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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Sutherland => Topic started by: Helmsdale on Sunday 29 April 12 19:54 BST (UK)

Title: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Sunday 29 April 12 19:54 BST (UK)
I would be greatly obliged if someone could add details to the life of John Maclean who claimed to have been born in Helmsdale in 1840. Some time later in Iceland, around 1862 he entered a relationship with Elísabet María Kristjánsdóttir and in 1864 she gave birth to a daughter, Charlotta María Jónsdóttir. His name and year of his birth was recorded in the Islendingabók when their daughter was christened.
                According to family tradition, while his daughter was still an infant, John Maclean announced his intention of returning to Scotland for reasons now unknown. Although he promised to return, he did not do so and nothing more was heard of him until many years later when solicitors, possibly on his death, tried to contact the family on his behalf through adverts in Icelandic newspapers. Although she became aware of this, such was her bitterness that Charlotta María Jónsdóttir refused to respond.
                Charlotta María Guðmundsdóttir of Kópavogi, Iceland, his great great, granddaughter, would like to solve this great mystery. Elísabet María Kristjánsdóttir later emigrated to Winnipeg with a new partner, though without Charlotta María Jónsdóttir. We would be grateful for information on his early life and his Scottish relatives in Helmsdale, though this place of birth may only be approximate. We would also like to know if he returned to Helmsdale on his return, or some other part of Scotland or even emigrated.

Regards, Helmsdale.

Latest:  With the help of the census data on Scotland's people I think I am now on the trail of John Maclean. In the Icelandic Islendingabók his date of birth was given as 1840 and this has proved reliable rather than age 15 in the 1851 census, probably entered by grandfather John Macdonald as head of the house. He now shows up at Stoer, Sutherland in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 census. Between 1861 and 1871 he fathered a child in Iceland in 1864.
         By 1891 he moved to Carloway,  Ross and Cromarty and in 1901 there is another match in Caloway. He does not appear on the 1911 census where he would have been 71 and either died or moved again. Carloway is the last known place. Can anyone in Carloway help?

Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Sharon01 on Sunday 29 April 12 20:38 BST (UK)
Hi & welcome to rootschat.

In 1851 I can see 1 John Maclean living East Helmsdale, Sutherland.

John Macdonald 47 head crofter born Helmsdale
Jane Mclean 50 wife born Helmsdale
John Maclean 15 grandson born Helmsdale
Alexander Maclean 15 grandson born Wicke, Caithness
Barbara Maclean 18 grand dau born Helmsdale

Sharon
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Sunday 29 April 12 22:14 BST (UK)
Hi Sharon,
             thank you for your reply. I am new to the conventions of a forum like this so please bear with me :) We know the name John Maclean from Icelandic family tradition and the Islendingabók but we can only assume that he gave an accurate date of birth as 1840.
      If this is our John, it is useful to further locate his birthplace in East Helmsdale.
      You mention :
John Macdonald 47 head crofter born Helmsdale
Jane Mclean 50 wife born Helmsdale.
      Can I assume that :
John Maclean 15 grandson born Helmsdale
Alexander Maclean 15 grandson born Wicke, Caithness
Barbara Maclean 18 grand dau born Helmsdale,

are related to the couple as stated? Is John Maclean 15 the same person living at East Helmsdale in 1851 ? Can I assume that all the above were living in East Helmsdale at the time of the 1851 (census)? No sons are mentioned?
      Once again thanks for your help Sharon. I hope you dont find this too tedious.
                    Regards, Helmsdale
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Sharon01 on Tuesday 01 May 12 13:07 BST (UK)
Sorry for the delay in replying.

My post is for the 1851 census. They are living East Helmsdale but John was born Helmsdale.

I can not see him on any other census.

I checked Scotlands People & family search but there was no birth for Helmsdale.

You could contact http://www.highlandarchives.org.uk to see what records they hold.

Sharon
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Tuesday 01 May 12 18:40 BST (UK)
Hi Sharon,
               thank you for your kind reply. The information that you have supplied is most useful as it seems to confirm the entry in the Islendingabók where John Maclean said that he was born in Helmsdale. However, he also said that he was born in 1840 which does not correspond to an age of 15 at the census of 1851, however, John Macdonald may have reported it incorrectly.
              Curiously, the parents of the children seem absent, unless Jane Maclean is their mother's married name, yet she is described as John Macdonald's wife. That would mean that her first husband Maclean had died and this was her second marriage.
               If they are indeed the grandparents they must be maternal grand parents. This leads me to ask if the children's parents had emigrated, with the promise that the family would follow when they had got a home together? John's daughter, Charlotta Jónsdottír was born in 1864 and he may not have been in Helmsdale at the time of the 1861 census. Did you see any sign of the others at that time? If John was born in 1840 or earlier he should appear on the 1841 census?
              Alexander Maclean, 15 born in Wicke does not make sense :(

Thank you once again Sharon. If you see anything that I am missing I would very much welcome your insights.

