William Leiper is taken to be the addressee of this letter, although he is not referred to by name therein.

27, Burns Road.               Aberdeen.         14th Septm 1903. My dear Cousin,     I have to thank you very much indeed for the kind, welcome letter of 8th inst, en- closing the newspaper Cutting re the late Rev. John Alex- ander, D.D.     I read the extract with great interest – as I do everything else connected with the house of Terpersie – copied it out, and now herewith return it.     On reading the notice, it struck me forcibly that I had recently seen in one of our local newspapers an in- timation of the death of a Peterhead Bank Agent, named William Boyd ; and, on making search, I found the paragraph in question in the Aberdeen Daily Free Press of 5th inst, cut it out and now enclose it for your perusal & retention. I feel almost certain that the gentleman therein referred to must have been Miss Alex- ander’s husband. – You’ll observe he was resident when a young man in Edinburgh. It is such a pity his widow’s name is not given. I was certainly highly amused to find the architectural, the musical and the ritualistic element so largely developed in Dr. Alexander. Now that we have come into closer touch, I fain hope we may yet do some good work together in unravelling a few hitherto obscure points in our genealogical line. I have been wondering if your putting the cutting into Bullock’s hands led him to investigate the matter. - If he were more communicative on some points, I think he might have elicited more information, but Perhaps he is too busy for writing more than he can help. I sincerely trust you felt no bad effects for your visit to Aberdeen and neighbour- hood. I am sure I did thoroughly enjoy your short stay with me at “3 times 9 are 27 – 2 + 7 are 9!” - I certainly shall not soon forget your quoting the above before crossing the threshold when on your way to Nethermure. Odd numbers are said to be lucky, I think. So I am hoping to have great luck yet while a dweller within the house of the mystic number.1 It is something, anyhow, to cheer one up to meet a sympathetic relative when life’s journey is feeling a bit rough, at times. I am sure I have the most pleas- ant recollections of the long & varied programme of subjects we discussed ; it has certainly afforded me good food for reflection in many ways. - May we soon meet again. - I trust Jane2 is well. I have been thinking of writing out some day the XXIII Ps. in aul’ Scotch for you to read to her, as I feel sure she would enjoy it. I do earnestly pray that the evening of her days may be long and tranquil. With Kindest regards and best remembrances.                      I remain,                 Yours faithfully,                   Robert Stuart P.S. Who is the Hon. Geo. Alexander3, who, you say, is a judge in the Dominion of Canada? Owing to the mutilation of the Extract you sent me, I could not make that out. - The following is what Harry Catanach4 says in his letter to his Father of date 20th July 1801 regarding the Umphrays; I quote it to you in case you might like to have it verbatim: “I had a letter from Mr. John “Umphray dated in Febry 1800, “it was by a young man of “the name of Falconer a relative “of Mr Cruickshanks. I found the “letter in town but have never “seen the young man, he lives “someway to (the) windward of “the Island as an overseer. - I “will be happy should it ever be “in my Power to befriend him “on my Cousin, Mrs. Umphray’s “account, but as he lives with “such great relations as the “Cruickshanks he has no “occasion for any assistance “from me. R.S.

Notes

¹ This is almost certainly a Masonic reference and suggests that both men were Freemasons, or at least familiar with Masonic tenets.

² William Leiper had a younger sister of this name, born in 1842. It cannot refer to his mother, Jane Mellis, as she had died in 1879.

³ George Alexander (21^st May 1814 – 13^th October 1903), Ontario farmer and political figure, son of George Alexander and Mary Umphray

⁴ Harry Catanach, brother of Charlotte Boyd Catanach. The Island referred to is presumably St Vincent, in the Caribbean.

Robert Stuart to William Leiper