5. LITTLEJOHN-GARDEN: 1785–1923

by Alan Craig      Download the PDF for this page  (31.2 MB)

My great-grandmother Jessie Littlejohn was born at Keith, Banffshire, in 1869, and she had a very uncertain background. Her mother, of whom we know very little, was Margaret McLeay, and the father given on her birth certificate was John Littlejohn, a farm worker at the ‘Cairn Whelp’ farm near Cairnie in Aberdeenshire. Jessie was entirely brought up by her grandparents John McLeay and Janet Mair and we know a good deal about that family, which you can read about here.

John Littlejohn’s ancestry, however, is much less certain, as we can only start tracing him from an entry in the 1871 census when he was working not far from the Cairn Whelp Farm. In this record, he is given as being 23, and born in “Forgue, Aberdeenshire” — and given that this “John Littlejohn” was the only one in the correct age range in either Aberdeenshire or Banffshire at the time, I’m certain we have the right one.

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N.B. — Throughout this text, all of my direct ancestors are marked in purple. All blue text [inside brackets] represents additional information or corrections, and did not form part of the original documents. Copies of the original birth, death, marriage and census records are held by me and stored in the Cloud, and can be made available to interested parties. When reproducing the baptismal and marriage entries below, I have kept the original archaic spellings and text, and also laid them out to reflect how they appear in the parish records.

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PART A: Aberdeenshire (1785–1841)

Knowing that Jessie Littlejohn’s father was born in Forgue, Aberdeenshire, meant we could look for his birth in that parish, and that was easily found. From his baptism, we could find his parent’s marriage, and then we could push back to his grandparents and even some of his great-grandparents. So let’s work down from the earliest records to give us a sense of the chronology for this family — and remember, these ‘Littlejohns’ are not related in any way to Robyn’s ‘Littlejohn’ family from Perthshire.
The earliest record I have found for my ‘Littlejohn’ ancestors was the marriage of Peter Littlejohn and Margaret Walker, my 5g-grandparents:

1785 SCOTLAND O.P.R. MARRIAGES: Parish of Udny, Aberdeenshire ¹Source: LITTLEJOHN, Peter & WALKER, Margaret; 1785 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 249/ 10 351; Udny, Aberdeenshire.

22d. Octr. Peter Littlejohn in this Parish and
Margaret Walker in the Parish of Chappel of
Garioch contracted and consigned Pledges
of Matrimony and were married 17th. of Novr.

Udny Parish lies about 20 km (12 miles) north of Aberdeen and about the same distance east of the village of Chapel of Garioch. Searches for the births of these two people has not produced anything verifiable, but it is clear they had soon moved to the Parish of Garioch, because the first three of their known children were born at ‘Tullos’, a farm 3 km (2 miles) on the road south about from the main village, and the second three at ‘Braco’, 2 km east of Tullos. The odd name ‘Chapel of Garioch’ comes from a 12th-century private chapel in the village, and an interesting historical note is that Lady Garioch of the 13th century (wife of the Earl of Mar) was a sister to Robert the Bruce. Some interesting Pictish cross-slabs and stone circles lie close by the village. By the way, the name is pronounced “Gee-ry” by the locals.

Peter and Margaret had at least six children: Jannet (1786, at Tullos); Walter (1788, at Tullos); John (1791, at Tullos); Alexander (1793, at Braco); Robert (1800, at Braco); and Isobel (1828, at Braco):

1788 SCOTLAND O.P.R. BAPTISMS: Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire ²Source: LITTLEJOHN, Walter; 1788 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 179/ 10 66; Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

                                   August 20th.
        Peter Littlejohn in Tullos had a son by his wife Margaret
Walker, born and baptized the 21st Currt. and called Walter
Witnesses James Brown in Braco and James Walker in Tullos.

We know a little bit about some of Walter’s siblings. John married Sarah Ann Duncan in 1821, became a wine merchant and provision merchant, and eventually died in Glasgow in 1872, aged 81. Alexander and Robert both married at Garioch to sisters Elizabeth and Amelia Kessens, though Robert seems to have died around 1839. Alexander, a mason, was evicted from the ‘Commonty of Bennachie’ (just west of Tullos) in 1878 and died in Aberdeen the following year, aged 86. Unfortunately, I have no information about the two girls. However, we know Walter married Anne Milne sometime around 1815, but no record has been found. Anne is acknowledged as “his wife” in all the baptismal records for their children, and we presume the marriage was “lawful”, as there are no Kirk Session records for this couple.

Four of Walter and Anne’s children were born at the “Backhill of Whitecross” (next door to Braco), and the last at the “Hill of Fetternear”; both places can be found on our map of Garioch. The children we have are: Elizabeth (1816); John [1] (1818); Margaret (1820); James (1822); and Sarah Anne (1828).

