Elspet Davidson ³

  General Notes:

Transcribed from Cullen OPR film Vol 5 1820-1854
"16 Sep 1819 James Gray at Cullen had a child by his wife Ann Duncan born 13 instant and baptized this day Isobel. Witnesses Mrs Duncan and Mary Davidson of Cullen"
(Note: James Gray and Ann Duncan were married 12/12/1818. The witness Mary Davidson at the baptism of Ann Duncan's first baby suggests a possible connection with Elspet Davidson, the prime candidate for mother of Ann Duncan's father, who married in Falkland, Fife in 1751 and then had her children baptised in Keith, Banff between 1755 and 1769. If "Mrs Duncan" is Elspet Davidson, she would be at least 80 and who is this Mary?)

(continues 31/10/2006)

At Lismore today I decided to dig into the marriage between John Duncan and
Elizabeth Davidson at Falkland, Fife on 17/1/1751, possibly parents of Alexander the surgeon.

It seems that Elizabeth is the daughter of James Davidson and Christian Currier (or Curror), baptized on 21/5/1732 at Abbotshall Fife. She had two brothers, Thomas Davidson (c.31/3/1734 at Abbotshall) and James Davidson (c.7/6/1741 at Burntisland, Fife.)

After finding a local Jamaica in Fife, I overlooked finding out that while Elizabeth (later known as Elspet) Davidson and her husband John Duncan had shifted to Keith, Banffshire where their five children were baptized, her two brothers were still unknowns in Fife.

If the Mrs Duncan and Mary Davidson who were witnesses at the baptism of Ann Duncan's first child Isobel Gray on 16/9/1819 in Cullen are Elspet Davidson, who would then be aged 87 (too old?) and a niece, and if the John Davidson who was a witness at the baptisms of Ann's sons John Duncan Gray in 1828 and Alexander Gray in 1830 is a son or grandson son of Elspet's brother, then we can say that the original family of the naval surgeon in Broom has been found.

Elspet married John Duncan on 17 Jan 1750/51 in Falkland, Fife.^{1 2} (John Duncan was born before 1730.)