Magdelene Birnie

F, #11, b. 27 November 1806, d. 2 June 1885
FatherWilliam Birnie b. 30 Nov 1777, d. 6 Aug 1863
MotherElizabeth Cheyne b. 3 Feb 1771, d. b 31 Mar 1851
     Margaret Birnie was baptized in accordance with the procedures of the Church of Scotland, 27 November 1806, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1790-1816, Page 57 "27 Nov'r (1806) William Birney (503) and ___ Cheyne (513) in Invernorth had a daughter baptized named Margaret (11) before witnefses John Morgan and William Murison Invernorth”.1

Magdelene Birnie married William Cheyne 12 January 1826, in accordance with the procedures of the Church of Scotland, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Register of Marriages, Parish of Rathen, 1820-1854, "12th Jan'y (1826) Wm. Cheyne & Magdalane Birnie, both in the parish were married".2

The baptismal record of William Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as his mother, 15 February 1827, at Mossside, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1820-1854, Page 54, "15th Feb'y (1827) Wm Cheyne & Magdalene Birnie in Mossside had a Son baptized ‘(before witnefses)’ named William".3

The baptismal record of James Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as his mother, 25 February 1829, at Mossside, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1820-1854, Page 59, "25th Feb'y (1829) William Cheyne & Magdalane Birnie in _____ Side had a Son baptized before witnefses named James".4

The baptismal record of James Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as his mother, 1 March 1829, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. A second baptismal record was found for James. The following is a transcription from the Supernumerary Volume B, Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1805-1854, "March 1st (1829) W'm Birnie junior & Isb. Sangster in hill head of Mofside had a Son Baptised named William & at same time W'm Cheyne & Magdalene Birnie in Invernorth of Cairnefs had a Son Baptised named James the mother being sponsor”. [N.B.--Wm. Birnie probably was Magdalene’s brother (514).]5

The baptismal record of Elizabeth Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as her mother, 13 March 1831, at Mossside, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1820-1854, "13th March (1831) Wm. Cheyne & Magdalane Birnie in Mafs Side had a daughter baptized before witnesses, named Elizabeth".6

The baptismal record of Elizabeth Cheyne documented Margaret Birnie as her mother, 15 March 1831, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Supernumerary Volume B, Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1805-1854, "March 15th (1831) __ Cheyne & Mar't Birnie in Invernorth had a Daughter Baptized named Elizabeth, Wm Birnie, Grandfather, Sponsor".5

The baptismal record of George Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as his mother, 17 February 1833, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Supernumerary Volume B, Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1805-1854, "(Feb 17th 1833) Wm Cheyne & Magdelene Birnie in Invernorth, Cairness had a Son Baptized named George, the mother Magdelene Birnie being sponsor".5

The baptismal record of Barbara Gordan Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as her mother, 1 March 1835, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Supernumerary Volume B, Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1805-1854, "March 1st (1835) Wm Cheyne & Magdelene Birnie in Invernorth had a Daughter Bapized named Barbara Gordon, the Mother being sponsor".5

The baptismal record of Alexander Birnie Cheyne documented Magdelene Birnie as his mother, 30 January 1837, at Invernorth, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The following is a transcription from the Supernumerary Volume B, Register of Baptisms, Parish of Rathen, 1805-1854, "Jan'y 30, 1837 Wm Cheyne & Magdalene Birnie in Invernorth Cairness had a Son Baptized named Alex'r Birnie, the mother being Sponsor".5

Magdelene Cheyne, Elizabeth Cheyne, Barbara Gordan Cheyne, Isabella Cheyne, George Cheyne and Alexander Cheyne was listed as a resident in the household of William Cheyne on the 1841 Scotland Census at Lochrels, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. She was 30 and born in Aberdeenshire.7

Magdelene Cheyne and her husband, William Cheyne, were listed on the 1851 Scotland Census, at Sinclair Hills, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. They were listed as the head of household and wife. Also present listed as their children were, Isabella Cheyne, Hellen Cheyne, John Cheyne, Andrew Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne. She was listed as 47 and born in Rathen Parish.8

