Maureen in Sydney - there is a lot of existing data on these ANDERSONs, not sure if you want family information, or just to find out about descendants of this line. Will note a few things I've found just now on them, will post and find out what would help you further. I'm not a descendant of this line, however, I'm sure our relatives paths crossed long ago. I'm researching HALCROs in Orphir, seems they went with the Free Church when it came to be in 1843-4. Meg Greenwood / Oklahoma USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the 1821 Census of Orphir, enumerated as ED1, residence 1 Reverend James ANDERSON, Minister in Deal aged 40-50. James FLETT, servant, James SNODIE, Jane INKSTER, Margaret SINCLAIR. There were quite a few cattle and sheep, with geese and swine also. They had a plough and a cart. At ED1, residence 3, a Mina ANDERSON aged 30-40 was a Servant at 'Claistran' in the family of John RAE, Esquire. If you jump way down to ED1, residence 129, in the home of William CLOUSTON, Farmer in Gallow Hall, aged 50-60, his wife was Christian ANDERSON aged 40-5- with children Betty, William & John. This is from David Armstrong's transcription of the 1821 Census for Orphir, purchased from the Ontario Genealogical Society some years ago. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the 1841 Census, this family is found at ED2, #1 - James ANDERSON, 65, Minister. Susan G. ANDERSON, 40, Minister's wife. Jane ANDERSON, 12. Margaret ANDERSON, 11, James ANDERSON, 9. Susan Gerard ANDERSON, 8. Jessie Sutherland ANDERSON, 6. John Gerard ANDERSON, 5. Servants Catherine WILSON and Mary MOAR. Also there were Preacher John GERARD, 40. Mary R. GERARD, 35 Independent and Margaret INKSTER, 20 a Straw Plaiter. They are the only ANDERSONs in the Orphir index for that census. This is from the Orkney Family History Societies census booklets. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Children found in the IGI : Anderson, Batch Number: C110234 JANE ANDERSON - Christening: 08 Aug 1828 Orphir. MARGARET ANDERSON - Christening: 27 Nov 1829. JAMES ANDERSON - Christening: 25 Aug 1831 Orphir. SUSAN GERARD ANDERSON - Christening: 09 Jan 1833 Orphir. JESSIE SUTHERLAND ANDERSON - Christening: 22 Aug 1834 Orphir. JOHN GERARD ANDERSON - Christening: 25 Feb 1836 Orphir. JOHN ANDERSON - Birth: 12 May 1854 Orphir. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ maureenoc wrote: I am new to this mailing list but not to many others. I came to the Orkneys one because of my new grandson born a couple of months ago and for some time have been doing his family tree. On looking through the archives of 2001 a Lisa Conrad wrote of the Rev John GERARD of South Ronaldsay and Burray which I very much enjoyed reading as he fits into my grandson's tree through the Rev John Gerard's daughter Susan who married the Rev James ANDERSON (1773-1845). The Andersons were connected with the parish of Ophir. I'm wondering if anyone on the list is connected with the families of the Reverends GERARD and ANDERSON. Regards, Maureen - Sydney, Australia