Exiles' Return

A double wedding was held in Kemnay Public Hall on 18th June 1897.  The participants were: George Barron Adams, a master baker aged 26 years and Maggie J Reid aged 19 years a domestic servant; George's sister Jessie Adams aged 28 years married James M Reid aged 23 years (no relation to Maggie J Reid).

The above information will mean nothing to most people in the village, but George Barron Adams has left his mark in the village.  His address on the marriage certificate is given as Thorpeville, Kemnay, the property between High Street and the Village Hall.  Whether this was an address which was used as a convenience or not is unknown – his bride was the daughter of Robert and Margaret Reid, also of Thorpeville, where Robert ran a shoemaker's business at the end next the hall.  It is believed that George Adams also ran a pie shop in what is now Lingard the butcher's front shop, which suggests that he could have been staying in the property.

Notes for GEORGE BARRON ADAM

Note he changed his name to Adams by the time he married

Marriage notes for GEORGE ADAM and MARGARET REID

Kemnay/1897/7 18th June, 1897 at Public Hall, Kemnay

George B Adams, aged 26 years;, baker master, bachelor; Thorpville, Kemnay; father Wiulliam adams mason journeyman, deceased; mother Jessie Adams, nee Paterson; married Maggie J Reid domestic servant, spinster aged 19 years of Thorpville, Kemnay; father Robert Reid shoemaker master, mother Margaret Reid, nee Garden deceased; married by A Hood Smith, Kemnay; witnesses James A Symmers and Williamina Reid

By the time of the 1901 census, George and his wife were staying at Nithsdale Cottage on Church Lane – George's occupation is given as 'baker and confectioner' – along with their family; Helen M (4 years), Janet P (2), Garnet (1) and Robert R (5 months). 

In November 1900 George Adams obtained a building lease for an area of land on Station Road in the village, his occupation being given as 'refreshment room keeper'.  The property, now numbered 29, was erected, along with a wooden hall to the rear which acted as the function room for the Temperance Hotel.  In order to fund these works George Adams obtained a loan of £500, with interest payable at 5%, from William Monro Sellar, a solicitor in Aberdeen. In October 1904 he took out a further loan for £600 from Century Insurance Co. Ltd from which loan he paid off William Monro Sellar.  In May 1906 he sold the property to Alexander Henry of Rosehall Cottage for £750.  It continued as a Temperance Hotel until into the 1920s, many weddings being held there, when it changed wholly to a bakery, Henry having previously baked to serve the needs of the hotel.

Nothing more was heard of George Barron Adams, or "Pie Dod" as he was known in the village, until recently when it was learned that he is buried in a cemetery in British Columbia overlooking the Fraser River. Also buried in this cemetery is Jessie Adam, maiden surname Paterson, (George's mother) who died on 27th November 1913.  Her husband, William Adam, died on 11th October 1894 at Loanend, Kemnay, aged 53 years and is buried in lair B39/40 in Kemnay Churchyard.

George Adams was one of nine children to William and Jessie Adam (note both George and his sister Jessie had added an 's' to their names by the time they were married) who stayed at Loanend beside Dalmadilly.  Jessie was the daughter of John Paterson, a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth Smith who lived for some time in the Tarves area.  

Notes for WILLIAM ADAMS:

death Kemnay/1894/17 William Adam mason journeyman, married to Jessie Paterson, died 11th October, 1894 at Loanend, Kemnay aged 53 years; father William Adam crofter deceased, mother Elizabeth Adam nee Barron; cause of death tumour of brain 9 months, cerebral effusion 1 day; informant son William Adam, Home Farm, Fetternear, Chapel of Garioch

Marriage Notes for WILLIAM ADAMS and JESSIE PATERSON:

Tarvas/1863/4 on 7th May, 1863 at Hunterhall, Tarvas

William Adam quarrier, bachelor aged 22 years Loanend, Kemnay; father William Adam crofteer mother Elizabeth Adam, nee Barron; married Jessie Paterson, domestic servant, spinster aged 22 years of Hunterhall Tarvas; father John Paterson, labourer deceased, mother Elizabeth Paterson, nee Smith deceased; married by Francis Knox, Tarvas, witnesses Alexander Scorgie, and John Louden

