Donald Banks

[Suzy W]

Just a little help here.
Donald Banks born abt 1764 married Helen Swanson 1795 Canisbay.

Who would his parents be? 

I have his death (Which is on his and Helen's headstone)  as 14 Nov 1839
HEADSTONE READS
Erected to the memory of Donald Banks.
Farmer of West Mey who departed.. the 14th November 1839 aged 75.
Also his spouse Helen Swanson who died 12th December 1854 aged 90 years

Two possible lot of parents but places his birth right smack between dates

Donald BANKS (M)......................  C: 9 May 1763                                                             
           Father: Donald BANKS        Dunnet, Caithness, Scotland                                               
           Mother: Margaret CALDER                                                                                                       

         Donald BANKS (M)......................  C: 21 Apr 1765                                                     
           Father: Magnus BANKS               Canisbay, Caithness, Scotland                                     
           Mother: Margaret SINCLAIR   

He also has children named Magnus and Margaret, but I presume Magnus is named after Helen's father Magnus Swanson if we are to go by the Scot's naming pattern.

Suzy W

[Scottish Janealogy]

Does the actual marriage record give any information about where he was living when he married? Canisbay parish records are often quite good on this score, stating which part of the parish someone was from (Duncansby, Stroma etc). Any similar clues in his children's baptism records too?

(added) There are three possible baptisms for my x4 great grandfather in Canisbay parish but only one in the area of the parish named when he married and where he was living when four children were baptised. That level of detail is only visible in the actual records.

[Suzy W]

All I know is that his first child of six ...William was born 1796 in Mey, Caithness.
Helen came from Olrig.  I presume all these areas are very close to each other?
I will have to go back into Scots people and see if I have any credits left, somehow I think I used them all up.

[Suzy W]

Just had a look at Dustydocs and there is no witness stated, however it says both bride and groom are from the parish Mey

[Br1gau]

Hi Suzy W, do you have the SP Will for Magnus Banks, 1857, Boat Carpenter, resided at Harrow, Parish of Canisbay?

[Suzy W]

No I don't.  Would this be Magnus born 1804?  Or another one?

[Wred]

Have you seen these posts from caithness.org about your Banks family

http://forum.caithness.org/archive/index.php/t-3787.html

[Suzy W]

Yes we have been in contact.  He is at the same stage as me.

[Scottish Janealogy]

Mey is in the parish of Canisbay so the Freereg transcript is a little misleading. You really need to look at the original record on ScotlandsPeople (or FHL film) to get the full and actual detail.

A useful outline map of Caithness (and other north Highland) parishes - http://www.scotlandsfamily.com/parish-map-caithness.htm - good for understanding where parishes are in relation to each other.

John Thomson's 1822 map (National Library of Scotland) has more detail and clear parish boundaries - http://maps.nls.uk/view/74400135