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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Ross & Cromarty => Topic started by: AdrianBurns on Saturday 11 October 08 09:22 BST (UK)
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Greetings from Australia
I have not posted on this list before, having only just found it. I would like to find out more about my ancestors Alexander Stewart, wife Margaret Davidson and family of Ross And Cromarty.
Alexander was born in about 1770s and died after 1841. He was of Crukie or Crookie, Knockbain, at the time of his marriage to Margaret Davidson in 1793 (at Knockbain).
Margaret Davidson was born in the about the 1770s and may have died on 1 November 1856 at Kilmuir, Knockbain. She was of Allangrange, which I think is a small village near Munlochy to the west of Avoch in Ross and Cromarty. Based on this I believe she may have been born/bapt. 11 Nov 1777 at Seaton, Avoch, son of John Davidson - although this would make her 15 when she married. No parents were given on her (probable) death certificate.
Alexander and Margaret's children were Donald, Helen (m.Alexander Davidson), John, Helen, Mary, Donald, Alexander (m.Ann Fraser), Ann, Andrew, Margaret and Donald (m. Maggie Dallas & Helen Thompson).
Alexander was a Crofter.
Between 1793 and 1807 the family lived at "Crukie" or "Crookie" at or near Knockbain. In 1811, they lived at Culnacraig, also at or near Knockbain. In 1841, they lived at "Teabholie" in Kilmuir, Knockbain. I have not traced them in the 1851 census - the one record I found that is possible is dubious (being in Coll with Alexander working as a fisherman), and Alexander may have died before then or else he would have been very elderly.
I am also not certain that the death of the 84 year old Margaret Davidson at Kilmuir in 1856 is Margaret Stewart nee Davidson, but I think it is very possible. It was registered by some possible McKenzie relatives. I should note that some McKenzie relatives were also living with the Stewarts in the previously mentioned 1851 census record, so maybe that is not so dubious.
Sorry to bore you with so many details! What I am interested in finding are death records or burial records for Alexander Stewart (or Stuart) and Margaret nee Davidson. I have checked a few online indexes and images to no avail.
I would also like to know more about the places mentioned above, such as "Crukie" (Knockbain), "Teabholie" (Kilmuir), Kilmuir, Allangrange. Are there any locals who can help me here?
I also think that with Alexander naming his first-born son Donald and two more also DOnald, that his father must have been named Donald. I therefore think, having eliminated some other alternatives, that Alexander may have been born at Urray in 1774 to parents Donald Stewart and Margaret Fraser. Is Urray far from Knockbain?
I would greatly appreciate any assistance that you can give me with these ancestors of mine. My Stewart line is one of great interest to me however I really feel that I have hit a brick wall!
Many thanks in advance
Adrian Burns
Sydney, Australia
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Hi
I too have Stuarts/Stewarts from Knockbain, Ross and Cromarty. 3 x great grandfather KENNETH STUART/STEWART was born in 1776 near Knockbain. His birth was registered in the family bible not on any official register. I happened to stumble across an official registration that was made 70 years later. It reads:
Kenneth Stewart was born March 26th "1776". The above is a true copy taken from the original entry in the family Bible of the late Thomas Stewart, Mason, at Allanbank and his spouse Helen Macfarquhar this seventeenth day of May Eighteen hundred and forty seven years by Donald Masson, Session Clerk.
The family must have required an official registration for some reason probably to do with business. Kenneth was a cartwright and inn owner. He lived in Charleston which is on Beauly Firth. The early registrations spell the name as STUART and latter ones as STEWART. I think he may have had a brother named William born about 1780 but I can't find a birth registration for him. He may also be in the family bible. The listing indicated to me that someone in the family must have been able to read/write. Kenneth married a Christian McLennan in 1812. He died in 1860 and the death registration has his parents listed as Thomas and Helen. He is buried in Suddie Burial Ground.
I guess what I am saying is that your Alexander may not be listed in any official listing. He too could be buried in the family bible and may indeed be Kenneth's sibling!
Ann Jordan
Canberra Australia
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Hi
I was just looking up Knockbain for my Stewarts and found Clootie Well your Crukie or Crookie could be Clootie. There probably was a property of the same name where the well was.
More info: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/munlochy/clootiewell/index.html
Cheers
AGJ183
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Hi, I realise this post is a bit old now, but I have also been tracing back ancestors by the names of Alexander c.1785 and Mary Stewart c. 1794 (Nee Stewart) from Ferintosh. Mary's parents were Donald Stewart and Mary Fraser. I believe Mary and Margaret were often interchanged. On Alexander and Mary's certificate of marriage at Inverness, of which I have a copy from 1817, Alexander was from Fodderty and Mary was from Urquhart (also, Bogbuie was also mentioned on the official record which was recorded a day later). Alexander and Mary Stewart are buried at Urquhart Old Cemetery in the same plot as a Hugh and possibly Ann Fraser 17-- the stone is very broken and unreadable in places. Alexander Stewart was the son of John and Janet Stewart and no record can be found of his birth (which the 1851 census puts as Contin), and no record of siblings. The naming tradition existed for their children. John, Donald, Alexander, Simon, William, Mary, Hugh, Colin. There may also have been a Janet and Margaret born before 1817. So the names are a mixture of Stewart and Fraser names, and used by most of the Stewart families around Fodderty/Dingwall/Black Isle area. This probably doesn't help you much, but for the mention of the son William Stewart. I cannot find any records on what happened to William, and I guess the naming tradition get's confusing after the 3rd son, when you get into great-grandparents.
