Durness Parish Register

[GeraldM]

Thanks, Ian, I appreciate your prompt answer.

Because Catherine was a native of Durness parish, I assumed John R. was as well but he could have been from another. His death record just mentions Sutherlandshire. I will try elsewhere.

Thanks again,

Gerald

[IanB]

Gerald,
 This site covers part of your family
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/l/a/Jennie-Blades-NS/GENE3-0001.html

I have some other information which I shall try to put topgether, tomorrow.

Ian

[IanB]

Gerald:
Keoldale, mentioned in the above web site, is a large farm (and community) just south of Durness, which suggests that the christenings of William and Robert and the marriage of their parents might be recorded in the Durness Parish Register. However, I cannot find any mention of them. Another puzzling thing is that William married his cousin who was from Thurso. I suppose you might find something if you searched ScotlandsPeople ( or whatever the name is - I don't use it because I am too Scots.)

The entry for the marriage of Donald Mackay and Katherine MacLeod is quite lengthy and informative:
"Corporal Donald Mackay (son of William Mackay, late farmer in Achuhanait, and Eupham MacLeod, his relict) , R.F. Highlanders  . . . Katherine MacLeod. daur. of George MacLeod, Piper in Ceanlochbhirobhie*. 11 Dec, 1798" The MacLeods were a piping family in the parish.   *Kinlochbervie

Ian Grimble, in "The World of Rob Donn", mentions a piper by the name of George MacLeod who married a Catherine Mackay, the piper being a friend of Rob Donn. Perhaps this was him.

Their marriage entry 1775, 1 Feb : George macLeod, piper, . . . Catherine Mackay, in Ceanlochbhirovie.

I hope this helps.

Ian

[GeraldM]

Thanks again, Ian, I really appreciate the research you have done on my behalf.
I checked out that link to Jennie Blades' site and she has done a great deal of work. William MacKay (she says William Currey MacKay) died in 1829 rather than 1867 and is buried in the Shelburne Presbyterian Cemetery. Our problem in Shelburne is that the Presbyterian records are missing from 1783, when the town was founded, until the mid 1820s which creates many a genealogical problem.
I downloaded the Book of MacKay from Google books and will print it off one of these days because I don't relish reading books off the computer. Not recommended to curl up and fall asleep with a computer on your lap. :-) I had a look for "The World of Rob Donn" at Chapters-Indigo but they are out of stock. Will try the local library and may find it there, after all this is New Scotland.
I mentioned earlier that a number of families from Durness and area came to Shelburne in the early 1800s, Hugh Morrison, son of Hugh, was one of them. He was born ca 1872, had been a private in Reay's Fencibiles, and became a school teacher at Shelburne. Another was George Morrison and his wife Catherine. He was b.ca 1805, John Bethune and his wife Ann Morrison came there in 1848 and there was a brace of William Morrisons that don't seem to fit anywhere and a Robert Morrison who kept a road house. Then in 1817, Donald, Robert, David, Hugh and Donald (2) MacKay, Hugh and William Morrison and Finley Bethune took up land at Clyde River, about 20 miles from Shelburne.
Thanks for the item on the marriage of Donald MacKay and Katherine MacLeod. It is always nice to see some flesh on the ancestral bones. Their daughter was raised by her MacLeod grandmother according to an old letter I read.

Many thanks,

Gerald

[walker_mckay]

Hi All - Like Gerald, I trace my McKay family to William and Catherine Morrison McKay who came to Nova Scotia in the first decade of the nineteenth century. Let me shorthand my line: William C. McKay and Catherine Morrison to Margaret McKay (1806-1899) who married George Swansburg;


Gerald is quite correct in that there are many who trace their ancestry to William and his brother Robert in that area. There was, however, another set of McKay families quite possibly related. I wonder if they ancestry or alliances would hold any clues to the origins of our Donald and Barbara Morrison McKay? Could you please entertain this question for a moment?

