REID

Reid is a prolific surname in Scotland, originally indicating red hair or a ruddy complexion. In Latin charters it is often rendered Rufus, in Gaelic Ruadh.  The name is borne by many families who do not have a common ancestor.  'Red' is found as a surname at Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire in 1317. In our own part of the Reid family we have a stone in Kildrummy churchyard (left) inscribed Alexander Reid, Cults interred here Ihone Reid, New Mill died 1563, James Reid, New Mill.  This stone is engraved on the inside wall of the ruined church and unfortunately is now open to the elements.

Down through the centuries Reids have distinguished themselves in many walks of life. In our own family we have some distinguished gentlemen  -  Sir Alexander John Forsyth Reid major general in the Indian Army (fuller details below) and his brother Professor Robert William Reid, Professor of Anatomy at Aberdeen University from 1851-1937. Their father William Reid  was Minister of Auchindor and Kearn for 46 years, having been inducted in1834, after serving as assistant to Revd. James Reid; it is not known whether James Reid was a relation.

An equally distinguished lady was born to Adam Reid, Adam was the grandson of Peter Reid and Mary Dingual of Baltimore, Glenbuchat and brother of my great, great, great grandfather James. Adam left the glen in 1884 for the United States of America and settled in New York City. He married an American Nellie Dodge and they had five children. Ada Chree Reid was their second daughter born in 1896 in Connecticut (Chree was Adam's mother's maiden name).  Ada was a pioneering woman doctor in Manhattan. In the 1920 census for the U.S., Ada was aged 24 and a pathologist, but by 1930 she was head of her own household and was a 'medical physician'.  She was to champion equal rights for women in medical education programmes and the armed forces and was a prominent member of the National American Women's Suffrage Association. In 1929 she published a medical paper entitled "The Value of the Fluoroscope as an Adjunct to Routine Physical Examination of the chest" in the American Revue of Tuberculosis.  Dr Ada Chree Reid also served on the Committee for the World Heath Organization and was secretary of the Women's Medical Association of the City of New York ; she was also a member of the Medical Women's International Association. and on the Board of Directors for World Health Inc.   Ada died on 2nd May 1974 in Norwich  Connecticut:  She never married dedicating her life to medicine.

Major General Sir Alexander John Forsyth Reid KCB, MA, LLD (nicknamed Jock) was born 21st August 1846 to the Rev'd William Reid MA and his wife Elizabeth Mary Scott.  William was the minister of Auchindoir and Kearn and the son of John Reid farmer at Milton of Glenbuchat. This John Reid was an older brother of both James, my own great, great, great grandfather and Peter, grandfather of Dr Ada Reid (for anyone interested, this makes Alexander and I 2nd cousins, 3 times removed)! 

After leaving Aberdeen University where he gained an MA and LLD, Alexander began his career on 18th January 1867 as an ensign in the Indian Army in the109th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Infantry). By 5th October 1868 he was attached to the 45th Bengal Native Infantry as the 2nd Wing Subaltern. Alexander was promoted to lieutenant on 6th May 1871 and was now part of the Staff Corps and attached to the 30th Bengal Native Infantry.  Around 1874 he was studying at Thomason College, an engineering college established in India in 1854.

He served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1878/80 and was promoted to Captain, he was also dangerously wounded during the forcing of the Peiwar Kota and was brevetted Major on 2nd March 1881.

In 1888 Alexander took part in the Hazara expedition and became a Lieutenant Colonel. On 6th January 1894 he became Colonel of the 29th Bengal native Infantry.  In 1895 he participated in the 1st and 2nd Miranzai expeditions.  In the North-West Frontier campaign of 1897-98, he commanded the Malakand relief column and the Uthman Khel as a Major-General. He is also mentioned several times by a young Winston Churchill in 'The Story of the Malakand Field Force'.  He was rewarded with a CB.  He also participated in the China expedition of 1900-1901 and received a KCB. He was mentioned in dispatches on at least three separate occasions.

When he was 62, Alexander married Alexandra Catharine Dyce Stewart, eldest daughter of Sir David Stewart of Banchory-Devenick and Leggart. He also became chairman of the Aberdeen Territorial Association and was a member of the United Service Club.  He was the author of "The Rev. Alexander John Forsyth and his Invention of the Percussion Lock".

Alexander died at Aboyne on 4th September 1913, Alexandra survived him by a further 15 years.

(extra information and photograph of Major General Reid, courtesy of Jonathan Hopkins)

Professor Robert Reid

Dr Ada Chree Reid
(photo - courtesy of Donna Chree Watson)

Baltimore, Glenbuchat

Return to home page