Moon families in Loinmarstaig, Glen Girnaig, parish of Moulin

Loinmarstaig in Moulin parish and Shinigaig in Blair Atholl parish, both in Glen Girnaig

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The surname of Moon does not appear in the Moulin OPRs until after 1720 and it is assumed that the three men and one woman all originated from the neighbouring parish of Blair Atholl. This assumption is supported by the fact that the first Moon baptism in Moulin parish is recorded in the Blair Atholl OPR.

Two of the three men were living at Loinmarstaig when they were having their children baptised. The third man was living in Glengirnaig according to the vague baptismal entries for Moulin parish. As only the lower part of Glengirnaig is within the Moulin parish boundary he must have been living at: Druid; Craggansoiler; Kionaghleen; Coppagach; or Loinmarstaig. Two of the men were married to women named McCra, who may well have been sisters. All of this suggests that the three men were brothers and, as they do not appear in the 1705 List of Fencible Men, they must have been born in 1690 or later. Similarly, their father must have been one of the nine Moons mentioned in that List. Virtually all can be disregarded as they were too young, or had sons who were already married. The strongest remaining candidate is Alexander Moon, the father of Robert Moon in Toldamph.

Alexander Moon did have a son named Duncan who was born around 1690 and married Margaret Robertson around 1717. There were two sons from the marriage (Alexander, born 1718 and George, born 1722), but the family unit disappears after this date. It is possible that Margaret Robertson died after the birth of their son George and that Duncan Moon then married Janet McCra and took up residence with his brothers at Loinmarstaig in Glengirnaig. As this part of Glengirnaig is in Moulin parish and not part of the Atholl Estate there are no records to confirm nor refute this hypothesis. However, if it is correct, then Donald Moon and John Moon in Loinmarstaig were the younger sons of Alexander.

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The Known and Possible Children of Alexander Moon in Mains of Blair and Toldamph.

There was also a Christian Moon in Moulin parish who married William Campbell in Shinigaig-beg, 11th January 1738. Considering the close proximity of Shinigaig to Loinmarstaig, Christian may have been a niece working at Loinmarstaig.

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Donald Moon and Christian McGlashan in Loinmarstaig

Donald Moon probably was born 1690-95 and married Christian McGlashan around 1720. As far as is known, they only had one daughter who, despite being born in Moulin parish, was baptised in Blair Atholl parish.

Blair Atholl OPR, 27th May 1722
Baptised, Jannet daughter to Donald Moon and Christian McGlashan in Loinmarstaig.

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(Generation 2) The Children of Donald Moon and Christian McGlashan in Loinmarstaig

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Duncan Moon and Jannet McCra in Glengirnaig

Duncan Moon and Jannet McCra are the first Moon couple to have a child baptised in Moulin parish. The parish has no record of marriages between 1717 and 1726, so Duncan and Jannet probably were married during this period.

Moulin OPR, 1st September 1728
Baptised. Robert to Duncan Moon and Janet McCra in Glengirnack (Glengirnaig)

Although the entry vaguely gives the location as Glengirnaig, only the lower part is within the Moulin parish boundary and there are only 5 settlements: Druid; Craggansoiler; Kionaghleen; Coppagach; and Loinmarstaig. So it is possible that Duncan Moon is the brother of Donald Moon in Loinmarstaig.

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John Moon and Isabel McCra in Loinmarstaig

If John Moon was the brother of Duncan Moon, were the two McCra girls sisters as well?

Moulin OPR, 5th May 1738
John Moon and Isabel McCra, both in this parish, being legally contracted, booked and proclaimed with no objection, married May 18th day.

The couple seem to have had only two children, the latter being born after they had moved to Lettoch, presumably the one close to the Mains of Orchil.

Moulin OPR, 4th February 1743
Baptised, Duncan to John Moon and Isabel McCra in Loinmarstaig.

Moulin OPR, 19th May 1750
Baptised, Marjory to John Moon and Isabel McCra in Lettoch.

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(Generation 2) The Children of John Moon and Isabel McCra in Loinmarstaig

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Duncan Moon, the tailor, and Catherine Cree in Rindou

The fact that Duncan Moon was a tailor comes from the death certificate of his daughter Catherine, the widow of James Brodie of Polder, and this accounts for why the family did not seem to settle in a single place for long.

Blair Atholl OPR, 21st November 1776
Duncan Moon in Balinuarain and Katharine Cree in Atholl House (married).

The surname of Cree in unusual for Blair Atholl parish and seems to have originated from David Cree. For some odd reason the Lude Papers (GD132/324) contains the marriage contract between David Cree (or Crie), wright in Blair, and Margaret Cowan, daughter of the deceased William Cowan in Blackruthven. The Blair Atholl OPR records the baptisms of four children who were all born at Toldunie:

John, 20th November 1736;
Charlotte, 28th July 1739;
William, 27th March 1744; and
Katharine, 14th June 1746.

There was also a daughter named Elizabeth. In 1777 when Duncan Moon and Katharine Cree had a son baptised and were living at Balinuarain, Duncan Richie was a tenant at Balinuarain and he was married to Elizabeth Cree. Perhaps Duncan Moon was one of Duncan Richie's cottars on account of their wives being sisters.

Duncan Moon and his family moved to Tighnafeid in 1780 and then to Rindou (Raondou) by 1786. All three places were in close proximity in lower Glentilt.

