John GORDON

1795 - 1869  (74 years)

• Name	John GORDON
  Born	27 Feb 1795	Belmaduthy, Knockbain, Scotland   [1, 2]
  	The OPR has his birth as 27th Feb 1795 in Knockbain. This is partly supported by:- * John's death certificate has him aged 78 when he died in 1869 - indicating that he was born about 1791. * The 1851 census has him 52 years old - indicating that he was born about 1799. * The 1861 census has him 65 - indicating that he was born in 1796. * His burial stone has him born in 1796. * This note by Don Gordon in May 2025.
  Gender	Male
  General event	* John died on 16th September 1869 at Brahan's Ferry. * The cause of death was cancer of the abdomen, four months as certified by Manson MD Strathpeffer. * The informant for death certificate was Donald GORDON, grandchild of Brahan Lodge - he was probably the husband of John's youngest daugher. * Source: Scotlands People, statutory deaths 085/00 21)
  Occupation	John was a gardener (ref: Alexander's birth record), journeyman gardener (ref: his death certificate), and horticultural labourer (ref: Lizy's death certificate)
  Religion	Religion : John and Lizzy worshipped at the Presbyterian kirk in Kiltearn. He was an elder at this church.
  Died	16 Sep 1869	Brahan's Ferry, Urray, Scotland, UK   [3]
  	The information for the death record was provided by Donald Gordon who was designated as a grandson. But who was this Donald? There was a grandson Donald Matteson Gordon (son of Alexander) but he had migrated to South Australia in 1854 (15 years before John's death). There is a son-in-law, Donald Gordon who married John's youngest daughter, Elizabeth. (This note by Don Gordon in May 2025)
  Buried	The OPR record of John's death states that he died in 1868 in Brahans Ferry but there is a gravestone at Suddie (near Belmaduthy) which is a 12 mile walk away. Maybe he was buried near to Brahan Ferry but the gravestone was placed (without his body) some years later. The gravestone also has the death of Lizzy in 1883 and son James Murray in 1873. The gravestone was placed by the Seaforth Mackenzie family for whom John was the servant/gardener. Another gravestone, few metres away, was also arranged by the Seaforth Mackenzie family for John's daughter Ann who died in 1888 - Ann was decribedd by xxxxxs s another This note by Don Gordon in February 2026.
  Person ID	I329	Alexander & Jessie
  Last Modified	4 May 2019

  
  

  Father	Alexander GORDON
  Mother	Margaret MACDONALD
  Married	31 Jan 1794	Knockbain, Black Isle, Scotland, UK   [4]
  Children	Children : Margaret and Alexander had 7 children (ref : source?)
  Family ID	F114	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth 'Lizy' GORDON,   b. 1791,   d. 8th July 1883, Brahan Mains, Urray, Scotland, UK  (Age 92 years)
  Married	Y  [5]
  Children	* There are records of John and Elizabeth having 9 children - but there might have been others. * The births were over a period of 20 years - from 1814 to 1834. * There is a gap of 6 years between the first 2 (Hugh then Ann) so maybe there was there was another child or two, or miscarriages. * Then there were 8 children born in 14 years - notably 3 (David, Margaret & the first James) in just 31 months. * There were early deaths, including the first James. * David and Alexander were the only ones to migrate. * Locations: The first child was born in Killreanon, the next 5 were in Kiltearn and the last 3 were in Contin. (These notes by Don Gordon in May 2025)
  Children	1. Hugh GORDON,   b. 9 Nov 1814, Tore, Killearnan, Scotland, UK   2. Ann GORDON,   b. 24 May 1820, Kiltearn, Scotland ,   d. 8 Nov 1888  (Age 68 years) + 3. Alexander GORDON,   b. 19 Feb 1822,   d. 5 Sep 1895, 'Beaufort', Belvidere, SA, Australia  (Age 73 years) + 4. David GORDON,   b. 24 Apr 1824, Kiltearn, Scotland ,   d. 26 Mar 1891  (Age 66 years)   5. Margaret GORDON,   b. 1825, Kiltearn, Ross Shire, Scotland, UK   6. James Murray GORDON,   b. 18 Nov 1826, Kiltearn, Scotland ,   d. 1827  (Age 0 years)   7. James Murray GORDON,   b. 22 May 1828, Contin, Scotland, UK ,   d. 1873  (Age 44 years)   8. John GORDON,   b. 22 Jan 1831, Contin, Scotland, UK + 9. Elizabeth ('Eliza') GORDON,   b. 11 Jul 1834, Contin, Scotland, UK
  Last Modified	30 May 2025
  Family ID	F111	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones

  John Gordon - died 1869 - burial stone in Suddie Inscription: "Sacred to the memory of John Gordon, born 1796, died 1869. This stone is placed here in affectionate remembrance of a faithful, honest and attached servant by Seaforth. Also Elizabeth Gordon his wife, aged 91 years and his son James Murray Gordon, born 1828, died 1873."

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		John Gordon - birth 27th Feb 1795 in Knockbain OPR births 073/10 59, pages 59 of 196 "Alex Gordon servant to Lieut Coln McKinzie at Belmaduthie had a child born to him and his spouse Margt McDonald was baptised John"
  		Census 1851 - Gordon household in Brahan Ferry * John Gordon, head, 52 yrs [c1799], labourer, born Knockbain * Elizabeth Gordon, wife, 56 yrs [c1795], born Dores * Clariah?? McKenzie, niece, 9 yrs [c1842], born Urray
  		Census 1861 - Gordon household - Brahan Ferry in parish of Urray * John Gordon, head, 65 yrs [c1796], gardener, born in Knockbain * Elizabeth Gordon, wife, 67 yrs [c1794], born in Dries?? * Donald Gordon, son-in-law, 29 yrs [c1832], labour agriculture, born Killatlity * Elizabeth Gordon, daughter, 26 yrs [c1835], wife of lab ag, born Contin.
  		John Gordon - death on 16th Sept 1869 at Brahan Ferry.jpg John Gordon, died at 5am on 16th September 1869 at Brahan Ferry. He was 78 years old, journeyman gardener, married to Elizabeth Gordon. His parents were Alexander Gordon, agricultural labourer and Margaret Gordon, MS [maiden surname] Macdonald. He died of cancer in the abdomen for four months as certified by D Manson, MD, Strathpeffer. The informant was Donald Gordon, grandchild of Brahan Lodge.

  
  

  Our places » Slide Show		Belmaduthy in parish of Knockbain * This is a large estate where Alexander Gordon was living when he married Margaret McDonald in 1794. * Their son, John Gordon, was born here in 1795. * For many years, the family lived on the estate where Alexander was a servant. * (By Don Gordon - updated in July 2025)
  		Brahan Castle History by Julia Marchioness of Tweeddale & Lady Jeune, published in Victoria Voices in 1892 https://www.victorianvoices.net/ARTICLES/EM/EM1892A/EM1892A-BrahanCastl
  		Map of Brahan, Urray Showing Conon House, Dunglass, Brahan Ferry, Brahan Mains, and Brahan House (with remains of the castle)
  		Remains of the parish kirk in Kiltearn - where John Gordon was an elder and his son Alexander was baptized here in 1822

  
  

  Stories

  1.10 - John GORDON & Elizabeth, nee GORDON John & Lizy were born in the 1790s and lived in various locations a little north-west of Inverness. They had nine children, including Alexander who was born in 1822 - he married Jessie Matheson. (A biography by Don Gordon, updated in June 2019)

  
  

• Sources

  [S12] Census, 1851 & 1861. John's place of birth is recorded as Knockbain in the censuses of 1851 and 1861. [S11] Old Parochial Register, Attached to this website. [S17] Scotland's People, Statutory deaths 085/00 21. [S16] Colin Semmler - these notes can be seen with Documents on the left of the home page. [S16] Colin Semmler - these notes can be seen with Documents on the left of the home page, Page 1.