1818 SCOTLAND O.P.R. BAPTISMS: Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire ³Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1]; 1818 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 179/ 10 177; Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

Walter Littlejohn in Backhill of Whitecross
had a Son born of his wife Anne Milne on the
9th of February 1818, baptized on the 24th and
named John [1], before Witnesses James Mark in
Broadsea, and James Bain in Backhill of
Whitecross.

John [1] Littlejohn is my 3g-grandfather, and we will get back to him soon. To finish this part of the story, we can tell you a little about his three sisters (we know nothing about his brother James):

Elizabeth Littlejohn (1816–1893) — married twice. Her first marriage was to a gardener, Andrew Duncan, in 1838, when she was 22; but he died the following year. Her second marriage was in 1843 at Aberdeen to a tailor called George Clark, and they were married for 43 years before he shuffled off in 1886. Elizabeth died of bronchitis in Aberdeen in 1893, aged 77.

Margaret Littlejohn (1820–1908) — married at 21 to master shoemaker Alexander Reid at the Chapel of Garioch in 1841. Alexander died of typhoid fever at Aberdeen in 1864 when he was 65. Margaret was a widow for 44 years, and died at the Aberdeen Poorhouse in 1908, aged 88. She lived the longest of all her siblings.

Sarah Anne Littlejohn (1828–1903) — was also 21 when she married Forbes Robertson Buchan in 1849 at Old Machar, just to the north of Aberdeen. This couple lived there till at least 1871, but both were to die a little further north-east at Gordon’s Mill where he worked as a wool spinner. Sarah died on the 27th December 1903 of pneumonia.

Anne Milne (my 4g-grandmother) was registered in a parish record as having died on 2 February 1830, but it gives no other details. She would only have been about 40, and we have never found any verifiable record of her birth, though I do have DNA connections to some descendants of the Milne family.

Walter, however, was to live on, and he married for a second time in 1831:

1831 SCOTLAND O.P.R. MARRIAGES: Parish of Daviot, Aberdeenshire ⁴Source: LITTLEJOHN, Walter & Mathieson, Eliz; 1831 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 187/ 20 153; Daviot, Aberdeenshire.

Oct 9   | The Banns of marriage between Walter Littlejohn in the Parish of
               Chapel of Garioch & Elizabeth Mathewson in this Parish were published
               or the Second time & no objections offered.
Oct 16 | The Banns of marriage between Walter Littlejohn in the Parish of
               Chapel of Garioch & Elizabeth Mathewson in this Parish were published
                for the third time & no objections offered.

1831 SCOTLAND O.P.R. MARRIAGES: Parish of Daviot, Aberdeenshire ⁵Source: LITTLEJOHN, Walter & Mathieson, Eliz; 1831 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 179/ 20 263; Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

               Walter Littlejohn in this Parish and Elizabeth Mathieson
               in the Parish of Daviot were contracted, and after regular
               publication of their Banns were married on the 29th of October

The parish of Daviot is immediately north of Garioch, and this is where Walter and Elizabeth had their Banns published; but the marriage took place at the Chapel of Garioch. This couple were at the Hill of Fetternear when they had their only child, William, in 1832 (who was a half-brother to our John [1] ).

Just over three years after Walter’s second marriage, his father, Peter Littlejohn, was buried at the Chapel of Garioch (see below), and he was joined in the grave by his wife, Margaret Walker, in 1839 — a little later, two of their grandsons were also buried with them:

1853 ERECTED
by
JOHN LITTLEJOHN, merchant
Burnhervie in memory of his
father PETER LITTLEJOHN
who died 15th Feby, 1835 aged 77,
and his mother
MARGARET WALKER
who died 5th April 1839, aged 77.
Also his son HENRY who died
22nd Dec 1840, aged 4 years
and GEORGE, died in infancy

Without this gravestone, we would never have known when Walter’s parents had died. ‘Burnhervie’ was a holding a bit over a kilometre east of the Hill of Fetternear, and his brother John eventually retired to Glasgow by 1871. The next we know of Walter and his new family is when the 1841 census was taken:

1841 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Hill of Fetternear, Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire ⁶Source: LITTLEJOHN, Walter; 1841 Scotland Census; 179/ 3/ 11; Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

Walter Littlejohn; 52; Crofter; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Elizabeth Littlejohn [Mathieson]; 50; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
William Littlejohn; 9; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Trasie Mathieson; 52; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland

For the first time we find that Walter was a crofter, and it appears as if one of Elizabeth’s sisters was living with them. However, we find neither Walter nor Elizabeth in the 1851 census, though their son William was then working as a farm labourer at South Fornet, halfway between Garioch and Aberdeen. He was working for a Robert Milne, who well may be a relative of his father’s first wife, Anne Milne. — however, there is more to the story for his second wife and her son.

