Roman Catholic Registers Transcriptions

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References to Ordachoy-Related McHardys from the

Roman Catholic Register for
Braemar and Glengairn

Note:

Additional entries from St. Nathalan's RC Church, Ballater, transcribed by Sandra Gurney, are included at the end of the Braemar and Glengairn transcriptions.

My source for these volumes is the microfilm produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, source call number 0873821, which is a photographed copy of the original Register of Christenings in the Roman Catholic Church of Braemar and Glengairn, as transcribed by Archibald Strath Maxwell, a professional genealogist, in 1969. A copy of the original Register is held in the Aberdeen City Library, in the RC Archives in Edinburgh, and by the Register General for Scotland in Edinburgh. Microfilm 0873821 was filmed in 1978, and is black text on white background.

Register of Baptisms, Roman Catholic Congregation, St. Andrew's Parish, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 1703-1757, Volume 1.
1725	Apr 5	McGregor, Alexander, heritor of part of Achaladar, Achaldar [sic], a son, Donald, bap. Achendrain. Godf. :- John McGregor, md., called Ian McCunnach, Achaladar Godm. :- Elizabeth McKenzie, widow, Achaladar
1736	Sep 5	McCardie. Alexander, called Alaster Buy, Dellaxhoirk[sic], a son, Donald, bap. Dellachoirk Godf. :- John McC___ called Ian Boy, Dellachoirk. Godm. :- Margaret Catanach, md., Dellachoirk.
1738	Sep 19	McHardy. Alexander Delchork, Catholic and Isbelle Stewart, Protestant, a son, John, bap. Delchork. Godf. :- John Roy tosach. Godm. :- Christin Stewart.
1740	Nov 28	McHardy. Alexander and Isbelle Stewart, Stronin, he Catholic, a son, James, bap. Dalvraigachy. Godf. :- John McIntosh, in Ardach. alias Roy. Godm. :- Jean Catanach, Glencluny.
1741	966.	A child to Alexander Buy, in Stronin. 'The paper in which were the names of those being lost, I could not remember their names or dates.'
1743	Jan 2	McHardy. Alexander Catholic and in Stronien and Isbelle Stewart, a son. Alexander, bap. Miln of Coul. Godf. :- Alexander Farquharson, of Achindryn. Godm. :- Jean Catanach, spouse to John Shaw, Glencluny.
1745	Mar 26	McHardy. Alexander, Catholic and Isbelle Stewart, Prot. Glenbeg, Glenshee, a daug. Jean, bap. Glenbeg. Godf. :- my self. Godm. :- Jean Catanach, Glencluny.

Since I did not have access to the original registers themselves, or films of them, I had to trust that Maxwell had made accurate transcripts of the volumes. Fenton MacHardy made a trip to the National Archives in Edinburgh recently, and was able to look at the records held there. He had this to report:

...the LDS material is a faithful copy of the original Registers' baptismal information. However, I believe some of the asides by the priests and others were not included in the LDS material. For example, one of these asides lists the Braemar priests as:

Peter Gordon. 1st April 1736
Wm McLeod, April 1752
Kenneth McKenzie April 1752
It then states that there is a blank from 1762-1804 and that during this period, the mission was served intermittently by various priests. The list then continues to include
William McLeod 1804
Colin Grant 1810
...
...

A further footnote, possibly by a different writer, reads

“The Rev. John Farquharson, spent the evening of his life as assistant to his nephew, Alexander Farquharson Esq of Inverey, and died at Balmoral Castle, on 22 August, 1782.

The Rev. Charles Farquharson, served Braemar mission for many years, and died in Arderg Nov 30, 1799. They were both sons of Lewis Farquharson, Esq., Laird of Auchindryne.”

A further note said that James Cattanach served Braemar from 1794-1806.

It would appear that neither the Farquharsons nor James Cattanach maintained records - although a record book existed, as Wm McLeod in noting his baptisms says “not having this book in keeping for the first two years (i.e. 1804-1806, FVM), incurred some errors in setting down the names.”

Clearly, William and James Cattanach were both in Braemar mission from 1804-1806, and Cattanach had the register, but apparently placed no entries in it.

...Lastly, from the Braemar Register, William McLeod lists 20 baptisms from 1804 to 1807..., and then for no apparent reason, writes the following:

“A list of Alexander McHardy family in Auchalater all marked down by me, William McLeod, presently residing in Auchendryne and in the Catholic Mission of Braemar, 19 Feb. 1808.

Names of Alexander McHardy's family in Auchalater
Margaret McHardy, baptized Nov 12, the year 1781
Ann McHardy, baptized Aug 20, the year 1783
May McHardy, baptized May 2, the year 1785
Charles McHardy, baptized May 1, the year 1787
James McHardy, baptized May 4, the year 1792
Alexander McHardy, baptized ? 21, the year 1795
Mary McHardy, baptized April 4, the year 1799
William McHardy, baptized Jan 25, the year 1804
John McHardy, baptized Dec 21, the year 1806”

Many thanks, Fenton, for supplying all this missing information, as it shows that Alexander McHardy of Auchallater must have been Catholic before his family was entered in the Catholic baptismal registers. It's a pity that William did not bend the rules a bit to include his own family in the registers, and so help us solve this enduring mystery as to his and James' origins.

St. Nathalan's Ballater, Glengairn & Corgarff Register from 1844. Transcriptions by Sandra Gurney.

Marriages
Surname	Given Name	Locality	Spouse	Notes	Marr date	Marr Place	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
McHardy	Margaret		Alexander Brown		27 May 1873	St. Nathalan's, Ballater	McHardy, James
Christenings
Surname	Father	Mother	Locality	Given Name	Chr Date	Birth Date	Chr place	Notes
Brown	Alexander Brown	Margaret McHardy	Tarland	Jessie	06 Jul 1873	1873	Glengairn & Corgarff-RC
Brown	Alexander Brown	Margaret McHardy	Lyneardoch, Strathdon	Margaret	14 Nov 1877	1877	Glengairn & Corgarff-RC
Brown	Alexander Brown	Margaret McHardy	Mill of Newe	Margaret	7 Mar 1880	1880	Glengairn & Corgarff-RC
Brown	Alexander Brown	Margaret McHardy	Mill of Newe	Isabel Mary	03 Sep 1882	1882	Glengairn & Corgarff-RC