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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: lisagarnham on Monday 18 February 13 13:27 GMT (UK)
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Hi everyone - looking for a little guidance please.
A lot of my family tree is in Barra and South Uist, which has both its blessings and its frustrations. I've hit a brick wall with moving backwards on Mary McKiggan/McGiggan b.29/10/1867 in Glendale, South Uist.
Her birth certificate states her parent's as John McKiggan and Ann Robertson, married on 23rd January 1867 in Stoneybridge, South Uist - almost exactly 9 months previous to her date of birth, very convenient :o
Her name is spelled McGiggan on her marriage to Archibald McCuish on 29 Dec 1891 on Barra. Both parents are deceased by this time, but her mother's name is Mary Robertson. Have I got the wrong one? I'm working backwards, so if so, its the birth that is wrong...
I can't find her parent's marriage or any record of them on the census, either together or apart. I also can't find a census entry for Mary before she is married (1871, 1881 and 1891). McKiggan is quite rare in South Uist (from what I can tell) and has quite diverse variants. Although Mary was born on South Uist, I have no clue where her parents are from.
Anyone got any thoughts on this? Many thanks in advance!!
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Lisa, might this name not be MacEachan. Black in his "Surnames", also gives MacKichan (MacFhitheachan).
Skoosh.
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Hi all ,
Mary McKeggan(MacKeggan) 13 born S Uist with parents(?) John(46) and Catherine(30) Island of Helisa , Barra(1881 Census)
That is the best match I can find on the 1881 Census.
Given the age difference between John and Catherine it may be a second marriage :-\
John is down as a Shepherd
Think Catherine may be nee Beaton.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT5N-KYQ
ev
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Found this -
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT5N-K3N
ev
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Hi Skoosh - I think that's a good call actually and explains why I can't find many BDM's - need to search using this next time I'm in Edinburgh or feeling flush enough to buy myself some Scotland's people credit!
After searching McEachan (etc) on census returns, you inspired me to do a blind search for 'Mary', blank surname, born 1867 in South Uist. After some trawling, in 1871 I found:
3 Glendale, South Uist:
John McKirgan b.1833, Sheepherd
Mary McKirgan b.1867, daughter, Domestic servant (!)
Mary McLean b.1803, aunt, domestic servant
The transcription doesn't say he's a widower, but, living with his aunt - must be, right? If this is them, which I think it is, I think your 1881 is a good call, Ev. Need to dig around a bit more. A re-marriage explains why Mary moves from South Uist to Barra also....
I can't quite believe the timing of that marriage!! The most convenient truth I've ever seen I think!!
Thank you!!!
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SP has -
Ann McKiggan(other surname Robertson) death 1868 Boisdale Inverness born c1845.
Think Boisdale is the Parish for South Uist.
ev
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Ev - you are most kind. Boisdale is indeed the parish for So Uist - this must be them.
Seems a little strange that Mary doesn't know her mother's first name is Ann, not Mary, but does know her maiden name at her marriage. Then again, she does call her first daughter 'Mary Ann'. Its a close enough fit for me for the time being.
Thanks again!
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Hi,
Seems you have the correct people. It's amazing how transcriptions differ enormously. The transcription I have is:
1871 (Glendale)
John Mackiegan Head, W 38 Shepherd b S/U
Mary " Daughter 4 "
Mary MacLean Aunt U 64 Domestic Servant N/U
Catherine MacAskill Lodger U 64 " " S/U
Good luck on the next rung of the ladder.
Regards, Anne Marie
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Hi Anne Marie - thanks for this, very interesting. Was this from SP?
Given this has the marriage statuses, I'm wondering if John McKiggan's mother's maiden name could have been MacLean...? His 'aunt' is unmarried, so must have been born a MacLean.
I know the details on these census returns can be a little sketchy, but I currently have no clue as to his parent's names, so this is at least a good starting point. Thanks!
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Hi Lisa,
Unfortunately my records are not from SP but have proven to be very reliable to date (thankfully). I always think that the job of census enumerator should be delegated to someone with a good knowledge of the area/names etc. in areas where there is an obvious language barrier although in this day it’s not so bad.
However, I didn't quite take everything in when I read through your post last night as I was interested in trying to find your family on the census records.
You are correct with Boisdale being a registration district but if you look under Howmore, S/U on SP for John & Ann Robertson’s marriage it should be there as they were married in Stoneybridge which is in that reg. dist.
With the given surnames I would assume them to be non catholic - if that helps on SP? I haven't been on SP for a while but I think from memory they differentiate between faiths?
