Author Topic: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.  (Read 12191 times)

Offline Oran

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Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« on: Thursday 24 February 05 13:01 GMT (UK) »
I am looking for any information on both, Catherine Robertson who married and Alexander Macpherson a fisherman.
A death entry or burial place would be very exciting, or any information, no matter how small.

Two of thier issues have been found to date, and have been searching every entry possible for thier daughter, Elizabeth/Betty Macpherson to establish her birth place, to try reveal where Catherine/Alexander might have lived and worked, even for a while.

Incidentally I have not yet found a likely death entry for Catherine Robertson or Alexander Macpherson, and they are not stated as deceased on thier daughters marriage certificate 1856, which may indicate they were still alive in 1856.
 
Elizabeth/Betty Macpherson 16.08.1819   Tormore, Sleat
John               Macpherson 30.12.1815   Tormore, Sleat
 
Below are the Census entry's I have found to date, for Elizabeth the daughter of Catherine/Alexander to establish her birthplace and movements, its worth mentioning that an 1851 entry, has not been located to date, which might tell a little more.
We think? Elizabeth had two sons, Robert born 1836 and Alexander born 1849 also listed as Kilmuir, not sure who the father is of these two sons, but they took the name Philip after Elizabeths marriage in 1856.

Elizabeth left Skye sometime after the birth of her second son Alexander 1849 and before 1856 where the family is found in Fort William, this is where Elizabeth married Robert Philip/Phillips in 1856 at Fort William.
 
1861 census Fort William area listed her birthplace as...Kilmuir (probably Kilmore)
1871 census Kilmalie area listed her birthplace as.........Kilmalie (dautr. Elizabeth born Kilmalie)
1891 census Greenock listed her birthplace as.............Isle of Skye, Sleet, Scotland.
1901 census Greenock listed her birthplace as.. ..........Skye, Scotland.   
 
Back to Catherine Robertson and Alexander Macpherson! I employed the services of www.Sky-Roots.co.uk who searched the 1841 and found a possible family in Ostaig, as listed below, with Norma’s comments.
 
1841 Ostaig, Sleat: (book 3, page 23).

Alexander MacPherson....71.pauper
Catherine.....................62.wife
John............................25   
Colin Chisholm...............10.grandson

1841 Carradale, Sleat: (book 5 pages 14/15).

John MacPherson....20.ag.lab
Betty...................15   
Chirsty MacInnes....60.pauper


“This was the only Alexander & Catherine MacPherson found together in 1841 of approximately the correct age to be the parents of your Elizabeth.   This was the only Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson found in Sleat in 1841.   Neither of these entries is found in the township of Tormore – as shown in the OPR. The 1851 census of Sleat was searched and no Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson was found.  No couple named Alexander & Catherine, of the correct (appropriate) ages was found.   Although some individuals named Alexander and Catherine were found, they could not be identified as Elizabeth’s parents”.

I also emailed Clan McDonald Archives, to see if there might be any estate or rental records for Ostaig, which would give any information.
They did inform me the Ostaig farm absorbed the neighbouring farm Kilbeg in the 1820’s, and that the above family might have been, Alexander Macpherson and a Catherine Lamont, which was the family living at Kilbeg, but equally could be, and is more likely, my family ancestors from Tormore, This seems to have clouded the Ostaig family find, rather than verifying it, as this family cannot be positivly identified.  :-\


Offline Debbie in B.C.

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 24 February 05 23:22 GMT (UK) »
Hi Oran,

I am also researching families in Sleat.  My main line is the McLure family, but I have both Robertsons and MacPhersons in my tree.  I have checked through my pile of Skye death certificates, and I'm sorry I don't have your Alexander or Catherine.
I would imagine they are both buried at Kilmore Churchyard, but the grave markers from the 1850's are gone.  I visited there last year looking for the graves of my Malcolm McLure (died 1858) and Ann Beaton (died 1860)

I thought for sure I would have a copy of the baptism entry from the Kilmore church register for John MacPherson, son of Alexander, christened on Jan 7, 1816, but he must have been recorded on the page before my 3 x g grandfather William McLure, who was born January 20, 1816.  Sorry!!!

I also checked some papers I have from the Clan Donald Centre for Rental of Estates in Sleat from the 1850's. Here is a list for you:
Malcolm MacPherson of Kylerhea. 1855
Colin MacPherson of Kylerhea           "
Widow Christy MacPherson of Kylerhea "
Norman MacPherson of Drumfearn   "

Hope these prove to be helpful.

