Author Topic: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario  (Read 8773 times)

Offline NorthrnGrl

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Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« on: Friday 01 November 19 16:31 GMT (UK) »
I am looking for information on John and Sarah McLeod from Benbecula,  who had sons Donald, Alexander and 3 daughters.  They emigrated in 1849 to Canada and first to Ingersoll, ON where John died about 1850 and then ending up a few years later in East Williams, Ontario and area around McGillivray, Middlesex, Ontario.

John d. Abt 1850 Ingersoll, ON
Sarah b. Abt 1802 South Uist d. January 27, 1892 McGillivray, ON
Alexander b. Abt 1832 Benbecula
Donald b. AUGUST 18 1836 • Benbecula, South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland d. APRIL 7 1916 • McGillivray, Ontario Canada. Buried Parkhill, Ontario.
I know very little about his sisters except on Donald’s Obituary it said 2 sisters were still living. Family lore is one was Helen.
Donald McLeod married first Mary McKenzie (1843-1875) on 30 Jan 1873 • East Williams Township, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.  Then Mary Rubena Robertson (1858-1939) on May 20 1880 • McGillivray, Ontario, Canada.  He had 11 children altogether all born in McGillivray, ON. He was a member of the Corbett Presbyterian Church and obit says a “pioneer settler” of that area.

I have had no success in confirming this family on the 1841 census for Scotland. Sarah’s name was likely a Scottish variation.

If you have any information on this family it would be most appreciated as I would like to go further up the tree and I’ve hit a road block!

Offline ColC

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #1 on: Friday 01 November 19 18:27 GMT (UK) »
North or South Uist does not appear on the list of missing 1841 censuses, but no record of them there?

Records on https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/ Pre Statutory Registration in 1855.

South Uist Births 0 Marriages 1839 – 1848

Benbecula Births 1848 – 1854 Marriages 1848 – 1851

No Deaths 

I came across this on freereg, it's a bit of a long shot but the only family I could find anywhere near your description of them. I just wonder?

Birth records were available in Portree at the time but no records there for any of those listed below.

1841 – Kirkton, Portree Inverness-shire – MACLEOD (All born in the county except Sarah)

John           35   Miller
Sarah   32   
Colin    11   
Donald   9   
Catherine   7   
Alexander   5   
Peter           1   
Margaret   20   Female Servant

Colin
Clarke, Trickett, Orton, Lawless, Norton, Detheridge, Kirby, Goodfellow, Wagstaff, Lowe, etc.

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #2 on: Friday 01 November 19 21:19 GMT (UK) »
These are some of the more well known name variants for Sarah www.whatsinaname.net/php/search.php?action=search2&search_name=sarah

Doesn't help with finding the family in 1841 unfortunately  :-\

Monica
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline NorthrnGrl

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 02 November 19 06:28 GMT (UK) »
I appreciate both the posts. I will check out that site Colin (: There were definitely only the 2 boys and 3 girls. The problem I see is names tended to change when people immigrated into a new area. For example, going by middle names etc... Makes it tricky tracking them!


Offline raonull4

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 02 November 19 13:20 GMT (UK) »
hi
 you may like to take a look at Bill Lawsons books
http://www.billlawson.com/books.htm
he covers south uist and benbecula
i ve purchased a few of his croft books for
the isle of lewis and have found them to be a great source
of information

Raonull4

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 02 November 19 13:45 GMT (UK) »
Worth knowing Sarah/Marion are interchangeable.

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"

Offline Forfarian

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 02 November 19 16:52 GMT (UK) »
There were definitely only the 2 boys and 3 girls.
Be cautious about that - many children died in infancy or early childhood, so there could easily have been others who didn't live long enough to emigrate.
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline polarbear

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 02 November 19 19:32 GMT (UK) »
Hello NorthrnGrl

Following on Rosinish's comment about Sarah/Marion being interchangeable, I wonder if this might be your family in the 1851/2 and 1861 Canadian censuses.....

1851/2 census, bottom of the page. Township of Zorra West, Oxford County (Ingersoll w/b in Oxford County).

Alex
Donald
A widowed Marion
Cristy
Ann

http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e095/e002363888.jpg

1861 census, starting at line 11. Township of West Williams, Middlesex.

Alexander
Donald
A widowed Sarah
Neil
Anne

http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4391945_00338.jpg

Ages differ a bit between the censuses (one is age next birthday, one age last birthday) but the family members seem to fit fairly well? Relationships aren't given but is it possible Alex and Donald had an older brother? The 1851/2 census gives you a couple of possible sisters if this is the correct family. The families seem to be living in the general areas you mentioned.

Anyway, food for thought.
PB

We search for information but it is up to the thread owner to verify that it is correct.

British Census copyright The National Archives; Canadian Census copyright Library and Archives Canada

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Donald McLeod’s family from Benbecula South Uist to McGillivray Ontario
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 02 November 19 20:02 GMT (UK) »
They do fit well, PB. Great find  :)

Monica
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