Buchanan/McDonald of Portree

[anabanana]

1851 Census Drummuie, Portree

Christy Buchanan 40 (widow)
Donald Buchanan 21
Lodovick Buchanan 19
Malcolm Buchanan 16
Hector Buchanan 11
Alexander Buchanan 4
John Buchanan 2
Margret Buchanan 13
Mary Buchanan 9
Mary Buchanan 7


(Lewis = Ludovick?!)

[anabanana]

And hubbie John appears 10 years previously, in 1841 census of same place...

John Buchanan 40
Christy Buchanan 35
Donald Buchanan 13
Lodovick Buchanan 11
Malcolm Buchanan 8
Margaret Buchanan 5
Hector Buchanan 3
Mary Buchanan 2 MO
Maron Buchanan 40
 
 

[anabanana]

may be going off on a tangent here but got this from mormons page...

Groom's Name: John Buchanan
Groom's Birth Date: 
Groom's Birthplace: 
Groom's Age: 
Bride's Name: Christy Mcdond.
Bride's Birth Date: 
Bride's Birthplace: 
Bride's Age: 
Marriage Date: 30 Jan 1827
Marriage Place: Portree,Inverness,Scotland
Groom's Father's Name: 
Groom's Mother's Name: 
Bride's Father's Name: 
Bride's Mother's Name: 
Groom's Race: 
Groom's Marital Status: 
Groom's Previous Wife's Name: 
Bride's Race: 
Bride's Marital Status: 
Bride's Previous Husband's Name: 
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11114-4
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
Source Film Number: 990671
Reference Number: 

[loudoniii]

I think this is possibly the right couple, Anabanana - a good find !

Scotland's People OPR record of the same marriage shows that they were married on 30 Jan 1827, in Portree.

John Buchanan is from Eskadale; Christy Mcdond (sic) is from Drumin.

I still can't find the census records that show this family at a time when John would still have been alive (1854/55) to father Mary Buchanan in 1855.

If Christy was a widow of John Buchanan in 1851, then he could not have been Mary's father if Mary was born in 1855.

Still digging ...

[anabanana]

how sure are we about mary's birth date - perhaps she was a good bit older than she stated...

[kathleenmitchell]

Hello

This is all fantastic.  I had ruled out the census of 1851 because it had 2 Mary and no father, and I thought that my Mary was born 1855.  It is very possible that she is one of the two on the census becuase I have several relatives over time (Women) who where slightly out with their date of birth .  It is great to have ideas to bounce of you.  Your help is a god send

many thanks
Kathy

[kathleenmitchell]

Hello

Please tell me if I am being a bit dim - as usual- but Portree is on the Isle of Skye? and they have given their address as Drummie which is mainland - inland? civil parish Portree.
 I am confused
Kathy

[loudoniii]

Mary's birth year of 1855 can be calculated from her age at death of 46, as stated in her 1901 Death Certificate.

However, I think the "age at death" figure on Death Certificates is based on what the Informant says to the Registrar, so is often not too accurate.

[anabanana]

There is still a place called Drumuie in Portree from what I can gather, on the Isle of Skye :-)

Perhaps Mary, still a spinster, realised she was getting on in years and told a little white lie about her age?! Or may be she was embarrassed at being older than her hubbie Charles to maintained the little white lie on the census.  Could explain why she only had the two children as she was in her late thirties/forties when they were conceived?

Also it might be worth checking the actual image of Christina Buchanan and family - in 1851 census - to see if she was actually a widow, perhaps John was just away from home - he was a shepherd after all.  I put widow against her in my earlier post, but now looking back not sure why I thought that!  [edit - confirmed she was indeed a widow on 51 census]