John Bain1

(circa 1784 - 17 June 1853)
Fathermale Bain ?Donald b. bef. 1764
Relationship4th great-grandfather of Lorna Henderson
BAIN H/stone at Ballachly

BMDB data

     John Bain was born cir. 1784 Latheron, CAI, SCT, this date/place being derived from the 1851 census. The 1841 census has him 2 years younger, but that could be accounted for by the rounding of ages that occurred in that census. His pension files imply 3 years younger, ie 1787, and confirm the place, and his headstone 3 years older, ie 1781. Somewhere around there is the best I can do as I couldn't find a Latheron baptism that conclusively fitted.2,3,4,5,6,7
     John Bain married Catherine Gray, daughter of Donald Gray and Janet Sutherland, on 3 Oct 1806 in the Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT, Halkirk OPR entry reads: John Bain in Westerdale and Catharine Gray there married 12 December (1806 Halkirk, this being the day before the baptism of son Donald). However, the Watten OPR entry reads: 14 Sep 1806 John Bain in Acavrole of this parish and Katherine Gray in Westerdale of the Parish of Halkirk were contracted in order to marriage and after the usual proclamations and no objections offered, their marriage was solemnized 3 Oct 1806. (I assume the minister got the places the wrong way round).8,4,9,3,10,11
     John Bain died on 17 Jun 1853 prob. at Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT; his headstone showing an age of 72 and a date confirmed by his pension cessation documents, although the latter say he was only 66.3,5,4,6 He was buried with Catherine Gray Ballachly Cem., Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, H/stone reads: Erected by Alexr Bain, Melbourne in memory of his beloved parents John Bain, Clashcriby Forse who died 17th Jun 1853 Aged 72 years. Catherine Gray who died 8th Jan 1865 aged 74 Years Also his brother James Bain who died 1st Mar 1879 Aged 54 years. Also his sister Jane Bain who died 10th Mar 1845 aged 15 years. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. In 1994 the cemetery was particularly overgrown. It is a remote location, a stone walled enclosure in the middle of a farm. My friend managed to get my wheelchair up to the gate from where I could see the grave directly inside. It is next door to a grave that is noted in the MI booklet as "This grave never to be opened".3,6,4

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Fr 1 Mar 1809 - 9 Aug 1816 John Bain was a Private in the 79th Regiment of Foot (now the Queen's Own Highlanders), service that wasn't without incident. Apparently an annotation against the Sep-Dec 1810 muster indicates John was a recruit who enlisted 27 Feb 1809.5,12,7,13
     John appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1841 Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, with Catherine Bain, as John, head 55 farmer, wife Catherine, 55; Elizabeth 20; Alexander 13; Jane 9 (NB instructions to the enumerators for this census were to round ages to the nearest multiple of 5, children tended to have their ages accurately recorded - or at least as accurate as such things can be. These instructions were not always followed).14,15
     The census of 30 Mar 1851 showed John with his wife Catherine, their dtr Jane Clashscribie, Par. of Latheron, CAI, household enumerated as Bain: John 67 b Latheron, farmer & pensioner; wife Catherine, 60 b Watten; dtr Jane, 20, hse servant b Latheron. The next schedule was for son James and family, and the one after that for son Donald and family.2,16 John Bain was shown as a "crofter, dec." when son John died in Mar 1890.17
     John Bain and Catherine Gray lived Clashscrebie Mor, Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT, rather than Clashscrebie beg which was 1/2 mile away based on Stemster hill and very small with room for just one family. The family living there were MacLeods. Mor was on the right side of Rangag where Helen (grddtr) was when christened and Brae Rangag just over the top. The croft was relatively large due to alterations - there was an extension built on to it, and it could hold at least three families if pushed.18

Military

     Fr 25 Sep 1811 - 24 Mar 1812 John Bain was stationed Glasgow, LKS, SCT, as evidenced by the Quarterly pay-lists for the 2nd Battallion of the 79th Regiment of Foot under Colonel Alan Cameron.19
     Fr 25 Jun 1815 - 24 Sep 1815 John Bain was stationed FRA in the 1st Battalion of the 79th Regiment of Foot. The quarterly pay-list for the quarter showing rate of 6; pay of £2/6/-; and the three reason for missing muster columns containing what looks like: "sick B???ellesce; As Waterloo ?? ?? 79 2 March 1814" An online calculator makes £2/6/- in 1815 worth £137.25p in 2006 terms.20,21 Fr 25 Jun 1816 - 24 Sep 1816 John Bain was not stationed FRA with the rest of his regiment as shown by absence entries in the quarterly pay-lists.22

