The Scotland name is very much a part of the naming pattern in the Steel family-my grandfather was Alexander Scotland Steel and several of my ancestors have also had Scotland as their middle name. It is often assumed that this name has been given as a tribute to the country of origin of the Steel family. This however, is not the case! The pattern was seemingly begun by my great, great grandmother, Janet or Jessie Scotland who used her own family name as the middle name for her oldest son. And so the tradition continued, up until the present day when the last person to share the family name, my great grandaunt, Jessie Scotland Steel, passed away in July of 2003.

The first male ancestor in the Scotland line that can be documented is Alexander Scotland whose date and place of birth is unknown. It seems likely that he was born in the very early part of the nineteenth century. One reference found for an Alexander Scotland is in the 1825 Pigot's directory. A grocer (his occupation) of the same name is listed in Kincardine, though there is no proof that this is the same individual. During that time there were a number of Scotland families living in the Tulliallan area of Kincardine-they were mostly ship builders and owners. What is known for certain is that on January 20, 1836 Alexander Scotland married Jessie Cramb in Auchtergaven, Perthshire. Jessie's mother was a Scotland and she may have been a cousin to Alexander, though this can not at present be proven. Jessie, one of eleven children, was a daughter of John Cramb and Janet Scotland of Kinclaven, Perthshire.

Alexander Scotland and Jessie Cramb were parents to two children. Their first child, a daughter named Jessie (Janet) Scotland was born in Auchtergaven in April of 1836. A son, John Scotland was born in Old Greenock, Renfrewshire, on April 21, 1839. By the time of the 1841 census, Jessie Cramb and her two small children were once again living in Kinclaven in the home of her parents. At the same time, Alexander was still living in Greenock where he was sharing living space on Ann Street with a draper named John Marshall. Why the two were living apart can only be speculated upon. At some point after the 1841 census it is likely that Alexander Scotland died though a date and place of death have not been discovered.

In 1849 Jessie Cramb Scotland married John Reoch (born August 3, 1822, Redgorton) in Perth, though a record of the event has not been found at present. John was a sergeant in the police force in Perth and his brother, James was married to Jessie's sister, Elizabeth. John and Jessie were parents to three children, Jane Ann born in Redgorton around 1850, Alexander Scotland born in Perth about 1854, and William born in Perth on May 24, 1855. Jessie Cramb died in Perth on September 5, 1861 at the age of 47. She was buried on September 6 at 2pm in a plain coffin at Wellshill cemetery.

At the time of the 1851 census the two Scotland children, Janet and John, were living in Redgorton but not in the Reoch home. The two were lodgers in the home of Donald and Isabella Gorrie and both children were listed as linen weavers. This would seem to be the last time the two siblings were recorded as living in the same place at the same time. The Scotlands seem to have moved about the country quite a bit from then on.

On May 11, 1855 daughter Jessie (Janet) Scotland married John McDonald, son of Andrew McDonald and Charlotte Sutherland of Caithness, at St. Nicholas, Aberdeen. At the time of the marriage, John was serving as a sergeant with the 79th Highlanders. There were no children born into the marriage. The date of death of Sergeant McDonald is not known at this time, but by 1864 Jessie was a widow living in Dundee and working as a power loom weaver. On June 07, 1864 Jessie gave birth to a daughter in Dundee. She named her daughter Elizabeth Scotland and registered the birth without naming the child's father.

On July 13, 1866 John Scotland was married in South Leith, Midlothian to Helen Hoy. She was the daughter of John Landell Hoy and Sarah Wilkie. The couple lived in Leith for the first few years of their marriage. At least three of their children were born there-an unnamed male child born in April 1867 and who died at 10 days; a son John Hoy Scotland (November 16, 1868) and a daughter, Sarah (August 09, 1870). The family relocated to Aberfeldy, Perthshire and John began working as a waiter at the Kenmore Hotel. On October 9th of 1872 John Scotland registered the birth of a son, Charles and the death of daughter Sarah. According to the information recorded on the certificates, both events occurred on October 5th. In addition, two more daughters were born to the couple, Helen Hoy Scotland in 1874 and Eva Scotland in 1876. Both girls were both born in Acharn, near Kenmore, Perthshire.

