Andrew Brand (1796 - 1858)

Born 21 Feb 1796 in Milnathort, Kinross-shire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 1 Sep 1858 at age 62 in Milnathort, Kinross, Scotland

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Biography

Youth

Andrew, son of David Brand and Euphan Bruce, was born in Orwell Parish and baptised on 21 February 1796.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Marriage and Family

He married Janet Ferguson, likely before their daughter Helen was born in 1821.^[3]

In 1825 he appears in the 1825-26 Pigot's Directory for Kinross under Linen and Woolen Drapers and Haberdashers with his address listed as Milnathort. The village also had a druggist, a flesher, several grocers, an ironmonger, a saddler, stocking manufacturers, two surgeons, two teachers, several vintners, a watchmaker and, two wrights.^[4]

In 1841, Andrew and Janet were living on Main Street in Milnathort, Orwell, Kinrossshire. He was a linen hand loom weaver, as was their daughter Helen, and sons David and Andrew were cotton hand loom weavers.^[5] In 1851, he was making his living as a cotton weaver alongside his children Euphemia, William and Robert. The youngest daughter, Isabella, and their grandson, John, attended school. ^[3]

Children

1. Helen Brand born about 1821 in Orwell parish.^[5]
2. David Brand born about 1821 in Orwell parish.^[5]
3. Andrew Brand born about 1825 in Orwell parish.^[5]
4. Euphemia Brand born about 1828 in Orwell parish.^[3]
5. William Brand born about 1835 in Orwell parish.^[3]
6. Robert Brand born about 1838 in Orwell parish.^[3]
7. Isabella Brand born about 1842 in Orwell parish.^[3]

Life and Times

At Andrew's birth, the parish of Orwell was home to 1,705 people. The poorer folk burned peat for fuel. Parishioners were described as "active and industrious, naturally generous and social, and very fond of news". Drunkeness was not noted to be a problem among the "very orderly and decent" folk, and there was a low crime rate. They were noted to be strong and robust, with great longevity. People lived plan and simple lives, with the poorer folk having porridge for both breakfast and supper, with a dinner of broth with pease and barley alongside pease bannock. The more well-off folk, like farmers and tradesfolk, kept tables "as good as gentlemen". There were four houses of worship in the village of Milnathort - the Establishment, the Burghers, the Anti-Burghers and the Reformers (Cameronians).^[6]

By 1831, the population had nearly doubled since Andrew's birth, reaching 3,008, with 1,772 in the village of Milnathort. ^[7] The village of Milnathort hosted six markets or fairs each year for the sale of livestock.^[7]

In 1839, there were six schools - the parochial school in Milnathort teaching English, writing, arthimetic, practical mathematics, geography and Latin, and sometimes French and Greek, while the other schools focused on English, writing and maths. ^[7]Education was valued by the community, and most of school age could read and write, and there was a library in Milnathort - the oldest in the county - that was supported by 40 individuals. Anyone in the community could borrow books by paying 1 shilling per month or 8 shillings per year. There was also a three libraries affiliated with churches.^[7]

Death and Legacy

Andrew died at age 62 on 1 September 1 1858^[8] and is buried in the Orwell Churchyard.

Research Notes

No parish records could be found for Andrew and Janet's marriage, or for the births of their children. It was noted in the 1798 Statistical Accounts of Scotland that many of the inhabitants of Orwell Parish never made any registration of births. However, they were found in the census documents and "Janet Ferguson" was a popular name for several generations of Brand descendants; her name is given on son Andrew Brand's death registration.

There are two other Brands living in Orwell at the 1841 census. John Brand, born about 1821, married to Mary Brand born about 1821, with an infant named Christian; ^[9]and Christian Brand age 15 who was working as a servant for the publican, Mrs. David Glass.^[10] These are likely relatives, and Christian could be their daughter. It is less likely that John is their son as they have two other children with an estimated birth date of the same year.

Sources

1. ↑ "Statutory Registers - Deaths" database, National Records of Scotland, ScotlandsPeople (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 03 Aug 2021), Andrew Brand, parent: Bruce, 1858, Orwell; Reference Number: 463 / 30
2. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and baptisms" database, National Records of Scotland, ScotlandsPeople (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 03 Aug 2021), Andrew Brand, parents: David Brand and Euphan Bruce, 21 February 1796, Orwell; citing Parish Number 587, Reference Number: 20 83.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} "Scottish General Register Office: 1851 Census Returns database", FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59497a0af4040bcf06abe819 : accessed 14 Apr 2024) [data about Andrew BRAND]; citing Piece: 463 Place: Orwell Enumeration District: 2 Civil Parish: Orwell Ecclesiastical Parish: - Folio: 353 Page: 8 Schedule: 35 Address: Milnathort.
4. ↑ Photocopy of Pigot's Directory, 1825, page 44. Kinross etc, Kinross-shire
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} "Scottish General Register Office: 1841 Census Returns database", FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d5de9379091b149c069 : accessed 14 Apr 2024) [data about Andrew BRAND in household of Andrew BRAND]; citing Piece: 463 Place: Orwell Enumeration District: 4 Civil Parish: Orwell Ecclesiastical Parish: Orwell Folio: 0 Page: 6 Schedule: Address: Milnathort Main Street.
6. ↑ The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-1845, "Parish of Orwell," pages 126-137, https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/viewer/osa-vol20-Parish_record_for_Orwell_in_the_county_of_Kinross_in_volume_20_of_account_1/osa-vol20-p126-parish-kinross-orwell?search=orwell : accessed 24 May 2024.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-1845, "Parish of Orwell," pages 52-59, https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/viewer/nsa-vol9-Parish_record_for_Orwell_in_the_county_of_Kinross_in_volume_9_of_account_2/nsa-vol9-p53-parish-kinross-orwell?search=milnathort : accessed 25 May 2024.
8. ↑ "Statutory Registers - Deaths" database, National Records of Scotland, ScotlandsPeople (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 03 Aug 2021), Andrew Brand, parent: Bruce, 1858, Orwell; Reference Number: 463 / 30
9. ↑ "Scottish General Register Office: 1841 Census Returns database", FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d5fe9379091b149c8d6 : accessed 14 Apr 2024) [data about Christian BRAND in household of John BRAND]; citing Piece: 463 Place: Orwell Enumeration District: 8 Civil Parish: Orwell Ecclesiastical Parish: Orwell Folio: 0 Page: 3 Schedule: Address: Seggie.
10. ↑ Free UK Genealogy "Scottish General Register Office: 1841 Census Returns database", FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59034d5ce9379091b149bf4b : accessed 14 Apr 2024) [data about Christian BRAND in household of David (Mrs) GLASS]; citing Piece: 463 Place: Orwell Enumeration District: 3 Civil Parish: Orwell Ecclesiastical Parish: Orwell Folio: 0 Page: 18 Schedule: Address: Old Stirling Road.

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