Beaton family

[Uist1911]

Hi Angus
I have just sent you a message

[ammac11]

I'm interested to know if the Beaton families under discussion are related in any way to the Beatons, Howmore (ex North Uist) i.e. John Beaton b.Abt.1760 m. Marion Monk, son Kenneth b.1788 NU m. Mary Munro.   Children : Christina (1821), John (1821), Ann (1822), Marion (1826), Mary (1827), Donald ( 1831), Catherine (1834), Flora (1836).       Christina (1821) married James MacSween (b.1820 Dunvegan,Skye), their dau. Catherine m. John Cameron, & their dau. Catherine m. Donald MacFarlane. My 1st cousin Archie is married to their granddaughter Catriona.  Marion Beaton (b.1826) + Archibald MacLean had a dau. Catherine who married (1865 Howmore) my g.grandfather Donald MacLellan (b.1830 NU). I don't know why my g.grandfather was living in Howmore but they returned to North Uist by 1866 where their first child was born.  Marion Beaton married (1856 Drimore) Finlay MacLellan (ex North Uist)  --- Finlay's 2nd wife. Their dau. Catherine m. 1887 Alexander MacIntyre 'Straileaneach'.  Certainly confusing! Are these Beatons connected to the Beatons under discussion?     Thank you,  Sandy MacLellan

[Uist1911]

I don't know whether they are all the same Beaton family But my GGGrandfather  was married before his first wife died.
I am not going home to Uist until August but I could try and Ask my cousin's for now if that helps.

[angusm1939]

The answer is that it is not possible to say that the two families were not related but there is no sign of a connection, as far as I can see, since records began. I would need to check but I have a feeling that the Howmore folks, like those MacLellans, came from North Uist in the 1700s to make up a congregation for the Minister, the Rev [George?] Munro when he transferred from North Uist. There was a third apparently quite separate line of Beatons in South Uist that ran through two notable seannachies, John Beaton and his son Farquhar. They originated with Farquhar, a schoolteacher, who came to South Uist about 1800, fathered an illegitimate child, John, and beetled off home to Skye. The mother and child followed and John was brought up there among the residual medical Beatons, where he picked up a lot of plant lore. He and his mother then returned to South Uist and he figures a number of times in Alexander Carmichael's Carmina Gadelica. He was a shepherd most of his life before finally getting a small croft out on the east coast but his son Farquhar was in the Geirinish area.

[Uist1911]

Thank you Angus

[ammac11]

Yes, and many thanks to 'scutty' and 'angusm1939' for your speedy responses to my query which are much appreciated.   Rgds, AMM

[Dark Island]

Sandy,

I've just read your email on the Beatons but I was actually more interested in your MacLellans! My mother is a MacLellan from Benbecula but who I have traced back to Howmore. Our connection is to Donald brother to your Finlay. Donald married into the Crawfords & the line goes to Loch Carnan. I've been trying to to link our early relatives Donald & John MacLellan who Lawson claims came down from Paible to Howmore in support of Rev MacLean. Have you managed to pin them down??

Willie   

[Uist1911]

Sorry, I had meant to clear this one up way back but, as Red Mystic knows, I had a wee accident in August and the stream has only just come back to the surface.

The marriage of the first Donald Beaton that has not been found took place at Nunton in Benbecula 14.8.1873. The wife Maggie of the 1891 Census was Margaret MacMillan, my first cousin twice removed from 12 Torlum, Benbecula, daughter of Neil [mac Aonghais 'ic Dhomhnaill 'ic Chaluim] MacMillan and Catherine MacPherson, daughter of Donald MacPhersonn, the maor or ground officer of Iochdar at Kilaulay Farm but from a Benbecula family, originally of the MacMhuirich bardic line. There are descendants still in Benbecula.

The other Donald Beaton was also from a Skye family, his father John, a shepherd, being noted in Alexander Carmichael's Gaelic collection, Carmina Gadelica, as having a great knowledge of medicinal herbs and flowers as he was descended from the doctors employed by the MacDonalds of Sleat. There is quite a story to this family but I imagine it is the first one that is of interest.

I do have greater detail, especially about the first family above, if you wish to email me directly.

Angus Macmillan

Hi Angus
I have found Donald Beaton's first wife and his Mother and Father
 John Beaton a shepherd from Strath in Skye born abt 1792 Married a Catherine Macleod born abt 1794 Donald's was Angus Beaton son of John his Mother was Mary Mackenzie Angus was born abt 1812 and d1878 that is as far as i have got and was just wondering if you have any information on this
Kind Regards
Jo 

[angusm1939]

Thank you and well done Jo. That is another slot filled. Incidentally, I notice an error in my ow message immediately above. Donald MacPherson the  maor at Kilaulay was the uncle rather than father of Catherine who married Neil MacMillan at 12 Torlum. Her father was Neil MacPherson, who was noted by Alexander Carmichael in old age for the number of his descendants. It makes no difference, of course to the MacMhuirich descent. Angus