How sad though that Mary lost both parent’s so young and never even knew her Mother.
John MacKiggan b c1830 was the eldest of 8 siblings born to Finlay MacKiggan & (Kirsty/Christian/Christina) MacCuish (dau. of Donald) ranging from 1830 - 1849!
John's 2nd wife was Catherine Beaton (dau. of John) & they had another 7 kids ranging from 1873 - 1886 all b Barra.
I think I found Mary in Vatersay, Barra in 1891?
Mary MacGeggan Servant U 21 Dairymaid b S/U
She is recorded with a “G” – meaning she only spoke Gaelic, no English which is not unusual given the period. This may well explain the reason for the confusion re her mother’s forename as she may have thought she was being asked for her own forename? She was also probably illiterate (on her marriage cert. it will have her mark “X” if that is the case)? In those days though it was a case of marrying under whatever name you were known by e.g. signing as Kate rather than Catherine which seldom is the case these days.
1891 – Bruernish, Barra (MacGiggan) – John’s widow b S/U but family all b Barra
Catherine Head W 37 Dom. Serv.
Ann Dau U 17 “
Mary Jessie “ 15
Kenneth Son 13
Findlay “ 9
John “ 7
Murdo “ 5
There was a 2nd daughter Ann b c1882 who is absent from the census.
1841 – Kildonan – MacGigan
1851 – Upper Bornish – MacKigan
I couldn’t locate the Robertson family but you will get their names from the marriage cert. Seems Ann was in Milton, S/U when she married but may have just been working here?
Have more info. to put into my FTM as it’s quicker so will post more at a later date but this will keep you going for now.
The MacLean surname now poses another wee hitch?
Regards, Anne Marie
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Anne Marie - I'm stunned! Where to begin...
First of all, thanks for the tip on registration districts. A lot of my searching up to now has been based on educated guesswork about which district to search in, so this certainly helps. SP do indeed differentiate between the two faiths, which makes for more legwork, especially as I live in Glasgow and can't access the Catholic records at the library here.
Thanks for the name of John MacKiggan's parents - interesting that his mother is a MacCuish, given that Mary goes on to marry a MacCuish - another adventure trying to find out how distantly they are related! It does indeed raise questions about who the 'aunt' is, but its a very loose term. Perhaps in digging around in the MacCuish tree I might stumble across her!
Mary living on Vatersay in 1891 is highly plausible - her husband Archibald MacCuish is stated as permanently resident on Vatersay when they marry later that year. She does indeed seem to have had no English, and I've already come across my fair share of people using (seemingly) whatever name they like on their certificates. I think shortened versions of middle names are my favourite conundrum!
Your 1891 transcription makes the one I have laughable - no wonder I couldn't find them!:
Robison McGiggan 57 S/U no gender
Ann McGiggan 19 Barra, F
Mary Jesse McGiggan 15 Barra, F
Keneth McGiggan 13 Barra, F
Findlay McGiggan 9 Barra, M
John M McGiggan 7 Barra, M
David McGiggan 5 Barra, M
Dear, oh dear.
I think Ann Robertson may not have been from So Uist myself, though it just a suspicion. Robertson seems more of a mainland name. There are large branches of the tree (further down) that are from Argyll, so I think I might start looking there. I think I'll get some SP credits and get a peek at her death certificate, which will hopefully have her parents names (correctly) recorded and start searching from there.
Thank you so much, again!!!
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Hi Lisa,
I am 99.9% sure that is Mary (1891) as Archibald is there too - Archibald Maccuish Servant U 24 Farm Grieve Barra Inverness-shire G (b Barra). His birth from memory should come under Boisdale, S/U if he was b Barra. He had no English either and may have that wrong? but those mistakes were common as the enumerators were English spoken. He possibly meant he was a permanent resident having moved from elsewhere but it's a start.
Regards, Anne Marie
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That must be them and correct - their daughter Mary Ann McCuish (my ggmother in-law) never had any English, even after her grandchildren began to be born in Glasgow and Paisley.
Trouble is I can't find the entry on Ancestry searching for either Mary McKiggan (various spellings) or Archibald MacCuish (various spellings). Must be a very imaginative transcription!
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Folks, this would be before the Vatersay Land Raid, http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mingulay
Was Vatersay not a dairy farm set up by Lady Gordon Cathcart? possibly staffed by strangers.
Skoosh.
