Alexander Cloudsly
(also known as Cloudslie and Cloudsley)
1840
Alexander Cloudsly is a
great-great-great-great grandfather of the author of this web
site. The surname was variously spelled Cloudslie, Cloudsley, and
Cludsley. He was a son of James Cloudslie and Elspet Croll and
was born at Redford, Garvock, Kincardineshire, Scotland 1764 May
18. He married, first, Margaret Hogg at Garvock 1794 June
28. Margaret was born at Garvock 1772 June 19. The couple
had three children, James born 1796 February 14, Jane born 1797 October
17 and Elizabeth born 1800 January 28, all at Garvock.
Alexander Cloudsly was a farmer. His first wife, Margaret, died around 1805. He remarried Jean (Jane) Welsh 1809 May 27 at Garvock. She was the widow of Robert Grieg. Jean was born 1764 December 8 at St. Cyrus, Kincardneshire. Jean and her first husband had two known children, Helen Grieg born 1791 May 22 and James Grieg, born 1797 October 22, both born at St. Cyrus.
With the marriage of Alexander Cloudsly and Jean Welsh being second marriage for both of them, they brought assets into the marriage, and a marriage contract was entered into. This is indicated, with details, in the following testament on the death of Alexander Cloudsly. He died 1840 March 15 at the age of 75. His widow Jean Welsh lived to age 91, and died 1856 June 25, at Marykirk, Kincardineshire, probably then living with the LOW family where her step-daughter Elizabeth Cloudslie was the wife of John Low. Elizabeth Cloudslie would have been nine years old when Jean Welsh became her step-mother.
Reference to John Low in this testament would be his son-in-law, the husband of his daughter Elizabeth Cloudsley.
First is a transcript of the testament, followed by a copy of the original handwritten document as it appears in the book. The page numbers are page numbers in the book.
At the end is a four-generation descendant chart for Alexander Cloudsly. It goes to James Low who married Martha Ashe, who are the great grandparents of the author of this web site.
It is interesting to note that in Scotland, unlike England, women had extensive property rights in their own name even in the early 19th century. Generally, women retained their birth surname upon marriage for legal purposes. While it may be debatable if the marriage contract was truly fair for Jean Welsh, at least such contacts existed in Scotland as early as 1809 when it was entered into. However, in this case, it appears a false statement was made when it was indicated the contract was made before marriage. It appears the marriage occurred a few weeks earlier.
Author: Jim Low
Transcription of Testament
of Alexander Cloudsly
Alexander Cloudsly was a farmer. His first wife, Margaret, died around 1805. He remarried Jean (Jane) Welsh 1809 May 27 at Garvock. She was the widow of Robert Grieg. Jean was born 1764 December 8 at St. Cyrus, Kincardneshire. Jean and her first husband had two known children, Helen Grieg born 1791 May 22 and James Grieg, born 1797 October 22, both born at St. Cyrus.
With the marriage of Alexander Cloudsly and Jean Welsh being second marriage for both of them, they brought assets into the marriage, and a marriage contract was entered into. This is indicated, with details, in the following testament on the death of Alexander Cloudsly. He died 1840 March 15 at the age of 75. His widow Jean Welsh lived to age 91, and died 1856 June 25, at Marykirk, Kincardineshire, probably then living with the LOW family where her step-daughter Elizabeth Cloudslie was the wife of John Low. Elizabeth Cloudslie would have been nine years old when Jean Welsh became her step-mother.
Reference to John Low in this testament would be his son-in-law, the husband of his daughter Elizabeth Cloudsley.
First is a transcript of the testament, followed by a copy of the original handwritten document as it appears in the book. The page numbers are page numbers in the book.
At the end is a four-generation descendant chart for Alexander Cloudsly. It goes to James Low who married Martha Ashe, who are the great grandparents of the author of this web site.
It is interesting to note that in Scotland, unlike England, women had extensive property rights in their own name even in the early 19th century. Generally, women retained their birth surname upon marriage for legal purposes. While it may be debatable if the marriage contract was truly fair for Jean Welsh, at least such contacts existed in Scotland as early as 1809 when it was entered into. However, in this case, it appears a false statement was made when it was indicated the contract was made before marriage. It appears the marriage occurred a few weeks earlier.
Author: Jim Low
Transcription of Testament
of Alexander Cloudsly
Original Document
Descendant chart of
Alexander Cloudslie / Cloudsly
Genealogy Index
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