David Doig of Reswallie was born about 1620 in Scotland. He married firstly Janet Dal in 1642/3.     Janet was born in 1620/1.      She died on September 8th 1658 and was buried at Rescobie. David then married Janet's sister Agnes Dall soon afterwards in Kirkden, Angus.      From the first marriage five children were born and from the second to Agnes the following births were recorded :- Andrew born about 1661, James born about 1664, Helen born about 1667, Ann born about 1685 and finally Mary. David died in 1692.

Andrew, when he was about 40 years old married Elizabeth Isobel Robertson on March 1st 1701 in Brechin. Andrew was a merchant in Brechin and became Baillie in 1714.      10 children are recorded from this union, all christened in Brechin on the these dates :-Agnes 24.01.1702, Margaret 13.04.1703, David 6.01.1705, John 4.10.1706, Andrew 29.10.1708, Christian (Christina) 28.08.1710, James 27.04.1712, Andrew 17.12.1714 (presumably the first Andrew had died), Christian 15.10.1716 and finally Robert 10.05.1719.     Andrew senior died in 1728, aged about 67 and his first son declared heir general on 8th April 1728, the document being recorded on 6th May 1728.    David died age 57 in 1762 and his sister Christian inherited his property.     Andrew junior was admitted burgess of Brechin on 18th October 1736.     Andrew, according to the christening record of his sixth child married a May Anderson.    To this union six children were noted, Andrew born about 1735, David born about 1737, May (Elizabeth) born about 1739, Isabel born about 1741, Jean christened 30th January 1743 in Rescobie, and finally Thomas christened 30th January 1745 in Aberlemno.    David, the second child (linkage to Andrew is based on approximate age and location) married Janet Suttie in Aberlemno Angus on 26th October 1765.    To this couple possibly four children are noted. Barbara, christened 13th August 1766 in Aberlemno, George, christened 1st August 1768 in Dunnichen, Helen born at Muir of Balgarrockand christened in Aberlemno on 17th January 1773. A fourth child whose linkage is uncertain was born in 1775/6.     In the christening record of George the father's name was first given as John then crossed out and changed to David.    George contracted a marriage to Ann(e) Hoodon 9th April 1791 in Forfar and this was consumated on 22nd April 1791 in Aberlemno.    Forfar parish records George is listed from Aberlemno whilst Ann from Auchter, Forfar. She may be the Ann christened 23rd February 1768 in Aberlemno, the daughter of John Hood and Mary Lawson. Ann and George had 10 children, all born in Muir of Woodwrae, Aberlemno.    A girl, Ann, christened 2nd July 1792 in Aberlemno, was followed by twin boys, James and David nearly two years later and christened 15th April 1794 in Aberlemno.    About 17 months later Helen was christened on 5th September 1795. Barbara was next to be born and christened 23rd October 1797 and another girl, Betty was born on 10th September 1799.    Alexander, a third boy was born 24th February 1802, and then Janet born 20th May 1805. another boy, George was born 6th November 1807 and finally Margaret born 9th May 1809.     By the time of the 1841 census George (the elder) was a crofter living in Turinhill, Aberlemno.    He was a widower, living with his daughter Janet, two granddaughters, Margaret Jolly, (of his daughter Betty's marriage to David Jolly), Ann Davidson (from daughter Margaret and Alexander Davidson), and a boy Joseph Binny christened 5th June 1832, the son of Alexander Binney and Margaret Scott.

Alexander, George's third son, was a crofter who married a Mary Walker on 17th November 1827 at Rescobie, Angus, both residing in this parish. Mary was born in 1800/01 either in Inverkeillor or St. Vigeans.    They had a son, again named Alexander who was born on 28th October 1830 at Kirkton and christened on 7th November 1830 at Aberlemno, Angus⁸. Other children of this marriage were an older sister Janet, born 13th September 1828 in Turnihill christened in Aberlemno on 21st September 1828.

By 1841 Alexander (senior) was a labourer at Maretown (or Marestone), Rescobie where a third child, John was born, christened 2nd October 1834 at Rescobie, then James also born at Marestone was christened at Rescobie on 10th February 1839.     In 1841, the family were living at Lunanhead, Forfar, the father still working as a labourer but by 1844 he was a Carter when finally, Mary Ann was born and whose christening was registered at Forfar on 15th June 1844.    In 1851 he was still living in Lunanhead as a coal driver but in 1861 was farming 18 acres of land in Lunanhead, employing his niece Ann (the youngest child of his older brother David and his wife Betty Brown).         His second son, John lived nearby. He was still farming in 1866 but by 1881 he had retired from farming and lived with his youngest daughter Mary in Forfar.

Alexander (the second) is said to have had 13^{10 &11} children to his wife, born Mary Matthew or Mathew, the date of their wedding, registered in the parish of Dunnichen, being 14th August 1853⁸. (Note - 15th August is given on Birth Certificate of John Edward on 17.11.1866).    Mary was the child of Charles Matthew, a miller and Mary Cable and christened in Dunnichen on 9th May 1834 and so would be 19 years old on her marriage to Alexander who was 22 years old. Alexander became a master boot and shoemaker who carried out his business in Letham, the address in 1871 being in The Square, Letham. (In 1861 he was said to be at 30 Kepty Street, St. Vigeans, a visitor with Ann Irving).

Registered births at Dunnichen following the date of this marriage are Jessie, born on 21.8.1853, the mothers name given as Mathew.    James followed on 1st January 1855 (Mother -Mathew) and then Arthur on 12th December 1856.     A Mary Ann Catenach's birth was recorded as 3rd August 1858 and Alexander on 27th November 1859.    Margaret followed on 2nd March 1862 and William Kydd on 23rd April 1864. John Edward (Ned or Teddy) born on 29th October 1866 at five minutes to 8 a.m. He was followed by twins Marion Galloway (see later notes) and Arthur Matthew on 15th February1869. Finally Robert Young was born on 14th November 1871 and a copy of this certificate is held by his son Aikman, the address given at this time being Gardyne Street, Letham.

