Crofts in North uist

[CHERAN]

Hello again Ian

Well....I think I read and re-read this about 10 times to work out if my reply would make any sense! So....it looks like my great grandmother Ann MacCorquodale and your great grandfather Angus John Maccorquodale were brother and sister. The records I have for your line shows that your grandfather Angus had a brother, also Finlay, who was born in 1906 but died in 1908. There is also a sister, Maggie who I have as born in 1909. Are you building a family tree? I am and have been working on it for over a year now and have quite a bit of information on the North Uist connection. Finlay MacCorquodale (1847) Ann and Angus' father, was married to Maggie MacInnes whose mother came from Benbecula. Now she has relatives that went to Australia in the mid 1800s...amazing. Some of our North Uist connections also went off to Canada...I have some records on that..but not much. I also have it noted that Angus and Ann's sister Johanne also came to Glasgow and set up home, with her family, in Plantation. As you say...this stuff becomes quite compelling and believe me I'm delighted to be able to share this information with you. If you haven't started a family tree, please do...I'm more than happy to pass over everything I have on the MacCorquodales...you may also have some information that I'm not aware of. Hope I've been of some help..

Hi 

This is all interesting...  Just to pass on When I was researching my Ewan, I had to start looking for records that were "Hugh" and "Owen"   if you do a search on the Gaelic names, you find that it can either of the three .

Cheran

[Govan Fair]

Hello,
I'm not sure whether it is just a coincidence that I see two familiar family names or whether I have actually struck gold. I have been trying to trace the parents of my greatgrandmother Catherine Mcdonald born c1812 in Appin. According to her death certificate from SP her parents were a Christian MCCORQUODALE and a Donald McDonald. I believe I found the parents living in Duror on the 1841 census. Christian's age is c 60 on the census but I realize that is not necessarily 100% accurate. On familysearch.org I found several of their children: Hugh b. 1805, Christy b. 1808, Catherine b 1812, Elizabeth born 1817, Duncan b. 1820, and Donald born 1822. I have not yet been able to find Christian's birth or death certificate. Do they even exist??I don't even know whether she originated from this area. It's just a possibility. Any help would be appreciated.
Nan

Hello Nan.....the names I mention here are all from North Uist and not Appin in Argyll. I'm not an expert but in my research on SP, records of MacCorquodales in North Uist, pre-1800 or thereabouts, are almost non-existant (you'll know already that there are many in the Argyll area). I have a marriage in 1844 in North Uist, between Marion MacDonald who was born in Coll, Argyll and Angus MacCorquodale. Her parents Donald and Flora MacLean and grandparents Donald MacLean and Marion MacDonald, both came from Coll (her parents died in North Uist though, so they must have moved there) but I'm afraid that's all I have. If you ever find a connection to North Uist, please let me know and I'll give you what I can. Not much help really I suppose but it's amazing what you can piece together with little nuggets of information isn't it? Good Luck. Sandra

[nkbauer]

Thank you for replying, Sandra. I had hoped that there might be a connection even if it were a tenuous one. My knowledge of Highland geography is shaky so I'm not sure of the distance between Appin and North Uist. I should have looked it up on the internet before writing. My excitement at seeing the two names that I have been trying unsucceessfully to research for several years  made me throw caution to the wind. I am having difficulty trying to find birth, death and marriage info for those who were born in Argyllshire before 1800 and for some who were born in the next two decades. Probably the records do not exist.
Kind regards, Nan

[Govan Fair]

Hello Nan...sorry I wasn't more helpful but I do believe that MacCorquodales 'moved' to North Uist at some point in and around the early 1800s. North Uist is part of the Western Isles while Appin in on the West Coast of Scotland, so it's not entirely impossible that they 'spread' themselves across to the Isles. If you're checking out Scotland's People, I can't think of a better resource than that....so good luck with your continued research and if you do find a connection, I'd be glad to hear about it. Good Luck....Sandra

[nkbauer]

Hi Sandra,
I had not had much recent success in finding more information on the Argyll branch of the family as I have already indicated to you. I was close to giving up on that branch of the family. As a last resort I  tried to make contact with someone in the area. In the last two days I have received pictures of several family gravestones from the mid1800's and transcriptions of the information on them. To have a breakthrough like this is like winning a lottery.  I haven't made any connection yet to North Uist but .........Thank you for your offer.
Regards, Nan

[Mac-Delve]

Hi, I have been organising papers from my late parents and stumbled on this site/thread by accident.

I have a fair amount of information on my fathers side [MacDougall] dating back th 1811 and intend to get it in context with a vist to the GRO.

My grandfather, John Macdonald, was a crofter in Paible but I have little information prior to that, other than he was jailed in the 1920's leading a crofters revolt. His wife was Christina MacCorquodale and I believe had connections with Kirkibost or Baleshare. Her parents were Donald MacCorquodale and Cathrine, nee MacDonald.

From the previous threads it sounds as if there may be connections with them and any detail would be appreciated.

Sandra,
I have found the answer to my question in an exellent little book at NLS, Crofting History - Balranald & Paiblesgarry.
My grandfather John Macdonald [Iain an Eilean] was one of a number of crofters who did a land grab in 1921 as they had not been given the land promised to veterans of WW1. As a result they were jailed for 60 days in Inverness. They ultimately won with the creation of 8 new crofts in Balranald and 8 in Paiblesgarry [I was born in No 8].

[Duncraig]

Ann MacCormack, my great-grandaunt, died at Locheport 12 February 1895. Her husband Norman MacPhail died at Grenitote 12 June 1921. My grandmother Janet MacNiven was born at Locheport 23 September 1889.

Neil Cameron (Melbourne AUS)

[Mike Brown]

Hello All.  I have a tough name to research I know, but thankfully my Great Grandparents had a more memorable one.  I have been trying to trace my 'Brown' line, but with practically no known relatives still alive that might know anything I am stuck at my Great Granddad.  On my Grandmother's side I do have her mum & dad's names.  DONALD MacCorquodale (A shoemaker) & Georgina MacPherson.  My Gran Catherine or Kate MacCorquodale was born at Hacklet(?) on Benbecula in 1901.

I would be most grateful if anyone can help.

[angusm1939]

Hi: Kate b. 26.4.1901 was the oldest of the family. Father Donald 15/12.1870-15.1,1951 was a Sgnt in the Camron H'landers and was MC in the end of year entertainment at Kilerivagh, I think it was in 1898. His father was also a shoemaker, Donald McCorquodale 1835-23.10.1922, alway said to be in Ruabruach though it is not clear this was any different from 12 Hacklet. That Donald was born in North Uist, son of yet another Donald. They were married respectively to Georgina MacPherson from 11 Lionacleit; Catherine Boyd from Lionacleit; and Mary MacDonald. Any questions, do send me a message. Angus