Margaret and Mary MATHESON - Portree to New Zealand

[Fluffypants]

I'm looking for two sisters who took assisted emigration from Portree in 1864 to New Zealand on the ship the British Empire.  Their occupations are given as dairy maids on the passenger list.

Their birth dates are:
Mary born about 1845
Margaret born about 1850

Eighteen months after their arrival in NZ, Mary married Archibald McLeod who came from Bracadale to NZ in 1863 on the David G. Fleming.

I may have found them the 1861 Scotland census documents:

Address: – 1 Achnahanid      Portree, Invernessshire
Christy Matheson   Head   50   Farmer of 2½ acres   Portree, Invernessshire
Christy Matheson   Dau    23   Farmer’s dau      Portree   abt. 1838
Mary Matheson   Dau   19   Farmer’s dau      Portree   abt. 1842
Margaret Matheson   Dau   14   Farmer’s scholar   Portree   abt. 1847

I would love to know if this family is correct and what happened to the father.  Any information for the Matheson family would be very welcome.

Thanks very much.

[crisane]

1851
Tormichaig Portree Inverness
Donald Matheson 52 Crofter
Christy Matheson 40 Crofter's wife
Christy Matheson 13
Mary Matheson   10
Peggy Matheson 6

All born Portree

1841
Donald Matheson 40 ag lab
Christy Matheson 30
William Matheson 6
Christy Matheson 4
Alexander Matheson   1

All born Inverness

[Fluffypants]

Thanks for that. 

It certainly seems as though it could be the correct family as Peggy would have been Margaret. 

Is there any record of a marriage for the parents or any birth records for Mary or Margaret?

[crisane]

I got the information off ancestry which does not give images for the census. Scotlandspeople is the site you need to find marriages and births but it is a pay per view site.

[kechniemac]

Mary Matheson and Margaret Matheson (Peggy) from Portree isle of Skye were the daughters of Donald Matheson born about 1803 in Portree isle of Skye son of William Matheson and Janet MacQueen (MacQuien) Donald was an Agracultural labourer and died 25th February 1861 in Portree isle of Skye, his wife was Christy (do not know her surname at present). I have found another 3 brothers for Donald, Allan born 7th November 1802 Portree, Murdo born 6th November 1805 Malegan Portree (my relation) & John born about 1810 Portree and one sister Ann born about 1826 Portree.

[Fluffypants]

Thanks so much for that extra info.  I would be very interested in anything else you discover for the family.

Thanks again, Tina

[Fluffypants]

Mary Matheson and Margaret Matheson (Peggy) from Portree isle of Skye were the daughters of Donald Matheson born about 1803 in Portree isle of Skye son of William Matheson and Janet MacQueen (MacQuien) Donald was an Agracultural labourer and died 25th February 1861 in Portree isle of Skye, his wife was Christy (do not know her surname at present). I have found another 3 brothers for Donald, Allan born 7th November 1802 Portree, Murdo born 6th November 1805 Malegan Portree (my relation) & John born about 1810 Portree and one sister Ann born about 1826 Portree.

Can I just double check that Ann's birth year is 1826.  It is some 16 years after the last child.

Thanks.