John Forbes, Esq., of Haddo, Kinsman of John Gordon of Forgue.

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This is a follow on post from – John Forbes, Esq., of Haddo

These past few days I have been looking closely at the baptisms for the children of John ‘of Forgue’, ‘in Auchabar, Comisty & Dummuies’ GORDON (1749 – 1810), my 6th great-grandfather, In order to discover new connections with those mentioned as witnesses. The family is also an important branch as his parents were gateway ancestors.

Through his first marriage with Isobel Reid (b. 1743) and daughter of John Reid and Helen Stuart. The couple had issue four children.

Baptisms in the parish of forgue, Aberdeenshire.

Isobel Gordon – Baptised on 25th April 1773 (no witnesses recorded, listed as living in Auchabar)

John Gordon – Baptised on the 12th February 1775 (listed as living in Auchabar / Witnesses: John Forbes and John Faskan)

Jean Gordon – Baptised on the 17th January 1779 (listed as living in Auchabar / Witnesses: John Forbes and John Faskan)

Helen Gordon – Baptised on the 22 July 1781 (no witnesses recorded, listed as living in Auchabar) – Helen is my 5th great-grandmother.

Through his second marriage with Elspet Fordyce (1749 – 1816) widow of Alexander Mcrob and daughter of James Fordyce and Margaret Ridet, he had issue five children.

Baptisms in the parish of forgue, Aberdeenshire.

Mary Gordon – Baptised on the 5th September 1790 ( listed as living in Comisty / Witnesses: William Tring & William Duncan of Cobairdy)

William Gordon – Baptised on the 14th January 1793 (listed as living in Comisty / Witnesses: Peter Oran of Comisty and William Tring of Cobairdy) Note: Descendants settled in Park, the ancestral home of the Gordon family, and his father James Gordon is recorded as being of Cobairdy.

James Gordon – Baptised on the 7th June 1795 (listed as living in Dummuies / Witnesses: Alexander Christies & John Stroth of Dummuries)

Robert Gordon – Baptised on the 17th May 1797 (listed as living in Dummuies / Witnesses: Alexander Christie & John Stroth)

Alexander Gordon – Baptised on the 14th June 1799 (listed as living in Dummuies / Witnesses: Alexander Christie & John Stroth).

The witness I am most interested in for this post is John Forbes of Haddo, his descendants are recorded in various records, but very little is recorded for John Forbes.

The following book refers to a descendant of John Forbes senior, witness to the Baptisms.-

‘The County Families of the United Kingdom Or, Royal Manual of the Titled and Untitled Aristocracy of Great Britain and Ireland – By., Edward Walford., Publisher – R. Hardwicke’, was published in both 1864 and 1869, each volume leaves a separate snippet of information. The earliest volume records which branch of Forbes, John belongs too.

Extract:

The family is a younger branch of the noble Scottish house of Forbes of Forbes Castle, through the Forbesses of Culloden – The House of Haddo, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

 This connection makes sense as I have seen through studying the family that they purchased land in Haddo in the early 1700’s. The family was also heavily connected with the Battle of Culloden and the Jacobite Rising, as was the father of John Gordon of Forgue. James Gordon, Esq., of Cobairdy husband of Lady Mary Forbes and son of Sir James “4th Laird of Park”, “2nd Baronet” GORDON.

This makes John Gordon of Forgue and John Forbes of Haddo kinsman, as well as connected through the Jacobite Rising and Culloden.

I have yet to place John Forbes of Haddo in my tree, as it’s clear his baptism and correct parentage is missing. So how far back this kinship goes is still unclear. It’s possible they were second or third cousins, plus in-laws too as both families have many points of entry and connection.