In May 1860, William married Jessie Christina Ross at Easter Skene, about 14 km (9 miles) west of Aberdeen; he was 28 years old, and she was 29. On their marriage certificate, his father, Walter Littlejohn, was recored as “deceased”, so he presumably died before statutory records came into force in 1855. However, this is the last time we hear of any of this family in Scotland. Sometime during that year, or shortly thereafter, Walter’s widow and her son and daughter-in-law took a ship to the Southern Antipodes, and the next we hear from William’s mother was her burial … in New Zealand! At the Southern Cemetery in Dunedin, Otago, we find her grave, and the register has these details:

Elizabeth Littlejohn; age: 75;  last address: Dunedin;  notes: Relict of Walter Littlejohn;  occupation: Widow;
Native of: Scotland;   years in NZ: 6 years;  died: 17 Sep 1866;  burial: 19 Sep 1866.

Her daughter-in-law, Jessie Ross, died further south at Waiwera, half way to Invercargill, in 1905. Jessie was 74, and was followed to the same grave by her husband, William, in 1920; he was 88:

Sacred to the memory of 
JESSIE ROSS
the beloved wife of
WILLIAM LITTLEJOHN
who died at Waiwera
on 14th June 1905 aged 74 years
also their son
WILLIAM
who died Oct 20th 1882 aged 21 years
also the above
WILLIAM LITTLEJOHN
died Dec. 24th 1920 aged 88 years

And that is all we know about John [1] Littlejohn’s ancestors from the Chapel of Garioch — however, there is a small footnote.

Some years ago, I was contacted by a gentleman from Otago, New Zealand, who had discovered he had a DNA connection with me, and couldn’t work out from my Ancestry.com tree how we might be related. At the time, we were unable to resolve the connection, but I now suspect he might well have been related to William Littlejohn, my half-3g-granduncle.

We subsequently lost contact, but if we ever manage to correspond again, this will be an area to explore.

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The GARDEN Family of Fyvie & Forgue

Before we go any further with this story, it would be best for the reader to be aware that there will be four significant women in this line named “Isobel/Isabel”. To help avoid confusion as we progress, I’ve provided this chart to the left so that you know which one is which when referring to them (they are each marked in the chart with a dotted border).

As we saw above, John [1] Littlejohn (my 3g-grandfather) was the second child of Walter Littlejohn and Anne Milne, and we know quite a bit about his life. The first records we have for him after his birth was the marriage banns he took with Isobel Garden in 1843:

1843 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Daviot, Aberdeenshire ⁷Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1] & GARDEN, Isobel; 1843 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 187/ 20 213; Daviot, Aberdeenshire.

May 7   |   The banns of marriage between John [1] Littlejohn in this
                  Parish and Isobel Garden in the parish of Fyvie were
                  published for the first time & no objections offered
                 The Minister preached – Session being met & constituted.
—
May 14 | The banns of marriage between John [1] Littlejohn
                 in this parish and Isobel Garden in the parish
                 of Fyvie were published for the second and third times
                 and no objections offered. The Minister preached

We will continue the story of John [1] Littlejohn and Isobel Garden in just a moment, but knowing she came from the Parish of Fyvie, we were able to find her baptism in the parish records, and also one for her younger sister Anne:

1825 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Parish of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire ⁸Source: GARDEN, Isabel; 1825 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 197/ 30 33; Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Garden in Badicheal had a Daur. by his wife
Mary Reid named Isabel —

1826 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire ⁹Source: Garden, Anne; 1826 Scotland O.P.R. Births; 179/ 20 44; Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Garden in Milton of Durno had a Daughter born of his
wife Mary Reid on the 11th of October 1826, baptised on the
23d of said month and named Anne in the presence of
William Reid and Robert [Livingstone?] both in Miltown of Durno

 

“Badicheal” (spelt “Bodiechell” on modern maps) was a small farm about 9 km (5.5 miles) north-west of Fyvie, and about 20 km (12 miles) north of the Chapel of Garioch.

By the following year, when their daughter Anne was born, the family were living just north of Garioch at Durno. We haven’t found a marriage for Isabel’s parents, but we did find her father’s birth in 1793, and the birth of an his sister Mary in 1796 — both were born at Bogfouton, a farm 19 km south-east of Bodiechell:

1793 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Parish of Forgue, Aberdeenshire ¹⁰Source: GARDEN, John [2]; 1793 Scotland O.P.R. Births; 194/ 30 108; Forgue, Aberdeenshire.

