MacKenzie - Abby and Donald.

[NZMack]

Hello all, I am wondering if someone can point me in the right direction for some "troublesome" ancestors.

I am trying to find out about the parents of Donald MacKenzie who married Catherine MacKay 5 February 1863 in Killearnan.  On the marriage record that I have it states that his parents were Donald MacKenzie (deceased farmer) and Abby MacKenzie M.S. MacKenzie.  Donald and Abby may have been married 9 December 1812 in Lochbroom.  I seem to be going round in circles trying to find them.  I have found a widowed Abigail McKenzie in the 1851 census on Ancestry who was married to a cottor? listed with Janet McLeod 56, Margaret McKenzie 27, William McKenzie 21 and Kennith McKenzie 30.  They are in the town of Rereuavach? in the parish of Lochbroom. 

Would someone be able to help this frustrated New Zealander?

[Rosinish]

Welcome to Rootschat 

I think your 1st port of call is to get the original 1851 from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

This will list ages, where each were born, what their occupations were & relationships as you haven't mentioned any?

I'm guessing Margaret, William & Kenneth were kids of Abigail on 1851 i.e.

How old was Donald when he married Catherine?

Have you found him in 1851?

You need to try & find them in 1841 when they were all more likely to be at home together.

The 1841 won't show the same info. but probably enough to group them as a family (hopefully)?

From the info. you have provided, I would imagine Donald to be born 2nd son?

You have in 1851;

Abigail (what was her age)? Widow & married to a Cottar would fit with Donald being a "deceased farmer" on son Donald's marriage

Kenneth 30
Margaret 27
(Could Donald belong here)?
William 21

Annie

[ev]

They are in the town of Rereuavach? in the parish of Lochbroom.

http://www.freecen.org.uk/ has the 1841 Census transcriptions for Ross & Cromarty.

At Rereabhach Lochbroom are Donald McKenzie 50 , Abby McKenzie 55 , and Donald McKenzie 10.



ev

[NZMack]

Thanks for the welcome.

Donald was 35 when he married Catherine in 1863 and she was 26.  His dad Donald was deceased by 1863. Donald was a shepherd.  His usual residence was listed as Hughoton, in the Parish of Urray.  They had their first three children in Scotland - Elizabeth 1863 born in Ullapool, Annie 1865 born in Urray and Donald 14 September 1866 born in Hewstone, Tarradale.  Donald went to the goldfields in Australia and made money and then went back to Scotland and ended up in New Zealand in 1867.  Catherine and the three children then came to New Zealand on the William Davie under Captain Hendry at Port Chalmers on 6 September 1870 and they went on to have another four children.

I am Donald and Catherine's great, great grand-daughter via their son Donald.

I have searched Ancestry using different spellings - MacKenzie/McKenzie but I can't seen to find Donald as child of Donald and Abby/Abigail MacKenzie.

So I have no idea who Donald's (Catherine's husband) siblings were although there may have been a John.

So am I going to have to buy credits for Scotland's People to try and go back further with Donald and Abby?

Oh also, the Abigail McKenzie I found was 63 in 1851 and so would have been born circa 1788.

[NZMack]

Thanks for the FreeCen tip ev.

[Gadget]

Welcome from me too 

I think this is where they lived:

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01igr/

A vey remote part of Lochbroom which was depopulated in the 19th century. It has now developed into a small but thriving community again. I lived not far from there 'as the crow flies' but a fair distance by road/boat/foot.

Ullapool museum might have some detailed info, old stories etc.

http://www.ullapoolmuseum.co.uk/

Gadget

[NZMack]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions Gadget but I am unsure if I have the right Abigail MacKenzie as my Donald that came to New Zealand would have been about 16 in the 1841 census and all the ones that are around that age on FreeCen are not with any Abby.  Still scratching my head!

[Millmoor]

Hi

The 1861 census has a Donald McKenzie born 1828 (birth place again transcribed as Rerevach) address Western Brackla House, Lochbroom. Occupation shepherd. Cannot see him in the 1851 census but might he be the Donald identified in the 1841 census?

William

[Gadget]

Hi

The 1861 census has a Donald McKenzie born 1828 (birth place again transcribed as Rerevach)

William

That is most likely to be the Ruigh'riabhach  that I indicated on the map link. On the shores of Little Loch Broom.

Add - checked on some of my old 'local' notes -  this one has Donald as a Mason in 1841. He could be a cottar and mason but not sure he'd be described as a farmer. Maybe Donald had forgotten what his father did 

Add 2 - just remembered that Lochbroom parish records don't start until circa 1800