Person:John Maitland (16)

John Maitland was baptised on 3rd October 1788 at Daviot in Aberdeenshire, son of Christian Booth and her husband James Maitland, a farmer. The family lived at Pitblain, a farm or small hamlet a short distance north-east of Daviot village.

John’s next sighting is in in 1816, by which time he was married to a Margaret Johnston and living at Chapel of Garioch, the neighbouring parish to the south-west of Daviot. Between 1816 and 1826 John and Margaret had four children at Chapel of Garioch. All four of their children’s baptisms note that the family lived at Fordmouth, which was a farm or small hamlet shown on old maps as lying in the parish of Chapel of Garioch between the hamlet of Pitcaple and the River Urie near Mill of Durno. There are no buildings at Fordmouth anymore – the site is now farmland and a small wood.

Margaret has yet to be traced after the baptism of her youngest child; deaths and burials were not being recorded in the area at the time. However, she appears to have died some time before 1836, when John married again.

John’s second marriage was on 24th September 1836 in Aberdeen to Margaret Scorgie. They do not appear to have had any further children. Each census from 1841 to 1861 finds John and Margaret living on John Street in Aberdeen, to the north-west of the city centre. The 1861 census specifies that they were at 56 John Street and occupied just one room with a window. John was described variously as a contractor, stonedyker, and dock labourer.

John died at 56 John Street on 16th July 1863, aged 74. Margaret survived him by 16 years.

1. ↑ Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Births & Baptisms. (Edinburgh, Scotland: ScotlandsPeople (National Records of Scotland))
   187/10 84.

   1788 / Oct[obe]r 3 / Maitland / James Maitland in Pitblain had a son baptized John

   This baptism has been linked to the John Maitland who married Margaret Johnston and Margaret Scorgie on the basis that in the censuses he indicated that he had been born at Daviot, whilst his death certificate indicates that he born around 1788 and was the son of James Maitland and Christian Booth. Whilst no mother is named on this baptism record, there is a baptism in 1791 for a William son of James Maitland and Christian Booth of Pitblain, the same small hamlet or farm named on John’s baptism.

2. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1841 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   168/A 28/13, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: John Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
   John Maitland, male, 45 [1791-6], Contractor, born in county
   Marg[are]t Maitland, female, 45 [1791-6], born in county

3. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1851 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   168/A 34/18, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: John Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
   John Maitland, head, married, male, 58 [1792/3], Stonedyker, b. Daviot, Aberdeenshire
   Margaret Maitland, wife, married, female, 56 [1794/5], b. New Deer, Aberdeenshire

4. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   168/1 13/15, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 56 John Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
   1 room with windows
   John Maitland, head, married, male, 60 [1800/1], Labourer Dock, b. Daviot, Aberdeenshire
   Margaret Maitland, wife, married, female, 54 [1806/7], b. Old Deer, Aberdeenshire

5. ↑ Death register, in General Register Office for Scotland. Civil Registration.

   1863. DEATHS in the District of St. Nicholas in the Burgh of Aberdeen
   No. 592
   Name and Surname: John Maitland
   Rank or Profession, and whether Single, Married, or Widowed: Labourer, Married to Margaret Scorgie previously to Margaret Johnston
   When and Where Died: 1863 July Sixteenth 1h30m P.M., 56 John Street, Aberdeen
   Sex: M
   Age: 75 years
   Name, Surname, & Rank or Profession of Father: James Maitland, Farmer (deceased)
   Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Christina Maitland M.S. Booth (deceased)
   Cause of Death, Duration of Disease, and Medical Attendant by whom certified: Old Age, No medical Attendant
   Signature & Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House in which the Death occurred: William Maitland, Son, 6 Broad Street, Aberdeen, present
   When and where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1863 July 16th At Aberdeen, Charles Stronach, Assistant Registrar