By Dr John M. Bulloch
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By Dr John M. Bulloch
Aberdeen Journal 'Notes & Queries'
No 98, 2nd March 1910
Ardmeanach, which is Gaelic for "middle height," lies in the parish of Glenmuick, and has long been associated with the Gordons. Tradition has assigned the origin of the Ardmeanach Gordons to the family of Knock, and the Gordons of Braichley, but nothing can be proved. It was his investigations into the history of the Ardmeanach Gordons which kindled the late Mr D. S. R. Gordon's enthusiasm for Gordonology.
John Gordon was tenant of Ardmeanach in 1696 ('Poll Book.') He was married, but his wife's name is not stated.
The connected family starts with another John Gordon, who was born about 1720, and was probably a descendant of the John of 1696. He married on the 13th of January 1752 (when he was at Burnside,) Jean Watt at Bridgend, Glenmuick, and had at least one son:
Peter Gordon in Upper Aucholzie: married Euphemia Small. As a marriage gift, he got from the laird of Abergeldie, a punch bowl, which came into the possession of the late Mr D. S. R. Gordon. Euphemia Small lived to be nearly a hundred years old. He had:
(1) Jean Gordon, baptised 11th October 1787, died 18th June 1868.
(2) Samuel Gordon, born at Upper Aucholzie, July 1797. He went to Bellamore, Dinnet, June 1805. Later on he acquired Woodside, near Brechin. He married on the 25th August 1832, Mary Ramsay, Lethnot, Forfarshire, daughter of Alexander Ramsay, Shetland, by his wife Ann Duncan, daughter of James Duncan, Wardhouse, Montrose (1717-1792). This James Duncan's wife, Jane Michie (1732-1795), was the sixth grandaughter of William Forbes, sixth of Newe. By a curious coincidence Betty Ramsay (Mrs Samuel Gordon's sister) married in 1836, Thomas Gordon, Leightnie, Forfarshire, whose ancestors are said to have descended from the Gordons of Knock. Samuel Gordon died at Bellamore at the age of 88. He had ten children:
(i) James Gordon, born 7th July 1836, died 10th September 1854.
(ii) John Ramsay Gordon, born 28th June 1843: died in infancy.
(iii) David Stewart Ramsay Gordon, born at Woodside 25th August 1845. He married at the Inglesia Espiritu Santa, Valparaiso, Chili, 7th November 1877, Jane Clegg, daughter of Robert Clegg, of H.M. Exchequer, and died at Edinburgh on the 12th June 1905. He was very keenly interested in the history of his Gordon ancestors, and spent a great deal of time transcribing parish registers in search of them. He spent many summers at Ballater, and visited his Kinsman, Mr Alexander Forbes in Aberdeen, a good deal. He was fond of wearing a Gordon tartan kilt. He left an only son.
Reginald Clegg Gordon, born 26th September 1878 at Calle Monte Allegre, Chili; baptised 25th December 1878 at St Pauls Church Valparaiso; godfathers, Andrew Henderson and John W. Hardy, there. MB.CM., Edinburgh University in 1903. He married on the 10th June 1909, Barbara Mackenzie Morrison and resides at Lettach, Killiecrankie.
(iv) John Ramsay Gordon. He married Henrietta Dix, Liverpool on the 15th June 1874, and has ten children:
Sidney Gordon, born 14th May 1875 m. Elizabeth Carmichael of Dundee, 5th December 1890.
Florence Mary Gordon, born 11th May 1877; married J.G. Hardy, her cousin.
H. Margaret Gordon, born 14th January 1879.
Adelaide Gordon, born 5th December 1880
William M. Gordon, born 26th October 1882.
Paul Dix Gordon, born 5th July 1881
Gertrude Gordon, born 22nd January 1886.
John R. Gordon, born 15th May 1888
Jela L. Gordon, born 24th June 1890.
Mary R. Gordon, born 26th February 1892.
(v) William Leslie Gordon, born 28th August 1851; married Margaret Rattray Anderson, Ballahill, 29th July 1879 and has:
Elizabeth R. Gordon, born 1880
Stewart R. Gordon, born 8th December 1884
Frank L. Gordon, born 9th October 1856
(vi) Agnes Gordon, born 16th March 1833; married James Leishman.
(vii) Jean Gordon, born 20th September 1834; married Hudson Clinton.
(viii) Elizabeth Gordon, born 20th September 1838; married James Menelaus Hardy, son of Captain John Hardy, Greenock. He was from 1855 to 1885 engineer and superintendant with the S.S.N. Company in Valparaiso, Chili. He had:
James M. Gordon Hardy, born 15th September 1873; married 7th August 1901, his first cousin, Florence Mary Gordon, daughter of John R. Gordon. She had a son born in Mexico, 19th June 1902.
William Gordon Hardy, born 15th December 1875, an engineer.
Elizabeth Hardy, born 6th March 1864.
Margaret M. Hardy, born 20th March 1879.
(ix) Margaret Gordon, born 20th April 1841; married Robert Millar, Glasgow, and has Robert and Minnie.
(x) Mary Ann Gordon, born 5th January 1854; died unmarried 24th May 1903.
John M. Bulloch.