Elizabeth Mackay - 1867-1931

[S13P]

That census from 1871 looks promising, I have been trying to find her in 1871 with no luck. I have been looking for her with her mother and maybe she wasn't living with her mom. I will look for the parents of William Sutherland his marriage certificate lists his parents are Donald Sutherland and Isabella Gordon.

Since you guys have all the info I also wanted to ask about the way she named her kids. It looks like she took the last name of the father of the child and placed them as a middle name? Is that something that was done? So my great grandma was Katie Green on the census and her birth certificate says Elizabeth Catherine Green Mackay. The other kids its the same type of thing. She has a boy name John Sinclair Mackay, or like the oldest William Sutherland Mackay (only went by sutherland as an adult.) Or Isabella Gordon Mackay on her marriage certificate it lists her father s John Gordon.  Am i just creating a pattern? Or how did they name illegitimate children?

So when I looked through her kids here youngest kid is name Jane so maybe that might be here mothers name. She also went by Jennie. But when I look at 2 of her kids marriage certificates it says the mothers maiden name is Sinclair. But i have no idea why it's only on some of the kids info and not others.

I wonder if maybe she did marry someone to get the last name mackay? I didn't look because everyone told me she never married, but now I'm questioning everything I was ever told. I'll be looking for marriages for her under Sutherland. Or could she just take on her dads last name?
Sorry so many questions. I'm just trying to ask them all because of the delay in my posts which i think is due to the time difference. I really appreciate all the effort you guys have already put in. Thank you for helping me with my search.

[Forfarian]

Yes, it's not unusual for illegitimate children to be given their father's name as a middle name.

As for how they appear in later records, there are no rules. Sometimes you find them listed with their mother's surname and sometimes with their father's.

As for Elizabeth marrying someone named Mackay, that death certificate says she was single, so that is probably not a very fruitful line of enquiry.

Lizzie Mackay 23 domestic servant. A/try have her birth place as Sutherland, Strathpaladah

1891 FreeCEN transcription has Strathhaladale.

I wondered if it was Strath Halladale. Part of Strath Halladale is in the parish of Reay, so that would fit with the 1871 census.

Achumore is probably a mistranscription of Achamore. See https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=58.50106&lon=-3.88719&layers=5&b=1

There's a birth of Elizabeth Sutherland, mother Alexandrina Sutherland, in Reay on 19 July 1867.

And in the 1861 census Alexandrina Sutherland, 14, is a servant in the household of Hugh McDonald and Elizabeth Sutherland in Reay. Too much of a coincidence?

I think you should ask Scotland's People for a re-scan of Elizabeth Mackay's death certificate to see what her mother's given name was.

Elizabeth Sutherland, wife of Hugh MacDonald, was the daughter of .... wait for it .... Donald Sutherland and Isabella Gordon    Calgarry Beg is just a hop, skip and a jump downriver from Achamore. See the same map extract above.

[MonicaL]

A possible entry for her in 1881. Now offers possible connections to the McKay side from her father's side hopefully!

William Mackay 72 Chelsea Pensioner b Farr Sutherland
Mary McKay 56 wife b. Edinburgh
Donald McKay 18 son agr. lab. b. Farr
Betsey McKay 13 niece b. Reay Caithness

Address: Achina, Kirkton Farr, Sutherland

Monica

[MonicaL]

This William McKay from 1861 I think only married in 1861, to a Mary Mckay, 17 October 1861 in Farr Sutherland. You could check his marriage entry for parents, and as with the Sutherlands, try to work from there to aim to connect to Robert McKay.

The 1861 census has Willilam with his sister and another niece:

William Mckay 58 Tenant Of 2 Acres & Chelsea Pensioner b. Farr
Betty Mckay 54 sister b. Farr
Marey Mckay 32 niece b. Farr

By 1871, he had married Mary and had son Donald on 23 Sept 1862 Farr. No more children I think.

Monica

[ev]

On some of the marriage certificates for her children she had a maiden name of Sinclair

There's a birth of Elizabeth Sutherland, mother Alexandrina Sutherland, in Reay on 19 July 1867

Did that Alexandrina Sutherland marry David Sinclair in 1872 Reay Caithness ?


ev

[S13P]

Did that Alexandrina Sutherland marry David Sinclair in 1872 Reay Caithness ?

I cant seem to find that on SP but will keep looking.

As for Elizabeth marrying someone named Mackay, that death certificate says she was single, so that is probably not a very fruitful line of enquiry.

I agree with this, I can't imagine her marrying and with 8 kids from different fathers I don't imagine many would have married her either.

There's a birth of Elizabeth Sutherland, mother Alexandrina Sutherland, in Reay on 19 July 1867.

And in the 1861 census Alexandrina Sutherland, 14, is a servant in the household of Hugh McDonald and Elizabeth Sutherland in Reay. Too much of a coincidence?

I think you should ask Scotland's People for a re-scan of Elizabeth Mackay's death certificate to see what her mother's given name was.

Elizabeth Sutherland, wife of Hugh MacDonald, was the daughter of .... wait for it .... Donald Sutherland and Isabella Gordon    Calgarry Beg is just a hop, skip and a jump downriver from Achamore. See the same map extract above.

This information seems quite promising, and I will try to find this line today. I did send SP a email and asked for a new scan so hopefully that will come sooner rather then later.

A possible entry for her in 1881. Now offers possible connections to the McKay side from her father's side hopefully!

William Mackay 72 Chelsea Pensioner b Farr Sutherland
Mary McKay 56 wife b. Edinburgh
Donald McKay 18 son agr. lab. b. Farr
Betsey McKay 13 niece b. Reay Caithness

Address: Achina, Kirkton Farr, Sutherland

Monica

I am also going to look at this today. I don't know why I didn't think to look under Beth, or Betsy, I've always looked for Lizzie as she is listed as that on the older census, but I guess she could have gone by a couple different names.


Again thank you all you've all been so helpful and patient with my questions.

[MonicaL]

This is from the marriage index on SP, with the details that Ev provided:

ALEXANDRINA SUTHERLAND and DAVID SINCLAIR
1872
040/ 5
Reay

And a possibility for her death:

ALEXANDRINA SUTHERLAND
Age 49
1896
041/ 38
Thurso

Monica

[Forfarian]

Yes, that death is Alexandrina Sutherland, other surname Sinclair.

Aged 49 gives DoB 1846/1847, which is exactly right for the 14-year-old in the 1861 census. Definitely worth a look at that marriage certificate.

[MonicaL]

The Sinclair family in 1881 in Halkirk:

David Sinclair 50 Quarry Lab b. Halkirk
Alexina 35 b. Lairg Sutherland
David J 5 b. Halkirk
Donald 3 b. Halkirk
James 1 b. Halkirk

Birth place looks good for Alexina.

Monica