Wedderburn book > History

484 THE WEDDERBURN BOOK.
Part VI. Elizabeth? There is no entry of her baptism, but the person of her name, who married at Old
Chap. II. Meldrum, 10-26 May 1812, Thomas Gordon of that parish {ib. 34), is probably a daughter of Keith
Wedderburn.
v. Joseph Wedderburn, baptized at OH Meldrum, 15 Jan. 1782 {ib. 16), died, 3 Dec. 1828, aat.
47, buried at Old Meldrum, was a farmer at New Wells. He married, 29 June — 14 July 1805, at Old
Meldrum {ib. 32), Helen Gordon, daughter to George Gordon, and by her (born 1779, died 3 Aug. 1834,
set. 55, buried at Old Meldrum),' had issue four sons and four daughters 3 : —
1. Joseph Wedderburn, baptized at Old Meldrum, 6 Dec. 1812 {ib. 21). He emigrated to Canada,
where he lived at one time near Flora, and later in the township of Seneca and Oneida, co.
Haldimand. He married (1) Ellen 'Webster, no doubt in Scotland ; (2) Helen Finnle,
widow, of Old Meldrum. He had a family of ten children by his first wife, 3 viz. : —
{a) Alexander Wedderburn, d.s.p. ; (6) John Wedderburn, now of Michigan, U.S.
Married and has issue; (c) William Wedderburn, d.s.p. ; (d) George Wedderburn, now
of Michigan, U.S. Married and has issue ; {e) James Wedderburn, also of Michigan ; and
{a) Christina, m. Henri/ Jackson of Clanbrassil, co. Haldimand, Ontario, and has issue. (6) Anne,
m. John McHaltie of Cedar Springs, Michigan, and has issue, (c) Elsie, m. William Briggs of
Michigan, and died leaving issue, (d) Ellen, m. — Worm, and died leaving a daughter,
(e) Rachel, m. John Jackson of Clanbrassil, Ontario, and has issue.
2. John Wedderburn, baptized at Old Meldrum, 12 July 1818 {ib. 23), went to Turriff, where he
died 4 Dec. 1862, ret. 44, and is buried in the churchyard there. He married Catherine Simpson,
and by her who died at Turriff, ret. 76, in 1858, had issue four children, (1) John Wedderburn,
bom 1850, died at Turriff, set. 11, March 10, 1861. (2) William Wedderburn, (1, Water Lane,
Turriff), married Oct. 23 at Turriff, 17 June 1876. Barbara Mary Marr, daughter of Andrew
Marr, and by her (b. 1853), had issue : — (o) John Leiper Wedderburn, born at Turriff,
16 Jan. 1879, died there, 10 June 1888. (6) William Wedderburn, born at Turriff, 4 July
1880. (c) James Morrison Wedderburn, born at Turriff, 3 June 1853, died there, 15 June
1888. (d) Andrew Marr Wedderburn, born at Turriff, 18 March 1886. (e) George Wedder-
burn, born at Turriff, 10 Jan. 1889. (/) Alexander Wedderburn, born at Turriff, 1892;
and {g) Catherine, born at Turriff, 12 June 1882, died there, 13 June 1882. (ft) Helen, born
at Turriff, 30 June 1890, died there, 20 July, set. 3 weeks. (3) Helen. (4) Ann, born at Turriff
27 March 1857, died there 13 April 1865, ret. 8.
3. James Wedderburn, baptized 1820. Married in this country, and went to Canada and later to
America, U.S. Had issue one son.
4. George Wedderburn, twin with James. Married at Turriff, 16 June 1847, Elizabeth Murray.
d. to Alexander Murray, and had issue three sons and two daughters, all of whom died young. 4
He died 1 March 1874, and is buried at Old Meldrum. His widow remarried, at Old Meldrum,
18 Dec. 1875, Thomas Finnie of New Pitsligo.
and
5. Anne, baptized 13 Nov. 1806 ; married James Gray, and had issue. Died at Old Meldrum 19 Feb.
1873. Buried at Old Meldrum.
6. Elizabeth, baptized 24 April 1808 ; married Alexander Webster, and had issue. Died about 1851.
7. Rachel, baptized 24 June 1810 ; married John Nicholson, and had issue. Died 1871 ; buried at
Macduff churchyard.
8. Helen, baptized April 1816 ; married James Gordon, and had issue. She died, ret. 49, at Old
Meldrum, 24 March 1866. Buried at Old Meldrum.
1 The following is the inscription on their tombstone in Old Meldrum churchyard, " Erected by George
Wedderburn, merchant, Old Meldrum, in memory of his father Joseph Wedderburn, farmer, New
Wells, who died 3 December 1828, aged 47, and his mother Helen Gordon, died 3 August 1834, aged
55, and George Wedderburn, died 1 March 1874 aged 53."
3 This part of the account of the Old Meldrum family has been compiled from both the parish registers
and information contained in letters (1891) to me from two of the descendants of Joseph Wedderburn
in New Wells, viz., his great grandson, James Gordon of Tillycairn, Old Meldrum, a grandson of
Helen Wedderburn and James Gordon, and Miss Elizabeth Webster (3, Distillery Road, Old
Meldrum), a daughter of Elizabeth Wedderburn and Alexander Webster. Mrs. Finnie, the widow
of his son George, has also added some more particulars. James Gordon erroneously gives the names
of his great uncles as John, George, Alexander, and James.
Among J.W.'s papers is a letter (J. W. 98) received by him from George Garioch, the minister
of Old Meldrum, dated 6 July 1837, in which he says that some years ago there had been found
on the site of the old manse of Bethelnay a stone, probably the top stone of the door of the manse
there, which had the words "William Wedderburn" cut on it. He adds, "there is just one family
of Wedderburns in this parish," but they could give no information about the minister of
Bethelnay.
3 The statements as to this family are given on the authority of the Rev. J. W. Mitchell of Thorold
Ontario, and the Rev. Alexander Webster of Kilmarnock, both nephews of Joseph Wedderburn's first
wife. They differ as to her christian name, Mr. Webster giving it as Christian, Mr. Mitchell
as above.
4 Mrs. Finnie gives their names : — George, born at Turriff ; Alexander, born at Turriff, died un-
married, ret. 19, 10 Aug. 1870 at Old Meldrum; Mary, born at Turriff, died, ret. 8, 19 Jan. 1861 at
Old Meldrum ; Elizabeth Read, born at Kinnethmont 1855, died, ret. 6, 8 Jan. 1861 at Old Meldrum ;
George, born at Kinnethmont 1857, died, ret. 3, 8 Jan. 1861 at Old Meldrum.