By the time of the 1881 census, John Scotland and family were living in Moulin, Perthshire where John was listed as the Hotel Keeper at the Inverness Road Hotel. By 1891 census John was the proprietor of his own establishment, Scotland's Hotel, Pitlochry. Click here to see more views of the hotel over the years.

To be continued...

 

Descendants of Alexander Scotland and Jessie Cramb

Generation 1.

ALEXANDER SCOTLAND was born in Scotland, date and place unknown, and died between 1841 and 1849 in Scotland. He married Jessie Cramb January 20, 1836 in Auchtergaven, Perthshire, Scotland, daughter of John Cramb and Janet Scotland. She was born around or about February 20, 1813, and died September 04, 1861 in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

Children of ALEXANDER SCOTLAND and JESSIE CRAMB

• JESSIE SCOTLAND, b. Abt. April 10, 1836, Auchtergaven, Perthshire, Scotland; d. June 25, 1891, District of St. Andrew, Dundee, Scotland.
• JOHN SCOTLAND, b. April 21, 1839, Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland; d. August 30, 1900, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland.

JESSIE CRAMB then married John Reoch around or about 1849. He was born August 03, 1822 in Redgorton, Perthshire, Scotland, and died July 30, 1878 in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

Children of JOHN REOCH and JESSIE CRAMB

• JANE ANN REOCH.
• ALEXANDER SCOTLAND REOCH, d. April 01, 1897, Saint Clement, Dundee, Scotland.
• WILLIAM REOCH, b. May 24, 1855, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

Generation 2.

JESSIE SCOTLAND was born around or about April 10, 1836 in Auchtergaven, Perthshire, Scotland, and died June 25, 1891 in District of St. Andrew, Dundee, Scotland. She married JOHN MCDONALD May 11, 1855 in St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, Scotland, son of ANDREW MCDONALD and CHARLOTTE SUTHERLAND. He was born February 1829 in Caithness, Scotland, and died Bef. 1864. She married EDWARD LENNOX STEEL April 03, 1874 in Dundee, Scotland, son of WILLIAM STEEL and MARGARET YOUNG. He was born October 29, 1834 in Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland, and died April 23, 1901 in Dundee, Scotland.

Child of JESSIE SCOTLAND

• ELIZABETH SCOTLAND or MCDONALD, born June 07, 1864, Dundee, Forfar, Scotland; died August 13, 1947, Saint Andrew, Dundee, Scotland.

Children of JESSIE SCOTLAND and EDWARD STEEL

• ANDREW STEEL, born December 16, 1874, Dundee, Scotland; died May 10, 1952, Bridgeport, CT.
• ALEXANDER SCOTLAND STEEL, born December 16, 1874, Dundee, Scotland; died September 09, 1944, Bridgeport, CT.
• EDWARD STEEL, born September 14, 1876; died March 1970.

JOHN SCOTLAND was born April 21, 1839 in Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland, and died August 30, 1900 in Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. He married HELEN HOY July 13, 1866 in South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland, daughter of JOHN HOY and SARAH WILKIE. She was born November 10, 1848 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, and died February 20, 1898 in Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland.

Children of JOHN SCOTLAND and HELEN HOY

• ANONYMOUS SCOTLAND, b. April 24, 1867, South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland; d. May 04, 1867, South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland.
• JOHN HOY SCOTLAND, b. November 16, 1868, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland; d. August 03, 1930, Saint Machar, Aberdeen, Scotland; m. ANNIE CHRISTIE, December 27, 1893, Arbroath, Forfar, Scotland; b. September 26, 1869; d. September 21, 1939, Aberdeen, Scotland.
• SARAH SCOTLAND, b. August 09, 1870, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland; d. October 05, 1872, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.
• CHARLES SCOTLAND, b. October 05, 1872, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.
• HELEN HOY SCOTLAND, b. July 27, 1874, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland; d. January 20, 1953, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland.
• EVA SCOTLAND, b. June 22, 1876, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland; d. after. 1954.
• ANONYMOUS SCOTLAND, b. August 05, 1877, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland; d. August 06, 1877, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland.
• ANONYMOUS SCOTLAND, b. June 13, 1878, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland; d. June 13, 1878, Acharn/Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland.