Debbie



Stewart, Moore, Murray, McLure, Beaton, McIntyre, Sinclair, Barr, Burnside, Welsh, Barker, McGibbon, Harrison, Gallacher/Gallagher, Hedley

Offline Oran

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 24 February 05 23:57 GMT (UK) »
Hello Debbie,

Thank-you for taking the time to reply to my post, and the information you supplied.

I read with great interest, you visited Kilmore Churchyard, it was pleasing to read of your success in finding your ancestors graves, and noted that the grave markers prior to 1850 are all gone! and wonder if? and where records would be kept? for the missing grave marker burials.

I would like to think my ancestors Alexander McPherson and Catherine Robertson are buried at Kilmore Churchyard, the link below indicates there are McPhersons buried in Sleat, Kilmore, but who? not sure to date. http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/bryanfkeddy/othercem5.html

Incidently, at Alexander/Catherine's daughter Elizabeth's marriage at Fort William in 1856, was witnessed by a Colin McPherson, possibly a brother or relative.


Offline Debbie in B.C.

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #3 on: Friday 25 February 05 00:24 GMT (UK) »
Hi Oran,

Unfortunately, there are no records of the unmarked graves or stones that have crumbled over time.  I wasn't able to find my Malcolm or Ann's grave while we were there.  But I do know that pretty much all the old graves were in the farthest section of the churchyard - closest to the Sound of Sleat.
This is the same area that the MacPhersons are in. 

There are exisiting MacPherson graves, and Robertson graves, but I don't have any photos of them.  Email Bryan Keddy, he may have transcritions?

PM me your email address, and I will send you 2 scans of the Churchyard map of the graves.  It's a large sheet,  You can print it, and tape the two pieces together.

Debbie
Stewart, Moore, Murray, McLure, Beaton, McIntyre, Sinclair, Barr, Burnside, Welsh, Barker, McGibbon, Harrison, Gallacher/Gallagher, Hedley


Offline Debbie in B.C.

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #4 on: Friday 25 February 05 00:50 GMT (UK) »
I will have a go at uploading the images - fingers crossed!

Kilmore Church map 1

Stewart, Moore, Murray, McLure, Beaton, McIntyre, Sinclair, Barr, Burnside, Welsh, Barker, McGibbon, Harrison, Gallacher/Gallagher, Hedley

Offline Debbie in B.C.

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #5 on: Friday 25 February 05 00:53 GMT (UK) »
Kilmore Church Map 2

Stewart, Moore, Murray, McLure, Beaton, McIntyre, Sinclair, Barr, Burnside, Welsh, Barker, McGibbon, Harrison, Gallacher/Gallagher, Hedley

Offline Oran

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #6 on: Friday 25 February 05 02:12 GMT (UK) »
Thank-you for the maps Debbie, I am really pleased with them.

Offline breakish

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #7 on: Friday 02 September 05 21:57 BST (UK) »
i am interested in your john macpherson born in 1815. my gg grandfather was john macpherson who lived in breakish in the parish of strath on skye,  his mother was catherine (nee robertson) and his father donald macpherson i think. please e mail me if this is similar to your tree.kenny

Offline Oran

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Re: Skye, Sleat! MCPHERSON/ROBERTSON.
« Reply #8 on: Monday 14 November 05 20:32 GMT (UK) »
Hello Breakish,

Thank-you for your post, I really dont have much information on John Mcpherson only the information from www.Sky-Roots.co.uk.

“This was the only Alexander & Catherine MacPherson found together in 1841 of approximately the correct age to be the parents of your Elizabeth.   This was the only Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson found in Sleat in 1841.   Neither of these entries is found in the township of Tormore – as shown in the OPR. The 1851 census of Sleat was searched and no Elizabeth / Betty MacPherson was found.  No couple named Alexander & Catherine, of the correct (appropriate) ages was found.   Although some individuals named Alexander and Catherine were found, they could not be identified as Elizabeth’s parents”.


I know Catherine Robertson was married to Alexander Mcpherson a fisherman, could it be possible Catherine re-married?

www.Sky-Roots.co.uk have suggested that an entry for Betty could be short for Elizabeth, and was our Elizabeth Mcpherson, along with a brother John Mcpherson as listed below.

Elizabeth/Betty Macpherson 16.08.1819   Tormore, Sleat
John               Macpherson 30.12.1815   Tormore, Sleat

I understand that the names are very common, and lack of census records for this period makes things very difficult.