I am interested in finding out:
1. the paternal origins of my earliest known ancestor Adam Gordon of Griamachary (c.1750-1831), who is believed to be descended from the Gordons of Carroll - but how? Adam's father seems likely to have been the John Gordon who was in Dallagan at least 1750-66 but the latter's father is unknown. There is understood to have been some degree of cousinship with the Gordons of Breacachy and Achnamoine who are descended from the Gordons of Carroll.
2. the maternal origins of Adam Gordon, who is said to have been a nephew of Charles Gordon of Pulrossie (c1719-90) - the link, I would argue, being through a hypothetical sister Marjory of the latter who would thus have been Adam's mother. Adam's 2nd daughter was called Marjory, who one would expect to have been called after her father's mother.The names Charles and Marjory could have come from Charles Mackay of Sandwood (Charles of Pulrossie's hypothetical maternal grandfather) and Charles Mackay's mother Marjory Sinclair.
3. the paternal origins of Besey Sutherland (c.1755-1837 - Adam's wife), whose father (Adam of Kintraid) and grandfather (Donald of Torbreck) are sufficiently certain but I know nothing beyond that or how she connects with the Sutherlands of Clyne or other leading Sutherland branches.
4. My Adam Gordon's connection with the McBeaths of Tomich/Dallagan. John McBeath from there married a Jean Gordon (with children from at least 1792) and my Adam Gordon stood caution for a John McBeath when the latter was had up for dangerously beating Morison Gunn, son of George Gunn in Dallagan. A much younger John McBeath was also living with Adam Gordon's brother-in-law Gustavus Sutherland for some years up to 1820. This fact and the caution make a relationship between Adam and McBeaths very likely.
With best wishes
Alastair Gordon
London, England