                      September 17
John [1] Garden in Bogfouton had a son baptized
named John [2]. John Simpson and John Ewen
being Witnesses.

1796 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Parish of Forgue, Aberdeenshire ¹¹Source: Garden, Mary; 1796 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 194/ 30 123; Forgue, Aberdeenshire.

                      September 10
John [1] Garden in Bogfouton had a daughter
baptized named Mary. Witnesses Henry Craig there
and Robert Garden in Culsamond [Culsalmond]

The witness “Robert Garden”, from the neighbouring farm of Culsalmond, would very likely be a brother to John [1], as it was a common tradition for uncles to be witnesses at baptisms. No mother is named in these records, and little else has been found for this family — but the following 1841 census record would very likely be for John Garden’s mother and, either his unmarried sister, or his widowed wife (they were both the same age):

1841 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Aucharnie, Forgue, Aberdeenshire ¹²Source: GARDEN, Isobel; 1841 Scotland Census; 194/ 3/ 9; Forgue, Aberdeenshire [possible].

Isobel Garden; 83; Poor; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Mary Garden; 46; Poor; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland

If this record was for our family, then at least we have a first name for John [2] Garden’s mother, and she would be a widow by this time, and likely on ‘parish relief’. Aucharnie is just north of Bogfouton, and other members of the family would later have connections with this farm as well. There are census records for a “John Garden” in 1851 and 1861 at the Commonty of Bennachie, but these seem unlikely to be for anyone in our direct line.

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PART B: John [1] Littlejohn & Isobel Garden … & Isobel Mann

1841 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Crannabog, Fyvie, Aberdeenshire ¹³Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1]; 1841 Scotland Census; 197/ 4/ 3; Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.

James Argo; 65; Farmer; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
        ===== Argo family: wife and 4 children  =====
John [1] Littlejohn; 20; Ag. Lab.; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland

1841 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Cranna, Fyvie, Aberdeenshire ¹⁴Source: GARDEN, Isobel; 1841 Scotland Census; 197/ 4/ 1; Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.

James Hall; 75; Farmer; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland
       ===== Hall family: wife, 2 children & 3 farm servants  =====
Isobel Garden; 15; F.S. [farm servant]; born Aberdeenshire, Scotland

As we saw above, John [1] Littlejohn and Isobel Garden married in 1843, but we can find them both before they married in the 1841 census (see left), and they were working on neighbouring farms in the same general area near Fyvie where the Garden family lived.
Isobel was actually 16, but adult ages in the 1841 census were routinely rounded down to the nearest ‘5’. ‘Crannabog’ was a farm that lay 1 km directly south of the ‘Cranna’ farm, so our couple certainly had opportunity to meet. However, Isobel was to die sometime before the next census, and we have only been able to find two children for John [1] and Isobel. We know there was a daughter born at ‘St John’s Well’, a farm just a little southwest of the town of Fyvie, but no baptism has been found for her, and she was buried when she was just one year old:

1847 SCOTLAND BURIALS: Parish of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire ¹⁵Source: Littlejohn, Elizabeth; 1847 Scotland O.P.R. Deaths; 197/ 30 379; Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.

Nº 26 | Row 20 | Grave 9 | Elizabeth, Daughter of John [1] Littlejohn, St. Johns Wells | Age 1

But, fortunately, we do have a baptism for a second child — a son born in 1846 at the same ‘Aucharnie’ farm where Isobel’s grandmother had been living in 1841:

1849 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Parish of Forgue, Aberdeenshire ¹⁶Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1849 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 194/ 40 296; Forgue, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] lawful son of John [1] Littlejohn and Isobel Garden in
Aucharnie was born 1st. and baptised 9th Septemr. 1849
Witnesses, J. Rorke, and Alexr. Reid

John [2] Littlejohn is my 2g-grandfather, and we will tell more of his life shortly. As you can see, he was born in September 1849, but his father was to marry again in May of the following year — so his mother, Isobel Garden, must have died sometime in those eight months, but we have no burial record for her. It is quite possible she died in childbirth, and John [1], a farm worker, would have needed to find a new wife quickly — and her name was also Isobel (or Isabella):

1850 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Parish of Forgue, Aberdeenshire ¹⁷Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1] & Mann, Isobel; 1850 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 156/ 40 393; Grange, Banffshire.

John [1] Littlejohn servant in Conland and Isabella Mann in the parish of
Grange were regularly proclaimed and married 28th May.

1850 SCOTLAND MARRIAGES: Parish of Grange, Banffshire ¹⁸Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1] & Mann, Isabella; 1850 Scotland O.P.R. Marriages; 194/ 40 438; Forgue, Aberdeenshire.

