In the moral statistics published by the "Inverness Society,"
1826, the following is reported as to Abernethy :—Population in 1821, 1908 ;
families, 412 in 1824, 1909 ; families, 395. Under 8 years of age, 406 ; above,
1503 ; above 8 years who can read, 1146 ; from 8 to 20 years who cannot read,
100 ; above 20 years who cannot read, 257. Families in which no person can read,
59 ; families in which one or more can read, 336. Holy Scriptures in use—Bibles,
650; Testaments, 173. Families having Bibles. 3215 ; families without Bibles,
69. A Strathspey Auxiliary Bible Society was instituted in 1815. From the fourth
report, submitted to a meeting held at Grantown, 4th September, 1821, it appears
that Colonel Grant of Grant, was the Patron ; the Rev. Donald Martin, Abernethy,
President ; Mr William Mackenzie, Treasurer ; and Messrs Lachlan Mackintosh,
Grantown, and Peter Grant, Congash, Secretaries. The entire sum collected from
the beginning was £118 14s, of which a certain amount was expended annually in
the distribution of Bibles and New Testaments in the district. In 1836 the
Religious Association of the Presbytery of Abernethy was established. it's
object was the " Promoting Religious Knowledge in conformity with the Standards
of the Established Church of Scotland." The report of the proceedings, 1839,
shows that £57 10 10d had been collected. Of the Abernethy Branch, Rev. Mr
Martin was President, and Mr Wm. Forsyth, Dell, Secretary arid Treasurer. From
the minute of a meeting of the parishioners held in the church on the 25th
April, 1837, it appears that £9 13s had been collected, and that 150 copies of
the Holy Scriptures—110 in Gaelic and 40 in English, had been obtained for
distribution in the parish. There is no record of the proceedings subsequent to
1839. The failure of the crops for the three previous years, and the great
distress had, as stated in the Presbytery’s report, "compelled a suspension of
operations for the present."
NOTE AS TO P0PULArIoN.—In year 1801, pop.
1769 ; 1811, p. 1709; 1821, p. 1968 ; 1831, p. 2092. This was the highest known.
Since then there has been almost a steady decrease. Year 1841, p. 1920 ; 1851,
p. 1871 ; 1861, p. 1928. This temporary rise was owing to the railway works.
Year 1871, p. 1752 ; 1881, p. 1530 1891, p. 1354. in the last 30 years there has
been a decrease of 574, and this decrease would have been greater but for the
rise of the village at Nethy-Bridge. The chief reasons for this decrease seem to
have been—1. Emigration to the colonies and towns ; 2. Foresting—Glenmore,
in which from 12 to 15 families resided, was turned into a sheep-run, and
subsequently into a deer forest ; the forest of Abernethy was established in
1869 3. Industrial and Social Changes
as to the wood manufacture and the removal of crofters and
cottars The change as to cottars is specially marked in such farms or districts
as Achernack, Rothiemoon, Garlin, Elaneoirn. |
