McKinnon of Colonsay

[Jet Carson]

Hi folks,

Firstly I apologise if this post is a bit wordy but I thought it best to give as much details as possible!

I’m hoping someone may be able to help with a problem I’m having tracing ancestors on Colonsay.

My g.g.g.grandmother is Isabella Gibson (maiden name McKinnon) and appears aged 22 on the 1881 census in Beith, Ayrshire.  It is from this that I discovered she was born in Colonsay.

She died in 1891 aged 32 and it is from the death register that I have her parents’ names as Donald McKinnon (Farm Servant) and Margaret McMillan.

The only Isabella Mackinnon born on Colonsay I can find that fits the dates is born in Machrins on February 1858 to Donald McKinnon and Margaret McMillan so I’m assuming this is her.

I have a Colonsay marriage in 1857 of Donald McKinnon (27), a ploughman from Kilchattan, and Margaret McMillan (22), a dairy maid from Machrins.

Donald’s parents are a Donald McKinnon (Crofter) and Mirren Kilpatrick.  This is where things start to go awry, not helped by various spelling errors and discrepancies in the records.

I believe I have found Mirren on the 1841 Colonsay census as Marion McKinnon aged 60, with daughters Cathrine and Flory.  They are living with a McLucas family.  I am assuming Donald (the Crofter) is deceased as he certainly appears to be on the next census.

On the 1851 census she is listed as Maron McKinon (widow, still aged 60!) with daughter Janet McNeil and grandson Archibald McNeill.

Moving to the 1861 census she is listed as Mirren MacKinnon, aged 80 with daughter Cathrine and grandson Archibald.  On this she is listed as being born on Mull (all other records say Colonsay).
Her last appearance on a census is 1871 aged 89, living with Donald and Catherine McLean (her daughter).

I believe I have her entry on the death register in 1875 aged 95 as the witness is Catherine McLean, daughter.  But this is where things really come unstuck!  Firstly she is named Sarah McKinnon – although apparently the name Marion usually appears as Sarah on official records so I have no particular issue with that.  However her husband is listed as John McKinnon (Crofter), not Donald.  Are these names also interchangeable?  The final bombshell is that her parents are listed as Dugald McArthur and Ann McCormick!

So, at the start I have a Mirren McKinnon, maiden name Kilpatrick, who goes through various name changes and ends up as Sarah McKinnon, maiden name McArthur!!

Have I tracked the wrong Mirren/Marion on the census?  Can anybody shed any light on the McKinnons of Colonsay?  I could sorely do with it!

Thanks

[SusanMC1]

Hello Jet:  I have just come across your posting regarding your ggg grandmother, Isabella Gibson.  I have been searching for my gg grandfather, James Gibson's parents and just wondered if there is any connection with these two Gibsons.  The record you have for Isabella on the census (1881 aged 22) does not work with James' birthdate of 1826 on Colonsay.  There doesn't appear to be many Gibson's connected to Colonsay which makes me wonder if there is a connection going back in time between our two ancestors.  Hope to hear from you.  Susan

[Jet Carson]

Susan,

sorry for not replying sooner just noticed this post!!

Anyway, I don't think there's any connection - my Gibsons are not actually from Colonsay, they are an Ayrshire family.  Isabella was born a McKinnon on Colonsay and married James Gibson in Ayrshire after leaving the island.  My James Gibson is definitely an Ayrshire man.

Good luck finding your James's parents though.   

Just a thought actually re your search - have you looked at records for Jura?  I seem to recall from my Colonsay research that the minister from Jura was responsible for Colonsay and ony went several times a year and updated the records when he got back to Jura resulting in various errors - maybe even adding entries in the wrong book!