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Hi Skoosh,
It certainly appears to be a farm although not specified as so on the census but there are 20 people there in 1891. I haven't looked at the link but I'm sure Vatersay was a seperate island as were a few around the hebrides, a lot of which are now uninhabited.
Anne Marie
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Anne Marie, I spent a wee holiday on Vatersay years ago, beautiful beaches, now connected to Barra by a causeway. Local band, "The Vatersay Boys", quite famous, well on Vatersay? try Google.
Skoosh.
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Hi guys, from 'Mingulay, an island and its people' by Ben Buxton, p.124:
"Vatersay was run as a single farm, occupied by the tenant farmer and his workers; it had been crofted before 1850, when the people were evicted, and had been designated as suitable for crofting by a government commission in 1894. ... Some of the cottars from Barra were descended from the former inhabitants, and had continued to bury their dead in the graveyard at the south end of Vatersay. ... In 1883, forty-five Barra cottars, living in wretched conditions and eking out a meagre existence by fishing, applied for holdings on Vatersay, but were turned down by the landowner, Lady Gordon Cathcart. ... Further appeals failed, including one from Barra Parish Council, and the men grew desperate. Then, in September 1900, emboldened by the success of cottars raiding the farms on Northbay and Eoligarry in Barra, the men raided Vatersay, though they subsequently withdrew.'
I'm guessing that Archibald and Mary did indeed work for Lady Cathcart's farm. Having been born of families from South Uist, they would indeed have been thought of as 'strangers'.
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I have never seen beaches like the hebridean ones anywhere and such a pity we don't get the weather to enjoy them. I have heard of the Vatersay Boys among many others but my favs are Runrig from my youth. I have been to S/U & Eriskay many times and lived for a yr on S/U with my grandmother aged 8/9ish. One of my ancestors was found to have whisky fro the "Polly" hidden on his land :-) My big claim to fame. My ggrandfather was in the paper having found gold washed up on Eriskay but no-one knows what happened to it so a metal detector is on my list haha. www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/gold_on_eriskay_1_115289
Anne Marie
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Lisa,
John MacKiggan was a Shepherd on Glendale Farm and he moved to Bruthairnis Farm, Barra (Bruernish) in 1870's but I'm not sure how long he was on that farm as the census doesn't specify farm in 1881 so they may not have been on a farm in 1881?
Anne Marie.
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Hi Anne Marie, I think you're right. The transcription I have for the 1881 entry states address as 'Island of Helisa'. Helisay is a tiny little place and was probably just used for grazing. I wouldn't be surprised if it was just him, his family and the grazing sheep living there!
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Lisa, 1901 - one of John's brother's & fam. The MacKay girl is the daughter of John's niece Kirsty who married James MacKay.
Regards,
Anne Marie
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Hi Lisa,
Not exactly sure what your 1881 census has as you have noticed a few of us have had different info. on same year??
Here is my latest find:
1881 – Barra
Eoligary – Alexander MacCuish Servant U 16 Cattle Herd S/U (b) – seems to be a farm as there’s a note (3000 acres) & 22 workers/residents. He may be a relation but the name Alexander doesn’t seem to be a lineage name for now? There is a Martin MacIntyre 27 from Glasgow learning farming, with you mentioning Lanarkshire area it may be a connection but the forename Martin is somewhat rare in those days! I noted this as I see below that there is a MacIntyre connection.
ISLAND OF HELISA
John Mackeggan Head M 46 Shepherd South Uist
Catherine Mackeggan Wife M 30 Dunvegan, Skye
Mary Mackeggan Dau 13 Scholar South Uist
Ann Mackeggan Dau 7 Scholar Barra
Jessie Mackeggan Dau 5 Scholar Barra
Finlay Mackeggan Son 2 Barra
Christina Campbell M in L U 60 Dunvegan, Skye
John Macintyre Nephew 14 Scholar South Uist
Now another hitch as the Mum-in-law is Campbell but Catherine was Beaton – a 2nd marriage for either but who?
Think I have found John MacIntyre (nephew) connection. He seems to be the son of John’s sis Kirsty who wed Malcolm MacIntyre.
I only wish I could find as much on my own family but I love doing this and find it so interesting.
Regards, Anne Marie.
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Lisa,
Sorry, was interrupted and forgot to say that either Catherine was illegitimate or the U has been transcribed wrongly instead of W?
A M
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Hi Anne Marie,
Not sure who the Alexander MacCuish is - Mary McKiggen's husband Archibald MacCuish had a brother, an uncle and a grandfather named Alexander, so I expect the connection is there. Could be his brother, I suppose. I haven't quite gotten round to looking all the way through that side of the tree, so I can't say offhand.
