John Christie was born in 1824 at Old Monklands, Lanarkshire. In 1841 he was with his parents at Calder House, Old Monklands where his father was a manager of Calder Works. He was educated at Glasgow University.

He married Alison Philp on the 27th April 1859 at Temple, Midlothian, daughter of William Philp. She was born about 1823 at Dalkeith, Midlothian.

John and his wife and son were at Brae Lodge, Edinburgh St Cuthberts in 1861 and 1871. However, John was also recorded as residing at Cowden Castle, Dollar, Clackmannanshire about 1873. His residnce on the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses was 19 Buckingham Terrace, Edinburgh. He was a Justice of the peace (J.P.) for counties of Perth and Kinross and he was noted as being of Cowden, and Glenfarg, Perthshire, and of Milnwood, Lanarkshire. He was an Iron Master so carried on the family tradition.

Children of John Christie and Alison Philp are:

John Coldwells Christie who as born 12th march 1860 at Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland and died, aged 12, in 1872.

Isabella Robertson Christie, was born 21st April 1861 at Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland and died in a nursing home in Edinburgh in 1949.

Alice Margaret Christie was born 15th October 1863 at Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland.

 

It is not yet clear what became of Alice but Isabella inherited the Cowden Estate as her only brother had died as a boy of 12. Isabella never married but she did spend her life travelling the world. She laid out a Japanese garden at Cowden Castle and in 1930 Queen Mary visited it. However, this garden was vandalised about 1960 but has quite recently been reinstated. Cowden Castle was demolished about 1965.

It is unknown at the present time who inherited the estate after Isabella's death. Nothing was mentioned of her sister.