The son, Hugh died at Knockbain in 1900, Simon died in Tasmania 1890, while Donald 1904, Colin 1914 and Mary d. 1890 died around Broomhill/Ferintosh. John, Alexander and William are unknowns. Simon is the only one known to have married/produce offspring.
I also feel that I have gone as far as possible with this research. Do you think anyone has actually sorted out all the Stewarts of the Black Isle?
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Hi
I think your Kenneth may have been the brother of my 3xGr Grandfather, William Stewart, son of Thomas and Helen, he was born c1780 knockbain. He married and Isabel McKenzie, daughter of Colin and Barbara Mclennan of Killearnan. His sons were Thomas, Colin, John, Helen, Kenneth and Barbara. all born between 1814 and 1829 at Knockbain.
I'm very interested in the family bible you mentioned! Where would I be able to find it..I'm heading to Inverness Archives very soon and wondered if it might be deposited there?
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I was very interested to read the post about William Stuart/Stewart of Charlestown, Knockbain who was my 3xGreat-grandfather too. The names of his parents and approximate year of birth are very useful. I am related to him through his son Colin who moved to Balormie, Drainie in Moray and was my grandfather's grandfather.
I never knew why my grandfather was in the Seaforths rather than the Gordons until I discovered the Ross-shire connection!
Iain
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Hello Iain
I am also down Colin's line (wife Mary Farquhar), then his son Robert who was my Gr Grandfather. I found the names Thomas and Helen on William's register of death in 1864, but no maiden name for her.
so which one of them was in the Seaforths?
Sheila
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Hello Sheila,
Robert was also my great-grandfather. His son Farquhar (my grandfather on my mother's side) was the one who was in the Seaforths.
Thanks for your reply,
Iain
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So you must be Jeans brother?
I have a couple of newspaper clippings of Farquhar, sadly I never met any of my Great Aunts or Uncles. My Gran was Helen Stewart, one of his older sisters.
My sister and I have been up to Lossie a few times in the last few years and normally manage to catch up with Ronnie and Nora, Elizabeth (Riddoch) and Jean. Hopefully up again next year.
Sheila
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Hi Sheila.
I am Jean's nephew. The family tree is:
Farquhar Stewart married Jane Ann Hutcheon (Portgordon), and their children were, Isobel (my mother), Jean, Ada and Robbie.
Isobel married William John Taylor (Buckie) and their children are me, Brian and Steven.
Jean married Tom McDonald (Elgin) and their children are Susan, Stewart and Alison.
Ada married Stewart Campbell (Edinburgh) and their children are Ann and Alan. Stewart died in Australia and Ada married Max Richardson (England) and their daughter is Maxine.
Robbie married Rita Rennie (Portsoy) and their children are Jill, Kevin and Sonya.
What a small world.
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It certainly is...that makes us 2nd cousins!!
Thanks for the family tree, I'll add that to my spread sheet..I'm determined that one day I'll actually get all my info in one place.
My line is: Helen Stewart married William George Simpson and their children were William, James (known as Stewart), Helen (my mother), they then moved first to Reay in Caithness where Isabella and Margaret were born. Later they moved to Gelston in Dumfriesshire. Helen also had a daughter before she was married who was brought up by out Great Grandparents Robbie and Elsie Jane.
William married Gloria Long in Dumfries 1954 Children Billy and Christopher
All the following were married in Kirkcudbright.
Stewart married Martha Keenan 1950 Children Stewart, Lesley, William Kay and Richard
Helen married Derek Hancock 1949 Children Helen, Derek and Sheila (me)
Isabella married William Anderson 1954. Children Elizabeth and Colin
Margaret married Donald Clement 1953, Children Susan, Anne and Lynda
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Hi Sheila,
That's amazing, but not as amazing as a discovery I made a few months ago that one of my oldest friends and I had the same great-great-grandfather, on Farquhar Stewart's side. We only met as students - she from Forfar and myself from Elgin.
I have quite an extensive ancestor chart at myheritage.com which I am more than happy to send on to you in the event that it might be of help.
Best wishes,
Iain
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..not on Farquhar Stewart's side but his wife, my granny Jane Ann Hutcheon's side.
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Hi Iain.
That would be great..thankyou. My tree is on GenesReunited and zoompast (just because it looks great on there), and I have a tree on a spreadsheet that I could send you. I do have a myheritage acc. but not paid up on it so can't view other peoples trees. Can you open it up to guests?
Amazing that you and your friend turned out to be related, as you say, it's a small world. Len (sister Helen) and I were in Moray Heritage centre a few years back doing some research and were chatting to lady called Ann who was doing some volunteer work there, she later realized that we are related through the Stewarts and emailed Len to let us know.
You can contact me at sheilag60 at Hotmail . com
Sheila
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agj183
Hi
I think your Kenneth may have been the brother of my 3xGr Grandfather, William Stewart, son of Thomas and Helen, he was born c1780 knockbain. He married and Isabel McKenzie, daughter of Colin and Barbara Mclennan of Killearnan. His sons were Thomas, Colin, John, Helen, Kenneth and Barbara. all born between 1814 and 1829 at Knockbain.
I'm very interested in the family bible you mentioned! Where would I be able to find it.