Minute book	1863-1928	1
Minutes	1910-1922	2
Accounts	1884-1930	3
Papers re ecclesiastical buildings, etc. (church, manse, School)	1858-1926	4
Papers re transference of property to Church of Scotland General Trustees	1927-1929	5
Valuations of parish	1833, 1835	6

Land owners

There were 3 proprietors of land in the parish in 1790:

• Alexander Burnett of Strachan
• Francis Russell of Blackhall
• John Douglas of Tilliwhilly - Gellan

There were 4 proprietors of land in the parish in 1842:

• Sir James Carnegie, bart., of Southesk - Strachan
• Col. Campbell - Blackhall
• Burnett Ramsay
• Henry Lumsden of Tilwhilly - Invery

Poor

Information and map of Poorhouse in Strachan.

School records

The following records are some of those held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives:

Nature of record	Dates	Ref.
Strachan School: Log Book	1870 - 1920	ED/GR6S/K40/1/1
do	1920 - 1938	ED/GR6S/K40/1/2
do	1938 - 1957	ED/GR6S/K40/1/3
Strachan School: Admission Register	1893 - 1922	ED/GR6S/K40/2/1
do	1935 - 1955	ED/GR6S/K40/2/2
Glendye School*: Log Books	1871 - 1947	ED/KC5/110/1
Glendye School: Admission Registers	1870 - 1946	ED/KC5/110/2

* formerly known as Scollie's Cross School

Census records

Records of the official censuses of the parish in 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1921 are held in Register House, Edinburgh and are open to the public on payment of a fee.

Indexes to all the original census records, and the records themselves, can be accessed online at modest charge at ScotlandsPeople.

Microfilm copies are also widely available in libraries. The 1881 census is available on CD-ROM.

The early censuses of 1801-31 do not name individuals.

Population statistics

Year	male	female	total	ref.
1755			796	Dr Alexander Webster
1792			about 700	Old Statistical Account
1801
1811
1821	472	483	955
1831			1039
1838			942
1841			944
1851
1871	381	414	795
1881	355	339	694
1891	328	327	655
1901	331	295	626
1911	267	260	527
1921	266	279	545

Testaments & wills

Strachan was in the Commissariot of Brechin.

Indexes to all extant pre-1926 testamentary records (wills & inventories of moveable property) can be searched free of charge at ScotlandsPeople. Digital (and paper) copies of the documents can be purchased at that site. See further the introduction to Angus & Kincardineshire at Testaments.

Testaments of Strachan people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Brechin, 1576-1823
'T' before the date indicates that the copy in the register is lost, but the original testament is extant.

