Johanna McKay birth 1882 not found, confusion re Mother

[raonull4]

hi
most had living accomodation in those days  the animals shared the accomodations with them
cooking utensils where normaly cast iron

[raonull4]

hi maggbill

there appears to be a tree on ancestry for Johanna MacKay Stewart
born 1882 died 17th jan 1953 would you know Johanna from a photo

[maggbill]

Hi Raonull4,
Sorry - have been quite busy over last few days - tomorrow also, so haven't had time to really "get it all together".  There are actually 13 trees on Anc. for Johanna McKay - quite interesting to see the variety.  Three of them are private, so don't know details.  I have actually got a photo of Johanna from another and had it verified by the sister of my late husband - Brilliant to find it.  Have had a look at some of the other trees, - the usual sort of stuff - some just take info from others trees without much verification and there is some confusion.  One states her mother to be Catherine - we know about that option... One states her mother to be "McEwen"...Another states that she was born in the USA!!!!!  One tree states that she marries a "James Stewart" instead of Donald... Haven't had an actual good look at all of them, but do think that the research we have done - with your help and all the input from Rootschatters, we are about as close to precision as is possible.  I have always avoided the temptation of just adding details and info without actually spending the time and paying for the actual certificates to prove issues.  But certainly with Johanna, we have seen that even the "official documents", can have quite confusing information.  Will get to writing the story !! 

[raonull4]

hi
ancestry is useful as a guide but i never take anything at face value
from it unless documents back it up,
your situation is very similar to mine both lines of our familly
came from the islands in times when gaelic was their language
and often names and ages got transcrbed wrong,
but as was posted the use of places names such as achmore
in census that that ties in with everything i ve seen
so far for Johana,
if her grandparents are John MacKay and Mary MacIver
i believe their Marriage is in the OPR's  on Scotlands People
1840,
and if thats them then John MacKays brother Neil married 1 of my Smiths,
you ll see them on the croft image i posted Neil and Marion

[maggbill]

Hi Raonull4,

Who says "the tree is done"... never shall these words pass the lips of a true genealogist lololol!  Found the marriage of John Mackay and Mary MacIver - thank you for that.  Also have links to someone else with a tree, connected via Anc.... the "James Stewart" said to be the "second husband" of Johanna MacKay is said to be the father of her later two children - Alexander (1917 - have SP birth - says "illegitimate, - only mother, "Johanna McKay or Stewart, widow of Donald Stewart....") and Flora - said to have been born in 1921 - but haven't chased that one.

[maggbill]

Hi again,
One of my original queries re Johanna McKay was re her religion and why she married in the Catholic church in 1914.  And as we are quite strong in  our connection to John McKay and Mary McIver, - had a further look at their marriage.  Obviously OPR - Old Parish Registers - and the minister was Reverend Robert Findlayson - googled it, totally not expecting to find anything and lo and behold he was a man of some reputation.  https://kinlochfc.org/rev-robert-finlayson-1793-1861-part-1-an-overview-of-his-life-and-ministry/ .... Link to his story - and there is also a part 2 which speaks more of Lochs.  Obviously the articles are very focused on the religious point of view, but give some interesting comments re life on Lewis in those days.  And it answers my question - that possibly Johanna McIver was not born a Catholic, - think neither was Donald Stewart ( will try to double check).. which still doesn't answer my question of how on earth the Catholic church in Aberdeen in those days was so open to their marriage!  I know throughout the 20th century there were definite limitations on who would have been given the "sacrament" of Catholic marriage... interesting.  The article re Reg. Findlayson - worth a look - re the Free Church etc.

[raonull4]

hi maggbill
               you ve been busy, free church or wee free as we know it,
or as i call it myself island mafia was most likely how Johana was brought up
as for marrying in a catholic church i think in those days you had to convert
and attend for a certain length of time before they d marry you,
i m not religous in any way so i know very little on the ways of the church,
could there be a connection between James and Donald Stewart,

John MacKay origonally came from Garynahine, and moved to Achmore Lochs
after marrying Mary MacIver posted is what i can see for Mary

[maggbill]

Hi again,

The mystery remains re the Catholic marriage - cos you are right, the pre-requisites to getting married in the Catholic church were to convert, to bring the children up as Catholic, and the fact that Donald and Johanna had been together and had quite a few children before they finally got "hitched" wouldn't have gone well with the Catholic approach.  I can't even see the "rules" being relaxed just because he was going off to War!  Don't think the Church would have been so accommodating, unless either party could prove some "Catholicism"!    Re James Stewart connection to Donald?  Well, the Stewart NE families were numerous, - I only have 2 siblings listed for Donald - Mary born about 1875 in Stornaway, and Rachel Stewart b. abt 1888 in Rayne Aberdeenshire... (1891 census) - and 1901/1911 census give no further actual siblings... Would bet there were though.  Very extensive confusing Stewart families some connected, some not.

[raonull4]

hi
  where and when was the children before the marriage born,
i m starting to think Johana left the island with the Stewart familly
or at least with Donald himself.