Jean’s mother Mary Fisher was born 20 July 1754 in Port of Menteith, Perthshire (now Stirling), to John Fisher and Margaret Gourlay. John Fisher and Margaret Gourlay were married 19 January 1750. The marriage was recorded in both Kincardine (Margaret) and Port of Menteith (John) “after orderly proclamation she having provided a certificate of her moral character”.
I believe Mary Fisher’s baptism record says she was born “in Ruskie” a small hamlet mid-way between Thornhill in the east and Port of Menteith in the west, about 2 miles east of the parish kirk. Mary’s younger sister Naomi Fisher’s baptism record puts the family at Burnside of Ruskie, which I believe is the little stone cottage depicted in the featured photo of this post.
Indeed 100 years later there’s a mention of a Mr. Fisher at the Ruskie Mill, in the Scottish Ordinance Survey Name Books (1857-1862). Perhaps Mary Fisher was a miller’s daughter before she became a miller’s wife in Cardross. Perhaps she met William Ferrier at market with her father.
“Authorities” reporting on Ruskie Mill c. 1860 included Andrew Ferguson Occr. [Occupier], Mr. Fisher, and Mr. Weir Land steward at Rednock County Directory. The description reads as follows: “A Corn Mill having a dwelling house and a small croft of land attached The property of J.G. Stirling Esqr. of Rednock.” A croft is a type of small-scale tenant farming unique to Scotland.
There’s also a comment connected to an entry on “Sword and Armour Found [Tamnafalloch]” that reads “Also George Fisher the oldest individual in the locality remembers of seeing a sword and a coat of Mail Which was found on it [Tamnafalloch, see map above] by his Grandfather who had then been Laird of it. It is generally believed by the people in the neighbourhood that a battle had been fought here betwixt the early families of Monteith, and some of his neighbours. The names of some of the places is evidence of such, – Tamnafalloch – the Knoll of Blood. Rusky – The baring of the sword. Blairhoyle – The battle fought.”
I believe George Fisher may have been a nephew of Mary Fisher, born 24 December 1786 to Mary’s brother Daniel Fisher and wife Elisabeth Maxweld, making him about 71 at the time of the ordinance survey.
There are mentions of a John Fisher in Clan MacFarlane genealogy, born in 1675 at Miln of Ruskie, married to Mary Buchannan (born 1674, Buchanan parish, Stirlingshire) with children William Fisher (25 March 1703), Patrick Fisher (6 October 1706), Mary Fisher (30 July 1709). Jean Fisher (9 September 1711), James Fisher (18 March 1717). The same John Fisher seems to have been kirk session clerk in port of Menteith, mentioned in the kirk session minutes.
Mary Fisher’s Siblings
John Fisher and Margaret Gourlay had 8 children– 6 daughters and 2 sons, all born in Parish #388, Port of Menteith between 1750 and 1772
- Janet Fisher, baptized 30 October 1750
- Margaret Fisher, baptized 13 August 1752
- Mary Fisher, baptized 20 July, 1754
- Elizabeth Fisher, baptized 11 July 1760
- Robert Fisher, baptized 16 December, 1762
- Jean Fisher, baptized 1 May 1765
- Susanna, baptized 24 July, 1767
- Daniel Fisher, baptized 9 September 1769
- Naomi Fisher, baptized 12 March 1772
John Fisher’s Birth
There were several John Fishers born in Port of Menteith around the appropriate time to make him marriage age in 1750. Donald Fisher and Janet Simmie baptized their son John Fisher’s son John Fisher was baptized 9 June 1721. There is a second record for the couple’s son John Fisher, baptized 6 May 1725, most likely meaning the first John Fisher passed away and their subsequent son was given the same name.
Another Donald Fisher and Margaret Ure also gave birth to another John Fisher, baptized 21 July 1723.
Due to the Fisher family’s association with Ruskie, I believe the Correct John Fisher’s parents were Donald Fisher and Janet Simmie.
Donald Fisher and Janet Simmie were married 18 August 1720 in Port of Menteith. I do not have birth records for them or know who their parents were.