         ___ 28th May, 1850 ___
John [1] Littlejohn in Forgue and Isobel Mann in this parish
having been regularly proclaimed, were married this day.

Isobel Mann had been born in 1815 at Balnamoon, Grange, and was the illegitimate child (“born in fornication”) of William Mann and Naomi Mitchell. Isobel had been living at Kilbady (near Balnamoon) with her mother in 1841, and was still there when she had an illegitimate child of her own in 1845. James McWilliam Mann was fathered by a local school-teacher, and she had appeared before the Kirk Session to confess her sins in this regard. So, when the 1851 census came along, we find John [1] Littlejohn now residing at Hillhead in Banffshire, near her old home, and in his household are his son, his new wife, a step-son, and his new mother-in-law:

1851 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Hillhead, Grange, Banffshire ¹⁹Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1]; 1851 Scotland Census; 156/ 6/ 4; Grange, Banffshire.

John [1] Littlejohn; Head; Mar.; 33; Agricultural Labourer; born Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire
Isabella Littlejohn [Mann]; Wife; Mar.; 35; Merchant dealing in Eggs & Groceries; born Grange, Banffshire
John [2] Littlejohn; Son; Unm.; 3 [1]; born Forgue, Aberdeenshire
James McW [McWilliam] Mann; [Step-] Son.; 6 [5]; Scholar; born Grange, Banffshire
Naomie Mitchell; Mother [-in-law]; Unm.; 60; Pauper (Stocking Knitter); born Forgue, Aberdeenshire

1855 SCOTLAND BAPTISMS: Parish of Grange, Banffshire ²⁰Source: Littlejohn, Isobel & McWilliam, James; 1855 Scotland O.P.R. Baptisms; 156/ 40 252; Grange, Banffshire.

                                                   28th May, 1845
                                  Isobel Mann, Hillhead, had a son; baptized
   Mc.William            and named James McWilliam. Witnesses
Regd. 27th Feby.     James Christie, Hillhead and Elspet Innes
1855.                        Loanhead
—
                                                      24th June, 1851
                                 John [1] Littlejohn, Hillhead, had a daughter
   Littlejohn             by his wife Isobel Mann; baptized and
Regd. 27th Feby.   named Isobel. Witnesses John Annand
1855.                      and Isobell Michie both in Hillhead

At the time of this census (above), Isobel Mann was more than six months pregnant, and the baby came in June; however, it was nearly four years before their new daughter (yet another Isobel) was baptised (see left) — and that was also an opportunity to baptise the nine-year-old James McWilliam, who also hadn’t been baptised when he was born:

We have no other ‘late’ baptisms like this in our family tree, and the Grange Kirk registry showed several similar ones on the same page. My guess is that these overdue baptisms were being frantically recorded by the Kirk because, as of January 1855, the registration of births, deaths and marriages had become a statutory requirement under law — there were souls to be saved before baptisms became less relevant! We have no other information about this family until 1858. By June of that year, Isobel Mann was pregnant again — but, sadly, John [1] Littlejohn was to depart this world before the birth; he was only 40:

1858 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Parish of Grange, Banffshire ²¹Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [1]; 1858 Scotland Statutory Deaths;156/ 19; Grange, Banffshire.

John [1] Littlejohn,  Farm Servant (Married)
—
died: 16th June 1858 (2:00 pm)   age: 40 years 
at: Hillhead, Parish of Grange
—
father: Walter Littlejohn,  Agricultural Labourer (deceased)
mother:  Anne Littlejohn M.S. Milne (deceased)
—
cause: Disease of the Bladder (12 months)
doctor: A, Bremour Surgeon, who saw deceased on 29th May, 1858
informant: Elspet Innes, Neighbour (present)
burial:   Churchyard of Grange   certified: William Taylor, Carpenter

The newly widowed Isobel Mann duly gave birth to a daughter on 22 September at Hillhead, three months after her husband had died, but the child only survived for three minutes. Unnamed, she was also buried at the Grange Churchyard. So, when the 1861 census was taken, we had a very different household at Hillhead:

1861 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Hillhead, Grange, Banffshire ²²Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1861 Scotland Census; 156/ 6/ 8; Grange, Banffshire.

