Hi Countingnames,
So sorry, I have only just seen your post...for some reason I didn't get a notification
Sutherland is an extremely common name, as are John and Catherine. You are VERY lucky that your Peter Sutherland married just after Registration otherwise it would have been near impossible to get back any further.
As it stands though, there appear to be a number of Peter Sutherlands born in Latheron Parish around that time. I presume that the approx. birth date of 1816 is from his marriage certificate? I can see his death in the index at Scotland's People as below, and it shows an approx. birth of 1813:
SUTHERLAND
PETER
64yrs (born abt 1813)
SUTHERLAND (Mother's maiden name)
1877
043/ 87
Wick
The newspaper entry for his death also states he was 64yrs of age:
3 May 1877 - John o' Groat Journal (Wick, Caithness, Scotland)
DEATHS: At Huddart Street, Pulteneytown, on the 28th ult., Mr Peter Sutherland, maltman, aged 64 years.
The index entry on Scotland's People for his marriage of course does not gives clues to his birth date:
PETER SUTHERLAND
JANE MURRAY
1855
043/2 18
Wick Landward
I am presuming from the death notice that this is you family in the census (from Freecen), which gives approx. birth dates of 1811 & 1813 respectively:
1861 - Wick, Caithness
SUTHERLAND Peter Head M M 50 Maltster CAI Latheron
SUTHERLAND Jane Wife M F 47 Maltster's Wife CAI Dunnet
SUTHERLAND Alexr Son - M 4 Maltster's Son CAI Wick
SUTHERLAND Peter Jas Son - M 2 Maltster's Son CAI Wick
1871 - Huddart Street, Wick, Caithness
SUTHERLAND Peter Head M M 58 Maltman CAI Berridale
SUTHERLAND Jane Wife M F 54 - CAI Dunnet
SUTHERLAND Peter Son - M 12 Scholar CAI Wick
SUTHERLAND George Son - M 9 Scholar CAI Wick
MOODIE Janet Lodger W F 83 - CAI Dunnet
It also looks like they lost their eldest son in 1861, aged just 4yrs.
SUTHERLAND
ALEXANDER
4yrs
MURRAY (Mother's maiden name)
1861
043/1 101
Wick Burgh
Trying to locate Peter Sutherland prior to his marriage is more of a challenge....what does the marriage certificate say about his residence and occupation in 1855?
From Freecen perhaps the best match in the 1851 census is below, with an approx. birth date of 1816 and occupation of a farm labourer, though it is not perfect:
1851 - Killminster, Wick, Caithness
HORNE William M Head U M 22 Farm Labourer CAI Canisbay
SUTHERLAND Peter - U M 33 Farm Labourer CAI Latheron
ANGUS James - U M 20 Agricultural Labourer CAI Dunnet
CALDER John - U M 19 Ag. Lab. (Shepherd) CAI Wick
RONALDSON James - U M 14 Herd CAI Dunnet
SUTHERLAND Jane - U F 21 House Servant CAI Wick
and the best match for 1841 is the census you found, though the record on Freecen does not show a Catherine Bain present....have you seen the original on Scotland's People? Is there a transcription error on Freecen?
1841 - Parkside, Latheron, Caithness
SUTHERLAND John M 90 Farmer CAI
SUTHERLAND Catherine F 55 CAI
SUTHERLAND Peter M 25 Ag. Labourer CAI
SUTHERLAND John M 20 Ag. Labourer CAI
SUTHERLAND Elizabeth F 25 CAI
ROSS Alexr M 5 CAI
ROSS Catherine F 3 CAI
It is possible that the age of John Sutherland in this record has been mistranscribed, or that it was a second marriage much later in life for him, he could also be the grandfather or another type of relative, as no relationships are given at this time. I would recommend looking at the original record, and perhaps trying to chase the other siblings or the Ross children (they may be his nieces & nephews).
The Latheron/Berriedale baptisms are terribly sparse, and on Scotland's People I cannot see a Peter Sutherland with a father 'John Sutherland' baptised between the years of 1800-1820 at all. There are lots of John's and Elizabeth's though, and with no mother's name given in baptisms at this time it is impossible to tell if any of them match the possible siblings in the 1841 census return.
Jenny