Children of WILLIAM ADAMS and JESSIE PATERSON are:

i. WILLIAM3 ADAM, b. 1 February 1864, Kemnay.
ii. JAMES ALEXANDER ADAM, b. 26 July 1865, Kemnay.
iii. ELIZABETH ADAM, b. 29 April 1867, Kemnay.
iv. JESSIE ADAM, b. 29 March 1869, Loanend, Kemnay; m. JAMES MCGILIVRAY REID, 18 June 1897, Public Hall, Kemnay; b. 8 August 1873, Mossville Cottage, Kemnay.
v. GEORGE BARRON ADAM, b. 21 June 1870, Loanend, Kemnay; m. MARGARET JANE REID, 18 June 1897, Public Hall, Kemnay; b. 15 May 1878, Parkside of Lethenty, Chapel of Garioch. Notes for GEORGE BARRON ADAM:
note he changed his name to Adams by the time he married
vi. JOHN CHARLES ADAM, b. 23 May 1872, Kemnay.
vii. ALEXANDER ADAM, b. 5 August 1874, Kemnay.
viii. CATHERINE PATERSON ADAM, b. Abt. 1878, Kemnay; d. 20 February 1904, 60 College Street, Glasgow; m. ALEXANDER DEAN REID.
Notes for CATHERINE PATERSON ADAM:
death Blackfriars, Glasgow/1904/78 Catherine Paterson Reid, married to Alexander Dean Reid, carter, died 20th February 1904 at 60 College Street, Glasgow aged 25 years; father William Adam mason journeyman, deceased, mother Jessie Adams, nee Barron; cause of deaath puerperal septicaemia 10 days; informant widow Alex D Reid
 ix. MARY J ADAM, b. Abt. 1880, Kemnay.

William Adam married Mary Reid Emslie, daughter of Mr and Mrs Emslie of Whitehaugh Lodge, Fetternear, on Friday 25th June 1897 at 5.00 p.m. in Burnett Arms Hotel, Kemnay.

Maggie J Reid was the daughter of Robert Reid who ran a shoemaker's business at Thorpeville – the end next the present day Village Hall.  The family had moved to the village from Chapel of Garioch around 1880 and were to remain at Thorpeville until around 1950.

The other couple married on 18th June 1897 were George Adams' elder sister Jessie, aged 28 years, a domestic servant staying at West Mains, Kemnay and James McGilivray Reid, aged 23 years.  At that time West Mains, which is situated on the left hand side of Paradise Road heading towards the quarry and has for a long time been known as Garryvene, consisted of three dwelling houses occupied, in 1901, at the front by the Grieve family and in the dwellings down the back by; James Reid, his wife Jessie and their son James and Jessie's sister Mary and her husband George Smith.

Marriage Notes for JAMES REID and JESSIE ADAM

Kemnay/1897/8 on 18th June, 1897 at Public Hall, Kemnay; James M Reid, labourer in quarry, bachelor aged 23 years, Brownhill, Kemnay; father James Reid crofter, mother Christina Reid nee Gordon; married Jessie Adams, domestic servant, aged 28 years; West Mains, Kemnay; father William Adams, mason journeyman, deceased; mother Jessie Adams, nee Paterson; married by A Hood Smith, Kemnay; witnesses George Reid and Catherine Adams

The Reid family have a long connection with the area – mainly around Aquithie.  Although no record of John Reid's birth has been found, he was born around 1819 and later married Marjory Tindal.  Among their family were Isobel born on 6th March 1843, Lewis born on 5th September 1845, James born on 3rd September 1850 and George born on 5th December 1853.

Isobel Reid had a child Isabella Ross to John Ross on 1st November 1864.  The couple were later married on 9th December 1865 at Broomhill [sic –possibly Brownhill] Kemnay] Isobel Reid died 22nd April 1905 at Morrisons Buildings Kemnay [Costcutter].  John Ross died at Lilydale Cottage on 25th May 1899 having suffered from pneumonia for 9 days.

Notes for JOHN ROSS:

death Kemnay/1899/13 John Ross driller, married to Isabella Reid died 25th May, 1899 at Lilydale Cottage, Kemnay aged 59 years; father William Ross farm servant deceased, mother Annie Ross nee Leith deceased; cause of death pneumonia 9 days; informant son in law James Brown, Paradise Cottage, Kemnay

(Mother also known as Elizabeth Leith)
Marriage Notes for ISABELLA REID and JOHN ROSS:

marriage Kemnay/1865/11 On 9th December, 1865 at Broomhill, Kemnay; banns according to the Church of Scotland John Ross day labourer, bachelor aged 25 years, Port Elphinstone, Kintore; father William Ross farm servant, mother Elizabeth Ross nee Leith; married Isabella Reid, domestic servant, spinster aged 22 years, Broomhill, Kemnay,; father John Reid crofter, mother Marjory Reid, nee Tindal; married by George Peter, minister at Kemnay; witnesses James Ross and Lewis Reid

Isabella (born 1st November 1864) had a daughter, Margaret, by William Farquhar (born 26th March 1884 at Lilydale Kemnay) who died on 7th August 1913 at Cowford, Maryculter as a result of swallowing crude carbolic acid.  On 8th June 1889 Isabella married James Brown (aged 25 years, then an agricultural labourer of Wester Fintray) at Lilydale Cottage Kemnay [now Valinor, Aquithie Road].  Their children included: Mary Ann b.circa 1890 at Fintray; Joan R. b.c. 1892 at Fintray; George b.c.1893 at Inverurie; James b.c. 1896 at Kemnay; Albert b.c. 1899 at Kemnay; William Myles b.c. 1904 at Kemnay[father of Miss Ann R Brown].