Isabella Littlejohn [Mann]; Head; Widow; 45; Grocer; born Grange, Banffshire
Isabella Littlejohn; Daur.; 9; born Grange, Banffshire
John [2] Littlejohn; Stepson; 13 [11]; born Forgue, Aberdeenshire
Naomi Mitchell; Mother; Unm.; 69; Dom. Serv., Pauper; born Forgue, Aberdeenshire

Our story can now focus on my 2g-grandfather John [2] Littlejohn, who was only eight years away from fathering my great-granny — but first, let’s wrap up his father’s second family:

Isobel Mann (1815–1895) — in April 1862, at the age of 44, the widowed Isobel married John Munro, a gardener from a neighbouring farm. This couple had no children, and for the next two censuses lived at Deerhill, which was immediately to the north of Hillhead.  John, who was 11 years younger, eventually became a crofter at Milkburn, a neighbouring farm, and this is where Isobel lived until she died of “intussusception of bowels”, aged 79. John Munro was only 72 when he died of stomach cancer at Milkburn in 1899.

Naomi Mitchell (1790–1879) — never married, and lived with her daughter until she died. Always marked as a “pauper” in all her records, Naomi was 88 when she died at Deerhill of “debility of age”. On her death certificate, her parents were given as Thomas Mitchell (reputed father) and Rebecca Taylor, farm servant.

Isabella Littlejohn (1851–1909) — was working as a “domestic servant” at the Mains of Mulderie (5 km / 3 miles west of Keith) for the 1871 census. However, by 1873 she was back at Hillhead when, at 22, she married widower Alexander Reid, a 34-year-old farmer, and they both lived the rest of their lives at Milkburn. Isabella and Alexander had eight children between 1873 and 1890, before Alexander died in 1894 of “natural causes”; he was only 54. In 1897, when the widowed Isabella was 45, she had an illegitimate son called Andrew, who was fathered by a local farmer worker named Joseph Merton. Isabella was only 56 when she died of “apoplexy” (stroke) in 1909 at Milkburn.

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PART C: John [2] Littlejohn (1869–1923)

The very first time we ever heard of John [2] Littlejohn was when his name appeared on my great-grandmother‘s birth certificate, and all the information we have above traces back from this document:

1869 SCOTLAND STATUTORY BIRTHS: Keith, Banffshire ²³Source: LITTLEJOHN, Jessie; 1869 Scotland Statutory Births; 159/ 94; Keith, Banffshire.

Moss Street, Keith, as it is today.

Jessie Littlejohn, (Illegitimate)
born: 15th June 1869  (7:00 am)
at: Moss Street, Keith
—
father: John [2] Littlejohn, Farm Servant
mother: Margaret McLeay, Domestic Servant
—
informants:
John [2] Littlejohn, Father (not present)
of: Cairn Whelp, Cairney
Margaret McLeay, Mother

“Cairnwhelp” was a farm in the Cairnie Parish, about 7 km (4.3 miles) south-west of Keith, and close by ‘Crackans’ where the McLeay family had lived till about 1835. Margaret McLeay lived with her grandparents in Keith, so how Margaret and John [2] had met each other is open to speculation, but perhaps Margaret had been working there, or on a neighbouring farm, at the time. Neither were at that farm in the 1871 census, with Margaret and baby Jessie still at Moss Street with her grandparents:

1871 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Moss Street, Keith, Banffshire ²⁴Source: McLEAY John; 1871 Scotland Census; 159/ 3/ 10; Keith Banffshire.

John McLeay; Head; Mar; 69; Labourer; born Dingwall, Ross-shire
Jannet McLeay [Mair]; Wife; Mar; 67; born Huntly, Aberdeenshire
Margaret McLeay;  [Grand-] Daughter; Unm; 19; Agric. Servant; born Keith, Banffshire
Jessie Littlejohn; [Great-] G Daur; 1; born Keith, Banffshire

Everyone in the household for this census was a direct ancestor of mine — but we will now leave the story of Margaret McLeay to a separate chapter on the McLeay Family, because, as far as we know, John [2] Littlejohn never had any further contact with that family, nor with his only child.

However, there is just one side note we should mention. In June 1871, Margaret had a second illegitimate child. John M. McLeay was born at Back Street in Keith, and no father is recorded on his birth certificate — could the father have been John Littlejohn? A later hint suggests it could have been a man called John Fleming, a draper, but there is nothing to confirm or deny either as a candidate. We will never know.

What we do know is that, for the 1871 census, John was working just 1½ km west of Cairnwhelp at the ‘Binhall Farm’, owned by the Barclay family:

1871 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Binhall, Cairnie, Aberdeenshire ²⁵Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1871 Scotland Census; 178/ 5/0 1; Cairnie, Aberdeenshire.

