Helen Stuart was recorded in the Birse Parish, Aberdeenshire, Register of Baptisms in 1805:

August 9 John Stuart in New Milne had a daughter Baptized named Helen. Witnefses Peter Stuart and George Alexander

Helen married James Brown on 20^th March 1828, at Birse.

Helen Gordon Stuart died on 11^th December 1875 at nine in the morning, at Birslausie (note the variation). Her age was entered as 72. Assuming that she was baptized within a reasonable time after her birth, she was actually 70. This conclusion is supported by the 1851 census, which gives her age as 45 and confirms her place of birth as Birse. The cause of death was certified by as bronchitis, from which she had been suffering for 14 days. The death was registered by her son James, who was present.

Brothers and Sisters

Helen was apparently one of seven children of John Stuart and Charlotte Boyd Cattanach. Bulloch, in House of Gordon, Volume II (at p. 132), lists the others as follows:

i. Robert Stuart in Newmill, later in Ruthrieston; died 1864, aged 66. He married Mary Ross, and had : — (i) Harry Stuart: merchant and agent of the Town and County Bank at Lumphanan. He married Anne Siveright, and had: — Robert Stuart, Aberdeen, who supplied nearly all the details given here about Helen Gordon, (ii) Robert Stuart. (iii) Jessie Stuart: unmarried, ii. Peter Stuart : died 1846. iii. Harry Stuart: minister of Oathlaw, Forfarshire, died March 18, 1880. iv. George Stuart: schoolmaster, Oathlaw, died June 12, 1880. v. John Stuart : died 1846. vi. Mary Stuart : died 1819.

Robert Stuart was baptised in 1797.

Harry Stuart was baptised in 1801.

George Stuart was baptised in 1808.

The www.findagrave.com transcript of the family memorial stone in Tarland Kirkyard is the source for the years of death quoted above for Mary (1819), Peter and John (both 1846).