"Don't Leys Me Out!"
Gordons o' Girnoc
'Camlet John'
The Girnoc Farms
Past Research
Location Map
Gordon Tombstones
Sources
This prompted the writer to isolate one of the further statements contained in Dr Bulloch's turn-of-the-century writings on Camlet: where he recorded that 'John Gordon of Loinveg,' son of 'Camlet John' married his second cousin 'Mary Downie of Ardoch.'
Mary Downie appeared at Loinveg alongside her husband John Gordon in the 1841 census, but by 1851 was no longer listed. It seems that she had predeceased her husband and lived only just long enough to see her two sons, John and James, into adulthood. For this reason there was to be no statutory death record for Mary Downie as she was dead before the compulsory enactment of 1855.
A search of the Crathie Parish Register though was to identify Mary Downie's birth; found to be in Ardoch in May of 1789. Her father was recorded as James Downie and her mother as 'Mary Leys.' This was obviously corroboration for John of Crovie. Yet this Mary Leys COULD NOT be 'Camlet John's' mother: for very clearly she was of the wrong generation.
So now we had a double search - to trace our doppelgangers - Mary Leys one and two! The first stop in this regard was to be within the sheltered confines of old Crathie Churchyard, where a weathered tombstone could be read thus:
"By JAMES DOWNIE Tenant in Crathienaird in memory of his mother ELSPET COUTTS d. 25th June 1782 aged 62 and of JOHN DOWNIE d.29th? June 1775? Aged 25 and of 2 young children. The said JAMES DOWNIE d. 26th September 1819 aged 71. And his spouse MARY LEYS died 26th December 1851 aged 94."
Thus it was revealed that Mary Downie's mother, Mary Leys, died on Boxing Day 1851 at the astonishingly good age of 94. So this Mary Leys was born circa 1757. For the 'second cousin' assertion to comply, this Mary Leys must have had an aunt (also named Mary Leys) who was Camlet John's mother.
For the record, this writer would like to say that he believes Camlet John's mother was 'Mary Leys.' Such confidence in this regard relates to John of Crovie. Every family detail that was ever recorded by John of Crovie, has, in the experience of this writer, later born true. It should not be lost upon the reader that John of Crovie was the most important Grandson of Camlet John. He would have known his grandfather intimately - with their lifespan crossing over a long 30 year period! Like his grandfather he regaled in the Girnoc� the land to which he dedicated his family history