The Glasgow connection is through Mary McKiggan's daughter, Mary Ann MacCuish. She ran off to Glasgow to get married in 1911 to Roderick MacNeil of Barra, but the belief is that they stayed with (distant) family, though its unclear which side.
Christina Campbell - not sure about her. She certainly seems to be related to Catherine Beaton/McKiggan being from Skye and all, not I'm not sure. Could been an illegitimate birth and she's named after her father, could be she was married before she married John McKiggan, or her mother remarried. Or its a recording error. To be honest, as she's not a blood relative (just married in), I'm not overly curious - though I might have a look next time I'm in Edinburgh!
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Just to say that I have found another census entry which may be of interest?
1871 (South Boisdale, S/U)
John Mackiggan Head M 29 Farmer 10 acres S/U Inverness
Ann Mackiggan Wife M 26 S/U Inverness
Christina Mackiggan Dau 2 S/U Inverness
Ann Mackiggan Dau 1m S/U Inverness
Euphemia Maclean M in L 60 N/U Inverness
The surname MacLean resurfaces??
Anne Marie
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Lisa,
I think I have uncovered the MacLean connection. Your John had a brother John who married Ann MacLean from Malacleit, N/U.
I haven't had time to add everything to my FTM yet.
Anne Marie.
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Hi Anne Marie,
I think this is the wrong family. The original MacLean 'connection' came from what I think is the correct 1871 entry:
3 Glendale, South Uist:
John McKirgan b.1833, Sheepherd
Mary McKirgan b.1867, daughter, Domestic servant (!)
Mary McLean b.1803, aunt, domestic servant
John's wife Ann dies in 1868 (I found the death entry on SP), so can't be there in the 1871 census.
And I think Mary MacLean might be a married sibling of John's mother (Christina MacCuish) or father (Finlay McKiggan) if she is indeed a true 'aunt' at all...
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Hi Anne Marie
I see now, you think the 1871 entry you posted is John's brother, John?
Indeed, could be - but now there are two MacLean connections, I think!!
???
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Hi Lisa,
This is the brother John who who's wife was Ann MacLean.
1871 (South Boisdale, S/U)
John Mackiggan Head M 29 Farmer 10 acres S/U Inverness
Ann Mackiggan Wife M 26 S/U Inverness
Christina Mackiggan Dau 2 S/U Inverness
Ann Mackiggan Dau 1m S/U Inverness
Euphemia Maclean M in L 60 N/U Inverness
Your John's wife Ann Died pre 1871 therefore your John's census which I sent you has him as a widower & Shepherd at Glendale, not South Boisdale although both are in close proximity in terms as both are in the registration district of Boisdale.
Confusion over - sorry!!
Now, I had another look at Ann Robertson b c 1842. If you look at her "supposed" parent's marriage date it poses a wee thought - almost 20yrs prior to her birth. My thoughts (given you can't find her birth) is that the couple Ewen Robertson & Mary Anderson who married 05 Jun 1823 may well have been the grandparents??? Maybe an orphaned or illigitimate child and I suspect she may have been born with a different surname? I think I'm putting obstacles in front of your brick wall now - adding to the confusion.
Anne Marie
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Hi Anne Marie,
Nothing like a brick wall with obstacles in front of it to cheer me on!
However, I think I eventually found the baptism record on FS, under John Robertson and Mary Anderson. As John and Ewen are inter-changeable I should really have thought of this earlier...
Based on several baptismal records, I believe this to be Ann Robertson's family, her father was a mason:
1841, point of Sleat, Skye:
Ewn Robertson 50
Mary Robertson 41
Anne Robertson 20
Cath Robertson 17
Alexr Robertson 15
Duncan Robertson 12
Ewn Robertson 10
John Robertson 7
Janet Robertson 5
Anne Robertson 2
1851, Rhy of Aird, Sleat:
Mary Robertson 48
Ewen Robertson 19
John Robertson 16
Janet Robertson 13
Anne Robertson 11
Flora Robertson 8
(don't know where Ewen is)
1861, Point of Sleat:
Ewen Robertson 68
Mary Robertson 58
John Robertson 28
Flora Robertson 18
Angus Mcdonald 28
Janet Mcdonald 24
Ewen Mcdonald 2
Alexander Mcdonald 2 Mo
Alexandrina Mcdonald 4
Janet MacDonald is nee Robertson.
