Hi Liz Parents of Margaret Coutts were John Coutts and Margaret Duncan as you know. John Coutts was born 16 May 1765 at Auchabrack in the Forest of Birse. His parents were John Coutts and Martha Middleton. He married Margaret Duncan on 29 December 1796 - banns were called at Birse. Children: Isobel - 26 October 1797 Janet - 4 May 1800 Alexander - 24 April 1803 who married Barbara Duncan 20 March 1827 at Lumphanan (her parents were Joseph Duncan and Elizabeth Esson) John - 17 May 1806 married Elizabeth Stewart 16 Oct 1846 at Strachan Elizabeth - 30 April 1809 married Andrew Birss 4 October 1829 at Birse Margaret - 20 April 1811 (as you know married David Duncan) Mary - 3 June 1816 Margaret Duncan died in June 1816 after the birth of Mary - it states on the parish register that the mother had died. Next generation back: John Coutts married Martha Middleton (no record of this marriage) Children: Alexander born 16 September 1762 John - 16 May 1765 married Martha Middleton Robert - between 1764 and 1772 Peter - abt 1779 married Martha Low 21 April 1824 in Birse. Jannet - 31 August 1784 William - 3 January 1787 Charles - 25 October 1789 Given the ages of the children and what appears to be two groupings, it is possible that Martha Middleton was John Coutts 2nd wife. There is an age difference of 15 - 20 years between John Coutts and Martha Middleton. If you are interested I can send parish register entries/census information etc privately to you. Sharon researching GLASS EMSLIE COUTTS McKONDACH and GORDON in Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire special interests in parish of BIRSE, and the area of the FOREST OF BIRSE