Genealogical Record of Robert Scott and Isabel Douglass
of Beckwith Township, Ontario

The identity of the parents of Robert Scott of Beckwith Township, Ontario, in uncertain. However the old Scottish tradition of naming children after their grandparents would suggest that his father was Patrick Scott, and that his mother was Ann.

There appears to be only one marriage in Perthshire which would match this criteria - that of Patrick Scott and Ann Menzies who had their marriage banns proclaimed in the parish of Weem on 12th June 1774.

Weem Parish (marriages)

12th June 1774.
Patrick Scott and Anne Menzies both in this parish were booked (in order to marriage).

This bland statement does not provide much information about the couple, but a small indiscretion shows that they were living at Kirkton of Weem.

Weem Parish (births)

19th August 1773.
Patrick Scot and Anne Menzies in Kirkton had a child begot in fornication, baptised. Isabel

After their marriage the family moved to Blackhill in the parish of Logierait where Robert was born.

Logierait Parish (births)

8th August 1775.
Robert, lawful son to Patrick Scott and Ann Menzies in Blackhill was baptised.

Five years later the family was living at Laigh of Derculich in the parish of Dull.

Dull Parish (births)

5th January 1781.
John, son to Peter Scott and Ann Menzies in Laigh of Derculich was baptised.

Finally in 1782 the family settled in the Brae of Clunie, Dull parish, where the rest of the children were born.

Dull Parish (births)

4th January 1782.
Ann, daughter to Peter Scot and Ann Menzies in Brae of Clunie was baptised.

26th May 1784.
Janet, daughter to Patrick Scott and Ann Menzies in Brae of Clunie was baptised.

27th September 1785.
Janet, daughter to Patrick Scott and Ann Menzies in Brae of Clunie was baptised. Tax paid.

These baptismal records make it sound as if the family was moving around quite a lot. In fact, despite being in two different parishes, all three places are close together on the north side of the River Tay, just a few miles east of Weems. It is also worth noting that the hill track from Brae of Clunie goes northwards, past Farragon Hill, and descends to the south side of Loch Tummel at Netherton of Duntanlich.

The Locations of Blackhill, Laigh of Derculich and Brae of Cluny

Patrick's son Robert married Isabel Douglass, and it is supposed that she belonged to one of the many Douglas families on the south side of Loch Tummel.

Dull Parish (marriages)

2nd December 1804.
Robert Scott and Isabel Douglass both in this parish gave up their names to be proclaimed in order to marriage.

According to the Dull OPR, their first two children Peter and Janet were born in Rossie Hill, parish of Forgan, although they were baptised in the parish church of Dull. Rossie Hill in the parish of Forgan does exist, and is in the Carse of Gowrie between Dundee and Perth. However, the two children were in fact born at Rossie Ochil, in the parish of Forgandenny. How such an error was recorded twice in the Dull OPR is hard to understand, but such is the case.

Dull Parish (baptisms)

31st August 1805.
Peter, son to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Rossie Hill, parish of Forgan (was baptised).

22nd November 1806.
Janet, daughter to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Rossie Hill, parish of Forgan (was baptised).

Forgandenny Parish (baptisms)

8th September 1805
Born, Peter, lawful son to Robert Scott, tenant in the Backfield of Rossie Ochil and Isabel Douglas his wife – the said Peter was baptised on the 22nd current before the congregation.

9th November 1806.
Born, Janet, lawful daughter to Robert Scott, tenant in the Backfield of Rossie Ochil and Isabel Douglas his wife – the said Janet was baptised on the 23rd current before the congregation.

Robert Scott and his wife Isabel Douglas returned to the parish of Dull by 1808 and farmed at Netherton of Duntanlich, where the rest of their children were born.

Dull Parish (baptisms)

16th July 1808.
James, son to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

22nd November 1810.
Ann, daughter to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

16th March 1814.
John, son to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

1st May 1817.
Robert, son to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

7th May 1819.
Margaret, daughter to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

26th May 1821.
Robert, son to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

27th October 1823.
Jean, daughter to Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas in Netherton Duntaulich (was baptised).

There was another Scott family living at Rossie Ochil, Forgandenny - that of John Scott and Margaret Ferguson, who were married in Dull parish in 1805. The banns seem to have been recorded twice, on 24th July 1805 and 23rd November 1805, but are identical.

Dull Parish (marriages)

Joh Scott and Margaret Fergusson, both in this parish gave up their names to be proclaimed in order to marriage.

Their children were as follows:

Forgandenny Parish (baptisms)

26th August 1806.
Born, Alexander, lawful son to John Scott, tenant in the Backfield of Rossie Ochil and Margaret Ferguson his wife – the said Alexander was baptised on the 21st September before the congregation.

11th December 1807.
Born, Robert, lawful son to John Scott, tenant in the Backfield of Rossie Ochil and Margaret Ferguson his wife – the said Robert was baptised on the 3rd January 1808 before the congregation.

12th September 1809.
Born, John lawful son to John Scott, farmer Backfield of Rossie and Margaret Ferguson his wife. Said John was baptised on the 24th September current before the congregation.

30th April 1811.
Born, Isabel, lawful daughter to John Scott, tenant in the Backfield of Rossie Ochil and Margaret Ferguson his wife – the said Robert was baptised on the 12th May before the congregation.

This evidence would point towards Robert Scott and John Scott as being brothers or cousins. John Scott stayed at Backfield of Rossie Ochil until at least 1811, but by 1841 the family had gone. (The John Scott who was working as an agricultural labourer in nearby Condie Farm is not the same person. This is John Knight Scott the son of James Scott and Barbara Knight of Collessie, Fife, who was married to Agnes Thomson.). It is possible that he joined Robert in Beckwith Township, Ontario.

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(Generation 2) The Children of Robert Scott and Isabel Douglas of Duntaulich and Beckwith Township, Ontario.

It is said that Robert Scott was on his own when he went to Ontario in 1830 where he purchased Lot 20, Concession 6 in Beckwith Township. Presumably the rest of the family followed at a later date.

By the time that the Robert Scott's family left for Canada, his daughter Janet was already married to Donald McDonald (1 Aug 1828, Dull parish). While living at Netherton of Duntaulich they had two daughters - Ann christened 9th November 1828 and Grizel christened 1st October 1830. After they arrived at Beckwirth Township Donald farmed Lot 17 East, Concession 5, although there is no record of purchase in the land titles. In the 1851 census he appears to be farming part of Lot 4 (18?), Concession 6, with a family of seven children.

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Robert’s son James married Janet (Jennett) Douglass, the fourth child of Donald Douglass of Montague township. James bought the adjoining parts of Lots 19 East and 20 West, Concession 5 in 1837, so that he was farming next to his brother John. After James died, Janet married Robert Burrows of Montague township who took charge of the farm. Jennett Burrows is buried in the Dewar Cemetery.

(Generation 3) The Family of James Scott and Jennett Douglass of Beckwith Township

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Robert’s son, John, purchased Lot 18 East and Lot 19 West, Concession 5 in Beckwith township on 27th February 1837. He married Elizabeth Ferguson in 1855.

(Generation 3) The Family of John Scott and Elizabeth Ferguson of Beckwith Township

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Robert’s son, Robert, married Janet Stewart, the daughter of Alexander 'Big Sandy' Stewart and Margaret Stewart of Beckwith township, whose family had come from Balintochich, Borenich, Blair Atholl.

(Generation 3) The Children of Robert Scott and Janet Stewart of Beckwith Township, Ontario.

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