Durness Parish Register

[andy_smed]

I have a copy of the parish register for Durness for Baptisms and Marriages from 1764-1814. If anyone would like me to do a lookup I would be more than happy to.

All the best

Andy

[ellenbrora]

Andy, you are a star, many thanks for the offer - you might be sorry you did!

(By the way before I start, is it possible to purchase a copy? I would happily do my own look ups if I could get hold of one)

In the meantime anything you can find on any of the following would be much appreciated:

John Sutherland (or MacRory) married to Barbara McKenzie who had Roderick Sutherland, ch 09.09.1793 @ Durness. They also had John b.1787, Flora Forbes b.1792 and Rachel b.1785.

Also  George McKay and Jean Morrison who married I think 19.01.1790 @ Durness. think Jean was b. 04.02.1771 @ Durness and her father might have been George.
they had a daughter Mary McKay b. 15.11.1792 @ Durness.

There's lots more but those would be great to help me on my way.

Many thanks

Ellen.

[andy_smed]

Hi Ellen, sorry its taken so long but I have been unable to get onto rootschat for a while dont know what the problem was but it seems to be fixed now.

SUTHERLAND

Baptisms

08/01/1791 John Sutherland tennent in Achumore and Barbara MacKenzie, Marion
09/09/1793 John Sutherland alias Macrory (son of Rory) tennent in Achumore and    Barbara MacKenzie, Roderick
15/11/1795 John Sutherland farmer in Achumore and Barbara MacKenzie, William
21/01/1798 John Sutherland farmer in Achumore and Barbara MacKenzie, William
19/07/1800 John Sutherland farmer in Achumore and Barbara MacKay, Janet (dont know why she calls herself mackay at this time?)
13/06/1802 John Sutherland farmer in Achumore and Barbara MacKenzie, Donald MacKay

There is only one Rachel born in 1785, she is the daughter of John Sutherland and Henrietta MacLeod. The John and Flora Forbes are also children of these parents. Funnily though these are members of my family.

Did note that there was a Rory Sutherland in Durness previously having at least two children, George bp on 12/04/1769 and Donald bp 16/07/1772.


MACKAY

Marriage
19/01/1790 George MacKay MacKenzie, tennent in Crosple and Jean Morison, alias nin Hustian Duin in Cnocbreac

Baptisms
25/10/1790 George MacKay, rather MacKenzie tennent in Crosple and Jean Done, Angus
15/11/1792 George MacKay alias MacKenzie ie Mackennichickenich (? son of Kenneth son of Kenneth) tennent in crosple and Jean Doun, Mary
13/08/1795 George MacKay alias MacKenzie little tennent in Crosple and Jean Morison alias Doun, Christian (all the Christian's in my family have been female).
15/01/1798 George MacKay alias MacKenzie in Crosple and Jean Doun alias Morison, Flora
22/02/1800 George MacKay alias MacKenzie in Crosple and Jean Doun alias Morison, Kenneth
11/03/1803 George MacKay alias MacKenzie in Crosple and Jean Doun alias Morison, Donald

24/12/1813 Angus MacKay MacKenzie, farm servant Knockbreak married Effy MacPherson, Durin


I also noted this entry, 04/02/1771 George Morison in Strathmore, Jean

Again sorry Ellen for the delay, hope this is helpful.

Andy

[ellenbrora]

Andy

Many thanks for these. Apologies for delay in replying, just back from hols today.

These confirm the info I have and gives me some new stuff too, brilliant.

Looks like we have a match then, as Flora Sutherland. daughter of John and Henriette is hubby's ggg grandmother. Flora married John MacKay or McHuestean in 1815 @ Durness and had John in 1818 and Isabella (hubby's gg grandmother) in 1821. Isabella married back into the Sutherland's, to Kenneth in 1846 @ Durness, and thats hubby's paternal line. His great grandfather (their son) moved from Durness down to Glasgow around late 1880's to join the police.