John Alexander	son to umquhile David Alexander, in Tilliquhomrie, par. of Strachan	12 Apr 1597
David Anderson	sometime in Mylle of Haugh, par. of Strachan	23 Nov 1709
Jean Arbuthnot	spouse to William Burnett, in Heuke of Pitrodde, par. of Strathauchin	17 Oct 1610
Alexander Beg	in Balblay, par. of Strachan	26 Apr 1678
John Bell	in Cammie, in par. of Strachan	T. -- 1743
James Bruce	in Heathriehaugh, in par. of Strachan	17 Feb 1742 and T. 22 Jul 1745
Elspet Burnet	spouse to Alexander Thome, in Knok, par. of Strachan	17 Aug 1636
Mr Thomas Burnet	parson of Strachan, and Christian Strachan, his spouse	13 Dec 1637
Robert Clark	in Belblyth, par. of Strachen	17 Apr 1719
Christian Collie	in Dilfro, spouse to Robert Collie there, par. of Strachan	1 Jul 1622
James Couper	tailor, in Templetoun of Strachan, par. of Strachan	27 Oct 1636
Katherine Couper	spouse to James Reid, in Esly, par. of Strathauchine	26 Jul 1611
Agnes Coutts	spouse to John Grant, in Shampher, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
Margaret Cragmyll	in Balquhairne, par. of Strathauchin	30 Oct 1593
Isobel Drum	spouse to William Collie, in Knock, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
Katherine Durham	spouse to John Shaw, in Easter Delphine, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
James Fotheringhame	in Letterbeg, par. of Strachan	16 Mar 1621
Janet Fraser	spouse to John Anderson, in Nether Tillelair, par. of Strathauchine	25 Aug 1626
Thomas Gawie	in Todlochie, par. of Strathauchine, and Elspet Jamesone, his spouse	3 Aug 1612
Margaret Henry	spouse to William Reid, brabiner in Murtoun, par. of Strarhan	19 Nov 1632
Katherine Hog	spouse to William Smythe, sometime in Gellane, now in Caimbe, par. of Strachan	25 Aug 1626
Gilbert Irvine	in Larachmoire, par. of Strachan, and Jean Blair, his spouse	6 Apr 1680
Christian Jamieson	spouse to John Smythe, in Tillequhomvrie, par. of Strathauchin	2 Sep 1626
James Jamieson	in Gauell, par. of Strachan	2 Jul 1656
Margaret Johnston	spouse to umquhile Robert Syme, in Patradie, par. of Strachan	26 Aug 1581
Catherine Knox	in Tillewhumrie, par. of Strachan	T. 22 May 1672
Robert Lay	sometime in Collonoch, par. of Strachan	30 Apr 1701
John Lindsay	in Shamsheir, par. of Strachan, and Jean Grant, his spouse	18 May 1664
Archibald Milne	sometime in Tirrelind, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
Robert Milne	in Sandyhill, in par. of Strachan	T. -- 1737 and T. 14 Dec 1744
James Murray	in Wester Tilliequhomrie, par. of Strachan	20 Jul 1689
Alexander Neill	in Tillelindy, par. of Strachan, and Christian Wilson, his spouse	15 Aug 1612
David Reid	in Heathrie-Hauch, par. of Strachan	T. 9 Dec 1676
Alexander Renny	in Letterbeg, par. of Strachan, and Jean Chapman, his spouse	3 Jan 1624
Elspet Robertson	spouse to William Robertson, in Shannelhead, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
John Robertson	in Cuttishillok, and Janet Robertson, his spouse, par. of Strachane	12 Jul 1624
Stephen Robertson	in Bog, par. of Strachan, and Jean Strachan, his spouse	27 Oct 1631
James Ross	in Gatesyde of Strachan	21 Jan 1698
William Ross	at the Milne of Strachan, and Anna Gillenders, his spouse	17 Jul 1706
Alexander Rossie	in Blackhall, par. of Strathachine	23 Aug 1581
John Scott	in Hendry Hall, par. of Strachan	T. 20 May 1672
Elspet Scroggie	spouse to Robert Skrogge, at the Brig of Dy, par. of Strachan	3 Nov 1612
Isobel Scroggie	spouse to John Neill, in Nether Tillielour, par. of Strathauchine	17 Oct 1610
Robert Scroggie	in Belbay, par. of Strachan, and Elspet Tame, his spouse	4 Jun 1678
James Silver	in Balquhairne, par. of Strachachine	12 Apr 1581-2
Jean Smyth	spouse to James Bruce, in Hadriehaugh, par. of Strachan	16 May 1682
Jean Smyth	spouse to William Jamieson, in Bowbutts, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
John Smyth	sometime in Pittreddie, par. of Strachan	27 Feb 1685
John Smyth	at the Mill of Cammy, par. of Strachan	14 Nov 1716
Catherine Snawie	spouse to William Bruce, in Knok, par. of Strachan	T. 20 May 1672
William Steelhouse	in Yeilstaine, and Helen Hunter, his spouse, par. of Strachan	24 Jul 1635
Andrew Strachan	in Getsyde, and Beatrix Henderson, his spouse, par. of Strachan	23 Dec 1636
Beatrix Strachan	spouse to Mr John Strachan, minister at Strachan	T. 9 Jun 1669
Mr John Strachan	minister at Strachan	T. 20 Jan 1701
Katherine Strachan	spouse of umquhile Alexander Ross, par. of Strachine	20 Aug 1581
Margaret Strachan	spouse to James Strachan, in Blackball, par. of Strachan	18 Jun 1623
Margaret Strachan	spouse to David Robertson, in Curane of Strachan	6 Sep 1626
Adam Thome	in Wester Tilleciuhomrie. par. of Strachen	16 May 1632
Robert Thow	at the Wake mill of Strachan	18 May 1664
Isobel Throw	in Balblythe, par. of Strachan	12 Oct 1631
Alexander Wilson	in Glendy, par. of Strathauchin, and Christian Jaffray, his spouse	17 Oct 1610

Testaments of Strachan people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Aberdeen, 1800-1823

John Ramsay	minister of the gospel at Strachan	18 Aug 1821
Jean Thomson	relict of John Ramsay, minister at Strachan	20 Jun 1822

Testaments of Strachan people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1514-1600

Isobel Fraser	sometime spouse to Robert Hog, in Gellane, par. of Strathauchin in the Mearns	3 Jan 1588-9
John Irving	in the Kirktoun of Strathauchin in the Mearns	13 Jan 1592-3

Testaments of Strachan people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1601-1700

Jane Lindsay	sometime spouse to Archibald Irving, of Quhytstane, goodman of Mure ailhouses, par. of Strachauchine, in the Mernes	31 Jul 1601
Andro Strachan	and Elspeth Gray, his relict, in Pitdelphin, par. of Strachauchine, in the Mearns	16 Oct 1606
Katherine Strachan	sometime spouse to Alexander Strachauchine, in Mure-ailhouse, par. of Strachauchine, in the Mearns	25 Jul 1608

Clock & watch tax, 1797-8

Images of the original records for Strachan:

NRS ref. E326/12/2/79

Farm horse tax, 1797-8

Images of the original records for Strachan:

• NRS ref. E326/10/3/144
• NRS ref. E326/10/10/22