Donald McDonald 1854

[Rosinish]

Have you used this site?

http://www.rosscromartyroots.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=63476

Annie

[Wodgemac]

So when you hit a wall like that, where there are no records, is that it?
Are there any other options? Visiting churches?

Annie, I will have a look on that site,

Thank you

[Forfarian]

So when you hit a wall like that, where there are no records, is that it?

In many cases, yes.

Visiting churches?

Don't bother. All the surviving pre-1855 registers of the Church of Scotland were collected in 1855 by the Registrar General, and that is what makes up the Church of Scotland records on Scotland's People. The Catholic and assorted dissenting churches' registers make up the rest of the information on SP. Very, very few churches still hold their own pre-1855 registers.

There could be an occasional register that has escaped the net, but it's much more likely that the record of the event you can't find has just not survived. Especially death records, because deaths often just weren't recorded.

There are a few other sources, but mostly you only find records of people who were important or who owned land.

It'll be interesting to see if Ross and Cromarty Roots can suggest anything.

[Rossal]

I am new to Rootschat,so please forgive me if I make mistakes! Donald McDonald, who was born in Contin, Ross-shire in 1854 was my (half) great uncle. He went to work as a groom to the Angerstein family in Wales and married Margaret Morgan there. His youngest (half) brother was my grandfather Murdo Maclennan MacDonald. Murdo was an illegitimate child born to Isabella several years after the death of her husband John MacDonald, the tailor in Contin. If anybody sees this message, I won't be able to reply immediately because I'm going away for a few days.

[Skoosh]

Rossal, welcome to Rootschat, this site lists the tenants on Fairburn estate, next door to Contin so you might be lucky and find a connection.

https://fairburn-estate.co.uk/?page_id=203

Bests,
Skoosh.

[Wodgemac]

Hi Rossal,

Thank you for your message. It's my wife's side of the tree and we intend to pay a visit to the area once everything has settled down.
I have gone slightly farther back with John McDonald and Isabella Mclennan, so if you want to know anymore, please let me know.

Kind regards

Richard