Further to the research below on behalf of Charlotta María Guðmundsdóttir of Kópavogi, Iceland, I am also interested in information about Alexander Maclean age 5 at the 1871 census living at Upper Helmsdale in the Parish of Kildonan. He was living with Alexander Maclean and his wife Isabella Maclean as their Nephew. His place of birth was England, which leads me to believe that he was the son of John Maclean below.
At the 1851 census John Macdonald, grandparent, Jane Maclean (Nee Macdonald) widow of Alexander Maclean, and children John, Barbara and Alexander, were living at East Helmsdale. Does anyone have them in their family tree?
I would be greatly obliged if someone could add details to the life of John Maclean who claimed to have been born in Helmsdale in 1840. Some time later in Iceland, around 1862 he entered a relationship with Elísabet María Kristjánsdóttir and in 1864 she gave birth to a daughter, Charlotta María Jónsdóttir. His name and year of his birth was recorded in the Islendingabók when their daughter was christened.
According to family tradition, while his daughter was still an infant, John Maclean announced his intention of returning to Scotland for reasons now unknown. Although he promised to return, he did not do so and nothing more was heard of him until many years later when solicitors, possibly on his death, tried to contact the family on his behalf through adverts in Icelandic newspapers. Although she became aware of this, such was her bitterness that Charlotta María Jónsdóttir refused to respond.
Charlotta María Guðmundsdóttir of Kópavogi, Iceland, his great great, granddaughter, would like to solve this great mystery. Elísabet María Kristjánsdóttir later emigrated to Winnipeg with a new partner, though without Charlotta María Jónsdóttir. We would be grateful for information on his early life and his Scottish relatives in Helmsdale, though this place of birth may only be approximate. We would also like to know if he returned to Helmsdale on his return, or some other part of Scotland or even emigrated.
Regards, Helmsdale.
