The Chalmers of Deskford

The Bryden family is originally from Scotland. A tree compiled by Bryden Bordley Hyde of Baltimore, MD begins with the ancestry of Elspeth Chalmers:

The name "Elspeth" is a Scotch variant of Elizabeth. Deskford is a small town on the Moray Coast (the northern coast of Scotland) just west of Banff. I find the following items in the Deskford Parish Register that support this ancestry:

• Dec 1, 1667 – Jas Chalmer married Elspet Shipherd.
• Sep 26, 1673 – Walter Keir had a daughter baptized named Elspet. Witnesses: Elspet Lorimer, Elspet Muirson.
• May 29, 1675 – James Chamer had a son baptized named William. Witnesses: William Henderson, William Lorimer.
• July 4, 1702 – William Chambers married Elspet Keir.
• Aug 30, 1703 – Wm Chalmer in Squardoch had a child baptized named James. Witnesses: James Stronark, James Don, James Keir, Janet Don, Janet Shippard, Elspet Stronark.
• Oct 9, 1733 p90 – James Chalmers in Squardoch had a child by his wife Jean Davidson baptized and called Elspet. Wit: James Davidson, John Taylor, Elspet Davidson, Elspet Borkie.
• James and Jean also had other children: William (24 Mar 1732), James (3 Dec 1734), John (24 Jun 1737).

There is, however, another possibility for Elspeth's parentage that I have not been able to eliminate:

• No date given (Apr 1731?) p84 – James Chalmers in Burnheads had a child by his wife Isobel Ogilvie named Elspet. Witnesses: Andrew Reid, Wal. B. (?) Elspet Murray, Elspet Chalmer.

Elsewhere in the Parish Register we find that this James Chalmers and Isobel Ogilvie were married 27 Jun 1730, and had other children: James (abt Apr 1733), Isabel and Janet (20 Jan 1736), and John (4 Aug 1738).

Whichever version is correct, it is clear from the Edinburgh records on the next page that one Elspeth Chalmers of Deskford was the mother of William Bryden.