James Barclay; Head; Mar; 46; Farmer of 220 acres (130 arable), with 4 Lab., 1 Boy; born Cairnie, Aberdeenshire
                      =====  Barclay Family  ===== 
John [2] Littlejohn; Serv.; Unm.; 23; Farm Servant; born Forgue, Aberdeenshire
                     =====  other farm servants  ===== 

So, John [2] was still working in the area as a farm labourer, but whatever relationship he may have had with Margaret McLeay, it was certainly all finished by 1875, because in March of that year, he married a single mum called Mary Martin:

1875 SCOTLAND STATUTORY MARRIAGES: Keith, Banffshire ²⁶Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2] & Martin, Mary; 1875 Scotland Statutory Marriages; 159/ 6; Keith, Banffshire.

married: 6th March, 1875     at: Keith
After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church
—
John [2] Littlejohn, Cattle Man (Single)   age: 24 years 
of: Binhall, Cairney
father: John [1] Littlejohn, Farm Servant (deceased)
mother:  Isobel Littlejohn M.S. Garden [deceased]
—
Mary Martin, Domestic Servant (Single) her X mark  age: 20 years
of: Keith
father: John Martin, Shoemaker (deceased)
mother:  Mary Martin M.S. McRobbie
—
minister: James Allan, Keith
witnesses: William McKinnon; Alexander Reid

By the time they married, Mary Martin already had a one-year-old illegitimate daughter, Margaret Ann McPhail Martin — and this was the only child she was ever to have.

In the 1881 census, Mary Martin and her daughter were living in Mid Street, Keith (see below), while her husband was working 34 km (21 miles) to the south at Kildrummy. Mid Street (pictured above) was very close to where Jessie Littlejohn was living in Back Street with her great-grandparents — but Margaret McLeay has never been found in any census after 1871, so may already have died, perhaps even before her paramour John [2] married Mary Martin.

1881 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 3 Mid Street, Keith, Banffshire ²⁷Source: Littlejohn, Mary (Martin); 1881 Scotland Census; 159/ 2/ 1; Keith, Banffshire.

Mary Littlejohn [Martin]; Head; Mar; 25; Farm Servant’s Wife; born Knockando, Banffshire
Margaret Ann Littlejohn; Daur.; Unm.; 7; born Keith, Banffshire

1881 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Drumnahive, Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire ²⁸Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2] ; 1881 Scotland Census; 208/ 2/ 7; Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire.

George Cruikshank; Head; Mar; 59; Farmer of 169 acres (arable); 4 men, 1 girl; born Old Deer, Aberdeenshire
                                    ===== Wife & 2 children + servant =====
John [2] Littlejohn; Serv.; Mar.; 30; Farm Servant; born Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
                                    =====  other farm servants  =====

Sometime in the following decade, Mary had moved to the Kildrummy parish to join her husband, for we find them together at Mossatside in the 1891 census:

1891 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Mossatside, Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire ²⁹Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1891 Scotland Census; 208/ 1/ 2; Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Littlejohn; Head.; Mar.; 41; Farm Servant; born Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
Mary Littlejohn [Martin]; Wife; Mar.; 35; Farm Servant’s Wife; born Knockando, Banffshire

The Final Years

There is very little else we know about the rest of John [2] Littlejohn’s life. His step daughter, Margaret McPhail Martin, married William Grassock at Reinacharn Lodge in July 1896, so we must presume John and Mary were living there at that time (the picture below shows Reinacharn Lodge as it is today).

In May 1900, John’s only child, Jessie Littlejohn, married my great-grandfather James Craig in Glasgow, but it is almost certain he had no contact with Jessie throughout her life. However, John [2] and Mary were still at Reinacharn for 1901 and 1911 censuses:

1901 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Reinacharn Lodge, Logie Coldstone, West Aberdeenshire ³⁰Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1901 Scotland Census; 217/ 6/ 4; Logie Coldstone, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Littlejohn; Head.; Mar.; 45; Farm Servant (worker); born Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
Mary Littlejohn [Martin]; Wife; Mar.; 42; Dairymaid (worker); born Knockando, Banffshire

1911 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Reinacharn, Logie Coldstone, West Aberdeenshire ³¹Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1911 Scotland Census; 217/ 6/ 3; Logie Coldstone, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Littlejohn; Head; 61; Mar; Cattleman on Farm (worker); born Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
Mary Littlejohn [Martin]; Wife; 55; Mar. (35 yrs, no children); Dairymaid (worker); born Knockando, Moray

Reinacharn Lodge is set in the gentle hills and fields about 5 km (3 miles) north-west of Tarland, not far from the Burn of Corrie:

However,  in 1921, John was still working as a “Farm Grieve” (an overseer, or manager), but now living in the village of Tarland (and he was actually 71):

1921 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 2nd Floor, Melville Place, Tarland, West Aberdeenshire ³²Source: LITTLEJOHN, John [2]; 1921 Scotland Census; 242/ 1/ 7; Tarland, West Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Littlejohn; Head; 69y 4m; Mar; Farm Grieve (for Wm Harper, merchant); born Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
Mary Littlejohn [Martin]; Wife; 69y 9m; Mar.; Farm Grieve Housekeeper; born Knockando, Moray

And it was at this address that both John and Mary were to see out their final days. They were to die within four months of each other, and Mary Martin was first to go with a tragic end:

1923 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Tarland, Aberdeenshire ³³Source: Littlejohn, Mary; 1923 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 242/ 1; Tarland, Aberdeenshire.