1871, Point of Sleat, Ewen has died:
Mary Robertson 63
Duncan Robertson 38
Ewen Mcdonald 12
Alexr Mcdonald 10
The remainder of the family in 1881, Point of Sleat:
Duncan Robertson 50
Mary Robertson 80
Flora McPherson 40
Donald McPherson 6
John McPherson 5
Again, Flora is nee Robertson.
So I think they probably were her parents - the ages match up - just!!
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Lisa,
Well done and I didn't know that John & Ewen were interchangeable! However, nothing worse than an EASY Jigsaw as it takes the fun, imagination & most of all the determination out of it as I'm sure you will agree.
Anne Marie
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1881 – Barra
ISLAND OF HELISA
John Mackeggan Head M 46 Shepherd South Uist
Catherine Mackeggan Wife M 30 Dunvegan, Skye
Mary Mackeggan Dau 13 Scholar South Uist
Ann Mackeggan Dau 7 Scholar Barra
Jessie Mackeggan Dau 5 Scholar Barra
Finlay Mackeggan Son 2 Barra
Christina Campbell M in L U 60 Dunvegan, Skye
John Macintyre Nephew 14 Scholar South Uist
Now another hitch as the Mum-in-law is Campbell but Catherine was Beaton – a 2nd marriage for either but who?
Hi Lisa,
It now is more obvious that Christina Campbell, M in L, U (above) was more likely to be a Widow and reverted back to her maiden name which was Campbell.
Anne Marie.
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Hi Lisa,
If you are on FB there is someone researching your family on....
Barra's People - A Genealogical Interest Page
The line is Mary MacKiggan b1867 (dau of John & Ann Robertson) who married Archibald MacCuish 1891 Barra.
I haven't looked too closely but there's a connection..
Anne Marie
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Hi guys, from 'Mingulay, an island and its people' by Ben Buxton, p.124:
"Vatersay was run as a single farm, occupied by the tenant farmer and his workers; it had been crofted before 1850, when the people were evicted, and had been designated as suitable for crofting by a government commission in 1894. ... Some of the cottars from Barra were descended from the former inhabitants, and had continued to bury their dead in the graveyard at the south end of Vatersay. ... In 1883, forty-five Barra cottars, living in wretched conditions and eking out a meagre existence by fishing, applied for holdings on Vatersay, but were turned down by the landowner, Lady Gordon Cathcart. ... Further appeals failed, including one from Barra Parish Council, and the men grew desperate. Then, in September 1900, emboldened by the success of cottars raiding the farms on Northbay and Eoligarry in Barra, the men raided Vatersay, though they subsequently withdrew.'
I'm guessing that Archibald and Mary did indeed work for Lady Cathcart's farm. Having been born of families from South Uist, they would indeed have been thought of as 'strangers'.
Anne Marie - I'm stunned! Where to begin...
First of all, thanks for the tip on registration districts. A lot of my searching up to now has been based on educated guesswork about which district to search in, so this certainly helps. SP do indeed differentiate between the two faiths, which makes for more legwork, especially as I live in Glasgow and can't access the Catholic records at the library here.
Thanks for the name of John MacKiggan's parents - interesting that his mother is a MacCuish, given that Mary goes on to marry a MacCuish - another adventure trying to find out how distantly they are related! It does indeed raise questions about who the 'aunt' is, but its a very loose term. Perhaps in digging around in the MacCuish tree I might stumble across her!
Mary living on Vatersay in 1891 is highly plausible - her husband Archibald MacCuish is stated as permanently resident on Vatersay when they marry later that year. She does indeed seem to have had no English, and I've already come across my fair share of people using (seemingly) whatever name they like on their certificates. I think shortened versions of middle names are my favourite conundrum!
Your 1891 transcription makes the one I have laughable - no wonder I couldn't find them!:
Robison McGiggan 57 S/U no gender
Ann McGiggan 19 Barra, F
Mary Jesse McGiggan 15 Barra, F
Keneth McGiggan 13 Barra, F
Findlay McGiggan 9 Barra, M
John M McGiggan 7 Barra, M
David McGiggan 5 Barra, M
Dear, oh dear.
I think Ann Robertson may not have been from So Uist myself, though it just a suspicion. Robertson seems more of a mainland name. There are large branches of the tree (further down) that are from Argyll, so I think I might start looking there. I think I'll get some SP credits and get a peek at her death certificate, which will hopefully have her parents names (correctly) recorded and start searching from there.
Thank you so much, again!!!
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Hi motherof3,
Did you forget to type your message/enquiry?
A M