Hello - I'm interested in your post on the McKenzie/Chisholm family and the information you've found about Duncan McKenzie and Elizabeth Cruden, particularly about their niece, Catherine Wishart Duthie.
Catherine married Robert Bruce on 17th February 1899 shortly after Duncan died on 31st January, i think: the family story I have is that Catherine or Kate as she as known, went to stay with them following her father's death before returning to Montrose to work, but then returned to Nethermuir to look after her grand uncle(?) after Elizabeth died. The SP death certificate I have seen lists her as grand niece.
When Catherine married Robert, her parents are listed as Robert Duthie and Mary, nee McKenzie: there's no mention of Duncan and Elizabeth on the certificate. I am intrigued about why she was adopted and was unaware that she was: I had assumed that they had no family of their own.
Catherine was my Granny Bruce.
I'm interested in the Inverness-shire connection, but can't tie down Donald and Ann McKenzie there: John Peter's death certificate listed Donald as having been a crofter; Duncan's marriage certificate described him as a mason, and I think I've also seen him listed as a stone dyker elsewhere. He was a servant when he got married. McKenzie and Chisholm are very prevalent names in that part of the world.
I hope this is useful and I'd be pleased to know more.
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Duncan McKenzie married Elizabeth Yule Creden in Fraserburgh 1856 and I have tracked him in 1861 Banff; 1871 Aberdeenshire; 1881 & 1891 Old Deer, Aberdeenshire to his death in Jan 1899 Old Deer. What I have found extremely interesting here with this particular couple is that they adopted Catherine Wishart Duthie (born 1874 Montrose) and she appears on the 1891 census as adopted daughter. Catherine also was the informant on Duncan McKenzie's death cert on SP in 1899. Catherine Wishart Duthie was the daughter of Robert Duthie & Mary McKenzie, Mary McKenzie being the daughter of John Peter McKenzie & Catherine Wishart (already discussed in previous postings). So, Duncan McKenzie was in fact (accordingly to my FTM11 the great grant uncle of Catherine Wishart Duthie).
I must admit that this is a difficult family to trace but I wont be beaten yet.
Thanks in anticipation ...