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(Generation 3) The Children of Duncan Moon, and Catherine Cree in Rindou

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James Sclater and Isabel Moon in Dunkeld

Dunkeld OPR, 27th May 1810
James Sclater and Isabel Moon, both in this parish (married)

The baptisms of three children are recorded in the Dunkeld OPR: Margaret, b 9th July 1811; James Conacher, b 23rd January 1814; and Euphemia, b 23rd February 1816 (Eumphemia's mother was given as Elizabeth Moon in error).

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James Brodie and Katharine Moon in Dunkeld

It is possible that Katharine Moon was employed as a ladies' maid at Dunkeld by the Duke of Atholl. This comes from a letter written in London by Lord James Murray, to his wife, Lady Emily Murray.

It was singular that there happened to be in the house three Dunkeld young ladies (servants), Miss McCrostie, Miss Moon and another whose name I forget. Miss McCrostie and Miss Moon had the honour of dancing a reel with Hetman Platoff (Count Platov, commander of the Don Cossacks in the Napoleonic Wars) and the Duke of Richmond which, I dare say, they will not forget in a hurry.

At this time there was only one Moon family living in Dunkeld and, if this incident does not relate to Katharine, then Miss Moon must have been her sister Helen as her sisters Margaret and Isabel were both married by that time.

Dunkeld OPR, 29th November 1817
James Brodie...........

Catherine Brodie, widow of James Brodie of Poldar died at Tay Terrace, Dunkeld, on 9th March 1865 aged 77 years. Parents given as Duncan Moon, tailor, and Catherine Cree, both deceased. Informant was her son Duncan? Brodie.

Children (all Dunkeld): James, 11 Nov 1823; John, 18 Jun 1827; Charles, 20 Sep 1829; John, 18 Jan 1831.

Dunkeld (2/11) census 1841
James, 45y
Catherine, 46y
Margaret, 15y
Duncan, 20y
James, 10y

John (at 2/1)
Margaret, 80y
Thomas, 78y

1851 census Dunkeld 2/23 - James and Catherine elsewhere?

Port of Monteith
Poldar House - A small mansion 2 storeys high and in good repair, having an orchard, and garden attached, the property and occasional residence of James Brodie Esq. Dunkeld.
Easter Poldar - A farm house and offices the property of James Brodie Esq. Dunkeld
The Pow - A strip of rough pasture with stream, also in Flanders Moss

James Brodie was born Dunkeld, 1830, and lost his sight when only three months old. He studied at the University and New College, Edinburgh, and was ordained at Ormiston, 1875. He married Jessie Tennent in 1864 and died in 1887.

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(Generation 4) The Children of James Brodie and Katharine Moon in Dunkeld

* James Brodie was the son of James Brodie, Esq. of Polder, wood merchant, and Catherine Moon. He lost his sight when 3 months old. In 1851, he appears in the census as a “literary student; Disability: blind”. He was educated privately, and then attended Perth Academy. He studied at Edinburgh University. and was enrolled in New College, Edinburgh, 1864-68. He married Jessie Tennent on 5th July, 1864, in Dunkeld, Perthshire. She was born in Edinburgh about 1838, the daughter of John Tennent, stationer, and Jessie Robertson. He was licensed by the Free Presbytery of Dunkeld on 30th June, 1868, and was ordained to Ormiston and Pathhead, East Lothian, on 5th August, 1875.

Death of Reverend James Brodie
Yesterday, in the old Calton Burying-ground, Edinburgh, the grave closed over the mortal remains of the Reverend James Brodie Free Church minister of Ormiston. Mr Brodie, has been totally blind since he was 3 months old. A native of Dunkeld his early education was obtained there and at the Perth Academy, after which he was entered as a student in the University of Edinburgh. Like many other blind persons Mr Brodie had large compensation in other respects. He had a most retentive and correct memory, and could, after lapse of years, recognize the voice of anyone whom he had met even once. He was a good singer, and adept at playing on the piano, and the master of the violin. He leaves a widow and one daughter.

Aberdeen Evening Express, Saturday, February 26th, 1878

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John Robertson and Marjory Moon in Glen Tilt

Although the connection may seem tenuous this is the only Marjory Moon who would fit the timescale. It is possible that she had returned to Blair and was working as a house servant, possibly for a Moon relation.

Blair Atholl OPR, 5th December 1777
John Robertson in Mains of Blair and Marjory Moon in Blair, married.

Initially, the couple were living at the East Porter's Lodge of Blair (Tibby's Lodge) but by 1786 had moved up to Forest Lodge (Dalness) in Glen Tilt, eventually returning to Bridgend of Tilt by 1792. These locations suggest that John Robertson was employed as a gamekeeper or hillman.

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(Generation 3) The Children of John Robertson and Marjory Moon in Glen Tilt

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William Campbell and Christian Moon in Shinigaig-beg

Moulin OPR, 11th January 1738
William Campbell in Blair parish and Christian Moon in this parish, being legally contracted, booked and proclaimed and no objection, were married February 3rd.

At the time of his marriage, William Campbell was farming at Shinigaig-beg with his brother John, and this is where William Campbell's daughter Janet was born.

Blair Atholl OPR, 29th July 1739
Janet, daughter to William Campbell and Christian Moon in Shinigaig-beg was baptised.

Although the marriage lines only say that Christian Moon was from Moulin parish, the close proximity of Shinigaig to Loinmarstaig tends to suggest that she was the sister of John Moon.

Moulin OPR, 12th Jan 1750
Baptised, Duncan to William Campbel and Christian Moon in Leacscreadin (Leekscriadan in Glengirnaig?).

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(Generation 2) The Children of William Campbell and Christian Moon in Shinigaig-beg