All the other info

     Yet another of those ancestors putting the lie to the oft made statement that "they didn't move around much". Mind you, John had the army to thank for his travels as after enlisting in Caithness he is shown as being in Glasgow with the Regiment around 1811/2 (but was obviously home a little earlier than that even if he had enlisted in 1809 as there's a son John baptised in 1811). France, Belgium, and invalided out to the Isle of Wight. Also at Chatham (a discharge centre for soldiers going to pension), then to Colchester for a spell, then back to Chatham where he was disharged to a disability pension. He would not have been alone in the army as several of his neighbours and later relations by marriage also served (James McKenzie, his dtr Janet's father-in-law, and Donald Taylor an uncle of his son Donald's wife Margaret to name just two).23,24 On 16 Jun 1815 he was shot in the right shoulder joint Quartrebras, BEL, This battle was the last major battle before Waterloo. The Duke of Wellington particular mentions the 28th, 42d, 79th and 92d regiments, and says "Our loss was great", so I think John was rather fortunate to have missed that battle by a few short hours and a timely shot to the shoulder that he could presumably live with, considering he lasted a further 38 years (pity it wasn't a couple of years longer to make it into Civil Registration as I might then know who his parents were from a death certificate).7,25
     On 12 Jul 1832 Halkirk, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, John Bain was the cautioner for his son Donald at his marriage to Margaret Taylor.26,27,28
     Click here to see John's page on WikiTree, a (free) collaborative on-line tree.29
John Bain belongs to a DNA tested line. Click here for further information.

Family

Catherine Gray (cir. Sep 1785 - 8 Jan 1865)
Marriage*
     John Bain married Catherine Gray, daughter of Donald Gray and Janet Sutherland, on 3 Oct 1806 in the Par. of Watten, CAI, SCT, Halkirk OPR entry reads: John Bain in Westerdale and Catharine Gray there married 12 December (1806 Halkirk, this being the day before the baptism of son Donald). However, the Watten OPR entry reads: 14 Sep 1806 John Bain in Acavrole of this parish and Katherine Gray in Westerdale of the Parish of Halkirk were contracted in order to marriage and after the usual proclamations and no objections offered, their marriage was solemnized 3 Oct 1806. (I assume the minister got the places the wrong way round).8,4,9,3,10,11 
Children
ChartsPaternal ancestors of Lorna
Paternal timeline
BAIN
GRAY
Last Edited29 Dec 2015

