"...John MUTCH and Ann DAVIDSON are my 3xgreat grandparents. They married on 9th July 1808 in Peterhead. Extract from the 1808 Old Parish Records for Peterhead:"Mutch and Davidson July 9th. John Mutch, Cartwright, and Anne Davidson, both in Peterhead"

I cannot find any other information about John Mutch other than he is in the 1841 census at Muirhill, Peterhead aged 55, Occupation Wright and born in Aberdeenshire. With him are Ann age 55; James age 27; Isabela age 18 and Ann Oldman age 7 - all born in Aberdeenshire.

I have a copy of George Cooper Smart's (ANESFHS# 1058) tree and spoke to him years ago when I was first starting out and he assured me John Mutch's parents were William Mutch and Janet Morrison [W4], but I have absolutely no supporting evidence for this. I cannot even find a death certificate for John Mutch. Can you help at all?

Ann MUTCH nee DAVIDSON died 27th April 1871 at 7? (looks like 5/5) Kirk Street, Peterhead, aged 86 years of Gradual Decay, No Medical Attendant. She is listed as Widower of John Mutch, Ship Carpenter and the daughter of James Davidson, Labourer (dead) & Janet Davidson MS Bremner (dead). Informant is George Oldman, Grandson, Present, Neighbour.

John and Ann had possibly 7 children but I have not confirmed this (and can't remember where I got this info from??!!!) - Janet b abt 1813: James bap 28/2/1814; Isabella bap 22/9/1822; Ann Cameron bap 24/8/1824 (must have died before 1826); Ann bap 18/3/1826; Robert bap 3/10/1826 and Christian Abernethy bap 7/6/1830.

Christian Abernethy MUTCH married William WILL on 9th April 1854 at Castlehaugh, Old Deer. And I believe they had 7 children, of which I am descended from the youngest Alexander Riddell WILL b1869

"Details about John MUTCH, as quoted in "The Ext Inventory of the Personal Estate of John Mutch 1842" are as follows:-
"Crofter at Muirhill, parish of Peterhead who died on the second day of March Eighteen hundred and forty two..." & "Ann DAVIDSON or MUTCH Widow of the deceased John MUTCH, Crofter in Muirhill, parish of Peterhead Executrix Dative qua Relict of said deceased...".

Interestingly, the ANESFHS Burial Index has John MUTCH, Age:59, Parish: Peterhead 2; Abode: Cowhills; Buried: 9th Mar 1842. Cowhills was where my 2xgreat grandmother Christian Abernethy MUTCH was born, so maybe Cowhills & Muirhill are names for the same place. Age at death of 59 gives an approximate year of birth of circa 1783, so seems to validate George Cooper Smart's (ANESFHS# 1058) idea that he is the son of William MUTCH & Janet MORRISON. Another possible confirmation of John's parentage comes with the witnesses at his son Robert's baptism -Robert MUTCH & Alexander MUTCH who are possibly his brothers [William MUTCH & Janet MORRISON also appear to have had sons Robert (bap 25/2/1779) & Alexander (bap 3/6/1781)].

I believe I was wrong in the childen of John MUTCH & Ann DAVIDSON that I gave you before and included, wrongly, an extra Ann. The ones that are known of are as follows:-
1. Janet MUTCH b abt 1813 -known as Jessie, married George OLDMAN in abt 1833 and had 8 children -Ann, Margaret, James, Janet, John, George, Robert & William.
2. James MUTCH bap 28/2/1/1814 (OPR: 28 Feb 1814 Mutch. John, carpenter in Peterhead, a son, James. witns.:- Thomas Forrest. John Allan.) -nothing more known but with parents in 1841 census
3. Isabella MUTCH bap 22/9/1822 (OPR: 22 Sep 1822 Mutch. John, ship carpenter in Peterhead, a daug. Isabella. witns.:- Thomas Forrest. Alexander Forrest.) -nothing more known but with parents in 1841 census
4. Ann Cameron MUTCH bap 24/9/1824 (OPR: 24 Aug 1824 Mutch. John, carpenter, in Peterhead, a daug. Ann Cameron. witns.:- Robert and Alexander Mutch.) -married James WILSON 7th Apr 1855 at Castlehaugh, Old Deer. They emmigrated to Canada, to Egremont twp in Grey Co., Ontario. They had 6 children William WILSON b 4/12/1855 (from 1901 Canadian census); Ann WILSON b abt 1857 (details given in History of Egremont book but haven't as yet confirmed); James WILSON b abt 1861 (from 1881 Canadian census); Isabella WILSON b Sept 1863 (1901 Canadian census); John Alexander WILSON b 16/5/1865 (1901 Canadian census) & Robert WILSON b Jan 1868 (1900 USA Census).
5. Robert MUTCH bap 3/10/1826 (OPR: 03 Oct 1826 Mutch. John, carpenter in Peterhead, a son, Robert. witns.:- Robert and Alexander Mutch.) - married Ann CRUICKSHANK on 24/11/1849 in Cruden (your R5 lineage). As this is before registration (& I haven't checked to see if the OPR gives any more details yet) it is not confirmed as yet that this is correct, but their fourth child was James Will MUTCH (b 13/6/1855) and this middle name supports this as being correct as my 3xgreat grandmother Christian Abernethy MUTCH had married William WILL in 1854.
They had the 4 children you have on the website, emmigrated to Canada, to East Wawanosh, Huron Co., Ontario and had at least a further 4 children - Mary b abt 1858, Jennie D. b Sept 1863; William Wallace b 18/11/1869; & Jessie b abt 1873. (These are confirmed by the 1881 Canadian census)
6. Christian Abernethy MUTCH bap 7/6/1830 (OPR: 07 Jun 1830 Mutch. John, farmer in Cowhills, a daug. Christian Abernethy. witns.:- Alexander Mitchel. Margaret Petrie. ) married William WILL 9/4/1854 at Castlehaugh, Old Deer. Still haven't confirmed how many children they had but the tally is up to 9. The ones you have on the website plus John M WILL b abt 1854 (1855 from 1881 census but not after registration). There is a record in the IGI of a birth of John Mutch WILL b 16/5/1854 & bapt 03/7/1854 in Peterhead, son of William WILL & Christian MITCHELL. This is possibly an error on the part of the Session Clerk but haven't checked the OPR. Also Ann Isabella Mutch WILL b 9/7/1871 in Old Machar.