Mary Littlejohn
Married to John [2] Littlejohn, Farm Servant, Retired
—
died:  13th January 1923 (0:50 am)   age: 64 [68] years
at: Melville Place, Tarland  [24 Melgum Road]
—
father: John Martin, Labourer (deceased)
mother: Margaret Martin M.S. McPhail (deceased)
—
cause [from R.C.E.]: Accidental burning, injuries and shock (3 days)
doctor: William Hector M.B. C.M.
informant: William Grassick, Son-in-law

1923 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Tarland, Aberdeenshire ³⁴Source: John [2]; 1923 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 242/ 4; Tarland, Aberdeenshire.

John [2] Littlejohn  Farm Servant, retired
Widower of Mary Martin or Littlejohn
—
died: 8th May 1923 (0:45 am)    age: 72 [73] years
at: Melville Place, Tarland  [24 Melgum Road]
—
father: John [1] Littlejohn,  Farm Servant (deceased)
mother: (not known)  [Isobel Garden, 1825–1850]
—
cause: Acute primary Pneumonia, 3 days
doctor: William Hector M.B. C.M. 
informant: William Grassick, Son-in-law (present)

And that is all we know about the life and times of our ‘Littlejohn’ and ‘Garden’ families from Aberdeenshire. My great-grandmother, Jessie Littlejohn, never knew her father, and but for a simple entry on her birth certificate, neither would we. As we saw above, neither John [2] Littlejohn nor his father left many children to carry on their genes, so any DNA evidence for my relationship with those families was always going to be very limited, though we do have some; hopefully more will emerge over time.

A little tale to finish …

In September 2016, Robyn and I were in the UK and spending time with Ken and Noelle Cox, our good friends from Brisbane. Noelle is a descendant of the Wharton family of Skelton Castle, Yorkshire, and we were kindly accommodated by the current incumbent before spending a couple of days in the City of York. We left our friends on a Saturday morning intending to arrive that evening in Keith, Moray, for a look around one of my ancestral towns. However, by mid-afternoon, we realised we wouldn’t get to Keith that day, so Robyn searched the internet for accomodation close to where we were in West Aberdeenshire driving north.

Interestingly, the nearest pub for the night was at a place called the ‘Aberdeen Arms’, in a wee village called Tarland — so we booked online and headed for the town. The name ‘Tarland’ rang a bell with me, but at that moment I couldn’t think why. When we arrived, the car-park was unexpectedly full, and the sound of fiddles, flutes, and accordions wafted from the pub. Being a fiddler, I was immediately thrilled at the thought of being able to play at a session during our stay!

The place was packed, but we eventually shuffled up to the bar where two ladies were pulling beers as fast as their arms could cope, and announced ourselves as the guests that had booked a room. The landlady was Shona Robertson, and she happily took us up to our room, and enquired if we were there “for the festival?” We said we were just passing through, but were delighted to find some Scottish music and a Ceilidh on in town.

By this time, I’d looked up my family tree and remembered that Tarland was the place my 2g-grandfather had died, so I was extra thrilled! I mentioned this to Shona as she was showing us the room, and she asked in her soft Highland accent, “Who was your relative, then?”

“Ah, John Littlejohn,” I said, not expecting Shona would know anyone from the village who had died over 90 years previously.

Shona looked straight at me and said, “I’m a ‘Littlejohn’! Where did he die?”

Somewhat startled, I mumbled, “Melville Place, in Melgum Road …”

Blank silence for a moment … “That’s where I was born,” she said!

The hairs at the back of my neck stood up. We had accidentally arrived in a village with which I had an ancestral connection, and stumbled on someone who must be a distant cousin. That night, I joined in with the music, with the great fiddler Paul Anderson in attendance. Later, Robyn and I went to the village hall to go to the ceilidh — and there I met another ‘Littlejohn’, fellow fiddler and a cousin to Shona!

The next day, Shona took us to the local cemetery, which is just across the road from the pub, and saw a number of ‘Littlejohn’ graves (not for John though). I hope one day I can work out what our connection is.

 

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• Aberdeenshire & Banff
• Chapel of Garioch
• Keith & Cairnie
• Craig Migrations