John Fisher’s Siblings
Donald Fisher and Janet Simmie had 8 children I’m aware of:
- John Fisher, born 9 June 1721 in Port of Menteith
- Mary Fisher, born 10 March 1723 in Port of Menteith
- John Fisher, born 6 May, 1725 in Port of Menteith
- Catharine Fisher, born 10 September 1729 in Port of Menteith
- James Fisher, born 9 January 1732 in Port of Menteith
- Patrick Fisher, born 21 April 1734 in Port of Menteith
- Margaret Fisher, born 18 May 1735 in Port of Menteith
- Donald Fisher, born 30 December 1736 in Port of Menteith
Margaret Gourlay’s Birth
If Margaret Gourlay was born in Kincardine in Menteith, the parish her marriage record states she was from, she could have been born 6 February 1732 to Robert Gourlay and Margaret Henderson; or 7 January 1731 to Archibald Gourlay and Christan Walker. If our Margaret is one of these two, I would have to guess Robert and Margaret, since the names Archibald and Christan don’t show up in any of Margaret Gourlay and John Fisher’s children. More research needed here.
Port of Menteith
Port of Menteith was a predominantly Gaelic-speaking farming/fishing village and trading center on the southern shore of Lake of Menteith. An account of Port of Menteith from Menteith, County of Perth, NSA, Vol. X, 1845, written by an unnamed member of the clergy and not nearly detailed as the one for Kincardine (below), describes the lansdcape:
About half of the parish is mountainous moor and level peat-moss; and the productive surface is farther diminished by lakes…The mountainous tract is on the north at the commencement of the Scottish Highlands, to which the transition from the lowlands is here abrupt.” The writer provides several pages of detailed description of the various features of the landscape– the many lochs, craigs, forests, islands, ravines, plant life, etc.
The population of the parish in the year 1801 was around 1,500 persons. Mansion houses included Cardross, Rednock Houses, Gartmore (owned by Robert “Doughty Deeds” Graham, Laird of Ardoch, where Colin Farquharson and Jean Robertson lived) and Leitchtown. In 1724, the principal language spoken was Gaelic, and residents requested a Gaelic speaking minister but didn’t get one.
District 1 – So much of the district of Port of Menteith as lies between No. 2 on the north, No. 6 on the east, No. 5 on the south and No. 3 on the west – including Wester Auchyle, Stonefields, Monievrachie, Milling, Gateside, Portend, Port Schoolhouse, Manse, Wester Lodge of Rednock, Inchie, Milton of Cardross, Aruachlerich, Blancessnock, Ballangrew, Cardoss House & Lodge (north), Dykehead & Tamavhoid
District 2 – That portion of the parish of Port of Menteith bounded on the north by the parishes of Callander & Aberfoyle, by part of No. 6 on the East, & by part of No 3 on the west. The district includes Lower Glenny, Over Glenny, Meudhouse, Culnagreau, Invertrosach Lodge, Easter & Wester Dullater
District 3 – That portion of the parish of Port of Menteith bounded on the north & east by No. 1- on the west by No 5.- and on the south by the parish of Kippen. This district includes Gartreuich, Carse of Shauschyle, Lower Shauschyle, Over Sauschyle, Gartmore Bridge End, and that portion of the Barony of Gartmore lying within the (commonly so called) quoad sacra parish of Gartmore as bounded by by the parish of Kippen on the south, & No. 4 on the west- including Bridge End, Baibatos, Freuchau, Gartmore House & the houses within the policy
District 4 – Village of Gartmore including the houses occupied by J. Mustard, smith & others at the north end of said village (not including Gartmore West Lodge)
District 5 – That portion of the parish of Port of Menteith bounded on the north by Nos. 1, 6 & 7- on the south by the parish of Kippen – and on the east by the parish of Kincardine. The district includes East Poldar House, & farm houses, West Poldar, Moss-settlers, Farroway, Cardross South Lodge, Hilton, Culnamoon, Arnvicar, Overlaudy, gartur, and Balabeg
District 6 – That portion of the parish of Port of Menteith bounded by No. 1 on the west – No. 5 on the south – No. 7 on the east and the parish of Callander on the north. The district includes Currock of Auchyle, Rednock House, and the houses within the policy (with the exception of the Wester Lodge), Rednock Castle farmhouse, Haughrig, Letter, Grahams Arms, Ballagluce, Hammersmith, Lomacher, Rinaclach, Rednock Mills, Oatlands, Wester Lanniston, Bigron, Leitchtown House
District 7 – That portion of the parish of Port of Menteith lying between No. 6 on the west – No. 5 on the south – and bounded on the east by the parish of Kincardine & on the north by the parish of Callander. The district includes the village or hamlet of Ruskie, Calsiemuck, Easter Leinneston (?), Duniveig (?), Wester Lei, Waids of Goodie, Polabeg, and the houses included in the division of the parish of Port of Menteith described as the quoad sacra parish of Norrieston.
