James Geddes Brown 1840-1888

Born Elgin. After a spell sheep farming in NSW, he settled in Keith as a Distiller: this business in his wife's Longmore family from ~1834 until ~1940.

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1840 James Geddes Brown was born Elgin to Alexander Brown & Catherine Geddes on 29/9/1840 and was baptised on 3/11/1840

Scotland map

1841C. James G Brown North Street, Elgin , Moray

Alexander	Brown	Male	45	1796	writer Morayshire, Scotland
Catherine	Brown	Female	40	1801	Morayshire, Scotland
John G	Brown	Male	20	1821	writer Morayshire, Scotland
Georgina	Brown	Female	15	1826	Morayshire, Scotland
William T	Brown	Male	13	1828	Morayshire, Scotland
Alexander	Brown	Male	11	1830	Morayshire, Scotland
Isabella Jane	Brown	Female	9	1832	Morayshire, Scotland
Catherine O	Brown	Female	7	1834	Morayshire, Scotland

Also, on Ancestry transcription, James G Brown, 8mths

1851C.James Brown 13 North Street, Elgin , Moray

Alexander	Brown	Head	Married	Male	58	1793	Procurator Elginshire	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Catherine	Brown	Wife	Married	Female	51	1800	-	Rothes, Morayshire, Scotland
Helen	Brown	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	26	1825	-	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
James	Brown	Son	-	Male	10	1841	Scholar	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Margaret	Brander	Servant	Unmarried	Female	30	1821	House Servant	St Andrews, Morayshire, Scotland
Elizabeth	Roy	Servant	Unmarried	Female	23	1828	House Servant	Banffshire, Scotland
Margaret	White	Servant	Unmarried	Female	19	1832	House Servant	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland

1853. His father dies at Darkland, Elgin, Meft.

https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/43608/figure-104-106-air-quality-monitoring.pdf - this shows Darkland ~4 k to the E of Elgin , ~1 k S of Meft

In an 1888 obituary, it states that James 'took over the tenancy of Darkland', but that surely unlikely before he was at least 18, ~1859 & also, he had 3 elder brothers!. Then states that 'thus equipped for the pursuit of colonial life, he emigrated - while yet a young man- to Australia & invested his capital in sheep farming, Suffering from a few bad years- of droughts etc - and ~ 1870 he sold out and returned to Scotland. Obtaining a clerkship in his father in law's disttillery, he quickly rose to Managing Director. He was also a managing partner in Strathisla Meal Mills and took up the tenancy of Earl's Mill. When his father in law, William Longmore died- 1882- he also became tenant of the fine farm at Bogbain, a few miles from Keith,

1861C. James Geddes Brown , 20, student, is living 14, Frederick Street, Edinburgh

Nancy	Robertson	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	44	1817	-	Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Jemima	Robertson	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	35	1826	-	Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland
Matilda	Robertson	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	30	1831	-	Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland
Margaret R	Smith	Grand Daughter	Unmarried	Female	18	1843	-	Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland
James Geddes	Brown	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	20	1841	Student	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Richard	Turnbull	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	18	1843	Student	Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland
John	Kirkwood	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	17	1844	Student	Dunbar, Haddingtonshire (East Lothian), Scotland
Robert	Robertson	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	16	1845	Student	Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Henry	Wickham	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	16	1845	Student	-
Margaret	Kinghorn	Servant	Unmarried	Female	25	1836	Cook	Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Jane	Wilson	Servant	Unmarried	Female	19	1842	Housemaid	Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

1862. James Geddes Brown was present at a St Andrew's Day Masonic Ball in Elgin on 30/11/1862 - FMP Newspapers

1863-1868. James Geddes Brown went out to Australia , ??where his elder brother, William T Brown,1828, had got married in 1860 - but I cannot find this again!!. . He attempted sheep farming there, but this proved unsuccessful due to several drought years

1864 . From the Melbourne Age Newspaper Archives, 10/10/1864

Wellington~ 200-250 k NE of Condobolin

1868. James Geddes Brown was a magistrate, his address Melrose, Condobolin - this 200k W west of Orange, NSW

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Condobolin

1868. James Geddes Brown, of Melrose Station, NSW, married Jessie Longmore on 26/2/1868 at Alma Road, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia -this curious!

His name as an opposing claimant for a Run, outer Yaltoka Maudry. in 1869, Trove

1869. Isabella Jane Percy Brown was born on 18/2/1869 at Melrose Station, Lachlan River, Bathhurst NSW :- Trove, birth notice in the Argus,Melbourne & her b.c.exists on Australian records - she died Elgin 1941 and was interred in Keith

Travelled back to Keith 1869-1870 - no ships' record

1870. James Geddes Brown to be Ensign, 3rd Banffshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, 6/10/1870 - London Gazette

Many references to him on FMP Newspapers 1870-1888, connected to farming and committtees

1871C.James Geddes Brown, distiller, Moss Street, Keith . He entered William Longmore's( his father in law) business on his return from Australia . Places of birth of Jessie & Isabella incorrect!

James G	Brown	Head	Married	Male	30	1841	Distiller	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Jessie	Brown	Wife	Married	Female	28	1843	-	England
Isabella J P	Brown	Daughter	-	Female	2	1869	-	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
Margaret	Brenner	Servant	Unmarried	Female	18	1853	Domestic Servant	Banchory, Kincardineshire, Scotland

1873. William Longmore Brown was born to James & Jessie

1875. Lieutenant James Geddes Brown resigns his commission in 3rd Banffshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, 3/8/1875 - London Gazette

1881C.James Geddes Brown Private House, Moss Street, Keith

James Geddes	Brown	Head	Married	Male	40	1841	Distiller & Miller Employ 33	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Jessie	Brown	Wife	Married	Female	37	1844	-	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
Isabella J P	Brown	Daughter	-	Female	13	1868	Scholar	-Bathhurst NSW
Helen	Brown	Daughter	-	Female	9	1872	Scholar	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
William L	Brown	Son	-	Male	8	1873	Scholar	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
Alexander T	Brown	Son	-	Male	5	1876	Scholar	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
Ethel	Brown	Daughter	-	Female	0	1881	-	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland
Mary	McRae	Servant	Unmarried	Female	33	1848	Housemaid	Rathven, Banffshire, Scotland
Margaret	McRae	Servant	Unmarried	Female	31	1850	Cook	Rathven, Banffshire, Scotland
Jane	Phimister	Servant	Unmarried	Female	21	1860	Nurse	Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland
Bethia	Middleton	Servant	-	Female	13	1868	Undernurse	Keith, Banffshire, Scotland

1882. His father in law dies.

He was the originator of the Central Banffshire Farmers Club : acted for 12 years as its secretary- FMP 1888 Aberdeen Free press

1888. James Geddes Brown dies Milton Lodge, Keith 15/12/1888. His elder son, William Longmore Brown, was then 15. Probate of £24000, Milton Distiller, of Milton Lodge, executrix Jessie .Buried in Keith Graveyard- Findagrave gives born 29/9/1840, died 15/12/1888, plot Ke(0) 191

Another article states over 600 people assembled at Milton Lodge and the body was borne, by workers at the Milton distillery and at the farm in Bogbain, to the Keith Burial ground.

Grave?

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