John Geddes 1754-1817
Tacksman of Mains of Ortus and Orbliston, Moray
A tacksman (Scottish Gaelic: Fear-Taic, meaning "supporting man") was a landholder of intermediate legal and social status in Scottish Highland society.
Orbliston~2 k W of Fochabers, Moray/Banff; ~14 k NW of Keith
1752. James Geddes was baptised to John Geddes & Marjorie Wink on 2/7/1752 Elgin OR
1754. John Geddes was baptised on 26/7/1754 to Thomas Geddes & Catherine Milne Keith, Banffshire - this not too far away from Fochabars & he calls his 1st son Thomas & ancestral names Innes & Gordon used as children's middle names ( but odd that Milne was not also used!)
1790. John Geddes married Helen Tod on 24/7/1790 Bellie - SP, not purchased They had the following children: Helen Leslie 1792; Thomas Stephen 1794; William 1795; Jean Innes 1796; John Gordon 1797; Alexander 1801; Ogilvie 1802; Isabella 1805; Mary Wharton 1806; George Taylor 1808; : James 1811 and
1799. Catherine Geddes was born to John & Helen in Rothes
1817. John Geddes, Tacksman of Mains of Ortus and Orbiston died 23/12/1817 aged 64 yrs. Buried Bellie graveyard, Fochabers, Moray. No obituary in FMP Newspapers
To the memory of JOHN GEDDES, Tacksman of Mains of Ortus and Orbiston who d 23 Dec 1817 aged 64 yrs; his wife
HELEN TOD, who died at Orbliston 16 Jan 1837 aged 66 years; and of their children:
HELEN who d at Orbliston 13 Jan 1818 aged 25;
JEAN INNES, who died in Elgin 10 Jun 1826 aged 30, both of whose remains are interred here;
THOMAS their eldest son who d in London on 21 Jul 1836 aged 42 years and lies interred in St John’s Wood Churchyard;
CATHERINE, wife of Alexander Brown, Esq who died in Elgin 22 Nov 1857 aged 58 yrs
.
Left panel:
To the memory of JOHN GEDDES, Tacksman of Mains of Ortus and Orbiston who d 23 Dec 1817 aged 64 yrs; his wife
HELEN TOD, who died at Orbliston 16 Jan 1837 aged 66 years; and of their children:
HELEN who d at Orbliston 13 Jan 1818 aged 25;
JEAN INNES, who died in Elgin 10 Jun 1826 aged 30, both of whose remains are interred here;
THOMAS their eldest son who d in London on 21 Jul 1836 aged 42 years and lies interred in St John’s Wood Churchyard;
CATHERINE, wife of Alexander Brown, Esq who died in Elgin 22 Nov 1857 aged 58 yrs.
Centre panel:
Sacred to the memory of JOHN GEDDES, late Tacksman of Mains of Orton and Orbliston who d 23 Dec 1817 aged 64 yrs;
HELEN TOD, his spouse who died 16 Jan 1837 aged 66 yrs;
HELEN & JEAN; their eldest daughters who died, the former on 13 of Jan 1818 aged 25 yrs; and the latter on 10 Jun 1826 aged 29 years, all whose remains are here interred; and
THOMAS, their eldest son, late of Limestreet Square, London, who d 21 Jul 1836 aged 42 yrs and lies interred in St John’s Wood Churchyard, Regent’s Park, London.
Right panel:
Also of the children of John Geddes & Helen Tod:
WILLIAM, MD, HEICS who died at Laurel Bank, Elgin 8 Nov 1861 aged 67 yrs and is buried in the cemetery there;
Colonel JOHN GORDON GEDDES, who died in London, 3rd Sept 1852 age 55, and is buried in Kensal Green;
ALEXANDER, who died in Jamaica 1st Apr 1864 aged 64;
GEORGE who died in Jamaica 24th May 1864 aged 56;
OGILVIE who died at Belormie 7th Feb 1870 aged 68;
MARY WHARTON who died at Lossiebank, Elgin 5th Dec 1874 aged 70;
JAMES who died at Orbliston 14th Mar 1875 aged 64;
ISABELLA ANNE who died at Lossiebank, Elgin 9 Apr 1876 aged 70.
Thanks to FindaGrave for these photos
Bellie Church 2 k N of Fochabars