Missing Donald and Jean McPhail, Campbeltown, daughter Charlotte (1846-1892)

[Forfarian]

I've seen on 19th Century OS maps there seems to be an area called Mill know, just off where today's Millknow Road is - the area that now seems to be called Calton. Looking at the OS map, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of housing there, so no road per se to have an address.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=55.42918&lon=-5.61058&layers=5&b=1 from the map surveyed in 1869.

[Hwby]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the help - with people, maps, and so on. I'm starting to develop a picture now, which is very nice. Istrice - you were right with the "Drumgarve" suggestion. Looking at a copy of the actual census pages, "Drumgard" is a transcription error.

I've certainly been able to pad out the family, both sideways and up, so that's great. I am, unfortunately, still stuck on who on earth 1851 Uncle Alexander is. If I'm right that this is Alexander McPhail who married Margaret Andrew, she's a different Margaret to whom Charlotte's living with in 1851, and Alexander must be the biological uncle. However, Dad Donald's baptism has his parents given as John MacPhail and Isobell MacIsaac, who I can only find four children for - Donald, John, Margaret, and Mary.

I thought perhaps Uncle Alexander is actually a great-uncle, But I can't find any Alexander McPhail births that fit the time and place. So who is he?(!)

[MonicaL]

Only about a third of events (BMDs) were registered pre the start of official registration from 1855. You are always lucky really if you are able to find something in these years.

Alexander McPhail is still showing (widowed?) in 1861. He was farming substantial land of 900 acres at Drumgaire Farm (as indexed). Why not look for his death registration to confirm his parents' names (if know to his informant for his death)?

He was still showing as born c. 1800 in Southend, Argyllshire.

Monica

[Forfarian]

It looks as if Alexander McPhail, who was married to Margaret Andrew, must have left the area. He is listed at Drumgarve in 1861 as a 60-year-old widower, born Southend, with four daughters, two sons and two nephews, one of who is Charlotte's brother Archibald, I think, and the other James McPhail, 18, visitor, born Ireland.

I can't find Margaret Andrew's death so she presumably died before 1855. Nor can I find Alexander's death, or a census listing, obvious marriage or death for his son David McPhail.

Alexander gave his age in 1841 as 42, in 1841 as 51 and in 1861 as 60, so he's inconsistent. There is a gap in the family of Archibald McPhail and Jean McLean between James in 1801 and John in 1807, so he could have fitted in that gap.

On the other hand he named his eldest son David, and he was born in Southend, not in Campbeltown.

[MonicaL]

To add to Forfarian's notes on the McMillan family ealier. Possible entry for Duncan McMillar in Alexander McPhail's household for 1841:

Alexr Mcphail 42 farmer
Margret Mcphail 35
Elisabeth Mcphail 14
Jean Mcphail 13
Mary Mcphail 10
Margret Mcphail 8
David Mcphail 6
Hellen Mcphail 4
Duncan McMillan 20
John Mccallum 23
Prudence Darmid 16

Address: Achanelary, Southend

[MonicaL]

The closest possible death I saw for Alexander was this one:

ALEXANDER MCPHAIL
age 86
1886
523/ 11
Kilmore and Kilbride

I haven't checked through the 1871/81 census to eliminated this one.

Monica

[MonicaL]

....there is also this www.findagrave.com/memorial/53435633/alexander-mcphail

Monica

[MonicaL]

You may also find this Kintyre site of interest (http://www.ralstongenealogy.com/kintyreplaces.htm)

Istrice

From Istrice's earlier link, have a look at www.ralstongenealogy.com/breckenridgediary.htm

From the info on Alexander McPhail's family on Find a Grave, his daughter Ellen McPhail looks to have married Hugh Breckenridge www.findagrave.com/memorial/26896132/ellen-breckenridge  This helps in making sense of the McPhail & Dungarve Farm references on Diary pages of 'breckenridgediary'.

Monica

[MonicaL]

From here www.findagrave.com/memorial/206174486/archibald-mcphail

Alexander was the son of Robert McPhail and Margaret Milloy. He died at Milknow. He was buried in Kilchenzie Church yard as certified by his son Alexander McPhail.

Apart from the mistake that Alexander should read Archibald, easy enough to confirm this by checking Archibald's death reg on SP.

Added: See also https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McPhail-762

Monica