Notes for ISABELLA ROSS:

birth Kemnay/1864/30 - Isabella Ross illegitimate, born 1st November, 1864 at Broomyhill, Kemnay; father John Ross, day labourer, mother Isabella Reid domestic servant; informant mother Isabella Reid, and John Ross, Port Elphinstone, Kintore

death Northern District/1938/603 Isabella Brown widow of James Brown, quarry labourer, died 13th June, 1938 at Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen usual residence Thains Buildings, Kemnay aged 73 years; father John Ross general labourer deceased, mother Isabella Ross, nee Reid deceased; cause of death strangulated umbilical hernia, gangrene of sac; informant son William Brown, Station Road, Kemnay

Notes for JAMES BROWN:
Kemnay/1904/14

James Brown quarry fireman, married to Isabella Ross died 29.8.1904 at Quarry, Kemnay, aged 39 years; father George Brown, carter deceased, mother Mary nee Mutch deceased; informant neighbour R Cruickshank, West Mains, Kemnay
Procurator Fiscal report - quarry blaster, usual residence Paradise Siding, Kemnay - instantaneously killed at said quarry by a piece of rock which fell from the face of said quarry striking him on the head

Marriage Notes for ISABELLA ROSS and JAMES BROWN:

marriage, Kemnay/1889/5 on 8th June, 1889 at Lilydale Cottage, Kemnay, banns according to the Church of Scotland James Brown, agricultural labourer bachelor aged 25 years of Wester Fintray, Fintray; father George Brown agricultural labourer, mother Mary Brown, nee Mutch; married Isabella Ross domestic servant, spinster aged 24 years, Lilydale Cottage, Kemnay; father John Ross, labourer in quarry, mother Isabella Ross, nee Reid; married by George Peter minister at Kemnay; witnesses Robert Thomson and John Ross

Lewis [still awaiting information]

James Reid was born on 3rd September 1850 and on 25th June 1870 he married Christina Gordon (aged 19 years) at Auchterless.  Among their family were: John W Reid b.c. 1871 at Turriff; James McG Reid born 8th August 1873 at Kemnay; George Reid b.c. 1876 at Fintray; William G Reid b.c. 1879 at Kintore.

Marriage Notes for JAMES REID and CHRISTINA GORDON:

Auchterless/1870/7 on 25th June, 1870 at Auchterless; James Reid farm servant, bachelor aged 19 years, North Mains of Barra, Bourtie; father John Reid crofter mother Mary Reid nee Tindal, married Christina Gordon, domestic servant, spinster aged 18 years Barlaithers, Turriff; father John Gordon toll gate keeper, mother Isabella Gordon, nee Milton; married by Alexander Gray, Auchterless, witnesses George Tindal and Alexander Barclay[?]

Inscription in Kemnay Churchyard

In loving memory of JAMES ALEXR. REID grandson of JAMES REID, Brownhill who died Jan. 29. 1918 aged 15 years.  The above JAMES REID who died June 18. 1924 aged 73 years, also his wife CHRISTINA GORDON who died Nov. 9. 1930 aged 77 years.

James McGilivray Reid married (as stated above) Jessie Adams at Kemnay Public Hall on 18th June 1897.  After staying some years in the village it is believed that the family emigrated to America where the marriage eventually foundered.  Jessie Reid died on February 20 1945 and is buried in Whitemarsh Cemetery, North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

George Reid was born on 5th December 1853 and in time married Margaret Sheriffs Clark (a member of another family which has been in the area since the early 19th century) and settled at Lilybank Cottage in Aquithie

Inscription in Kemnay Churchyard

In loving memory of WILLIAM REID who died at Lily Bank Cottage, Aquithie, Kemnay 27th Sept. 1907 aged 18 years, HENRY GORDON REID killed in action in France 21st March 1918 aged 21 years, also their father GEORGE REID died 9th Nov. 1918 aged 64 years, also their mother MARGARET SHERRIFFS CLARK died 21st July 1922 aged 62 years.