ALEXANDER SCOTLAND REOCH, a hairdresser, died April 01, 1897 in Saint Clement, Dundee, Scotland. He married AGNES KNOX May 04, 1878 in District of Saint Mary, Dundee, Scotland, daughter of JOHN KNOX and AGNES BLACK. She was born February 25, 1854 in Banchory-Ternan, Kincardine, Scotland, and died October 14, 1903 in Royal Infimary, Dundee, Scotland.

Children of ALEXANDER REOCH and AGNES KNOX

• AGNES REOCH, b. April 07, 1881, Saint Clement, Dundee, Scotland.
• JANET SCOTLAND REOCH, b. June 03, 1883, Saint Clement, Dundee, Scotland; d. September 24, 1941, Newington, Midlothian, Scotland; m. WILLIAM F. CRIGHTON, August 28, 1908, District of Saint Andrew, Dundee, Scotland; b. Abt. 1883.
• SGT. JOHN SCOTLAND REOCH, b. June 22, 1886, District of St. Clement, Dundee, Scotland; m. AGNES LAMOND, October 07, 1910, Saint Paul Church, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland; b. September 25, 1887, St. Martin, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.
• ALEXANDER REOCH, b. March 18, 1892.

WILLIAM REOCH was born May 24, 1855 in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. He married MARY CUNNINGHAM April 08, 1878 in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland, daughter of MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM.

Child of WILLIAM REOCH and MARY CUNNINGHAM

• WILLIAM REOCH, b. July 11, 1878.

Generation 3.

ELIZABETH SCOTLAND was born June 07, 1864 in Dundee, Forfar, Scotland, and died August 13, 1947 in Saint Andrew, Dundee, Scotland. She and DAVID GREWER, son of JAMES GREWER and ISABELLA LAIRD, had one child together. He was born about 1858, and died June 23, 1885 in Dundee, Forfar, Scotland. She married GEORGE MUNRO 1889 in Dundee, Scotland.

Child of ELIZABETH SCOTLAND and DAVID GREWER

• DAVID GREWER, b. March 10, 1882, Saint Andrew, Dundee, Forfar, Scotland; m. AGNES NICOLL REID, June 07, 1911, Saint David, Dundee, Scotland; b. about 1881.

ANDREW STEEL was born December 16, 1874 in Dundee, Scotland, and died May 10, 1952 in Bridgeport, CT. He married JESSIE GRAY MAXWELL April 07, 1899 in Dundee, Scotland, daughter of PETER MAXWELL and MARGARET ANGUS. She was born June 13, 1878 in Dundee, Scotland, and died March 24, 1947 in Bridgeport, CT.

ALEXANDER SCOTLAND STEEL was born December 16, 1874 in Dundee, Scotland, and died September 09, 1944 in Bridgeport, CT. He married ISABELLE MACDONALD. She was born September 25, 1886, and died August 10, 1966 in Stratford, CT.

EDWARD STEEL was born September 14, 1876, and died March 1970. He married ISABELLA HENRY INNES January 01, 1900 in St. Clement, Dundee, Scotland, daughter of JOHN INNES and AGNES HENRY. She was born 1881.

AGNES REOCH was born April 07, 1881 in Saint Clement, Dundee, Scotland. She married DAVID HANTON REOCH November 16, 1907 in District of Saint Andrew, Dundee, Scotland, son of ALEXANDER REOCH and HELEN HANTON. He was born December 25, 1878 in Ferry Port on Craig, Fife, Scotland.

Child of AGNES REOCH

• JANET SCOTLAND REOCH, b. December 17, 1902, Saint Andrew, Dundee, Forfar, Scotland; d. January 26, 1903, Saint Andrew, Dundee, Forfar, Scotland.

LINKS

Scotland's Hotel, Pitlochry in old postcards.
Recent Photos of the Hotel
Photographs of Perthshire.
Burns Night, 1904, at Scotland's Hotel.

Home

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¹ Liddell, Colin. Pitlochry: Heritage of a Highland District. (Perth and Kinross District Libraries, 1993).