Thanks Skoosh and Mike in Cumbria. Yes, my definite, proven by certs etc link is to Donald Sutherland (b 4.9.1720), the tacksman of Blackness, Mid Clyth, Caithness. A tree confirming all my findings was ALREADY compiled for my ancestors at the Dunbeath Heritage Centre when we visited a few weeks ago, the majority of which had been done a long time ago by another distant relative, the Reverend George Sutherland from Bruan, and added to/confirmed by other distant relatives who had visited there. However, in the notes on this tree at the top next to this Donald, the tacksman, it says that he was descended from Donald Na Pallaig, Head of Langwell family Sutherland, and therefore back to the 3rd Earl's son, and 4th Earl of Sutherland's brother, Nicholas. That is, I am afraid, the ONLY reason I have to think this so far. I am awaiting a reply from email and letter sent to the Dunbeath Heritage Centre on whether they have any more of the Reverend's notes, and have tried phoning them to no avail so far. I thought someone somewhere may have already done the Langwell Na Pallaig-Earls tree, or know how I could get it.