I've found a few distinct lines in Shelburne. The early ones trace their origins to regimental soldiers who mustered out at Port Roseway after the American Revolution and those (like William & Robert) who came to the area in the early 19th century. There is one line, however, that possibly shares blood ties with William and Robert Mckay.

There was a David McKay who by tradition was born in Scotland in 1793 and left Thurso to Nova Scotia in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. He married a Janet McPherson (1799-1893), who was the daughter of Lauchlan McPherson and Elizabeth Urquardt.

With this said, does anyone know of a particular context that would have lead/forced William or his parents to Thurso by the 1800s? I've tried to be objective and not wedded to any theories about a possibly connection between the families of David McKay and the brothers William and Robert. I have come to think of Thurso as merely a jumping off point for my (Gerald's) William and this David McKay.

Would there be any record for a David McKay born in 1793 in Durness or perhaps nearby Balkaniel (sp)? His family included the following boys: Lauchlan (for her father) William, David, Donald and Peter. Beyond names, I have few hints as to his parents possible identity.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on the movements of the McKays between Sutherland and Caithness during this time period.

Best wishes,

Inez Reed

Question, is Doane an anglicised version of Donn? It appears as a middle name used in David's son Peter's family.

[GeraldM]

Hi Inez:

I must be thick, but I couldn't find how to answer your PM so will answer it here.

I'm assuming your grandfather was "young Sutton" Walker and his parents were Sutton and Jane (Swansburg) Walker. Jane's sister Catherine was my ggrandmother who married Neal Morrison of Jordan Ferry. I guess that would make us 3rd cousins.

On to William McKay and Catherine Morrison. All I have is a typewritten note sent to my aunt in 1954 from ? and it says Wm was born in 1777 and married his cousin Catherine Morrison in 1803. She was the daughter of William Morrison and Margaret Ross. Margaret was the daughter of Sir John Ross of Aberdeen. Catherine died in Shelburne in 1872 and her death record says she was born in Glasgow. I went searching through the IGI and found a Catherine chr. 3 Jun 1780  in Glasgow- parents William Morrison and Margaret Ross. Other later children were chr. in Thurso. Had a search in Aberdeen and found that William and Margaret married on 13 May 1779. Also found a Margaret Ross chr. 05 May 1746 to John Ross and Barbara Pirie. I don't know how good this info is but it is a start.

happy hunting
Gerald

[walker_mckay]

Hi Gerald - Yes, I think we may have cracked the PM code  My grandfather was young Sutton. I remember him speaking of an auntie who lived at Jordan Ferry. We are, indeed, third cousins.

Prior to this email, I had only known what my grandfather Sutton told me about his grandmother's family. I remember asking him where Catherine McKay came from and he replied "Glasgow". He also said that she was the granddaughter of Sir John Ross but not the Sir John Ross we know as the explorer.

What you've outlined pretty well fleshes out what grandfather Sutton had told me many, many years ago.

Now the McKays, that's another kettle of fish and probably very elusive fishes at that! Do you think that the David McKay )b. 1793) who came to Shelburne around 1815 and married Janet McPherson was related to our William? One of his grandchildren carried Currie as a middle name. One named Margaret (b. 1856) married Thomas Swansburg.

I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on the subject either through PM or via this forum.

Cheers,

Inez

[MaggieAnne]

My great grandmother Isabella Mackay & her 8 siblings were born in Durness.
Isabella Mackay born 27 Jul 1840.  She married Alexander Holm Mackenzie on 20 Nov 1819 in Cromarty.  In an article written about my grandfather, Donald Alexander Mackenzie, it stated that "Isabella Mackay was a direct descendant of Rob Donn - Rob Donn Mackay."  I have yet to make the connection.

Is there someone out there who may have an interest or connections to my Mackays?

Thank you.

Maggie

[IanB]

Hi Maggie,

It would appear that one of your year-dates is incorrect, i.e. born 1840; marrried 1819.

Also, it would help if you told us the names of Isabella's parents.

Rob Donn appears in the Durness parish register under several different surnames, the most common being Donn/Down or Calder. At least 2 of his daughters married Mackays.

Ian