Author Topic: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale  (Read 6705 times)

Offline Boomeranger

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Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« on: Wednesday 11 March 15 07:11 GMT (UK) »
Hector McPherson, Sutherland 1828.

Recent downloads from ‘Find my Past’ do not appear to have the same terminology as that used on ‘Scotlands People’ and so I am now very confused. There may well be two different Hectors, with lots in common and not just one person! Can anyone unravel this?
 
I am trying to work my way backwards from my grandmother:
1884 Mary C (Cochrane) MacPherson born 8 Dec. 1884 in Dundee, parents John MacPherson, railway porter and Jane MacPherson (ms Bain).
Mary’s sister is Williamina, whose grandson is my cousin Kenneth Bain Shanks, so I’m confident at this point these are the right people.

I believe Mary’s grandfather is a Hector McPherson.
Merchant Seaman Transcription of 1845 says:
Hector McPherson born 5th Sept. 1828 in Helmsdale, Sutherland.
A Fisherman.

OPR Banns and Marriages for Latheron says:
06/12/1850 Hector McPherson and Williamina Munro, Latheron, Caithness.
Hector would be around 22 years old.

1851 Census has John MacPherson as head and a son Hector MacPherson aged 23 (age is hard to read) and has his occupation as slater, and also lists Williamina as ‘son’s wife’.  Are they the correct people? He’s supposed to be a fisherman.

1861 Census has a Hector McPherson aged 32, a mason (a profession perhaps not too far removed from that of a ‘slater’? + Williamina+ kids.

Earlier, the 1841 Census for John McPherson has Hector McPherson aged 12-14 for Caithness has no result on Scotland’s People, but does for Bogholes, (Bagholes?), Loth, Sutherland. Is this the correct Hector?

1891 Census has Hector McPherson, 62, Fisherman, and Williamina, wife aged 62, and birthplace Sutherland.

I don't know if the "Mac" v. "Mc" is a clue or a problem!




Offline GR2

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 11 March 15 17:09 GMT (UK) »
There is no difference at all between Mac and Mc. You will even find M'. The same person often used different spellings of his own surname at different times. Spelling was not as fixed as it is today. You should also remember that in most older records, the person himself does not write it, so the spelling is that used by a clerk or enumerator.

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 11 March 15 23:03 GMT (UK) »
Whenever you are researching/searching for a Mac/Mc surname, try to use the wildcard symbols, if available on the site you are using. With SP and a/try (not sure about FindMyPast), they use '*'. When I search for those names, let's say MacDonald (one of my main lines), I search as m*don*l*  ::)

If you, I would look for Hector's death cert. on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk This should include his parents' names (if known to the informant) and would let you confirm what you are finding regarding earlier censuses etc.

From some online family trees, this is showing as Hector's 1901 entry:

Hector Mcpherson 70 fisherman b. Helmsdale
Williamina Mcpherson 70 b. Latheron
Williamina Mcpherson 16 grandchild b. Latheron
Address: Lybster Village Main St, Latheron Caithness

Monica
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Offline djct59

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 11 March 15 23:06 GMT (UK) »
Loth is very close to Helmsdale, so I certainly would not presume there are two  Hector MacPhersons based on that.

Until the early 20th century many fishermen were also crofters, so having a land-based trade does not necessarily rule out the persons you've found being one and the same, although mason/fisherman would be unusual.

There is no Hector MacPherson listed as buried in Loth and Kildonan, so either there were two who both moved away, or there was only one who did so, which seems to fit your theory.


Offline MonicaL

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 11 March 15 23:18 GMT (UK) »
Something to work on from other descendants...they show Hector's death as being on 12 June 1908 in Lybster, Caithness. Parents John McPherson and Janet McIntosh. Birth on 5 APR 1828 in Navidale near Helmsdale, Sutherland.

Death cert would also include his occupation, address and wife's name, including her maiden name.

Monica
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Offline Boomeranger

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #5 on: Friday 13 March 15 03:10 GMT (UK) »
Thanks so much for all that info Monica, I have got onto Scotlands People and bought as many census files as are relevant, but I'm still not too clear! I suspect there must be two Hector McPherson, one a fisherman and the other a mason. 1841 Census has a birthdate 5 April 1828, as does the death notice of 12 June 1908 listing him a mason, and his wife is Williamina Munro. But a 'son', John McPherson marries in 1882 and lists his father Hector as a fisherman, and his mother as Williamina Munro! Two Williamina Munro's as well as two Hectors? And it gets worse when all these grand-daughters with the same Williamina name start appearing! Maybe the two Hectors were first cousins, I've noticed brothers tended to repeat their father's name, so there were plenty of duplications around. I'll keep struggling onwards, thanks again, no doubt I'll be back!

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #6 on: Friday 13 March 15 14:34 GMT (UK) »
Boomeranger, I would say this is very likely your ancestor John's family here that you have found. There is a comprehesive family tree, including photos, for this line, however, it is only available to view via subs to A/try (for ref: http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/48889738/person/12942509047 ).

Regarding the issue of fisherman/mason, as djct59 mentioned earlier, many people in these northern coastal areas were fishermen and xxxx. Not uncommon really.

You need to satisfy yourself though and this is what you are trying to do now. Am I right in thinking that you have Hector is all the censuses, 1841-1901? Have you looked for wife Williamina Munro's death cert to confirm her parents?

Hector's parents are given as a John McPherson and a Janet McIntosh. This would seem to fit well with the 1841 and 1851 census entries you have found.

From a number of sources, Williamina Munro's parents are showing as Alexander Munro and Elizabeth Clark. Hector and Williamina had a daughter with this name https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYGF-CB7

Couldn't easily on Family Search see any pre 1855 birth registrations for their children, prior to the start of official registration in Scotland. There may be entries on Scotlands People pre 1855 though. These are the children showing for them post 1855 https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Amcpherson~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Ascotland%20%2Bfather_givenname%3Ahector~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3Awilliamina~%20%2Bmother_surname%3Amunro~

Some other info here for them http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SCT-CAITHNESS/2001-03/0984850567

What were the names of the witnesses at your John's marriage in 1882? What did it say regarding John's father's occupation on John's death cert?

Regarding naming pattern often used by Scots/Irish. Not always used or in the order defined, but surprising how often it was to a great extent. Use of family surnames as middle names also common. See here for example www.halmyre.abel.co.uk/Family/naming.htm

We seem to have here from what we have seen so far, following the 1850 marriage:

Alexander Munro c. 1852
John c. 1853
George c. 1854
Jessie...a common variant of Janet 1855 (a great cert to look at, 2 pages of the register for one year only)
Hector 1856
William James Alexander 1857
Hugh 1859
Elizabeth Clark 1860
....and other births....

Lots of info online re eldest Alexander such as:

http://members.peak.org/~wershos/macpherson.html
http://records.ancestry.co.uk/alexander_macpherson_records.ashx?pid=135042438
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL5K-GC9

Lots of connections there to family names.

Monica




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Offline Boomeranger

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Re: Hector McPherson 1828 Helmsdale
« Reply #7 on: Friday 13 March 15 20:33 GMT (UK) »
Thank you so much for all this wonderful guidance Monica, I see I shall be very busy this weekend!
Best wishes, Andrew