William MacKay (abt 1819), Loth, Sutherland

[Mark Smith Australia]

Firstly, apologies for a somewhat long-winded query.   My wife’s G-G-grandfather was Joseph McKie.   He died, aged 78, in 1922 at Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.   His death certificate states that he was born in Dundee, Scotland (about 1845 based on his age at death), his mother was Catherine Findlay, father not listed.   We also have a copy of his marriage certificate when he married Mary Ann Gannon in Hay NSW in 1881.   Unfortunately all the important details were left blank!

We think that his Joseph McKie's father may have been William Mackay based on the following information. From the “UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969” we found that on 23 April 1845 William Mackay, 26, from the Parish of Loth, County of Sutherland N.B. married Catherine Finlay, 18, from the County of Perth N.B., daughter of William Finlay and Mary Finlay alias Angus.   This marriage took place on HMS Collingwood in Valparaiso, Chile.

Then in the 1851 Scottish census for Dundee, Angus, there is a Cathren Findlay 25 daughter born in Kegortern Perthshire, William Findlay 49, Maregt Findlay 45, a few younger Findlays and finally a Joseph Morays aged 5 relationship “Jainde” born in America.   We think that Joseph Morays (was “Morays” a bad transcription from the written Census?) may very well be the son of William Mackay and Catherine Findlay, but are stumped on the relationship “Jainde”.   Does anyone have any idea or is it another poor transcription?

So far we have had little success in establishing why they were in Chile, what happened to William Mackay and why Catherine (if it is the same Catherine) was back in Scotland living with her family.

Just for completion we think that Catherine Findlay married George Bremner (named as Brymer) in Dundee in November 1851 and they sailed to Victoria Australia in 1852 on the Watana under the name Brenner, including Joseph Brenner aged 5.   Catherine’s family also appear to have been on the same ship under the name “Findley”.

Can anyone enlighten us about William Mackay and the word “Jainde”?

Look forward to any responses,
Mark
Canberra, Australia

[dowdstree]

Hi Mark I assume that you are looking at a transcription of the 1851 Scotland census from Ancestry or some other website.

The word "jainde" looks like a very bad transcription and I cannot think what it might mean.

You can view the original at  www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk  have you used them before? If not it is very easy to register and buy blocks of credits. Each image will only cost you 6 credits or £1.50. It is the only place to get the original Scottish records.

Good luck,

Dorrie

[Skoosh]

Perthshire locus, Redgorton! & Moray = Murray!

Skoosh.

[Forfarian]

That must have been one of the notoriously bad transcriptions.

However another transcription has her as Catherine Findlay, daughter, married, age 25, weaver, born Perthshire - so it looks as if this transcriber might have ducked the issue of where in Perthshire, and may possibly have committed the 'sin' of correcting the original spelling.

Joseph is transcribed as Joseph McKay, friend, aged 5, no birthplace stated.

Given the discrepancies in the information included in these transcriptions you really have to see the original document at Scotland's People.

[MonicaL]

Hi Mark

There look to be a number of children born to a William Finlay and Mary Angus. Some of the births show in Dundee, others in Perthshire.

This could be Catherine's entry:

Cath. Grant Finlay
Christening 31 Dec 1826 in AUCHTERGAVEN, PERTH
Father's Name    William Finlay
Mother's Name    Mary Angus

Original images from the old parish registers are available to view on Scotlands People.

How would young Catherine have ended up in Valparaiso we have to wonder?

Monica

[MonicaL]

As an aside...a drawing of HMS Collingwood at Valparaiso in 1841:

www.watercolourworld.org/painting/hms-collingwood-valparaiso-tww00fba8

Monica

[Forfarian]

If Kegortern is a mangled version of Redgorton, then it can't be Auchtergaven, and vice versa. Auchtergaven and Redgorton are both parishes and therefore mutually exclusive. Though they are next to one another.

[MonicaL]

The entry I posted from the OPRs was for a christening. Maybe she was actually born elsewhere and christened in Auchtergaven?

Monica

[Forfarian]

The entry I posted from the OPRs was for a christening. Maybe she was actually born elsewhere and christened in Auchtergaven?

It's possible. Has anyone actually viewed the original?