Dan MacKinnon lock keeper at lock no. 4 on Crinan Canal and Nellie McCallum

[LydiaMac]

I'd be grateful if anyone can help with finding Dan MacKinnon who was married (or maybe NOT married) to Nellie McCallum b.1905 Bellanoch, d. abt. 1979 Ardrishaig. Dan was apparently older than Nellie and had come from 'away' - he was known as 'Highland Dan'. He was one of seven brothers.  Dan and Nellie had three sons: Ian (1925-1990) Colin and Alec.  Dan died in Ardrishaig. 

Thanks everyone.

[CaroleW]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat

Dan MacKinnon who was married (or maybe NOT married) to Nellie McCallum b.1905 Bellanoch, d. abt. 1979 Ardrishaig. Dan was apparently older than Nellie

Do you mean Dan was born 1905 or Nellie was born 1905?

If you mean Dan - are you trying to trace his ancestry?

If so - a good starting point would be to download his birth cert from Scotlands People.  If he was born in Scotland it will give you his parents names and his mothers maiden name.  You can also use the same website to look for him on the 1911 census which would tell you whether he had any siblings at that time

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

[CaroleW]

I've just had a look on SP and there is a birth for a Daniel Cook McKinnon (not Mac) 1904 in Uphall Ref
672/ 62

Uphall is in West Lothian
   
 

[LydiaMac]

Thanks very much Carole.  The dates I gave were for Nellie MacCallum/McCallum. Yes, I do mean Dan and, yes,  I am tracing his ancestry.  I've been having problems because I haven't been able to find any marriage (tho that may not have happened) or trace of the births of his sons. Ian, born 1925, was the eldest and was definitely born out of wedlock, but family recollection has it that the younger two, Colin and Alec, were legitimate. I also can't find Dan on the 1911 census. I believe he died in about 1970 at Ardrishaig - but no trace of his death either! I am beginning to wonder whether he was in fact called Donald and this was shorted to Dan, but that's not how my husband remembers  him.

Thanks again

Lydia

[lismore]

Hi Lydia

Just had a quick search at Scotlands People. There is a marriage for Donald Paterson MacKinnon to Helen Brown MacCallum in Kilmichael-Glassary, Argyll, in 1932.
Nellie is a pet name for Helen and Dan is a shortened version of Donald. Also, Kilmichael-Glassary is not very far from Ardrishaig, so this could possibly be what you are looking for.
Hope this helps.
 

[LydiaMac]

Thank you very much indeed - really helpful!

[argyllshiregirl]

I am nearly sure that this is just pure coincidence, but I had a great uncle by the name of Donald Paterson McKinnon, known to us as Uncle Dan. He was born in 1884 on Tiree, to a family living on Mull, and immigrated to Canada in 1906. He joined the Canadian Forces in 1916 and saw action in France, was wounded and took ill several times and was hospitalized in France and the UK. At one point (1918 - 1920 or so) he was AWOL and returned to Argyll (it was later learned) and worked on the family farm. Must check where, but it was in Mid Argyll somewhere. He went back to Canada in 1920 and farmed in Manitoba. He died there in 1964, never having married.

Very unlikely that this is the same man but the details in your original message, Lydia, sure made me think a bit. Our Uncle Dan was a mystery man and still is with large chunks of his life story unknown to us.

[LydiaMac]

How fascinating! Thanks for replying to the post - they are not the same Dans, but the Paterson connection is intriguing, isn't it?  My Dan was born in about 1900 and the Paterson comes from his step-grandfather Alexander Paterson who was born in about 1828 in St Monance, Fife and who died at Ardrishaig in 1903.  I THINK that Alexander's parents were another Alexander and Margaret Slavin, but I'm not sure yet, so if you can join up the Paterson dots that would be brilliant!

Thanks again..