Greetings from Spain. The last few days have seen the usual sunshine interrupted by violent rainstorms but I have spent the time profitably reading through the diaries of first George McWillie The Diary of a tenant farmer 1826 - 1876 in Botriphnie and that of William McWillie of the Backies, Deskford. The first can be found at http://www.botriphnie.org.uk/mcwillie_diary.htm They give a fascinating insight into life in the 1800s and George gives vivid accounts of the weather, preachers, crops, the cattle plaque of 1865, he even finds space to comment on the sending of the 20 ships of the British fleet to Russia and our American cousins may be interested in his asides about the American Civil War. Of great interest are his mentions of his travels not only locally to Keith, Dufftown and Aberdeen but also to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Greenock. But most interesting are his commentaries on the domestic and social life of the times where he records the joys and the grief of births and bereavements and he mentions local families. Ancestors of both my wife and self lived in this area and he mentions a number of the farms and families by name. One entry which I would like to share with you is about and Dey ancestor of my wife. The Deys have farmed at Forkins Botriphnie for generations and this is George's entry for March 1865. *March 1865.* Begins cold the 2nd and 3rd, rain and sleet. The 6th, 7th and 8th, frost and snow showrs, the plow going on some bear places and others guide keans whean for old wreaths of snow, all my old ricks of the 8th. Always frost at night and cold throug the day, onto the 9th, the night Alexr. Dey, wright at Forkins died. It was him that furnished my house. One of the best nighbours, and most joky man in the parish. The man that saw, thought he saw nothing and he saw althings almost through a stone, Oh, a great blank on the roadside, aged 59. High wind and verry cold the 17th, the day of his funeral to Mortlach. I bought a quoy at the calving from Mr. Longmure, banker, Keith the 16th. The 17th and 18th, both high wind and desperate frost. The 19th, 20th and 21st, hard frost and percing cold with showrs of small haill too hard for the plow. The 25th, about 3 inchs and the 26th, thair is 8 inchs. I was not at church, it snowed all day, but the 27th and 28th, quite fresh, the 30th and 31st beautiful. Thair is still many old snow wreaths on a dale of the land. Now I give my certificate that this book is all truth as fare as I know, or read from the papers, yours firmly George McWillie. What an epitaph for Alexander Dey (1805 -1865) He was the son of James Dey and Elizabeth Anderson who married at Aberlour 28 March 1795.James like most of the Deys was a carpenter. The Deys are fairly well documented back to James Dey (abt1773 -1850) and Elizabeth Anderson but would be interested in hearing from anyone who has got further back Regards George George Brander Torre de la Horadada España

Hello George I can't help you with going further back, but I do have a connection to the DEY family- John DEY married Hannah GRANT at her parents' house in Rothes on 29 June 1889. John was the son of James DEY and Elizabeth MITCHELL. James DEY was the son of James (2) DEY and Jane STEWART, James (2) DEY was the son of James (3) DEY and Elizabeth ANDERSON. John DEY was born in Dufftown about 1860 and died 12 Oct 1914 in Glasgow. He too was a carpenter. He and Hannah had 2 sons-James (4) born 1890 and John (2) born 1892. John (2) married before WW1 but died in France on 1 July 1916. I don't think he had any children, but from the death indexes it appears his widow had at least 3. James (4) married Amelia Isabella McGURK on 28 Feb 1913 and had 5 children I think. If you would like more information on them please contact me on gloliver@bigpond.net.au. My interest in the DEY family is through Hannah GRANT who was the daughter of David Grant and Unnie Findlay. Four of Unnie's sisters and a brother immigrated to Australia in the 1850s while Unnie and her sister Bathia and a brother James stayed at home in Scotland. I am a descendant of one of Unnie's sisters. Regards Leonie ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Brander" <george.brander@gmail.com> To: <moray@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 2:12 AM Subject: [MORAY] George Mc Willie - Diary of a tenant farmer 1826 -1876 Greetings from Spain. The last few days have seen the usual sunshine interrupted by violent rainstorms but I have spent the time profitably reading through the diaries of first George McWillie The Diary of a tenant farmer 1826 - 1876 in Botriphnie and that of William McWillie of the Backies, Deskford. The first can be found at http://www.botriphnie.org.uk/mcwillie_diary.htm They give a fascinating insight into life in the 1800s and George gives vivid accounts of the weather, preachers, crops, the cattle plaque of 1865, he even finds space to comment on the sending of the 20 ships of the British fleet to Russia and our American cousins may be interested in his asides about the American Civil War. Of great interest are his mentions of his travels not only locally to Keith, Dufftown and Aberdeen but also to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Greenock. But most interesting are his commentaries on the domestic and social life of the times where he records the joys and the grief of births and bereavements and he mentions local families. Ancestors of both my wife and self lived in this area and he mentions a number of the farms and families by name. One entry which I would like to share with you is about and Dey ancestor of my wife. The Deys have farmed at Forkins Botriphnie for generations and this is George's entry for March 1865. *March 1865.* Begins cold the 2nd and 3rd, rain and sleet. The 6th, 7th and 8th, frost and snow showrs, the plow going on some bear places and others guide keans whean for old wreaths of snow, all my old ricks of the 8th. Always frost at night and cold throug the day, onto the 9th, the night Alexr. Dey, wright at Forkins died. It was him that furnished my house. One of the best nighbours, and most joky man in the parish. The man that saw, thought he saw nothing and he saw althings almost through a stone, Oh, a great blank on the roadside, aged 59. High wind and verry cold the 17th, the day of his funeral to Mortlach. I bought a quoy at the calving from Mr. Longmure, banker, Keith the 16th. The 17th and 18th, both high wind and desperate frost. The 19th, 20th and 21st, hard frost and percing cold with showrs of small haill too hard for the plow. The 25th, about 3 inchs and the 26th, thair is 8 inchs. I was not at church, it snowed all day, but the 27th and 28th, quite fresh, the 30th and 31st beautiful. Thair is still many old snow wreaths on a dale of the land. Now I give my certificate that this book is all truth as fare as I know, or read from the papers, yours firmly George McWillie. What an epitaph for Alexander Dey (1805 -1865) He was the son of James Dey and Elizabeth Anderson who married at Aberlour 28 March 1795.James like most of the Deys was a carpenter. The Deys are fairly well documented back to James Dey (abt1773 -1850) and Elizabeth Anderson but would be interested in hearing from anyone who has got further back Regards George George Brander Torre de la Horadada España ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MORAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message