John MacLeod of Dornoch, Sutherland married 29 Apr 1816 in Edinburgh

[Sildeag]

I was interested to know more about John MacLeod and Janet Jessie Ramsay of Dornoch, Sutherland as I have a few McLeods from this area.  John was married on 29 Apr 1816 St. Cuthbert, Edinburgh to Janet "Jessie" Ramsay.  John is some kind of Town Officer, I am assuming Dornoch but it might not be.   I would like to know who John MacLeod's parents are?  I guessed John was born about 1790.  I have the family tree for their daughter Christina (or Christian) but nothing for son Donald b.22.08.1817 and sisters Janet b.27.03.1819 and Joanna b.11.04.1824.  Children all born in Dornoch.  I noted in this http://cosuthdornoch.blogspot.com/2016/02/dornoch-1822.html "Alex., pensioner, Berrichen; Angus, farmer, Lonemore; George, pensioner, Berrichen; John (Sergeant) Pensioner, Dornoch (could be him); John, wright, Lonemore; Murdoch, Gaelic teacher, Balcherry; Robert, farmer, Dornoch; Wm., wright, Lonemore."

Also, a descendant of his daughter Christina sent me this: In regards to John McLeod, he is listed as a Chelsea pensioner on the 1841 & 1851 censuses in Dornoch, Sutherland. Then on Christina’s death certificate in 1877, he is listed as “town officer” (deceased). 1861 John McLeod is living with Margart Munro, his niece, and listed as a retired officer. I take that to mean Janet or Joanna might have married a Munro.  Christina was married in 1848 in Loth to James Fyfe and moved to Kirkcaldy, Fife.  She did not have much detail on the McLeods.

I was unable to find John McLeod or John MacLeod in any census, 1841, 1851, or 1861.   Before I burn through Scotland's People credits, I would like to narrow the date of death (more than after 1861 and before 1877) and location, as it might not be Dornoch.  I would also like to know about the niece's parents.  Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

[maddys52]

Do you know which regiment he served in? There is this death notice:

"At Skeind Cottage, Melness, Sutherlandshire, on the 2d
ultimo, Mr John Macleod, formerly of the Forty-second
Regiment, at an advance age."

   Thursday,  May 5, 1864
Publication: John O'Groat Journal

Though, it is a very common name! And I realise Melness is some distance from Dornoch.

Possibly this death registered at Tongue, 056/ 7 - John MCLEOD, though he was 90, so a bit old for your John.

[maddys52]

Just to discount the above, this is probably him in 1851 - at Tongue,

MCLEOD    John    Lodger    U    70    Former Lieutenant, Head Absent     Skye    Infirm    
with this note on FreeCEN: "& abt 80 ac common hill see orig ED5 pge 12"
MCKAY    Janet    Servnt    U    60    Housemaid    Durness       
MCKAY    Barbara    Servnt    U    36    General Servant    Durness

So not yours.

[maddys52]

I think these are the census references for your John, still looking for a death. 

In 1861 at Tongue, ref 056/ 4/ 10
Margaret MUNRO   67    Head
Margaret GUNN   48    Servant
John MCLEOD    80    Uncle, retired officer
Janet MCKAY          70    Servant
Ann MUNRO          14    Servant

In 1851: at Dornoch 047/ 1/ 25
John MACLEOD    68   (chelsea pensioner) Rogart
Johan MACLEOD    25   (dau, housekeeper)  Dornoch

In 1841 at Dornoch 047/ 1/ 1:
John MCLEOD    55   pensioner
Christy MCLEOD   20
Johan MCLEOD   15
Ann ROSS           25

[Sildeag]

Thank you very much for all this information.  I will download the death certificate for Tongue as it does seem the most likely.  The death certificate of John McLeod 1774-1864 gives the parents as Roderick R. McLeod and Flora McLeod and Dolina? Munro niece as informant.  It indicates he is single but the census info given before makes it very likely he is the John McLeod I was looking for.

[maddys52]

I'm not sure that this is the correct John MACLEOD.

The census references I gave above (reply #3) for 1861 are the one's referred to in your opening post, but I don't think this is your man. The servant Janet MACKAY appears in the 1861 aged 70 and also in the census for John MACLEOD in 1851 (reply #2) aged 50. Although, he is "absent", so why was he on the census? Very confusing. The address is transcribed as "Skinid" on Ancestry - note the address on the death notice is "Skeind Cottage".

Also, the fact that he is described as single, and born Skye, compared to yours who was married and born Rogart (according to the 1851).

So I think the info you were given for the 1861 census is incorrectly assumed to be "your" John MACLEOD.

[maddys52]

Just noticed a tree on ancestry which notes on John's marriage cert it says "Sgt John Mcleod, 42nd Regt. of Foot" and Jessie Ramsay, daughter of the late Wm. Ramsay ..."

It also has some other details about his military career, but no death other than between 1871 and 1877. (It also has the 1861 census at Tongue, but as I outlined above, I don't think this is correct, unless we can work out how he is related to Margaret MUNRO.)

[maddys52]

Some more conjecture:

Margaret MUNRO appears in the 1851 at  Dornoch:
Angus INNES            50  Golspie    Lotter Of 4 Acres (chelsea Pensioner)
Alexanderina INNES    48   Dornoch
Ellen MUNRO           52   Dornoch  (sister-in-law)
Margaret MUNRO           57   Dornoch  (sister-in-law)
Margaret CAMPBELL    13  Creich    servant

There is a marriage between Angus INNES and Alexa MUNRO at Dornoch 22 Nov 1847 .

Probable Margaret MUNRO in 1841 at Skeinid, Tongue:
Jennet GUN           80
Margaret MUNRO    50

[Sildeag]

You might be right but it seems fairly close.  I did try to find Johan McLeod's death as she was with him in 1851 when he was infirm.  The one I downloaded was also for Tongue.  She died in 1867 aged 40.  Uncle James Munro, father William Gordon mother Catherine Munro.  I wasn't able to find anything on son Donald or the sister Janet.