Magdelene Cheyne and her husband, William Cheyne, were listed on the 1861 Scotland Census, at Woodside, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. They were listed as the head of household and wife. Also present listed as their children were, Andrew Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne. In addition, her father, William Birnie, was also present.. She was listed as 55 and born in Rathen Parish.9

Magdelene Birnie and her husband, William Cheyne, were listed on the 1871 Scotland Census, at Sinclair Hills, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. They were listed as the head of household and wife. Also present listed as their child was, Margaret Cheyne. In addition, their grandchildren, James Strachen Cheyne, William Donald and Magdalene Grant were also present.. She was listed as, Magdelene Birnie (or Cheyne), 67, farmer's wife and born in Rathen Parish.10

The attached is a studio photo taken in Oldmeldrum. On the back is written "Greatgranma Cheyne". This photo was given to me by my grandmother about 1952. I don't know if it was my great grandmother or my father's. He had two great grandmother Cheynes, Magdalene Birnie and Margaret Murray. Margaret died in 1848, so it is not likely to have been her. Magdalene Birnie lived until 1885. If it was of my great grandmother it would have been Margaret Cheyne, but another photo of her (taken abut 1870) shows a person of a different likeness. I believe that the photo probably was of Magdalene Birnie taken about 1880.

Magdlen B. Chyne and her husband, William Chyne, were listed on the 1881 Scotland Census, at Broadsea Farm, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. They were listed as the head of household and wife. She was 77, a retired farmer's wife and was born in Rathen Parish.11

Magdelene Cheyne died 2 June 1885 at 5 AM, of natural decay, at Broadsea Farm in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The death record listed her as Magdalene Cheyne, married to William Cheyne, general labourer and 81 years of age. Her husband recorded the death. Her parents were William Birnie, crofter and Elizabeth Cheyne, both deceased.12,13

Magdelene Birnie was buried 6 June 1885, at Fraserburgh Cemetery, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. From the Fraserburgh Lair Book:
Page 808, Line of Graves 24, Grave Number 15, Alexander Cheyne, Fraserburgh (Owner)
June 6th 1885          Opened and Magdalene Cheyne     aged 81     interred
March 31st 1888      " " Magdalene Grant          still born      '"
March 14th 1892      " " Mary Jane Watt          aged 1 month      "
February 11th 1899      " " William Cheyne Watt     aged 1 year      "
September 5th 1900      " " Maggie C. Watt          aged 1 month      "
April 15th 1912           " " John Watt               aged 2 years      ".14

Family

William Cheyne b. a 1802, d. 27 Dec 1894
Children

Citations

  1. [S27] Old Parish Register (OPR), Register of Baptisms, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1790-1817, Page 57.
  2. [S3] Old Parish Register (OPR), Register of Marriages, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1819-1854, Page number not transcribed.
  3. [S107] Old Parish Register (OPR), Register of Baptisms, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1820-1854, Page 54.
  4. [S107] Old Parish Register (OPR), Register of Baptisms, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1820-1854, Page 59.
  5. [S106] Old Parish Register (OPR), Supernumery Baptismal Register, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1805-1854, Page number not transcribed.
  6. [S107] Old Parish Register (OPR), Register of Baptisms, Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, 1820-1854, Page number not transcribed.
  7. [S7] 1841 British Census, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Enumeration District 6, Page 15.
  8. [S15] 1851 British Census, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Enumeration District 6, Page 25, Number 70.
  9. [S16] 1861 British Census, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Enumeration District 5, Page 14, Number 62.
  10. [S159] 1871 British Census, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Enumeration District 5, Page 9, Number 37.
  11. [S228] 1881 British Census, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Enumeration District 8, Page 15, Number 61.
  12. [S126] Scotland, Civil Death Registration, Parish of Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, 1885, Page 25, Number 73.
  13. [S460] Information provided by a Web Page Contributor, Date of death from the Deaths page in the Family Bible belonging to her grandson, William Donald and image provided by Gregory Sullivan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  14. [S13] Lair Book of the Fraserburgh Cemetery, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Page 808.