Regards, Helmsdale

PS. I tried to register with Scotland's people but I did not receive the password email. It seems that they are being intercepted as spam and now I am locked out as they say my email address is already in use.
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Thursday 03 May 12 20:09 BST (UK)
Hi Sharon,
               with the help of the census data on Scotland's people I think I am now on the trail of John Maclean. In the Icelandic Islendingabók his date of birth was given as 1840 and this has proved reliable rather than age 15 in the 1851 census, probably entered by grandfather John Macdonald as head of the house. He now shows up at Stoer, Sutherland in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 census. Between 1861 and 1871 he fathered a child in Iceland in 1864.
         By 1891 he moved to Carloway,  Ross and Cromarty and in 1901 there is another match in Caloway. He does not appear on the 1911 census where he would have been 71 and either died or moved again. Carloway is the last known place.

Regards, Helmsdale
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Skoosh on Thursday 03 May 12 22:52 BST (UK)
Helmsdale, have you tried the Helmsdale Heritage Society? and whatever society covers Carloway, presumably Lewis.

Skoosh.
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Friday 04 May 12 00:07 BST (UK)
Thanks for your advice Skoosh. Now having investigated death records for Ross and Cromarty he appears to have moved again before his death, possibly Argyle. Nevertheless he may appear on some family tree in the places you mentioned.

Regards, Helmsdale
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Andy Gibson on Wednesday 23 April 14 21:05 BST (UK)
Hi there

I am new to this site but have just come across your entries re John McLean. I have an ancestor - John McLean born Helmsdale who was a cooper, born 1832. He eventually settled in Wallsend on Tyne, Northumberland. It took me many years to track him down, and I did find another John McLean from Helmsdale of a similar age. If you would like me to send you all my files I am happy to do so. I may be wrong but I think your research and the related comments on this site have confused two separate people. My John McLean could be yours and so we could be linked, but I suspect not. Either way I would like to know one way or another, and am also happy to let you have access to my material.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Andy Gibson
Title: Re: John Maclean, Helmsdale
Post by: Helmsdale on Thursday 24 April 14 23:53 BST (UK)
Hi Andy Gibson,
                  If my memory is right, you may be related to Jim Meikle whose grandfather, Alexander MacLean, was the only son from the marriage of Margaret Scott and John MacLean born Helmsdale 1832. Alexander was born in England but brought up in Helmsdale by his uncle, Alexander, the brother of John. Sadly, his first wife, Margaret died of TB soon after the birth and John MacLean married again to Elizabeth Gray and spent the rest of his life in Wallsend and had other children.
         The first of these was John Malcolm Maclean, who after many years working for the Cooperative Society and becoming a manager, emigrated to Canada and became Secretary of The Cooperative Society of Canada at its head office at Sydney Mines, Novascotia. When he emigrated he claimed to be only 45, though in fact was 50. He had married, just before emigrating, Miriam Mary Clark, age 22 years. I have a copy of the marriage certificate in front of me where John Malcolm MacLean claims to be only 42. They had a son, John, certainly alive last year, whose daughter, Ann MacDiamid has been in contact with me. Such was the age confusion of John Malcolm Maclean that his identity could only be confirmed by knowing the day and month in which he celebrated his birthday (known from birth cert).
         I think Jim Meikle would agree that my research opened up a whole new field for him and unblocked the researches of Ann MacDiamid. Although I have taken the name 'Helmsdale' I am in no way related to John MaClean, although living in Gateshead on Tyne I understand the environment of Felling, Heworth and Wallsend, not to mention the Pelton/Beamish area where John Malcolm became a Cooperative Society manager.
         My connection is as a friend of Charlotta Maria Gudmundsdottir who lives near Reykjavik whose life is contingent to a certain cooper, John MacLean, who came to Iceland in the early 1860s and fathered an illegitimate child. In Icelandic records, his date of birth was 1840 and birthplace, Helmsdale. If this is correct, he cannot be the son of Alexander, the shoemaker and born in 1832.
        This must be considered the latest state of play, and has nothing to do with the false trails early in this thread. Jim Meikle and Jon Hjaltason believe the DoB in the Islendigabok to be an error but it is a 'fly in the ointment' for the researches of Charlotta and Jon, who are related.
        You mention other information. Of course, if you have found another John MacLean born around 1840 at Helmsdale, I would be very interested.

Kind Regards, Helmsdale.