Hello.
It's been a while.
I've found that my WILLIAM MCPHERSON, a jailer then deputy governor of the Bridewell in Edinburgh was born in 1798 in Sutherland.
His parents were James MacPherson and Cath[e]rine Munro.
I've not been able to find a marriage for them but did find one for a James Macpherson in Nuid to a Cathrine Macpherson of Strone - their mg was on the 12 Jan 1797. This fits with my William's birth in 1798. However was it a mistake that Cathrine's surname is different. Their parish was Kingussie and Insh, Inverness.
However I
also I found a marriage record for an Isabella McPherson (was she James and Cathrine's dtr??) to an Angus McDonald, Sawyer: event was on 18 Jan 1833 at St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh. In the registration entry it mentions that Isabella's late father was James McPherson, a "Farmer at Maikel in the parish of Creich, Sutherlandshire".
This then would have the James Macpherson as two different people. The only other likely marriages between a James McPherson and a Catherine/Cathrine/Katherine occurred
1: on 17 May 1799 in Edinburgh; a year after my William's birth which was in Sutherland, not Midlothian; Katherine's surname was Forrest.
2: on 14 Jul 1790 in Leuchars, Fife; Katharine's surname was Hutton.
I guess I favour Isabella's marriage record as a source for my William's birthplace; his father James then was a 'Farmer' (accords with the Wm's death reg) and they were in Sutherland. But I have not found anything on the place called "Maikel in the parish of Creich". I did find the Meikle Ferry on a map - is this then shaping up to a discovery?
Eagerly awaiting your thoughts,
Julie
