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Ross & Cromarty / Re: Norman Morrison b1790 Applecross/Gairloch - looking for parents/birth location
« on: Saturday 18 April 20 06:49 BST (UK) »
Hi all,
A year and a half later and I thought I'd update you on this saga - if you're still here. Since my last update, I spoke a bit more with Murdoch (author of Old Torridon) and he told me that he had transcribed Donald Morison's letters many years before and that they were likely in one of two places. Skoosh, it was you and Murdoch who both mentioned him early on to me. I managed to track the letters down and had a curator send them to me. On one of the letters (attached) Donald Morison mentions that he has "quit Torridon and marriage" and that "the mother" would not part with the boy. This was in 1787. We know Norman was born roughly 1790 but have never been able to confirm the actual year. I nearly fell off my chair when I first read this - I was just expecting notes about fishing.
So for quite a while I and a cousin also into our genealogy felt like this was a possible theory, but one that would probably always just remain a theory. This is where it gets a bit interesting...
My cousin ended up getting DNA samples from three different family members. We joined a Mackenzie DNA matching Facebook group to chase down a couple Mackenzie possibilities from the area. While there, we realized we matched DNA 5 generations back (starting at my grandmother's generation) with two different people, indicating a common ancestor amongst all of us. So we'd be potentially looking for one of Normand or Isabella's grandparents.
Initially exploring possible Mackenzie links with no luck, one of the two matches asked about the spelling of Normand's name - hey, sounds like Lewis. So, I shared the Donald Morison theory. They then shared that they are both descended from the Morisons Brieves from Lewis, including one who is a direct descendent of Roderik Morison (son of Rev Murdo of Barvas) who started the Tanera fisheries.
With the generational DNA match, assuming it is indeed the Morison line that connects us (and not a Mackenzie one - which we have not yet been able to identify), it means our common ancestor with these two people was potentially Normand's grandfather. Which would mean Roderik and Donald were potentially cousins. We haven't been able to prove they were related yet on paper...but they both happened to be in the business of starting fisheries down the coast from each other. And if you're still with me, it means that we now potentially have a DNA link that would support Donald as Normand's dad, and thus that Normand actually might have been the "boy" in the letter. And that's how he'd end up being born in Torridon with no other Morisons around.
The one sticking point I've never been fully convinced of is how Normand ended up as a regular crofter if he came from a somewhat prominent merchant family. My cousin did some research on Donald and found that he had several short marriages and quite a few kids and that he was more or less broke from his time in Torridon (lots of debts) right up until he died. We still have a lot more to explore on him and Roderick but this is lightyears away from where I was when I first messaged you here. It's still just a theory but at least it's one with a bit of teeth now.
Since we last spoke I spent a week on Isle of Eigg this past November and also was back in Edinburgh to see family. I was supposed to be back in the Torridon area in June this year but given the circumstances, that's being held off. I will be back soon enough, I hope! And yes Skoosh, very tempted. One day.
I hope you are all keeping well!
A year and a half later and I thought I'd update you on this saga - if you're still here. Since my last update, I spoke a bit more with Murdoch (author of Old Torridon) and he told me that he had transcribed Donald Morison's letters many years before and that they were likely in one of two places. Skoosh, it was you and Murdoch who both mentioned him early on to me. I managed to track the letters down and had a curator send them to me. On one of the letters (attached) Donald Morison mentions that he has "quit Torridon and marriage" and that "the mother" would not part with the boy. This was in 1787. We know Norman was born roughly 1790 but have never been able to confirm the actual year. I nearly fell off my chair when I first read this - I was just expecting notes about fishing.
So for quite a while I and a cousin also into our genealogy felt like this was a possible theory, but one that would probably always just remain a theory. This is where it gets a bit interesting...
My cousin ended up getting DNA samples from three different family members. We joined a Mackenzie DNA matching Facebook group to chase down a couple Mackenzie possibilities from the area. While there, we realized we matched DNA 5 generations back (starting at my grandmother's generation) with two different people, indicating a common ancestor amongst all of us. So we'd be potentially looking for one of Normand or Isabella's grandparents.
Initially exploring possible Mackenzie links with no luck, one of the two matches asked about the spelling of Normand's name - hey, sounds like Lewis. So, I shared the Donald Morison theory. They then shared that they are both descended from the Morisons Brieves from Lewis, including one who is a direct descendent of Roderik Morison (son of Rev Murdo of Barvas) who started the Tanera fisheries.
With the generational DNA match, assuming it is indeed the Morison line that connects us (and not a Mackenzie one - which we have not yet been able to identify), it means our common ancestor with these two people was potentially Normand's grandfather. Which would mean Roderik and Donald were potentially cousins. We haven't been able to prove they were related yet on paper...but they both happened to be in the business of starting fisheries down the coast from each other. And if you're still with me, it means that we now potentially have a DNA link that would support Donald as Normand's dad, and thus that Normand actually might have been the "boy" in the letter. And that's how he'd end up being born in Torridon with no other Morisons around.
The one sticking point I've never been fully convinced of is how Normand ended up as a regular crofter if he came from a somewhat prominent merchant family. My cousin did some research on Donald and found that he had several short marriages and quite a few kids and that he was more or less broke from his time in Torridon (lots of debts) right up until he died. We still have a lot more to explore on him and Roderick but this is lightyears away from where I was when I first messaged you here. It's still just a theory but at least it's one with a bit of teeth now.
Since we last spoke I spent a week on Isle of Eigg this past November and also was back in Edinburgh to see family. I was supposed to be back in the Torridon area in June this year but given the circumstances, that's being held off. I will be back soon enough, I hope! And yes Skoosh, very tempted. One day.
I hope you are all keeping well!