Citations

  1. Donald BAIN, DC BAIN, Donald; Sibster (Halkirk, CAI) 1892, P/copy held, extracted Aug 1994.
  2. 1851 Census, CAI, SCT, Latheron, CAI Par. 38 ED 10 Pg 1 Sched 2, hsehold of John & Catherine BAIN, extracted Aug 1994, rechecked Apr 2007.
  3. MIs: Par. of Latheron, CAI, SCT Vol 4 , H/stone #10: John BAIN Catherine GRAY & family, Ballachly Cem. (pt 9 p101), extracted Aug 1994.
  4. Various, interviews, hearsay and personal knowledge , Photo Ballachly h/stone John BAIN & Catherine GRAY, (and yet to be re-found), taken Aug 1994.
  5. "John BAIN, pension 1816-1853", WO22/139; , extracted Sep 1995.
  6. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Photos: BAIN headstone, & Ballachly Cem., rcvd Apr 2007.
  7. "John BAIN, discharge from 79th Reg. of Foot 1816", WO97/891; , extracted Sept 1995.
  8. Letter, Gillian G to Lorna Henderson, Mar 1994.
  9. Births christenings marriages: Halkirk, CAI, SCT, Marr. 1806 John BAIN & Catherine GRAY, extracted Aug 1994.
  10. P K Bain, "EM BAIN, Pat Dunedin," e-mail to L McIntosh, Feb 1994.
  11. Birth baptism marriage: Watten, CAI Dist 43/2, Mar 1806 John BAIN and Katherine GRAY, extracted Nov 2003.
  12. Www CAI, SCT The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, from http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/079QOCH.htm, extracted Jan 2002.
  13. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, Email Aug 2001.
  14. 1841 Census, CAI, SCT, Dist 2 p6 hse 21 ex MELLOR index.
  15. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Dec 2002 ex 1841 census.
  16. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, 1851 Census, extract rcvd Aug 2001.
  17. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Dth 1890 John BAIN, extract rcvd Jun 2004.
  18. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Apr 2003.
  19. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, P/copy of WO12/8452 extracts, rcvd Jan 2002.
  20. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, P/copy of WO12/8393 extracts, rcvd Jan 2002.
  21. Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2006 online at MeasuringWorth.com, 2007, £2/6/- 1815 to 2006 values, extracted Apr 2007.
  22. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, P/copy of WO12/8394 extracts, rcvd Jan 2002.
  23. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Apr 2007.
  24. Roger NIXON, "PRO Military Researches (http://genealogypro.com/pro-army-navy-research.html)," e-mail to Lorna Henderson, Email report on 1809-1816 service of John BAIN in the 79th Regt of Foot, rcvd Aug 2001.
  25. Newspaper clippings, Dispatch from Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington, K.G. to Earl Bathurst, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the War Department, dated Jun 19 1815, printed in The Times of Jun 23 1815, copy d/loaded Apr 2006.
  26. Marriages Baptisms: Bower, CAI, SCT, Marriage 1832 Donald BAIN to Margaret TAYLOR, transcr. Sep/Oct 1994.
  27. Births christenings marriages: Halkirk, CAI, SCT, Marriage 1832 Donald BAIN to Margaret TAYLOR, transcr. Sep/Oct 1994.
  28. BDM: CAI, 1861 Film 224395, Dth 1861 Margaret BAIN nee TAYLOR, p/copy held, taken Apr 1994.
  29. WikiTree online at http://WikiTree.com/, Oct 2011.
  30. OPR: Latheron, CAI, SCT, Bap. 1811 John BAIN, transcr. Sep 1994.
  31. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1899 Elizabeth SUTHERLAND nee BAIN, transcr. Stuart H. rcvd July 2001.
  32. BDM: CAI, 1861 Film 224395, Death James SUTHERLAND.
  33. Scottish BMDB entries (from 1855), http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/index.php, Dth 1 Mar 1879 James s/o John BAIN & Margaret (sic) GREY, Hill Park, Watten, CAI, copy taken Edin., scanned Feb 2012.
  34. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Bap. 1822 Janet BAIN, rcvd May 2003.
  35. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1904 Janet MacKENZIE nee BAIN, transcr, Robert McC, Jul 2004.
  36. OPR: Latheron, CAI, SCT, Bap. Margaret and Barbara BAIN, extracted Sep/Oct 1994/5.
  37. Letter, Robert B to Lorna Henderson, Jun 2003.
  38. Alexander BAIN, DC BAIN, Alexander, s/o John B/Cath GRAY 1900, Death cert Alexander, 1900.
  39. Certificate, Alexander BAIN (17796) & Margaret SUTHERLAND (17797) marriage of 14 Aug 1863 VIC BDM #2928 1998 p/copy held.
  40. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1912 Jean BAIN, trans. Stuart H Feb 2003.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area. Corrections welcome
 
  • Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.

    — Abraham Lincoln
  • My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.

    — Cary Grant
  • Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.

    — E. B. White
  • I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart.

    — e. e. cummings
  • What then is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know.

    — Saint Augustine
  • Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

    — Mark Twain
  • If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.

    — Henry David Thoreau
  • If two things look the same, look for differences. If they look different, look for similarities.

    — John Cardinal
  • In theory, there is no difference. In practice, there is.

    — Anonymous
  • Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

    — John Adams
  • People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.

    — Abraham Lincoln
  • History - what never happened described by someone who wasn't there

    — ?Santayana?
  • What's a "trice"? It's like a jiffy but with three wheels

    — Last of the Summer Wine
  • Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened

    — Terry Pratchett
  • I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.

    — Terry Pratchett
  • .. we were trained to meet any new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illuson of progress

    — Petronius (210 BC)
  • The time we have at our disposal every day is elastic; the passions that we feel expand it, those that we inspire contract it; and habit fills up what remains

    — Proust
  • So just as it is not the desire to become famous but the habit of being laborious that enables us to produce a finished work, so it is not the activity of the present moment but wise reflexions from the past that help us to safeguard the future

    — Proust "Within the Budding Grove"
  • You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

    — William J. H. Boetcker
  • Only a genealogist thinks taking a step backwards is progress

    — Lorna
  • No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.

    — George Bernard Shaw
  • A TV remote is female: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.

    — Anon
  • Hammers are male: Because in the last 5000 years they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

    — Anon
  • The right thing to do is to do nothing, the place to do it is in a place of concealment and the time to do it is as often as possible.

    — Tony Cook "The Biology of Terrestrial Molluscs"
  • All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.

    — Thomas Carlyle "The Hero as Man of Letters"