N.B. Some of these births , although registered at Dunnichen need checks on birth certificates as the Mothers name varies⁸, the child Jessie, was born only a week after the wedding and there are two Arthur's recorded.    It could be that the first Arthur had died. Two children are therefore unaccounted for and earlier census reports may give more clues.

School records at Letham, which were only recorded from 1874 show the following :- Margaret, date of birth 2.3.1863 (note : one year difference from above); William, date of birth 23.4.1864; Edward, date of birth 29.10.1866; Arthur and Lily, date of birth 15.2.1869 (note : the girl's name differs from above but the birth date is the same).    Finally Robert, date of birth 13.2.1872 (note : this birth date is at variance with Robert Young Doig whose birth certificate has been verified).

These records also show another Robert 13.10.1873 whose parent or guardian was Alexander Doig and both Roberts left infant school on 27.5.1881 and one was re-admitted to senior school on 21.11.1881, this birth date being 14.10.1871 (similar date to Robert Young except that October is given not November).    It is to be supposed that birth dates were not accurately recorded.

By the time of the 1881 census on 3rd April, the family were living at Watson Road, Letham and were listed as follows  

Alexander Doig Head / Married age 50 Shoemaker

John Edward Son age 14 Bakers apprentice

Lillie Mairn Daughter age 11 Scholar *    The word Scholar was struck out

Arthur Son age 11 Scholar

Robert Young Son age 9 Scholar

The census shows that all the older children had left or were away from home on census day as was wife Mary as Alexander was not classified as a widower.     There are two anomalies compared to the MMF.    The twin daughter is named as Lillie Mairn whereas the MMF gives Marion Galloway on this birth date and also the ages of the twins should be given as twelve years if the MMF birth date and school admission records are taken as correct.

It is known that a school photograph had existed of three of these children, including J. Edward (Ned) who were attending Letham School in 1873. this photograph was returned to the School by Stanley Doig on the early 80's the school closed soon after and it is not known what became of their records.

Mary Doig (nee Matthew) obtained a certified copy of her youngest son, Robert Young Doig's birth certificate on 16th March 1885 and at that time gave her address as 26, Millgate Loan, Arbroath and her occupation as confectioner.     She may have lived there since before the 1871 census.     Her death is recorded on 8th February 1888, the usual address given as 24, Millgate Loan, Arbroath but she died age 53 in the Royal Asylum, Morningside, Edinburgh.    The cause of death was stated to be Acute Mania - 3 weeks, Cardiac Disease and Aortic Incompetence.     Her sister Catherine Murrell notified the death on 15th February 1888.By 1890 another son John Edward ('Ned') was living at 38 Helen Street (house now gone) from where he married.    James is said¹⁰ to have moved to Shrewsbury, dying in 1927 age 72 and he had a son who was a solicitor and a daughter who lived in London, working in the railway pay office.      

William, who married a Martin, became a ship's engineer, and lived in Derby where they had a daughter. William is said to have had an unfortunate death - being murdered by Lascar seamen and then thrown overboard from his ship, the Bolavina.   Stanley Doig remembered his Uncle William visiting 18, Miriam Road, Liverpool where he brought large buckets of lard and gave the children pennies.

Arthur Matthew Doig kept a grocers shop in Arbroath. He had four children, two boys and two girls. One girl, Mary, married but the oldest son, name unknown, Ann and Arthur junior remained single. The family may have lived in Osborn terrace.

Robert Young Doig remained in Arbroath and became an agent for the Pearl Assurance Co.    He married, rather late in life, Isabella Smith Hutchison who was born on 7th February 1876 at Gowanbank, near Arbroath.     They had a son Aikman Taylor, born 25th March 1911 and they resided at 25 West Abbey Street.    Aikman went into jute production in India and on his first leave home married Edith Hogg Farquar (born 5.10.1910.) on Christmas Day 1936. Edith had lived at 4 Hill Street, Arbroath.    They returned to India where both their children were born, Alistair Rowland on 9.9.1938 and Sonia Isobel 3.10.1943.     The family were unable to return from India until after the second world war in 1947 and thus were unable to attend the funeral of Robert Young as he had died on 9th May 1945, age 73 years.    His wife Isabella died on 30th May 1949 also 73 years old.

Aikman's son Alistair, a solicitor, had four children, all girls, the first three also born in India; Caris Jane born 20.4.1963, Carolyn Edith born 10.6.1964, Alison Ann born 23.1.1967 and Louise Catherine born 12.10.1973.        Sonia married a Nelson and they also have four children; Francis Claire born 2.11.1967, Catriona Elizabeth born 7.9.1969, Michael Colin born 4.12.1970 and finally Janine Isobel born 25.12.1971. Sonia's father -in -law was a President of Arbroath F.C. and President of the Scottish Football Association for a number of years.    Aikman and Edith retired to Arbroath, where they live at 18b, Viewfield Road (1995).                              

Of the large family of Alexander, nothing is known of the other children except for John Edward who became a footballer and found fame playing for Arbroath, Sunderland, Liverpool and Scotland.    Alexander in later years moved to Arbroath.    He died in Arbroath Infirmary on 19th February 1919 and was said to be 85 years of age.          Note that this should be 89 years.    He had a fall a month earlier which fractured a femur whilst living at 11 Union Street West.

Arthur Matthew Doig’s second son, Arthur Alexander Doig (b 1903), was married and had a daughter, Gillian by his wife, Dolina (nee Davidson), b 17.09.1909.