Kincardine in Menteith
Kincardine in Menteith is a rural parish in the county of Perth (now Stirling) in the Vale of Menteith, which is the valley between the River Teith and River Forth. Kincardine consists of two villages, sprawling farms and rural cottages, and several grand houses for landowners and gentry. A detailed account or the parish can be found in Kincardine, County of Perth, OSA, Vol. VI, 1793, written by Rev. Christopher Tait.
The population of Kincardine in 1746 was 490 “men from 14 years of age to 60, that were not engaged in the rebellion,” said Tait. “There was a garrison kept by the rebels in Down castle” on the opposite side of River Teath, where an estimated 10 parish residents (or 1/50) were involved, bringing the total number of men in the parish to “500, and that the number of souls was 2000.”
About 30% of the population lived in the parish’s two villages, Norriestown and Thornhill. “The greater part of these, and a few cottagers in other parts of the parish, are labourers or handycraftsmen,” Tait said. “Tanning is the only trade of any consequence carried on in Thornhill; it does not employ above 20 hands. There are also a few of the parishioners employed at the Adelphi cotton work, which lies in that part of Kilmadock that intersects this parish, and employs about 900 people…There are 66 tenants, and 126 moss tenants within the parish*.
The reverend estimated a third of the parishioners were separatists of different denominations.
The Burgher Seceders are the most numerous class; it prevails much on the southeast point of the parish, that being in the neighbourhood of Stirling, where that sect have had their most numerous congregation; Ebenezer Erskine being one of the ministers of that town at the commencement of the Secession. The Antiburgher Seceders, and adherents of the Presbytery of Relief are next to them in number. There are a few Cameronians and some Episcopalians, and also 4 families of Roman Catholics who came lately from the Highlands.”
Kincardine residents were largely church going, Gaelic speaking people, according to Tait, and “in general sober, industrious, and frugal. Among several of them, however, the effects of the distillery of malt spirits, that was carried on to a great extent in Thornhill.As for many years past, a considerable proportion of the servants here have been natives of the highlands, and of late above a hundred families from [the Highlands] have settled in the parish, principally in the moss [a peat bog; a stretch of moorland allocated to tenants for cutting fuel]. The Gaelic is the only language spoken by some of the inhabitants, and many more of them understand it better than the Scotch. The names of places are partly of Gaelic original, as Tolgarth, Gartboch, Arnive, and partly of Scotch, as Bankhead, Westfood.
Kincardine, County of Perth, OSA, Vol. VI, 1793, by Rev. Christopher Tait
Scottish Gaelic is distinct from Scotch, the Middle English-derived language which had come to be spoken in most of the Lowlands of Scotland by the early modern era.
Primary crops produced in Kincardine were oats, barley, and beans, turnips for the cows “and as many potatoes as can supply the inhabitants of the parish. [Potatoes] constitute a large proportion of the food of the families of the farmers in winter, and a still larger of those of the labourers and tradesmen.”
Almost all the labouring servants are unwarmed, and live in the farm houses. There are two men, a boy and a women servant employed by almost every farmer; but, if he has children grown up, they supply the place of servants. The farmer himself works and fares in the same manner nearly as his servants do. Commonly they all seat at the same table…The farmers of this parish and neighbourhood…employ only unmarried men as servants. The effect of which is, that fewer marry than would, if they had a prospect of obtaining employment, amidst their relations and companions, in that species of labour to which they have been bred, equally well after marriage as before it. And also, that, of those who marry, some leave the parish, and others become moss tenants, at the hazard of enduring greater hardships for some time, if they have not saved money, than if they left the parish.
Kincardine, County of Perth, OSA, Vol. VI, 1793, by Rev. Christopher Tait