Sorry. looking back at my info I realise in my rush to post it before I went off on hols, I'd put Flora and John and Rachel down as potential children of John Sutherland and Barbara McKenzie in error. I did know they were the children of John and Henriette.

I'm off to analyse all of this now and see where it takes me. Many thanks again.

Ellen.

[andy_smed]

Hi Ellen

Just some other details for you, entry for the 14 July 1789 John Sutherland from Thurso, weaver in Balamhulich and Henrietta MacLeod nin Nishmacean, Janet and Isobel

The thing to note in this entry is Henrietta's patronymic which I have been told means daughter of Kenneth son of John. This may not be 100% though!

Rachel Sutherland sister of Flora is my ancestor, she married a William Campbell in Durness on 28 Dec 1804. They had nine children, Katherine, Robert, John, Angusina, Henny, Anderson, Roderick, Johan and James.

Katherine Campbell had an son with John Falconer in 1836, Charles Falconer Campbell.

Charles Falconer Campbell married and Emma McDonald a nurse from Plymouth in 1877, Charles was at sea in the Merchant Navy for most of his life, he seems to have left Durness around 14 years old. Charles and Emma only had one child, William John Campbell born in 1879.

William John Campbell was my Great Grandfather.

If you would like any more details don't hesitate to contact me.

Andy

One other thing, Jean Morison's alias Doun is also an alias used by the Poet/Bard Rob Donn who lived in the same area in the 1700's. There is a book about his life called 'The World of Rob Donn' written by Ian Grimble and published I thinkl in about 1977 that you may be interested in?

[ellenbrora]

Thanks for this Andy. I'll get onto Amazon and see if I can get the book.

A couple of interesting points:

On Flora MacKay nee Sutherland's DC, her son John states that her dad, John Sutherland's occupation was "Ground Officer". Seems a bit of a move from a weaver, but with all the other anomalies we find, I guess its minor.

The youngest son of your Rachel Sutherland and William Campbell, James, appears next on the page of the OPR births after my hubby's gt gt grandfather Kenneth Sutherland.  Kenneth showing as 9th Sept 1820 and James as 4th Jan 1821.

Regards

Ellen.

[searchmckay]

Thanks so much Andy

I am tracing my family history and have a problem right in the middle.
Looking for children of John MacKay Oig (Smith) born c1747
Married once to Barbara?
Married again to Ann Calder in 1792
Ann left for Canada right after John died (about 1811) and took 6 children with her. I can only confirm one - Sophia MacKay and possibly William.
I am looking specifically for a child named Donald MacKay who would have been born after 1792 but before 1811 when I think John MacKay died.
I am told Ann was his mother but can find no record of his birth.
Thanks!!!

mckaysearcher 

[andy_smed]

Hi there,

Sorry have been unable to trace your Donald MacKay, don't know if you already have the following info but will post it anyway:-

01/11/1792 John MacKay smith in Eribol and Ann Calder daughter of William Calder, Charity Schoolmaster, Achugaraside

30/11/1776 William Calder, Charity Schoolmaster in Cambusinduin, John

23/09/1793 John MacKay, smith in Eribol from Borgie and Ann Calder, Christian
11/10/1794 John MacKay (from borgie, Tongue), smith in Eribol and Ann Calder, John
04/11/1796 John MacKay, blacksmith and Ann Calder in Eribol, Barbara
24/06/1807 John MacKay, smith in Eribol and Ann Calder, Jacobina

West Moine Mission Baptisms
22/04/1804 John MacKay, smith in Eribol and Ann Calder, Sophia
04/09/1805 John Mackay, Oig in Eribol, William
28/05/1808 John MacKay, smith at Eribol, Henrietta Amelia
16/06/1811 John MacKay, smith in Eribol and Ann Calder, Johanna Thompson

I found this web site that has a reference to your Sophia Mackay.

http://www.islandregister.com/mcleod4.html

Hope this is of some help.

Andy

[searchmckay]

Thanks so much Andy. that was way more information than I had. Linda (searchmckay)