James Gray ¹

  General Notes:

His birth:
"April 19th 1743 James Gray in Cantly ------ Child by his wife Jean Taylor baptised and called James. Witnesses James Cumming in A-----n James Rosser(?) in Cantly Isabell Gray in Cantly and Barbara Lennon in Paithnich(?)."
A likely candidate for Isabell Gray is his grandmother Isobel Muirie. Another is his aunt b1694 if she didn't marry. Note that on 2008 maps there is a "Mains of Paithnick" about 1k north of "Meikle (Great) Cantly"

There seems to be a little doubt remaining as to whether James Gray husband of Jean Gordon is the same as James Gray son of James Gray and Jean Taylor of Cantly, Grange.

Supporting the case we have the names of his children which are in exact accordance with convention if we disregard Alexander. We can probably be safe in doing that considering the three prominent Cullen Alexanders listed as Witnesses at his baptism. The 1743 birth date is about right and there doesn't seem to be a Cullen James Gray.

Also supporting the Cantly connection is a 1795 baptism record for a James Gray born to Alexander Gray and Mary Grant in Cullen. James is "designed after James Gray Farmer in Cantly Parish of Grange, Uncle of the Child.". We know that James b1743's father James b1711 was a farmer in Cantly and we are assuming that Alexander is another son b1756. Like Alexander, James had his children in Cullen and there are common witnesses in Alexander Machanie for both their sons named Alexander. [RB 2010 It now seesm that Alexander b 1756 is not the Alexander who married Mary Grant so this further weakens the connection]

Theere are two facts weakening the case. James if born 1743 was a bit young to be having his first child baptised in 1763 and his occupation at that time is a problem. Did he move from Grange to Cullen and become a Quarrier for Lord Findlater and then move back to Grange in the 1780s to take over the farm at Cantly? What is a Quarrier? Possibly not a menial position and possibly one that dealt with the Factor, Alexander Grant (who was primary witness at the birth of Alexander Gray's Alexander).

And who was Isobel Gray witness at daughter Isobel's baptism? ... and Walter at son Walter's? Isobel could be a great aunt b 1704. There is the family of Walter Gray b1729, son of James and Isobel - Walter has a son Alexander b 1755 about the same time as Alexander the minister brother. James and Isobel also had a son James b 1732

Ther were other James Grays born in Banff before 1743 including two in Cullen but none seem to match the children's names as well:
You searched for: Surname: "gray"; Use Soundex: Off; Forename: "james*"; Sex: "Both"; Date From: 01 January 1720; Date To: 31 December 1745; County: BANFF;
No Date Surname Forename Parent Names/Frame No. Sex Parish City/County GROS Data Image Extract
22/04/1720 GRAY JAMES ROBERT GRAY/JANET CRAIB M Fordyce /BANFF 153/ 0010 0319
07/07/1720 GRAY JAMES GEORGE GRAY/JEAN GRANT M Grange/BANFF 156/ 0010 0288
08/04/1722 GRAY JAMES JOHN GRAY/JEAN FENTON M Keith /BANFF 159/ 0010 0151
11/10/1722 GRAY JAMES JAMES GRAY/VIOLET SHAND U Cullen /BANFF 150/ 0020 0291
25/11/1723 GRAY JAMES JAMES GRAY/MARGT. BADINACH U Grange/BANFF 156/ 0010 0318
12/12/1725 GRAY JAMES JOHN GRAY/ U Forglen /BANFF 154/ 0010 0103
13/02/1726 GRAY JAMES ALEXANDER GRAY/JANET RAFFAN M Fordyce /BANFF 153/ 0010 0353 29/08/1731 GRAY JAMES GEORGE GRAY/ M Boyndie /BANFF 149/ 0010 0118
19/04/1732 GRAY JAMES JAMES GRAY/ISABEL WILSON M Fordyce /BANFF 153/ 0010 0389
02/07/1732 GRAY JAMES WILLIAM GRAY/JEAN DUFFES M Grange (Banff) /BANFF 156/ 0010 0425
25/01/1734 GRAY JAMES GEORGE GRAY/ISOBEL GRAY M Grange (Banff) /BANFF 156/ 0010 0437
23/06/1734 GRAY JAMES JAMES GRAY/ M Boyndie /BANFF 149/ 0010 0130
26/08/1738 GRAY JAMES JOHN GRAY/JANET SHEPHERD U Cullen /BANFF 150/ 0030 0076
02/06/1739 GRAY JAMES JOHN GRAY/ISABEL RIACH M Keith /BANFF 159/ 0010 0281
30/05/1740 GRAY JAMES ALEXR GRAY/MARGARET WHITE U Cullen /BANFF 150/ 0030 0090
05/08/1742 GRAY JAMES ALEXR GRAY/ U Forglen /BANFF 154/ 0010 0112
01/09/1742 GRAY JAMES WILLIAM GRAY/ U Ordiquihill /BANFF 163/ 0010 0094
06/10/1742 GRAY JAMES JOHN GRAY/JANET LOBBAN U Grange (Banff) /BANFF 156/ 0010 0547
19/04/1743 GRAY JAMES JAMES GRAY/JEAN TAYLOR U Grange (Banff) /BANFF 156/ 0010 0554
15/12/1745 GRAY JAMES PETER GRAY/MARGARET GEDDES U Boyndie /BANFF 149/ 0010 0176


This is a possible baptism from above:
30/05/1740 GRAY JAMES ALEXR GRAY/MARGARET WHITE U Cullen /BANFF 150/ 0030 0090
"1740 May 30th Alexr Gray Servant to the Earl of Findlater had a child by his wife Margaret White batptised this day & called James & designed after James White, James Frazer & James Ord, Namemothers Janet White, Jean Christie"

  Chronology:

He worked as a Quarrier to Lord Findlater in 1767 and resided at Cullen, Banff, Scotland. ³

Witness: Baptism of nephew James Gray, 1795, Ordiqhil, Banff. ⁴ The Rev'd Mr Alexander Gray Minister of Ordiqhill had a Child by his Wife Mrs Mary Grant Born Nov 21st and Baptised Dec -- James designed after James Gray Farmer in Cantly Parish of Grange, Uncle of the Child. Witnesses the said James Gray And the Rev'd Mr James Simmie(?) Min'r of Rothesay(?)

James married Jean Gordon, daughter of John Gordon and Isobel Morison, in Cullen, Banff, Scotland. (Jean Gordon was born on 18 Mar 1737/38.)